A few Autumn photos

Loving Reuben

Or we could title this 'any excuse for some more cat photos'.

Shade at last

Luna through a tunnel

Tiger Harvey

Tiger Harvey

The weather has been kind to us this September so I have been out with the camera taking photos. The main subject being the wee beasties.......

Green eyed Bertie

Bertie's mane is growing

Luna in full coat

Monty with his lovely curls

They are still all in summer coat so not the thickest and lushest coats but looking pretty good, Luna's breeder actually stated that she looked like she was in full winter coat which I am now tending to agree as she is shedding and knotting like mad, normally we don't have to touch her!!

I'm finding my favourite photos hard to choose so this may be photo heavy.

Serious garden watching

Monty is just beginning to be more social, during the summer months he loves the outside probably because his coat is soooooo thick and massive. As the weather cools he comes in nudging your hand for treats or a scrunchy tickle. We don't tend to stroke him you need to go into his coat and give him a good hard scratch!!

Luna's eyes in the last rays of the day

Contemplating pond dipping

Bertie just melts people. He was a quite confident chap however after his broken leg he has become a little nervy. As the weather has changed though we are getting a few more evening sofa cuddles as he trills away, not really a meow.

Luna is as confident as ever launching herself on all the cats except Harvey. Reuben completely just lets her get on with it with no response, Bertie has a full on wrestle and chase. Monty responds to her launches but because he is soooo big Luna winges like mad.

Pounce ready

No squinting here

Warm rays

Monty

Monty

Bertie

Monty

Bertie full of fluff

Reuben

Harvey's best side

Reuben using the Apple tree for scratching

Luna washing

Yep that's my tail

Harvey knows in his mind he is the boss, one that should be above the others, however he does occasionally need to be taken down a peg.

Cute nose

Reuben will sort Harvey, if needs be, as will Monty, but neither are really into it. Harvey is very much focussed on me, he is my shadow. Reuben is also a shadow, he will be in the room I am in always, very focussed on food especially dried 'Thrives' chicken treats. He is a strange boy loving a stroke in the upstairs sink in the bathroom but quite adverse EVERYWHERE else!!! He does a particular good line in the stoke avoidance duck, he can bow his back neatly out of the way. However if he wants your attention he can be quite vocal.

Thank goodness for this lovely weather, a real chance of using the garden as an extension to the house and maybe some more photos.

Luna, our new beautiful little girly kitten

Well I've been back a few days from my break in America and it feels like our new addition to the family, Luna has been with us forever.

Luna waiting for the boys!

Luna is a Longhaired Silver tipped Selkirk Rex Variant, which means that although she has the endearing nature of the Selkirk she actually has a straight coat and not the curly one for which a Selkirk is noted. On picking up our curly coated longhaired boy 7 weeks ago we had seen lovely Luna and she had melted our hearts. As the days went by nobody had booked her!! It then came to the day when she could leave and still nobody had wanted her : (( The next day I did note that she was booked for someone called -------.

Now call me thick but at no point did I think it was my eldest son who had reserved her.

Would you fight with her!!

I then went on my trip to the USA. Half way through the break I received a text with photos, a stream of gorgeous photos from my house and on them was lovely Luna and my son and daughter saying "Happy Birthday", by the way my 50th birthday is not until October!! After coming down from the ceiling and hysterical laughter, wonderful phone calls etc I then had to break it to my OH that yes we did now have a fifth cat.

Talk about worry!!!!

Well I needn't have worried, he took it really well especially when he knew his parents had been in on the secret and were happy about it. In fact he is so keen I have to give daily updates on any events!!

Luna looking ready for anything

Luna and Bertie

Yesterday she went for her chip and a fine bill of health to the vet, she already weighs 1.5kg but until she reaches 2kg they would not want to midline spay her. A procedure I requested and not the flank spay that is more normal here. Looking at her feet, which are huge, I think she has quite a bit of weight to put on!!! So we are probably looking at another month or two.

Luna and Monty

Surprise!! Surprise !!

Well here I am posting in the US of A!! Having come over to celebrate the 50 th birthday of my nearest and dearest.

Indianapolis is lovely and so are the people, lots of deco buildings, steaming manhole covers and a busy centre. The people are extraordinarily kind and polite. We've celebrated his birthday a lot this week! As there are so many lovely and odd eating places. Unfortunately I could only bring myself and not his present from the kids!! A lovely single malt.

However the SURPRISE was for me.

Yesterday I received an email with lovely photos of a kitten at home!!! My children had given me an early birthday present.

Monty is poorly

Sneezing.... again and again and again.

Lazing around on a summer evening

Playing in the flower pots

Poor Monty, our Shorthaired Curly Selkirk Rex, is definitely under the weather. Head down looking sorry for himself, not eating much and when he does it sets off a fit of sneezing!! I think as his nasal passage is blocked to try and eat and swallow and breathe is causing him problems. With the nasal situation it seems it has also blocked his tear ducts therefore causing one eye to weep incessantly.

Poor boy, it doesn't help himself though as I have had to bring him inside from the wet rainy outdoors... again and again and again.

Therefore on the way back from taking my daughter to work I dropped in at the vets and we will kill two birds with one stone by getting Monty sorted and taking Bertie for his microchip later today.

My poor boy.......

Update - He came back having had a couple of injections. So this morning less sneezing, much happier within himself and ate a couple of bowls of food. Hopeful that he is better.

Playing with younger brother Bertie

Harvey, Reuben and Monty examing the snow

Introducing our new kitten, Bertie - we should have called him Houdini

Well at 10 am today we were on the breeders doorstep waiting to pick up Bertie. His injections had gone well yesterday and he was running around the place when we saw him. We exchanged presses, we gave flowers and chocolates and we are sinking under a full bag of catnip toys, balls, cushions, and food etc.

I introduce to you - Amazolou Bertie Wooster. Thank you Zoe for an amazing character.

On our journey back he didn't want the carrier, he miaowed and miaowed, but on your lap he was just a fidget!!!!

We placed him quietly in the kitchen and sat quietly with him as he got used to being away from smells and things he knew.

Today is now Tuesday ( we picked Bertie up on Saturday) so I've decided to do a short summary of what we have done and how Bertie is.

Day 1 -  Pick up day - On taking Bertie home we introduced him to the kitchen and quietly sat with him. We showed him  the litter box. I had conflicting information regarding whether I should have absolute fresh litter for his use or litter that had the scent of the boys so he could get used to it. I went with litter which had been changed the day before. We pulled out toys that his was familiar with and put down the food that he had had at the breeders, however he went straight and ate the raw meat we had left for the others and gobbled up loads. The rest of the day was spent slowly sitting with him or leaving him to rest. He WAS quite quiet and nervy. That night he slept in our ensuite, with another litter box,  which gave him a restricted area of play, he seemed less stressed with a small area to roam. At 4.00 I was woken up by some kitten cries, so I sat with him for an hour and a half allowing us time to get to know each other. He snuggled up in my dressing gown so I saw this as a development. He didn't keep hiding. He would play.

Day 2 - Bringing him down to the kitchen meant he was getting used to more areas. We tried him in our lounge but there were so many hiding places that we soon reverted to the kitchen, he is like Houdini - he will hide and then shoot our through the door. We've worked out his tactics now. The only problem was that the temperatures outside were nearly hitting 30c and even with fans it was stifling with the humidity. On this day he ate at 5.00am and then not until 7.00 pm due to the heat, to help things along I had put diluted Evaporated milk out which he would take. That night we progressed to my bedroom.

Day 3 Stifling heat even with the fan. I had to shut the windows to as the little tinker had managed to jump onto the bed and then the side dresser giving access to the window. I could be sure his athleticism wouldn't take him up and out the window!! We had a big break through, when I turned the light out he jumped onto the bed and came up for cuddles. He stayed there the rest of the night which happened to be until about 4.30am.
He was now a new cat, gone was his shyness. He was confident, loved playing, rolling on his back, eating happily, and using the litter tray. He demanded to be let out!!! But no.
Each day so far we had let one of the boys in one at a time when Bertie was not sleepy and they wanted to come in. Then treat time was hit in a big way. Treats and  a happy voice. Harvey tried his best but even so a head bop came along as Bertie got tooooo close and a fair amount of hissing. Reuben just could not keep his eyes of him and loved the treats, there was no animosity at all. However Monty was affected. He kept coming up and biting Bertie's neck so I would use my voice or physically split if it was too much. Monty also kept talking which is not like him as he is mute, seriously!!!
This day was a little cooler so all of the cats were a little more active. Bertie was getting more confident always want me in sight, having tummy rubs and eating. He was getting there.
I had to go and pick up the eldest son from the airport leaving my daughter ,when she got back from work, in charge. Another break through, Monty was now mothering Bertie under Reubens supervision.
When we got back Bertie was the life of the kitchen, jumping like a spring, it was coming a long.

Day 4 - Up at 4.50! No  crying just wanting to play so we started and finally came down to the kitchen. The boys were introduced again, so much better. Harvey still hissing but enjoying the treats, Reuben loving him and Monty wanting to play!!!No we moved to the dining room/conservatory.More treats and the boys seemed ok as he played with their toys and went on the  cat tree. It is now lunch time and everyone on this hot day is having a siesta!!
I think we are going well.......we have made sure the boys are all being cuddled and stroked. They are getting better daily. Bertie is just astonishing, not shy and very lively. He knows all the correct procedures, when he rushes up to the cats he immediately lies on his back still then jumps up. He has had no accidents and eats well in the morning and evening. Hopefully so far a text book introduction.
On Thursday the fencing man comes again just to put in some more kick boards and tighten up the fence in places. We have cat proofing but when this is done even the little might may be allowed out supervised!!!

The new addition

Well finally these last few days have come.... it feels as if we have been waiting so long, when it has only been 10 weeks.

Bertie is the new addition to the household. To be a pal to the others, we have chosen a Blue Tabby Longhaired Curly Selkirk Rex. It has to be said he does look quite different to the others but certainly, if our other Selkirk is to go by, then he will be a chilled, comical, relaxed lad liking company but enjoying wholly the cat proofed garden. Longhair may be a challenge, their fur already looks as if they have been too close to an electric plug as it forms curls especially around the neck. Selkirks do love company so hopefully he will fit in with our crowd here.

I contacted the breeder when he was only 14 days old, and we finally went to see him when he was 5 weeks old. Bertie came over as confident but not as much as his brother, he is lovely and cuddly. The breeder was fantastic showing us all her cat family. So knowledgable, her cats being strongly seen as good types for the breed. So that was it, we had made our choice.

After 4 more weeks we went again to see the massive progress he had made, size and personality wise. The breeder was so kind in that she let us come again after another 2 weeks, openly inviting us. For us great but what a pain it must be. And now we collect............ and hope that the boys take to him well. When Reuben came Harvey was just in shock and it took a few days for them to get used to each other however with Monty we had hardly a hiss.....So who knows? We have 2 Feliways diffusers running and a Pet remedy. We will introduce them slowly with glimpses, treats and scent swapping.

Two weeks to go - Visit to see our new kitten

At 10 weeks

We have a collection date to bring our new kitten home, a fortnight today..... Hooray.

Bertie is a Blue Tabby Longhaired Curly Selkirk Rex. What a handsome boy! I can't wait to get him and have a really quiet week with him. Lots of cuddles.

I've been trying to work out their sleeping arrangements. Before this summer the cats had no access to the outside garden unless we supervised it however with the new kitten he will have access to the cat flap and a cat proofed garden. My worry is that as a kitten he should be supervised for a while and so we need to find at place at night to keep him secure, not that easy! I don't want to shut the other boys out of their favourite places, however nor do I wish to buy a large cage. I think maybe the Office would be a good spot at night, ohhhh I don't know....I would prefer to have him in the bedroom at night.

Breeders photo at 3 weeks

At 5 weeks

Hopefully he will take to RAW food pretty quickly, with Monty I had bought a range of kitten food none of which he touched as he saw the others boys food and started on it straight away!!!

At 8 weeks, breeders photo

 At 8 weeks











I hope the introductions go well, we have two Feliways running and one Petremedy diffuser. I will also spray the travel box with the Feliway. With all the boys we have carefully allowed scent swapping, then visual introductions with treats, going onto supervised greetings with more treats and a quiet atmosphere. He seems a relaxed Selkirk. We shall see.