Woodstock
My story
I had been sitting in the road meowing for hours. I don’t know how long it was before a car pulled up and a man got out. He offered me something to eat and even though I was petrified of him, I was so hungry I gobbled it all up. When he reached out to pick me up I put up a good fight; I scratched, kicked, bit and spat like never before, leaving his hands a bloody mess. Somehow, he still managed to keep hold of me and drove me to my new home. Once there, I hid under the bed as I didn’t feel very well. Apparently I looked like a drowned rat! I had terrible gastric problems (and nasty worms) which took a long time to recover from, so I was in solitary confinement for longer than normal as some of my conditions were contagious. My humans would spend hours playing with me to take my mind off it but after two months I finally had enough and began to try to escape through a closed door! I was given the all-clear and the first friendly face I met was Opus. Like me, he was very small, so we looked quite similar. Opus had no eyes, but it didn’t matter one bit as we got on like a house on fire and he showed me the way. Some of my mannerisms remind my humans of Opus, and I’m happy about that as he will always be here with us.
Opus teaching me how to stare at the humans...even though he was blind. That's me on the left.
Life today
Despite a very difficult start in life, I’m having the time of my life here. I have no ailments apart from a bit of asthma now and again, particularly when the seasons change, but that is easily managed. I like to sit out on the veranda and watch the world (i.e. dogs) go by. I don’t fancy going outside as, apart from Leia, I’m quite scared of dogs – and people, trucks and cows! I’m quite happy being an indoors cat with safe access to the outside world. When I watch Edward and Ferris walk past the veranda I meow my head off. I’m a bit of a worrier!
My future
I’m just waiting to welcome the next arrival and make them feel at home. I know how scary it can all be at the beginning so I try to tell them everything will be okay. In the meantime, I can’t wait to watch the tiny creatures Noodle and Popcorn grow up! They remind me of myself and Opus, full of beans.
Stats
My estimated age on arrival in 2020: two months.
In October 2020 I weighed 1.7 kg
In February 2023 I weighed 4.3 kg. Much better!
I tested negative for both FeLV and FIV.
I am neutered and fully vaccinated.
Star Qualities
I am known as everybody’s friend and the most amenable of them all.
As soon as Ferris comes in from outside, I rush to greet him. Depending on what kind of day he’s had, he’ll either be pleased to see me too or he’ll swipe at me and want to go back outside! I try to charm Edward too, but that doesn’t go very well. Must be an English thing.
I get on really well with Ripley but boy, is she unpredictable. She gives as good as she gets and when she’s got a bee in her bonnet, there’s nowhere to hide!
I even have my own stalker, in the form of Benson. He hasn’t been here long, but he sticks to me like glue. He’s a very friendly fellow but if I need some time to myself, I sneak into Bernard’s bed (when he’s not there of course, otherwise he’d have a heart attack to find someone so close to him!) and enjoy a few hours’ peace and quiet.
Habits
I am terrified of people I don’t know so when anyone comes to the house or even rings the doorbell I run away and hide in the wardrobe. Once, I hid for hours in a part of the house that wasn’t being used at the time and it took my humans literally hours to find me. As soon as I feel it’s safe, I pop out of my hiding place.
I’m quite a nervous creature and although I get on with everybody, I feel the need to spray – quite regularly. This has utterly perplexed (and tried) my humans as they can’t see a reason for it. They even stole some of my urine to send to the lab in case there was something wrong, but no, I just like to spray when I’m feeling nervous or worried, even though nobody makes me feel like that. Even I’m foxed by it all.
