New cat - possibly!

[PurBee]

Oh rf, what a tale so far! Just to get the cat has been an epic drama! Im sure Marlon will settle in very nicely and be extremely pleased to become Master of his new abode with you in the very near future sans aggravating spaniel

Your barge environment sounds idyllic and gives him plenty of scope and enrichment to be king of the entire mooring in time im sure!

Im so glad for you you have another cat to shower your love on. My own self-appointed king of this farm is a delight to spoil and love, and has given a less harsh fall when i lost my dear GSD last year. He’s a new breed called a “Cay-Do” - half dog, half cat - preferring to snuggle dogs than cats!
Cats fill a place in a heart nothing else can, and i wish you and Master Marlon oodles of joy, companionship and …ahem….inevitable slavery obligations!

 

[Errin Paddywack]

My goodness you really do meet them don't you. She sounds like someone in a storybook, horrifying to think she is real. What a lucky cat to have found you and been saved from her.

 

[Highmileagecob]

Hooligan Cat's initial name was Cato, as it was like living in a Pink Panther movie with him rugby tackling your ankles and pouncing on knees every time there was a trip to the kitchen. Enjoy your new boy! He looks lovely.

 

[Horseysheepy]

That's great news, look forward to reading about his antics once he comes out of his shell!.

 

[Xmasha]

So pleased you have another feline friend to keep you company. As for the previous owner , she’s one for the ‘erased from memory list’.
He’s a cracking looking cat , look forward to your updates

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

How is initial settling in phase going Ratty? I am assuming the new captain of the ship hasn't settled down to sleep on your face overnight and smothered you?

 

[Ratface]

Morning Ratty, how are you and Catto this morning? Is he any more settled yet?

And a belated Good Morning to you FP! Catto is swithering between smarm/charm/swear and silent snarl. Comes out from current hiding place, behind the wood burner, stops, silent open mouth snarl (A"What Big Teeth You Have Grandpapa!" moment) walks up for a head butt opportunity and quickly remembers he's supposed to hate and fear me so marches off again. Interspersed with loafing in the dog cage, preparing a deadly attack, should it be needed. He's eaten a full breakfast, wee'd and poo'ed. Food replaced. Apparently previous owner gave him four meals a day of Kitten Felix.
I've retreated to the aft cabin with a book and R4. I'll go and check up on him in a while.

 

[Ratface]

My goodness you really do meet them don't you. She sounds like someone in a storybook, horrifying to think she is real. What a lucky cat to have found you and been saved from her.

Yes, and is apparently a counsellor for traumatised youth! Hmm. The empathy of a ferret, in my previously professional opinion.

 

[Ratface]

How is initial settling in phase going Ratty? I am assuming the new captain of the ship hasn't settled down to sleep on your face overnight and smothered you?

Not quite, but I'm sure that if he'd had the nerve to do so, he would have done! He hates the entire world at the moment, and wants nothing to do with it or me, unless I'm doing my dumb waiter act and providing food x2 and Cheese Dreamies.
My plan is to lurk in the saloon for a short while and see if he comes near. Ignore and wait. Repeat x n.

 

[Ratface]

Morning Ratty, how are you and Catto this morning? Is he any more settled yet?

No - he hates the entire world and especially me. Cheese Dreamies swallowed at pace and immediately vomited over my bare feet. Lovely gift, thank you Catto. However, wee'd and poo'ed in the right place. He's also eaten his first meal of the day and - so far - kept it down. Fingers crossed.

 

[oldandgold]

I'd have been tempted to have tripped her up on the gangplank. I really don't understand people and their me me me attitudes. Take care of yourself Ratface it has been a very trying time for you.

 

[Ratface]

Oh rf, what a tale so far! Just to get the cat has been an epic drama! Im sure Marlon will settle in very nicely and be extremely pleased to become Master of his new abode with you in the very near future sans aggravating spaniel

Your barge environment sounds idyllic and gives him plenty of scope and enrichment to be king of the entire mooring in time im sure!

Im so glad for you you have another cat to shower your love on. My own self-appointed king of this farm is a delight to spoil and love, and has given a less harsh fall when i lost my dear GSD last year. He’s a new breed called a “Cay-Do” - half dog, half cat - preferring to snuggle dogs than cats!
Cats fill a place in a heart nothing else can, and i wish you and Master Marlon oodles of joy, companionship and …ahem….inevitable slavery obligations!

Marlon was de-selected for me by my cat-finding friend. She was certain she could find a free one and did. Catto! Thus called because the owner "couldn't be bothered to think of a name for him, so just called him ''Cat". Charming. Not.

 

[Highmileagecob]

Poor lad, he's probably expecting a spaniel to come and take his breakfast off him. Fingers crossed for a short settling in period.

 

[Ratface]

I'd have been tempted to have tripped her up on the gangplank. I really don't understand people and their me me me attitudes. Take care of yourself Ratface it has been a very trying time for you.

My late mother, had she still been alive, would have said "Let it pass, dear. Let it pass." So I did. Anyway, she must have been near on 20 stone and I wouldn't have been able to pull her out if she had gone in. Outgoing tide as well . . .

 

[Ratface]

Poor lad, he's probably expecting a spaniel to come and take his breakfast off him. Fingers crossed for a short settling in period.

We have a resident spanielxdaschund, who is terrified of cats, having had a pop at The Burmese when he (SxD) was a puppy. Burmese grasped him by the muzzle, scimitar claws on all four paws out, and bit him really hard. Then let go and swaggered back to the wheelhouse, with a superior Burmes smirk on his face. Spaniel has scuttled past the barge ever since, face averted!

 

[taranana]

So pleased to read of Catto’s arrival. Everything crossed for quick settle in.

The offer of the carrier is open indefinitely so if and when you would like it, do drop me a line

 

[Ratface]

Morning Ratty, how are you and Catto this morning? Is he any more settled yet?

Good morning, Cavalier. Not really. Still hates the world in general and me in particular. Not to worry. He's had a lot of upheaval and will, I'm sure, eventually settle.

 

[Ratface]

So pleased to read of Catto’s arrival. Everything crossed for quick settle in.

The offer of the carrier is open indefinitely so if and when you would like it, do drop me a line

Oh - yes please! Thank you so much. I'm really grateful for your kind offer. I'll pm you my address. I won't mention it to Catto!

 

[Shady]

The woman sounds dreadful, but was at least feeding 4 meals a day , which is actually quite responsible ownership, so i'm surprised at her lack of caring about much else.
I'm sure Catto will settle soon. Some love change, and some react badly. My first Siamese spent weeks under the bed, and spat at me whenever I looked at her!
You are doing much better if he is eating
We will need more photos!

 

[Ratface]

Success! Went to P@H and spent even more of the pension on Thankless Cat, who has discovered a far better hidey-hole than the wood burner chimney. Yesss!! A small space behind the inner wood panel lining, behind the dog cage and the hull. Much better! More room, longitudinally, to racket about, miaow pathetically and stay out of sight. Job done!! .
However, by the time that I returned, the False Fiend had become hungry for More Fresh Food. Both wet and dry, Slave. Yes, Sir Fiend. Right away, Sir Fiend. Duly provided. SF now noshing for England, as he is, like all my cats have been, "Staaarved!!!". Much licking of chops going on after each swallow. Now, having stalked round the saloon and galley, and eaten a bit more, he's retreated to his lair. I'm off to see Mr Horse, with two bags of carrots and a bouquet of flowers for the YO. Let's hope that she's not in fast-forward moan gear.
SF has gone back up the wood burner chimney. At least he's getting some excercise!
PS. Bits of rust cascading down behind the wood burner. From the chimney that he's just hurtled up and promptly dropped down from. Nice that he's using the cat gymnasium facilities . . .

 

[Ratface]

And furthermore. . . FF has just jumped from the (cold) wood burner chimney onto the wood burner itself and then up to the mantlepiece, knocking down a shell that I was given thirty years ago on a "Goodbye" walk on a beach with a child whose adoption placement I had arranged. It didn't break. FF gave a catty smile and went back to his lair . . . Cats apparently have nine lives. I must get him an abacus . . .

 

[Fjord]

And furthermore. . . FF has just jumped from the (cold) wood burner chimney onto the wood burner itself and then up to the mantlepiece, knocking down a shell that I was given thirty years ago on a "Goodbye" walk on a beach with a child whose adoption placement I had arranged. It didn't break. FF gave a catty smile and went back to his lair . . . Cats apparently have nine lives. I must get him an abacus . . .

He's just showing you how busy he's going to be keeping you!

If he's happily coming out to stuff his face then I don't think it will be long until he's made himself fully at home.

 

[FinnishLapphund]

Marlon was de-selected for me by my cat-finding friend. She was certain she could find a free one and did. Catto! Thus called because the owner "couldn't be bothered to think of a name for him, so just called him ''Cat". Charming. Not.

I was once given an unnamed female budgerigar which had been used a few times as a breeding bird, and if I'm not wrong, I at the time owned:
7 budgerigars.
6 hamsters.
3 Guinea pigs.
2 dogs.
To that me, and my family also had either 3 or 5 cats.

I have to admit that when I got the unnamed bird, I first struggled to come up with a name for her, before I gave her the name Inga, which is both an ordinary female name (a short form of old Nordic names beginning with Ing-), but also a word which sort of means Nobody, or No. And to be honest she got named Inga because I at the time had Inga namnförslag = No name-suggestions.

 

[Ratface]

Just got back from The Mud Monster who demanded a carrot NOW, got it and went back to his haynet. Chipped most of it off, skipped him out and set the bed fair. Ditto for YO's Old Mare next door. I don't think YO has a tactful brain in her head: " Wot's it called? (Catto) "B****y stupid name. Call it Rodriguez and get it a bandana." I said "Hmm. A unusual name. Right." So, as far as YO is concerned, he's called Rodriguez. I shall have to fashion him a bandana from an old Buff, take a photo and placate her with that.
On a positive note, The Spanish Cat came flying out of his dog cage to greet me, all smarm and charm, and has now curled up next to me and gone to sleep.

 

[splashgirl45]

Sounds like he’s got his paws firmly under the table and his slave is worshipping from afar at the moment

 

[oldandgold]

He is training you nicely

 

[Ratface]

He is training you nicely

Haven't they all!

 

[Archangel]

the owner "couldn't be bothered to think of a name for him, so just called him ''Cat". Charming. Not.

That's odd because I can think of a lot of names for her

 

[Cavalous Christmas]

How is Catto Rodriguez? Is he still your best friend? It must be such a change for him to get the one to one attention

 

[Ratface]

Catto and I have agreed not to refer to him as Rodriguez whilst he's at home and he hates his bandana, so that's been hidden away!
He is the master of smarm and charm. He trips me up by insisting that he must do figures of eight in-between my ankles and makes pathetic "But I'm Staaarved . . ." every couple of hours. I've tried worming him, put he's very good at licking the butter/soft cheese/Dreamies off the pill and leaving it in the bowl. Apparently, one can buy a spot-on one, so I'll have a look when next at P@H.
He's enjoying having the complete run of the barge, sneering at the neighbours' dog, who rushes past with head averted (trained by King Kevin Kat, who thought that it was great fun to chase him!) and chattering with intent at seagulls and swans.
He like playing "Cat Ballet" with The Fevver on A Stick, and after a mad fit of The Zoomies, flops out in his well-appointed dog cage and snoozes for hours.
Not keen on being groomed, so is getting stroked all over and rewarded with Cheese Dreamies.
Overall, he seems to have settled down quite quickly.
To be continued.