Shaun visits Buddy during the long, hot summer of 2010

Shaun (orange and white tabby on the right) can't get over the fact that Buddy isn't intimidated by him. Buddy is the smallest but most energetic 'guard' in the Swimming Pool Gang. He and Gus tolerate Shaun visiting (Shaun likes to take walks with me), but they remind him he is a visitor.

I actually think they like his visits because having a large cat like Shaun around does help the show of force against the marauding tom cats that come over the east wall of the campus. So they let Shaun come and even scent and scratch mark in their territory. He also takes meals there sometimes.

Sebastien makes progress

Sebastien is a lot healthier after the anti-biotics and anti-parasite medicine. He is eating heartily every day. The challenge for him is to find a safe and dry spot to get out of the nasty weather. And that weather has already started here in Fukui. If Sheba, Gus and Buddy--the Swimming Pool Gang--allow him into their circle, he should be all right this winter. The other day he and Buddy ate together. It had its tense moments, but no one tried to fight. So gradually Sebastien is becoming a full-time campus cat.

Pancho outside my apartment

If you like cats that mostly white with some grey, Pancho is a 'picture-perfect' cat. He has a very handsome face. He is also the boss of the territory outside my apartment, which helps Bootsie Mama and Tiger Baby to live in that territory relatively safely. Willie, a cousin, also comes for friendly visits.

Maya Girl, a campus vet, is now a happy housecat.

She even lives with a very nice dog, Shiro-kun. Maya Girl now seems very happy to be a housecat. I'm guessing the reason she ran away last spring was to verify whether or not Tiger Boy, her brother, was anywhere near the house. She and Tiger Boy grew up together on campus, but Tiger Boy was struck and killed by a car 2 years ago. Maya Girl--and Pushkin--never stopped looking for Tiger Boy, hoping to find him alive. Now that Maya Girl has satisfied herself that Tiger Boy is really gone, she is happy to be a housecat.

For the Swimming Pool Gang, it's a BLACK AND WHITE WORLD

And if Sebastien joins them, it will be even more so. In this collage are Sheba, Gus, and Buddy. Buddy is the all-black cat, and Sheba is the long-furred black-and-white. Sheba and Gus are sister-brother, and Buddy is a close cousin or half-brother (different litter, same mother quite likely).

Rest in peace dear little Brucie

Brucie was going to be rescued from living outside, but unfortunately, he was struck and killed in traffic last weekend. Brucie was a very friendly little orange tabby, so it's such a shame to lose him now, especially because someone had inquired about adopting him. He was supposed to be in a relatively safe place, but basically the lesson is: once outside, there is no real safe place. Brucie was killed on a backstreet, where people aren't supposed to be going fast, but some use it as a shortcut and speed anyway.

I'm sorry we couldn't protect you better Brucie. This year we have lost you, Caramel and Gwen to traffic when you deserved something far better than this.

BRUCIE

June-October 2010

Collage of Babe

A collage of life with Babe. Thanks, Babe, for letting me use the office too.

Lenny, who lived just south of the campus

I made friends with Lenny in July. He would wait for me to come feed him on the edge of a parking lot south of campus. I took him off the streets because I thought he would make a good pet and to keep him from getting something serious, like feline AIDs, which affects to many ferals here in Japan. Fortunately, Animal Friends Niigata took him in and I hope he finds a family soon. He is a really nice looking orange tabby. He reminds me of a young Orange Blossom, our campus orange tabby.

Pongo and Babe, adopted brothers

This is a look back to 2009. I rescued Pongo, a small, sickly black-and-white kitten, in July 2009. Strangely enough, it was on the day I also found a lost dog who had nearly died from heat stroke and dehydration (and Pongo was himself badly dehydrated--it was a very hot day). I found the owner of the dog 3 days later, and Pongo spent a week in the hospital recovering.

Then Pongo became the favorite cat in the office. Everyone loved him and was giving him loving licks--Elvis, the long-haired brown tabby, Nana, the white calico, and Gracie, the long-haired calico.

Elvis and Gracie moved to the USA, but when I got back, every night I would hear the plaintive cry of a young cat over by the Dining Hall on campus. It turns out it was the little rascal, Babe, hiding behind the vending machines. I brought Babe inside (after getting him dewormed and vaccinated) and, after about a day of sizing each other up, Pongo and Babe decided they loved each other. Perhaps they recognized in each other feelings of abandonment and rescue.

Being a couple months older, Pongo was the boss, even as Babe outgrew him in size and strength. If Pongo happened to be losing in a wrestling match, he would grab Babe's big ears and bite just hard enough to make Babe give in. 

Nana was the motherly (adopted mother) boss of the two little boys, but Nana found a family in October 2009. So Pongo and Babe spent even more time together once Nana was no longer around to mother them.

They became inseparable.

But, unfortunately, separate them I did, when Pongo was adopted into a family near campus. I had hoped they could take them both, but it's a large enough family in small enough house to make two cats impossible. I know Pongo is loved in that family and has become a regular member, but Babe misses him a lot. So Babe has taught me to play like a cat in order to make up for that--a bit anyway, as he still misses Babe so much.

I have to say repeatedly how these two little guys are the most affectionate and playful cats I have ever kept. 

 

Pongo on left, Babe on right, together

福井県のブルースという若い猫は里親募集中/BRUCE NEEDS A HOME

Bruce is a healthy 4-5 month old orange tabby. He is very friendly to people and would make a great pet. He has passed his medical exam and been vaccinated, including an FIV vaccine. 

名前は「ブルース」と言います。チャトラの毛色でとても人に懐こくておとなしい性格です。

福井県福井市

猫オス　 生後4-5ヶ月

[特徴]
名前は「ブルース」と言います。チャトラの毛色でとても人に懐こくておとなしい性格です。

[経緯]
市内に捨てられているところを保護しました。私のところでは既に２匹の捨て猫を保護しているためこれ以上は困難と思い里親になっていただける方を探しています。

[その他]
健康診断・予防接種・FIVワクチンもをされている。

[掲載者]
チャールズ・ジヤヌッツイ　様

werchikineko@gmail.com