More good news - hello Paddington!

[bobbys girl]

Lol - there is one quarter clear on the snoozing gents' sofa - and I'm certain it's got Paddington's name on it ...

Mere humans will have to sit on the floor

Yeh, just like our house!

[Crewella]

Yep, same here - we've often ended up sitting on the floor, and more than once we've had to go to bed because the cats had so obviously settled in for the night on the sofa!

Poor old Paddington, the honeymoon phase is over and he's going to have to start learning the house rules - I always give newbies a couple of weeks grace before I start nagging. He's a lovely cat but has absolutely no concept of civilised house behaviour - I've caught him sharpening his claws on my precious dragon-carved chairs, and he stretches up and sticks his claws in whatever is nearby as a form of greeting ....... eeeeek!! He's also getting playful, and plays a little too rough if he manages to grab your hands.

He's a good boy at heart, so I'm sure he will learn, he's just in for a tough week and a few 'words'.

[p885]

I am sure that things will get better soon.

[Crewella]

Oh they will, I know. He's a good boy, he just needs to learn and the only way he'll do that is if I keep telling him. I just feel a bit sorry for him this week!

[greenkitty]

They have to learn a bit of tough love will soon have him sorted. Glad to hear he's settling well

[Lilith]

LOL - I'm not the only one who gets chucked out of my chair then!

Ah poor old chap, and you'll feel rotten as well, having to lay down the law. But they learn. I'm reminded of the time Finn joined me and the spraying dispute. My bookcases, no, I wasn't standing for that! (Though as an ex-bookseller I can guarantee that even the scruffiest paperback cover or dustjacket comes up a treat with ... Mr Sheen. Deodorises too!)

I confess I've given up on preventing clawing and getting up on furniture...along with the distressed Art Deco chair I have a 1940s sideboard and, after this street was caught in the 2007 floods (well, not caught, actually; the police bulldozed a beck wall in order to 'save' the nearby retail park. As the park's uphill and these streets are downhill...yes... ) the sideboard was decorated with silty little pussy prints for a long time.

Apparently the only furniture cats won't claw is vinyl...

Hope he soon gentles down too (though as you'll know they do.) Finny was a bit naughty at first but then became an absolute teddy bear. Even around claw-trimming and ear-cleaning. First a warning growl, then a warning grip with a huge paw, and then, since he hardly had any teeth, he'd gum me...

Give Paddington a love from me - when he's being a good boy, and when the claws aren't rampant!

[PeanutsFriend]

Such a wonderful thing to happen for the both of you

[Crewella]

To make up for the constant nagging, and to give him some more acceptable alternatives for his claws, I thought it about time he started to go out. It's a bit soon by normal standards, but we have a completely enclosed courtyard, and he follows us about in the house so I thought he'd be OK if I let him out there. He spent about 5 minutes having a good old sniff round before heading back inside of his own accord, bless him, when he remembered it was dinner time! I'm so pleased - I couldn't have asked for a better start.

[Crewella]

Thankfully Paddington has discovered OH's lap and seems to be turning into another Daddy's boy. Double phew! I have tried to get a pic, but he's still at that stage of jumping up every time I walk into a room (mainly because he thinks he might get fed).

I think I referred to him as a bit of an 'innocent abroad' when he first got here ........ yeah right!! I'm getting the measure of him now and he's an absolute old pro con-artist, knows exactly how cute he is and the value of pester-power and always has an eye on the main chance. I've realised he only sits quietly when I pick him up in the kitchen (he's usually a wriggler) because it gives him a good vantage point of what's on the counters!

He's another completely different personality from the last two old boys. All three know/knew the value of a good meal and would eat absolutely anything, but Pugwash was all smash and grab, he wasn't ever going to wait for someone to decide to feed him - if he got the slightest chance he'd grab it and run, and Greebo had little or no expectation of anything so always seemed sweetly grateful for his food, liked his cuddles first and never barged or grabbed. This one isn't pushy or aggressive - he's well mannered and a real charmer, but he'll work you like a pro, follow you around until you give in or nick it when you're not looking. He reminds me a little of Peaches, who used to sidle up to Daz, all cute and purry and rubbing against him, and when he looked back down all he'd see was the back of her head in his bowl!

He's still settling well, Grumpy Nellie and Merrick seem to quite like him and both Daz and Basil are a little wary still but happy to be in the same room, and I had all the boys together in the kitchen today doing 'treats' with no trouble at all and Nellie just outside the door, which is her usual spot. He also loves his bed on the sofa - you can see him almost smiling as he jumps up, pads all round the edges and settles in with a contented sigh. He's going to be a happy boy tonight as he can stay in it - I've decided he no longer needs to go back out to the utility rooom at night.

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[jillyvillyvoo]

Yes he looks like a fly wee devil Helen. So glad everyone is accepting him. Aww a Daddy's boy too, sweet. He is a great addition to your family x

[meriad]

He is gorgeous, such unusual markings... fusses to all your gang Helen x

[Crewella]

Today really was the first day of the rest of Paddington's life. He got his second vaccination yesterday and was pronounced fit and well, and now a good weight.

He is now allowed out and had a couple of wanders round the front garden today, with either me or OH in tow to keep an eye on him which he seemed to appreciate, and he was happy to follow us back in after 10-15 minutes. He loved it - I'm so glad he's able to be an outdoor cat here. He is also very obviously loving the fact that he no longer gets locked in the utility room for half the day. He's spent most of today curled up in his favourite bed on the sofa, and if you talk to him he rolls blissfully onto his back and waves his paws at you.

His has been the smoothest introduction phase I've yet encountered, and today I saw him and Daz greet each other nose-to-nose so he really does seem to be part of the gang now. That fact made it all the harder to broach the subject of putting his details on the rehoming list now that he's fit and vaccinated, but that was the agreement. Thankfully, the rescue have said that, as he's settled in so well here, he might as well stay on as a permanent foster ........ which (of course) is what I always hoped might happen. You can imagine how chuffed I am - this is now definitely, and officially, his forever home.

[jillyvillyvoo]

Congratulations Paddington! and of course you too Helen. I knew he was a good un the minute I set eyes on him. So thrilled he finally has what he deserves . Good on you for all you do for all your gang but especially this wee gentleman. No only saved from death row but thriving in a great home too. Do you ever update Shelley of his progress? She will be over the moon too. Seriously thank you and here's too many great years together. Give him a gigantic fuss from me x

[bobbys girl]

What a lovely start to the day. I am SO pleased for all of you. Well done Helen and OH. Big (hugs) to you and fusses to the latest member of your family.

[Lilith]

Hey that's great! Brilliant to hear the old chap's officially settled

Wish all of them could find such love and care - but here's one at least who's been salvaged. Wish him many happy years ahead.

[Crewella]

Oh he's definitely settled in. He's been going out with me when I go out to the outside pen, but yesterday he asked to go out after the others went out through the office window, so I let him. I was chuffed to bits to hear him shouting to come back in about 20 minutes later.

Little sod was obviously just testing the 'entry process'. Having sussed that, he asked to go out again at about 6pm .......... to disappear for hours. I called, I wandered up and down the garden with a torch, calling, I scoured up and down the road looking for a tabby heap ......... only to find him at 4am sound asleep at the back of the garage! "oh ...... yawn.....hello ..... prrrrrrrrr".

[bobbys girl]

Little sod was obviously just testing the 'entry process'. Having sussed that, he asked to go out again at about 6pm .......... to disappear for hours. I called, I wandered up and down the garden with a torch, calling, I scoured up and down the road looking for a tabby heap ......... only to find him at 4am sound asleep at the back of the garage! "oh ...... yawn.....hello ..... prrrrrrrrr".

Been there, done that, had the sleepless night!

Dear old Tommy is wanting to spend time outside (he swings between sleepy and restless) and the weather has been horrible. There have been a couple of times when I have really started to worry that he had wandered off, then he strolls back in!

[Crewella]

You sound worried about Tommy of late, I hope this is just one of the many 'down' swings you get with an ageing cat and the old boy still has some happy years left. We were mollycoddling old Giddy and saying "aww she's not with us for much longer" for over 2 years! xx

[bobbys girl]

I really hope that is so. Yes we are worried about the old fella. He is just not eating enough. He has gone off his chicken and I am having to sneak his meds into a mix of milk and warm water. He is drinking OK and wants to go out where he drinks out of the pond or puddles in the drive. He is so skinny, poor old fella, he hasn't the fight left to resist when we intervene and give him a watery mix of Recovery in a syringe.

He LOVES a fuss and having a brush and is such a gentle soul.

It doesn't help that the girls are all being little bxxxxes at the moment and my elderly mum is driving me mad, fretting about Tom and asking questions I can't answer. I am fed up of saying 'I don't know'! Aghh!

I bet you wished you had never asked now. But it is nice to know, that Giddy defied the odds and and plodded on. Maybe there is life in the old cat yet.

[Crewella]

I know what it's like, both Giddy and old Minnie were bags of bones and a bit wobbly for at least the last year of their lives, and yes their appetite had tailed off. Might be worth asking your vet about Vit B shots - they did both the world of good every few months to kind of 'kick start' them again when they seemed on a downward slide. Both made it to 19.5, Giddy nearly made 20.

It is a worry though. (((hugs)))

[Crewella]

I notice Paddington is on the Cat Chat Home page in the 'Homed Cats' box, with 'Congratulations Paddington'!

Quite right too - he's completely at home here now, going out and coming in as he pleases. He's not too keen on staying out for long, I think he's had a lifetime of 'out', but he does like a brief potter and a sniff round before curling up again in the warm. He's taken to sitting behind me on the office chair as I work, like Greebo used to - I'm sure there are comfier spots, but he seems to like the company and the contact.

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[jillyvillyvoo]

Och Helen somethings are just meant to be. And that's certainly where Paddingtons meant to be . Looking ever so at home , even a tad smug

[bobbys girl]

He looks so at home there. They do sleep in some funny places don't they? I think Tommy must be feeling a little better, as he has taken to lying on a shelf in the bookcase again - filed under 'cosy'!

[Lilith]

Bless him - doesn't he look pleased with himself! Has he put weight on? Puddington? Or should that be Pudding-tom?

[Crewella]

Sue, I'm so pleased that Tommy's feeling brighter, and that's he's correctly cat-alogued and filed!

I hope he maintains his appetite for his Christmas turkey. xx

You're spot-on, Lilith - 'Puddington' has indeed sailed past his 'ideal' weight into porker territory, I'm afraid. I distinctly remember calling him 'Porkington' at breakfast this morning when I explained why his bowl was looking not-as-full-as-usual. It's my fault - I got in the habit of treating him as the household walking dustbin because he needed feeding up ....... all that has to stop!

[Lilith]

Lol - he sounds just like my old Finn - he was a bottomless pit! I think I've described how, having never been sure of his next meal before, he'd gorge till he was sick or even, if I had to tell him off, run to his biscuit bowl as if in fear of not getting a last meal before he got thrown out of this place. Poor chap! Since I leave the biscuits down all the time he too got rather portly. Not obese but...portly.

I remember a period when I bought cooked ham from the supermarket which looked lean, but always, when the packet was opened, had a white band of fat...ugh! So I'd curse, '****ing Sainsburys!' Finny soon learned, and when the naughty language began, there he'd be, waiting for his ham fat. He shouldn't have had it I suppose, but he did.

Luckily his weight never affected his health; even though he became arthritic I was never told to diet him. He was a sort of normal sized cat with a beer belly. Cuddly.

[Crewella]

Cuddly. I can live with cuddly!

I'm exactly the same, I cut all the fat off EVERYTHING ...... and give it to the cats. The only thing I don't give them is pork crackling and duck skin - the salt is through the roof!!!

[Crewella]

Just to update on Paddington, who is so much part of the household now that I can't imagine being without him. He still loves his bed - I think he's been trying to tell me how much as it was round when he got here!

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He's also taken to climbing up my back onto my shoulders whilst I'm working on the computer - the other night he ended up on my shoulders with his front paws on my head (to get a better view of the screen, I think)! He must have been a well-loved cat at some point in his life.

[Mayday21]

A very contented Paddington cat. Vivian

[jillyvillyvoo]

Aw, well he seems to be a well loved cat all over again! That makes me really happy. He is so lovely. We have another new addition, not so great so it's only been less than a month so hope for improvement .