Another collage of Babe

Babe is the cat that is staying in the office until I can find him a better home. He had spent 4 months with Pongo in the office. But Pongo moved to his new family in March this year.

As it turns out, Babe is the one cat you don't want to leave alone for long. He is a domestic 'mixed' cat, most likely born feral and lived the first 3 months of his life like that. This has made him very shy around new people--he will actually panic if someone he doesn't know visits the office. On the other hand, he recognizes people he knows by the way they knock on the door, and he doesn't panic at all when he recognizes the knock.

Babe's personality most closely matches the 'Oriental breed'. He loves to play and really enjoys the company of both cats and humans as his playmates. This also means he very quickly gets bored and depressed if left alone for very long. I felt Pongo was the best choice to go to a family with children, and I still feel this was a good decision. However, Babe loves to play even more than Pongo does, so I wonder if Babe might not have worked out even better, even though it would probably take him longer to get used to a new environment and the new people in his life.

I love having Babe as my office mate, but I know that being left by himself when I go home at night is causing him stress. So I hope I can find him an attentive owner very soon. Perhaps if someone has a young female cat also given to boredom if left alone and wants a playful friend. That would probably be the best situation for Babe.

Tennis Court Attachment Collage

The Tennis Court Attachment is comprised of Bootsie/Bootsie-mama, Pancho/Uncle Pancho, and Tiger Baby/Tiger Boobie. They have all survived the awful winter and are looking forward to the warmer weather, and the 'tonic' of being able to eat insects and some greens.

I haven't taken so many photos of this group because the neighbors are hostile. Bootsie seems to have been injured over a month ago, and she has a scar on her face and walks with a limp. However, she seems to have recovered mostly. I would like to re-locate this group because of the hostility of the local people, and if I can, I will try to get Bootsie treated for that limp. This is a very tight-knit cat family which holds its territory together and so spends most days and nights together.

These photos were taken last summer. I will try to get some newer photos of them as well as Gwen, who is on the other side of the tennis courts, taking up the the NW flank of the Dining Hall Troop, at its most far-flung extension. I also have neglected to get good photos of Buddy, Gus and Sheba's good friend over by the swimming pool.

Gracie knew immediately she wanted the window seat

Unfortunately, in the basement, Gracie seemed to like all the places Biddie had liked. So rather than contest use rights, Biddie moved upstairs. Thanks Biddie.

The progress of Gracie

I had my doubts that Gracie would survive her first winter as a feral because, like Gwen, she was born late in the year (summer of 2008). Then she got a really bad cold, and then her right eye got sick and/or injured. I finally rescued her and got her in out of the cold. When I moved office for the second time in a year, I put her outside where Pushkin had been, living in upside-down stacked canoes. But then I brought her inside for good, and I'm so glad I did. For being born feral, Gracie proved as tame as it gets. I took this photo near the end of my trip to the US last year, when I took Gracie and her pal Elvis to Erie, PA. Now they live with my brother and his wife (and their son Evan, and the cat Biddie).

You can see from this photo how much better her eye had got by that time, after living inside, out of the cold and getting an eye operation to reduce the damage. She actually has some sight restored now. That is the sort of progress in the right direction that we all need sometimes.

Like Elvis Gracie has the distinction of successfully living in both the Dining Hall Troop and the Swimming Pool Gang (only in the reverse order of Elvis).

Babe likes to play fetch

These are clips taken on my phone. Will work on better quality video in the near future.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFTgcJvMn_4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcDmHfxJuXc

Portrait of Shaun

The guardian of the Dining Hall Troop. Orange Blossom, his cousin, guards the east and south flanks, while Shaun takes the north and west.

Collage of Sheba

Portrait of Caramel

Caramel has been gone for over a month now. We just hope he is safe and well-fed. He didn't show up at any near-by colonies. We are still looking and will never give up--Caramel was just too much of a special cat. We want to make sure he is o.k.

Pongo Portrait

I rescued Pongo last year on a very hot late July day. Strangely enough, the day I found Pongo I also found a stray dog (a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel who was about ready to drop from the heat and/or dehydration). Well, Pongo was in bad shape too when I found him. He was severely dehydrated, but a week in the hospital and he was soon one energetic little guy. If a kitten could be a puppy, that would be Pongo. Pongo got along well with every cat and he also was very affectionate with people, once he got to know them. Babe, whom I rescued in late September last year, became Pongo's 'little brother'. Both Babe and I really miss having Pongo here, but Babe has become more friendly to me, which is a good thing if Babe is going to be adopted. Pongo lives with a family very near the campus, and most likely the place is near where he was abandoned, since I found him on the east side of campus and his new home is near the east gate. I'm putting Pongo in the category of 'former Swimming Pool Gang' because he has a similar color to Sheba and Gus and was found in their territory.

 

Portrait of Orange Blossom

He is nicknamed 'OB-kun'. This is a really nice portrait of him on the stoop of the College of Education's No. 2 Building, an area he shares and cooperatively guards with Shaun (his cousin).

It's the first real 'summery' day of the year today, so OB-kun has gone to the west side of campus to bask in the sun. He is probably keeping his eyes open for any sign of Caramel, his brother.

We are still looking too, OB-kun. So don't give up.

One of the last photos I took of Maya Girl when she lived by the pool

At that time she very strictly shared territory with Elvis, and Elvis kept her separated from Sheba, Gus and Buddy. Now Elvis is in America, Maya Girl is living indoors, and Sheba, Gus and Buddy rule the pool.

Orange Blossom on pine needles

If you ever need a guard kitty for your beer

Gus is your man. Actually he just wants to make sure all your 'empties' get back to the distributor for the refund.

Gus is Sheba's brother. He prefers to eat with her. So if you set down two dishes, he will eat with her and then wait for her to start on the second one and join her for that too. He isn't trying to keep her from getting the food. Indeed, he waits for her to eat first. Once she gets going, then he joins in. Gus used to be a very nervous cat, but now he is quite used to people--at least the people who feed him and don't harass him.

Sheba takes charge

Sheba is the leader of the Swimming Pool Gang now. You can see the renovated Swimming Pool facilities in this photo of her (newly plastered and painted wall).

Unfortunately for the Gang, they have lost access to the crawl space under the Kendo Gym thanks to the re-construction. Sheba, her brother Gus, and their cousin, Buddy now all sleep under the No. 3 building of the College of Science and Technology.

Sheba is now one of three female (fixed) cats on campus--Ragi and her daughter, Gwen are the other two. All the rest are males (fixed). With her long black-and-white coat, Sheba is a truly beautiful cat. She is very good natured towards people too.  

Maya Girl continues to rest and recuperate

Maya Girl was found around a mile from her home. We wonder if she had gone farther and was making her way back or if that was the farthest she got. At any rate, when she was found she was in ragged condition. She had nearly starved to death, and if that hadn't got her, she might have died from the cold. This year March was merely a continuation of winter, so she got no luck there. She was outside for the final week of February and most of March. She is back to normal weight and passed her physical. So we are so thankful and relieved.

 

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau: My Evolution Through Cats: A Tribute and a Memorial

by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau: My Evolution Through Cats: A Tribute and a Memorial

Where is Caramel?

We are not having much luck here at WERCHIIKINEKO. Maya Girl has been found, but now one of the dearest of the campus cats, Caramel, has gone missing. We hope he is o.k. wherever he is.

Maya Girl continues her recovery

My favorite picture of Ragi

Ragi (also known affectionately as 'Ragi-Mama') is mother or aunt to most of the Dining Hall Troop.

I like how I caught her with her tongue out here. Maybe I will use this photo at the top of the blog sometime.

My favorite picture of Shaun

Shaun is the guardian cat of the No. 2 building of the College of Education and the very heart and soul of the Dining Hall Troop. Everyone else wanders around, but Shaun stays put--unless I take him for a walk. Then he will walk hours with me. I walk with him around and around on campus because I don't really want him wandering off--it's far too dangerous.

Another look at Gwen

She could pass for a short-haired near-twin of Gracie. Both were born around the same time, but I think Gracie was born a bit later. Gwen is the daughter of Ragi. We never did figure out where Gracie appeared from. Someday I will get a clear close-up of Gwen in daylight. This one is in daylight but I couldn't get very close. By the time I zoomed, she had fled. She has the really pretty face of her mother, Ragi but also looks a bit like her aunt, Bootsie.

Maya Girl comes home

I trapped Maya Girl in January in the midst of a blizzard. She was taking refuge in the crawl space under the gym on campus. She was suffering from the cold. I had found a home for her and hoped she could adapt to life indoors. She lived with her new family for about a month, but accidentally escaped. For almost 6 weeks she didn't return. We searched all over her town trying to find her. And we were very worried because it was cold and rainy all during March. She must have found refuge somewhere, but it's obvious she didn't eat that well. Here she is back home, thank goodness.

Maya Girl is a tough little character and I'm glad she got back o.k.

Gracie continues her study of fish, snails and aquatic plants

Gracie is a truly lovely cat. Her personality combines the best of ferals with a really loving house cat. You can only really enjoy both sides to her if you know her really well. Thanks to Joe, Angie, Evan, Biddy, and Duncan (another cat who passed away late last year) for giving Gracie a chance for a happy and long life.

 

Gracie looks after the aquarium

Gracie thinks the fish tank is a neat combination--it's warm, has 'running' water, and it contains fish!

She and Elvis continue to enjoy their new life in Erie, PA. Thanks to Joe, Angie and Evan for hosting them--oh, and Biddy too (one of the cats who has been in the same home for a lot longer than Elvis and Gracie).

The power of three!

The Dining Hall Troop (Ragi, her two sons, Orange Blossom, the orange tabby, and Caramel, the white and orange tabby) have the power of three to make food disappear. Another summer of 2009 photo. I am looking forward to spending time with the Dining Hall Troop once it gets warm and doesn't rain every day.

Caramel by tree last summer (summer 2009)

I hope by looking at these summer photos, winter will go away. Caramel is so handsome here.

北陸地方に住んでいる大人しい猫は、里 親 募 集 中

里　 親　募　集　中

　　　　

ベーブちゃん (Babe): ♂

生後9 ½ ヶ月  
健康診断・ワクチン接種は、済み。

　

　　　　

連絡先：　werchikineko@gmail.com

　　0776-27-7102

　　　　　　　(留守番電話なので，伝言をお願いします。）

Where is Ragi?

Right now she is in a shelter, taking refuge from what we all hope is the last snow storm of the winter. Spring weather is forecast for late this week anyway.

But can you find Ragi in this picture of abandoned bikes taken last summer? Calico makes for very good camouflage.

Gwen by the east gate of campus

Gwen is the last-born daughter of Ragi. She is really the youngest member of the original Dining Hall Troop, along with Gracie, another calico (although their relation to each other isn't clear to me).

She spent her first summer, fall and winter under the handicapped access ramp of the library, However, once the library was reconstructed, that space was lost to her. So she moved over to the far north-west end of campus. Poor Gwen, construction keeps disrupting her living space, since now just about that entire quarter of campus has undergone or is still undergoing reconstruction. It looks to be finished soon. She has survived in some shelters I put into a bicycle storage area just north of all the construction, and a kind gate guard has taken to feeding her everyday (I cover the duty on holidays).

Gwen is very shy. I keep thinking if I can coax her into the center of campus, she will learn to be friendlier because she will see how acquainted with humans her mother has become (I can now pet Ragi when it is feeding time). Perhaps I can do that this spring or summer.

Gwen is probably the most beautiful cat on campus. She has the really round, friendly-looking face of her mother (Ragi) and her Aunt Bootsie (who lives just due north, over by the tennis courts). Like her mother, she is a calico, but her calico coloring includes patches of striped grey.

I will try to get better photos of Gwen once the weather gets better. Right now she is a mostly nighttime cat, except when she comes out to get fed by the gate guard.

福井市文京の地域猫は、里親募集中