The Office Cats

[Misa]

YES LUPIN ALSO BITES BUT HE TENDS TO DO A LITTLE NIP FIRST AS A WARNING

[Lyn (Slugsta)]

Sorry you got bitened Cloveart  Alfie can turn and bite in a heartbeat and, given the chance, he will use my hand and arm as a 'kicker' - I still have the scars to show for it!

[Cloveart]

You may be right Paula. If we were in a home with someone else, even if we didn't like them, and they disapeared, we'd be a bit unsettled. The only thing is, we understand illness and the vet, whereas I don't think cats understand the situation.

That isn't Tiggie, Sue. I took the picture from the internet. Her teeth are probably worse and her claws are fearsome too.

I notice Tiggie anyway Misa. The staff that ignore her (and don't feed her), don't get bitten. She should see the error in her logic, but she doesn't. She wanted a lot of fuss today, although I could not give her treats as I've misplaced them somewhere.

[Misa]

CATS HAVE A WAY OF MAKING THEMSELVES NOTICED LOL

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Ouch, Cloveart!  Am sorry to hear Tiggie was so far out of sorts she munched on y our arm.  Very glad it wasn't worse than it was.  Am wondering if she's feeling under the weather too, or if she's just grumpy and missing Kizzie like you are.   

That's certainly an impressive set of teeth.     Am glad she disappeared though before any punishment was administered.  Cats don't have the same logic as us, so she was just making her feelings plainly felt.   Am sorry you had the brunt of it. 

Sometimes, when we're removing the little burrs me and OH call "soldier's buttons" from Moray's tail, he hisses like some demonic cat from the bowels of Hell, raising a huge furry paw in a threatening manner (and believe me, I've seen those mitts in action!  I wudden wanna be on the receiving end).  I fix him with a sideways stare and say "hey - now here! Whadda fusspot!" and usually he looks a bit shamefaced (but also rather smug  ). 

[Judecat (Paula)]

As you say, very scary from a mouse's perspective, I am glad she didn't  do you any damage.

No denying that cats are strange animals, there may have been a bond not visible to the human eye.

[Cloveart]

Tiggie Bit Me!

The first day of my last shift saw the preparations for the summer fair. Tiggie was not a happy bunny and bit me on the arm when I stroked her first thing in the morning. Luckily, with the drop in temperature, I was wearing a long sleeved cardigan, or she we would've inflicted some serious damage with those sharp little teeth of hers. They are quite terrifying when you look at them closely, and must be awful as the last thing a mouse ever sees. If it had been the winter, I would've put her out in the cold as punishment. As it was, I couldn't think of anything. I did not see her for much of the day.

When it came to the summer fair on the next day, I did not see Tiggie all day, between feeding her first thing and her reappearing when it was all over. It is funny how cats know when things like that have finished. She hates any change to the routine or anything going on. Apparently, a lot of money was raised for the residents' amenities (mostly musical entertainment). On the last day, nothing did go on, so she kept appearing in the office for fuss and strokes. 

I still miss Kizzie and keep subconsciously looking for her. It is hard to believe she has gone. Tiggie's behaviour may be slightly weird because she does not understand what has happened to her - even if they did not get on together.

[Judecat (Paula)]

Beautiful song lyrics, and very fitting.  Lyn's right - no matter how much we prepare, it never makes the loss easier to absorb 

Same as that and very poignant lyrics.

Take care Sweetie. xxx

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Beautiful song lyrics, and very fitting.  Lyn's right - no matter how much we prepare, it never makes the loss easier to absorb 

[Cloveart]

Thank you, Lyn. I think what may be meant, in the continued use of the phrase, is that the sorrow is tinged with the sweetness of the memories. But, you are right, and Ella Fitzgerald was probably more accurate in singing, 'Every time we say goodbye, I die a little.' 

[Lyn (Slugsta)]

Oh Cloveart!   

Thank you for letting us know that little Kizzie has crossed the bridge and continues her journey without you. At times like this, parting is not 'sweet sorrow', it is unmitigated pain!  The time will eventually come when you will think of your little mate with only smiles but, until then, please know that we here understand how you are feeling.

RIP sweet Kizzie, run free at the Bridge.

[Judecat (Paula)]

Don't quite know what to say.

Play hard on The Bridge Kizzie, free from old age and pain.

[Cloveart]

Thank you, Sue. My last memory of Kizzie is of her walking away in her hoity-toity manner, so she was her usual self near the end. 

Dawn, the vet said that he doubted whether Kizzie would have made it through that night. So, yes, she finally went peacefully.

[dawnf]

I'm so sorry to hear that, although it is good that she was taken to the vet and was allowed to go peacefully 

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Oh Cloveart

I am so sorry.  Kizzie will leave behind her such a big gaping hole in your life.  You had the gift and the ability to see her true self, and to treat her as an equal soul.  How lovely that right to the last she still had the ability to outfox everyone, and find herself a little spot no-one else knew about.  Bless you and thank you for the love and the kindness that you gave to Kizzie.  A Grande Dame of her world (and yours).

Run free at the bridge sweet lady.  xx

[Cloveart]

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

Kizzie Rests in Peace

A few months ago, there came an inevitable point when I began ask myself, 'Will Kizzie still be here when I return for my next shifts?' But, she kept going somehow. Then there was the stage when I began to worry if I did not see Kizzie for a few hours during the shift (which has always existed among some staff in a longer form). This reached its peak a few weeks ago when Kizzie, unusually, had still not appeared for her food by my 'clocking-off' time. Because of her not being well, I stood and called her name in all the usual places, such as at the bottom of corridors, front of the car park, foot of the garden and so on, but still there was no sign. I walked around the garden, around the car park and down the road. I looked under parked cars, all around the sheltered housing grounds, in most of the rooms, under work tops, and even in the walk-in cupboards. All the while I felt increasingly self-conscious at callling 'Kizzie, Kizzie' and making funny squeaking noises. Still no Kizzie. In the meantime, Tiggie waited at the food bowls with her usual limitless cat patience, giving me the usual bemused look.

There was nothing for it, but to repeat the whole procedure, going around the buildings and gardens, leaving the sheltered housing until last. I saw nooks and crannies, in the latter, I did not know existed, as I looked in each corner and under every shrub. By the time I staggered back into the main room, the forum, feeling completely flummoxed, there was Kizzie sitting next to Tiggie looking at me as if to say, 'What's going on and where have you been?' I was convinced, after two years of working in the home, that I knew all of the cats' hiding places, but still Kizzie had managed to find somewhere undetectable, and I swear she must have been laughering at my going round-and-round the place in circles with increasing frustration. No matter what their condition, I never looked for the cats again if they were not ready by my home time. 
 
There was a discussion in the corridor one day, about what was ailng Kizzie, between ---------- and a manager. Amidst all the speculation, I said, 'She has hypothyroidism and needs a blood test,' to which the replies were, 'She's old', 'It is expensive', 'Blah blah woof, woof', so I had to walk away. Kizzie was taken for yet another consultation with a vet and no prizes for guessing that the problem was the thyroid. Apparently poor Kizzie also had polyps in her throat, hence the loud purring. I eventually noticed, when stroking her, that she deliberately opened her little mouth each time she breathed in, in order to purr, which was heartbreaking. For some time, she could only be stroked very gently, but now it was just possible to tickle the fur. She was eating less, and not wanting treats.

Kizzie often lay between two back-to-back settees in the forum, where she would look out of one end and see the passers-by and eveything that went on, while remaining unnoticed by many. I always stopped to check and she would gaze back with that surprised, yet not really surprised, look (do you know what I mean?). Over time, and with the increasing warmth in the weather, she went outside to sleep on the tiles under the dusty old barbecue, which was next to the glass doors so she could still see inside. I would go out and she would look back. If it was too uncomfortable to be tickled, still she purred.

The last time I saw Kizzie, she was walking in from the barbecue and I attempted to very lightly tickle her fur, but she just walked away. She did not purr.  That weekend she was barely eating the jelly on her cat food, but had continued to enjoy a small bowl of cat milk. Early in the week, a member of staff phoned to tell me that Kizzie had been taken to the vet that morning and been put to sleep. My immediate reaction was one of relief that she would not be suffering any longer. They had, quite rightly, not wanted me to find out by returning and wondering where she was, or by hearing a remark. Apparently, she had eaten a bowl of food at the usual time, but had deteriorated soon after.

I am sorry if the above was difficult to read, it was painful to write, but it was also cathartic. By my standard it took a while to get started. My intention is to balance this by writing more about the things that I can see, with hindsight, in the light of Kizzie's illness, and the positive side of my time with Kizzie in the office.

There is also Tiggie . . .

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

   Much better.   

[Cloveart]

Here's one to pick you up: https://youtu.be/rtoPr76fCac

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

   No but that one sums up my working day today perfectly! 

[Cloveart]

Not this one by Steve Winwood and Jim Capaldi? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqPNf_13Kb4

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

    See?  That's exactly what I mean! 

Am glad you're reviewing the situation (I feel a song coming on ..... [a la Ron Moody] )

 

[Cloveart]

You don't need 'inspiration', if that were the case I would never post anything! Please stay around and join in the general conversations 

You've re-inspired me.

[Cloveart]

I love your other contributions too, which often cheer me up on a "down day"

That is sweet of you to say.

[Lyn (Slugsta)]

You don't need 'inspiration', if that were the case I would never post anything! Please stay around and join in the general conversations 

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

I agree with Paula.  I'd be very sorry to see you leave us.  I like hearing about the office cats, and I love your other contributions too, which often cheer me up on a "down day"

You can post about anything and everything you know.  It doesn't have to be about the cats, although I love hearing about Kizzie and Tiggie.  It fills me with hope that more care and residential homes will adopt cats and dogs for everyone's benefit. 

[Judecat (Paula)]

That would make a lot of people very sad. We enjoy your input, not just on this thread.

[Cloveart]

That was the intention. I am out of inspiration.

[Judecat (Paula)]

I hope that the title and the waving kitten at the end doesn't mean that you are leaving us Martin?

[Cloveart]

TYING UP LOOSE ENDS

This is a summary of the cats' behaviour since my last post, based on a combination of some notes and my unreliable memory, and was written to tie up loose ends. I felt I could keep adding to this and never finish, so I decided to post it, albeit incomplete.

Kizzie is a bit aloof in the morning, except for badgering me for food and milk, but tends to come round later in the day for (i) treats, (ii) to sleep just outside the office door, and (iii) to sleep on the carpet in the corner of the office. She rarely stays for very long and disappears to somewhere not too far away. Sometimes she sleeps under a coffee table, beyond the back of a settee which is against the wall, so that she can peep along the back of the settee, across the corridor and through the office door at me. She thinks I cannot see her, but I know where to look for her little face.
 
Tiggie sometimes hobbles across to me when I arrive for work. She has a limp because of the arthritis and may not have been given medicine while I was away. She is getting more friendly, although I am always wary.

Both cats appear fairly quickly in the morning for food and now expect cat milk as standard. You can set your watch by them at: (i) tea break time (around 10:30am), when they look for treats; (ii) mid-day, when they look for something more substantial; and (iii) near my home time when they get their second official meal. I now have a system where I prepare both meals, but only put out one, if only one cat appears, as they will eat each other's (especially the jelly/gravy).

Quite often a polythene bag is put in the tray to contain the Cat San or the cheaper own brand version. I am not keen on this and would rather put the Cat San directly into the tray. The cats do not find the polythene comfortable and sometimes make a mess on the plastic. A bag makes it easier to dispose of, I suppose, but I don't bother. Staff sometimes complain about the odour from the Cat San, but rarely clean the tray. The good thing is that the cats, one of whom is incontinent, do actually use the Cat San tray, despite never having had one before, and no longer make a mess indoors. 

I asked one of the laundry assistants to wash the towel and cushion, which were put in a box under the office desk, for the cats. The improvised bed had been there for a while and was not particularly clean. Shaking the components outside no longer worked as a method of freshening them up. She promptly washed and dried them in our super fast industrial tumble drier, and they were put back in position in a trice, now beautifully fresh and clean. As the cats rarely jump onto the desk or onto anything high, these days, you might expect them to rush to the lovely newly washed bedding. Well, I have not seen them use it once. Next to the bed is a pile of flattened corrugated cardboard boxes, which must be more uncomfortable than the carpet on which they are piled, but the cats (especially Tiggie) love curling up on them.

The cats can be very quiet and almost invisible in the dark under the desk. Sometimes, they come out stretching and yawning, and I did not know they were there in the first place. On other occasions, I can hear Kizzie squeaking, but cannot see her until I look under the desk. She had been there all the time, without me noticing. It is a good thing that I was not talking about her.

Kizzie was taken to the vet, three or four weeks ago. I was not at work at the time and do not know the details. My understanding is that there was a fear she may need putting down, but thankfully she survived. As to why she did not have a blood test is a mystery. Apparently, she also had matted fur around her waist, despite being brushed, which needed careful removal, and it was shaved off making her look very unhealthy. The conversation about how Kizzie looks unwell crops up every now and again, but she really needs the blood test. Her fur is gradually growing back.

Kizzie has developed a habit of going outside and looking through the glass door, at the end of a long corridor, as if to say let me in please. As I come back to the office, I can see her little face in the distance, and so I have to walk the length of the corridor uphill to let her in and then walk back again. The door is also alarmed and has to be isolated, unlocked and the same in reverse. She could come in through the nearby catflap or the other doors which are not so far away, so I am sure she is doing this for mischief. Additionally, after rarely going outside in the winter, she has taken to sleeping on an upholstered dining chair, which is under the porch, in front of the patio. I am not sure why she does this - just for a bit of fresh air I suppose.   

The future for Kizzie and Tiggie is uncertain. Today Tiggie let me stroke her like a little dog, which she would never have done two years ago, when I started working in the home. So, anything is possible. Kizzie needs a blood test, but as I am not involved all week, it is difficult to see this ever happening, unless something drastically changes.

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

   Newcastle is indeed a very draughty station - the wind that blows through it has a particularly icy edge, summer and winter,  that is exacerbated by the metal seats some sadist decided would be a great idea to install for passengers waiting on the various platforms.   

I think sometimes we have a strong gut instinct about jobs which it pays us to pay attention to.

[Cloveart]

I tried role and it did not look right, Paula, so I went back to plain old job. When I did a course some years ago, the tutor said he wanted plain English in our essays, including no polysyllabic words. His reasoning being that if their absence was good enough for Shakespeare, it was good enough for us.   

I've been for job interviews where everybody looked as miserable as sin, or just numb, so I steered clear. If I have learned anything at all, it is that nothing is worth years of misery. I now work where there are two cats, so what could be better (apart from the money and the hours)?

When I clicked on Firefox, I had yet another nagging message tellling me that the browser was opening too slowly. Another click suggested I reset Firefox, which will keep bookmarks and passwords, but removes extensions. I checked my existing add-ons, extensions and themes, to make a note of them, and came across Tiger Tabby Cat, which looks a lot like Tiggie. I probably installed the theme and then decided against using it because it did not show up properly or obscured something. Now that Firefox has a pretty good transparency on the toolbar (or it may be in Windows 10), it works okay, so I re-enabled the theme.  While I was at it, I downloaded another called savage black kitten, so instead of checking themes before removal, I now have even more. I already had Animated Kitty Cat (which does not work properly) and Here Boy (a little dog).

I will eventually go ahead and reset, but I must remember to keep these.

As a recap, for Firefox users, who may be interested, here are the cat themes I have used so far:

- Tiger Tabby Cat (looks like Tiggie)
- savage black kitten (actually a cute little black kitten)
- Animated Kitty Cat (would be good if the animation worked reliably)
- Here Boy (a dog, not a cat, but cute and unobtrusive)

Just typing cat in the search box, in the themes part of add ons, reveals many other cat themes for Firefox: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-GB/firefox/addon/tiger-tabby-cat/

I now have what looks like Tiggie as a theme, until I find something else.
 

[Judecat (Paula)]

Position? Post? Role? Just teasing Cloveart.

I was offered two jobs once, one at the Tax Office down the road, and the one that I took at NTL, the deciding factor was that the staff I saw at NTL were happy, the people I saw going to work at HMRT invariable looked miserable on their way to work. This decision was ratified when I started looking after Gina, she worked there for years, and her friend Carol, who retired from there a few months ago. Carol was literally counting days, she is so much more happy and relaxed now that she has stopped work. They both hated it, but stayed on for the pension. Not sure if it is worth years of misery though.

Far better doing a worthwhile job that you enjoy.

[Cloveart]

The furthest north I've been is to Berwick, for a job interview. On the journey, I had to change at Newcastle station, which was very drafty, and sitting next to me was a Californian, who turned to me and said, 'Where I come from, this would be a blizzard.' I stayed overnight in a hotel and, while I don't recall much, I do remember climbing under the sheets and the leg falling off the bed. It was only me in the bed. It made me wonder what would have happened if they'd had enthusiastic honeymooners, or maybe they had stayed the night before. I didn't get the job.

During my post-interview feedback, one of the panel told me the main reason for my 'lack of success', was because I hesitated when asked if I would take the job, if it was offered to me, and that you must always be positive and answer in the affirmative. This was all quite true. Soon after, I realised that it would not have been the job for me, and the 'successful candidate' may have been the loser, but I always kept this advice in mind for future applications.   

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

  Yes indeed - right on the borders, Cloveart.  My hubby is Scots, and many of our cats have had Scots themed names, like Ross (ie Ross & Cromarty) and MacBeenz MacSquee and of course Moray.   

Mac was so called because of his very high pitched squeaky miaow which took us all by surprise!  "Squeeeeweeeweeweesquee!!!    Bless his heart - he used to cry like that whenever his Daddy went off and did something without him.  My OH was always having to "reskyoo" him from one scrape or another - ' til the one none of us could fix, of course.

I love that each cat has a different noise they make when interacting with us.    It's like their purrs - so distinct, and so different, each one.

[Cloveart]

Your cats' names seem a bit Scottish, are you near the borders, Sue?

The office cats are quite squeaky, especially if they get trodden on. They do have a sort of squeaky meow sound, which is not like the normal meow. Usually, it means hurry up with the food, or hurry up with the milk. Kizzie has a squeaky purr, while Tiggie's is fairly quiet.

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

  You're both so right.  We know good care homes exist, it's just they're hard to come across, and as you point out, when looking after a loved one with dementia, it can be frustrating, depressing and wearying.

Anything which can relieve the pressure on everyone concerned has to be a positive, but some Care Homes really go the extra mile.  pets, children and singing seem to be the main catalysts for those with dementia, and can often trigger much happier memories in their lives.

That made me laugh about them squeaking - Moray was in a very playful mood yesterday and was chasing the gurlies.  When he waltzed up to Barley, all mischievous, and cuffed her experimentally round the ear, she set up such a caterwauling - you'd think he'd mugged her for her sweeties and stolen her dinner money!       

[Cloveart]

Yes, Dawn, we are proof that good homes exist and we are far from the media image. My mum struggled to keep my dad at home, until he had a stroke. 

[Dawn F]

its good that such places exist, my mum kept my dad at home until he died but really she couldn't cope and he did get quite difficult, a horrible situation for everyone

[Cloveart]

I've missed your comments, Sue.

Both cats seek out the warmest places, but on this occasion, Tiggie had been put on the radiator (they have fancy covers, and quite nice they are too) by a member of staff to keep her out of the way of the trolleys. Both cats can also completely relax on the busiest part of the carpet, so it was to prevent her from getting run over. Every now and again, they do get trodden on. Sometimes they squeak to mixed levels of sympathy - from not being noticed to being picked up and put in a safer place. Anyway, the same member of staff came to get me to look at Tiggie's cute pose on the radiator, although she had moved by the time I arrived. It seems she was peeping through the curtain, with her paw over her eyes. She was there for sometime, with the sun on her fur and the heat from the radiator, which rarely goes off at this time of year.

I do not know if there is a CQC specified temperature for care homes, although there are those for water for washing and the storage of medication. Our temperatures must be around 70F/21C, but I have never checked them. Care staff complain they are too warm, while some residents can still feel cold in the summer! On the other hand, a common misconception among residents is that it is a lovely day outsde, when it is bright and the central heating makes it seem warm. Most of the time, I feel just right, but I do not have a physical job, and I am sure the cats would say the same if they could speak (in English, instead of squeaky meows). Tiggie and Kizzie only go outside at this time of year to do what they have to do and then come straight back. Kizzie tends to rely more on the Cat San although Tiggie is not averse.

Our home is for those diagnosed with advanced dementia, and usually (although not always) events have come to a head with the family and there has been an incident of some sort, often culminating in a spell in hospital. The elderly person then has been transferred from hospital to our home. In other words, the family could no longer cope (if they have a family). The ones I feel for are those with a surviving husband or wife, who feel depressed, and grown up children, who feel guilty, having struggled valiantly to keep them at home. More often than not, they are soon relieved to see their loved one happier and healthier. This is our aim, to see the residents happy.   

It is quite funny to see the residents manipulate the ice cream, because obviously it is quite cold, but they soon enjoy the creamy taste - even those who initially said they did not want one. Not many fail to eat the whole tub in double quick time.

Our cats are definitely geriatric, with failing hearing and incontinence, but they remain sprightly even so. In some lights, Kizzie, who is naturally tortoiseshell, is quite grey especially on her tail. Kizzie is a grey tabbie, so it is harder to see. Like the residents deserve occasional biccies, cakes and ice cream, so the cats enjoy their treats, sticks, milk and fish on Friday.   

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

    Yes - I like those, Cloveart.   

I know - Malt was warming her toes on the radiator yesterday, then pushed her head up against it and snoozed.  I couldn't keep my hand there for more than a count of 12!!     Cats are asbestos!

I don't think those of us who are not in a care home environment for any length of time appreciate how much the little things matter, and what a difference they can make to the residents.  How many of them get to have that level of interaction with pets when they leave their own homes behind them.  Those who've had animal companions must miss them greatly, and some who've never known what it's like then get to experience it first hand, and the joy that it can bring.  Likewise with children.  And children can learn a lot from being around elderly and infirm residents. 

I guess one time, our society was pretty inclusive, and many elderly people remained in their community and family environs, even passing away in them.  These days, that happens much less often, and so a lot of the social chatter and sense of community is  lost.

Am so pleased you were able to spend a fair bit of time with them.   

And ice-cream - easier to swallow for those who may have difficulty with ordinary food.      Am not always a huge fan of ice cream, although I do love the very occasional peanut butter Magnum.  And there's an ice cream parlour in Aviemore who sell the most beautiful buttery ice cream, made on their premises.  Mmmm!   

So, just looking at the (6) ages of cats again, I see we have two juniors and one "in his prime" (I just know Moray will be preening himself over that one  )

And you have two geriatrics.  And I reckon they've earned their evaporated milk and their stick treats.