As the sun set on Day 3...

The family came to visit last night, to learn the ropes and check out the girls.  All the girls are now wormed, and Willow, our previous non-eater, is still munching away on her wet food servings.


When we gave them their final feed for the day, we refilled the dry food bowls. After their normal food only some of them showed interest in the dry, happily munching it like normal cats, rather than their normal starving routine!


We snuck out in the dark with a torch a half hour later, to discover some dry food remaining.


What this means is, we've finally managed to fill them! Yay! The whole family is very happy with this sign of progress.

My wonderful Mum is staying for a day, and her plan is to spend some time refining the system to make things as easy as possible, so I'm looking forward to seeing what she's come up with by the end of the day.

A huge thanks needs to go out to the lovely people from the Launceston Pagans in the Pub, who donated food, bedding and money to the girl's cause - thank you!!

Day 3 - morning update

I was stoked to see 5 little faces looking out at me from the kitchen window this morning, some in the new cat tower.

But while I was getting ready for work, Robbie called out to tell me he could see 6 little faces! I thought he was mistaken at first, but no, there was Willow up on the coffee table, taking in the view.

I've been really worried about Willow, because she hasn't eaten, I hadn't seen her drink, and she wont come out of her cage. I decided this morning that if she didn't improve today, I'd take her to the vet.

But seeing her (even just for a few moments) out in the cage with the others was a sign of progress to me!

We headed out for the morning feed, and Willow was back in one of the carriers. After feeding the rest, I put some food down in her carrier, which she wasn't interested in. Mum suggested to me to dip her paw in it, thinking she'd lick her paw, but she wouldn't let me have a paw from under her. Then I put some food on my finger, and wiped it on her mouth. She tried to get away, but then stopped, licked her chops, bent down AND STARTED TO EAT! Although not the starving chomping the rest do, she ate some, had a rest, then ate some more. You have no idea how excited, relieved and more excited I felt at this point!!! It was worth getting cat hair all over my work clothes, that's for sure. I put some water in the pen with her, left the door closed but not clipped in, and I'm hoping she will eat more at lunch time.

Also, I put down some dry food for the rest in two bowls, as suggested by Cat World cat-aunties. The girls scoffed into this straight away after their normal morning meal, I'm hoping that there are no up chucks when I come home at lunch.

Phew, it feels like its been a big day already, and its only 9am!

Thanks again to everyone for your supportive messages and more - it means the world to me and these gorgeous girls.

Creating cat furniture.... for free!

The next priority for the girls has been getting them some furniture to climb on, sleep on and generally get high, which cats love.

So I put the call out for anything that might be of use, and my friend Abbie came to the rescue! So Robbie collected 10 milk crates from her on Tuesday - time to get creative.

How exactly do you turn crates into cat condos?

The same way a car enthusiast will tell you all car problems can be solved, of course - cable ties! And if anyone knows how to use them, its my partner Robbie (in his best attire :P)








Then we moved them into the pen, and filled them up with rugs and pillows donated by fellow Crazy Cat Lady Meri-ann (who also helped with lunch feeding, and food, and her mum gave me a donation as well - thank you!)



Apple checking out the new steps



Luna also checking it all out



Apple thinks they smell good



Hmmm, which one should I move into? - Luna



Might just have them all! - Luna



Ash and Luna (I think!) checking out the tower



Ash enjoying the view



Ash's tick of approval


And here are a heap more pics because who could possibly see too much of these ladies!



Ash on the outside of the steps



Thorn looking about



Luna and Thorn. Sometimes they are friends, sometimes not - typical sisters!



Thorn inspecting Robbie's handiwork



Thorn thinks she looks best on the top floor



Thorn, giving me her best startled look



Apple, and her gorgeous tail



Apple. I took this pic to show you all that she is a litter flicker! I had only just cleaned up, turned around, and look at that mess!



Thorn again, she's really come out of her shell the last day or so



Luna, cute as always



Hey mum, I have the swishiest tail! - Luna



I know you're feeding me, but I still insist on chewing all the grass I can get to - Luna



How dare you call me a litter flicker! - Apple









Willow - this is how she sits all day, although I find her in a different pen regularly, so I'm hoping she's getting out and having a drink in the night



Our last girl to be named, I'm thinking of calling her Cherry. She didn't like us bringing in new furniture. Get that camera out of my face!


Plenty of people have commented that because of the fluffiness of these cats, they dont look that skinny. I'm sure you're taking my word for it, but when Ash jumped in my lap for a smooch (and she is the cutest, smoochiest head butter I've ever met!) I took these pics to try and show how thin they are:

The story so far

On Sunday, I went to view a cat I was thinking about buying. Within 10 minutes I walked away with 6. How exactly does that happen?

Its what happens when a cat lover discovers that they have been forgotten - skin and bones, with no food, litter trays, beds or toys, their original owner no longer in their lives, left with someone who doesn't have the time or want to care for them properly.

I barely thought about what the hell we were going to do with them as we put all 6 in carriers and trays, piled them in the car, and took them to my sister Mel's house.

Firstly, we visited Mel's neighbour, who kindly borrowed us some cat carriers so each cat could have its own pen.

Then, I called in the family to help me save the day. My dad dropped everything and came down, took me to the hardware store (right on closing time) and helped me figure out how much wood and wire we would need to make them a pen - after all, I didn't already have the room for 6 cats at home! Thankfully Dad is a builder, and with nail gun in hand, with help from my brother-in-law Shaun, my partner Robbie and my step-dad Steven, within hours they created a 1.2m x 1.8m x 1.8m cat cage, big enough to stand in, small enough to fit on the back of the ute, with a door and everything! 

 

In the meantime my mum is spoon feeding small amounts of kitten food to each cat.

 

Unfortunately the black and white girl is shitty with me for putting her in a box, and refusing to eat or drink, the rest quite happy to gulp down as much as they can get (which unfortunately, on good advice, is not very much because of their condition).

Did I mention that both my mum and my dad are not cat people? Dad's a native animal lover, and regularly traps cats on his rural property. Mum has always been a no-pet zone, calling my cats (somewhat affectionately, I must say) "fuzz balls", and can regularly be seen wandering in my house mumbling about the smell of cat food and how I need an outdoor cage... these same people are the ones who dropped everything to help me out. Even non-cat lovers hate to see animals in strife.

Scared, nameless and hungry, these girls had no idea what was going on.

Loading them up in the car, the cage on the back, we made the 100km / 1 hour trip home.  Did you know that its supposed to be a character trait of Turkish Vans to get car sick? We soon did. Poor suffering Robbie didn't look like he'd appreciate the "poo-and-spew-mobil" jokes I was thinking about cracking.

At home, in the dark, we quickly emptied out the contents of one of our garden sheds, then I harrassed the neighbours to come give us a lift with the cage. An hour or so later, the cats are out, the blankets are down, and at 10pm I'm scrubbing out pooy spewy carriers. Phew. At this point I still cant believe its all really happening, and a quiet voice in the back of my head is asking me, what the hell have you taken on?

DAY 1

At 6am there was already one cat up and about, crying out across the back yard. The first feed was ravenous, except for the black and white one who is still unimpressed with me.

I spent the majority of the day on the phone - I've quickly made friends all over the place, people who do similar rescues and they have been so very helpful in giving me advice, encouragement and more. Most importantly, has been the love and support of my online friends on the Cat World forum. Words cannot describe how much their support means to me!

I wanted to spend time in the pen with the girls, but unfortunately they fight when I'm in there because I'm the 'bringer of the food' and they are all so very hungry.

The vet called in at 2pm, and said that two of the cats are emeciated, the rest are just skinny. The black and white girl should come around, and he'll get me some worm drops. He told me that the living quarters are too small for 6 cats, and to think about making more space.

The cats are so hungry its almost impossible to feed them alone - a friend called around to help, arms loaded with blankets. The call out on Facebook was more successful than expected, thanks to all those who have replied, you know who you are!

The girls are getting better with every feed, the last feed at supper had them happy and purring. We're slowly giving them names too!

The black and white girl who we referred to as grumpy, is now called Willow. She is currently out of her cage, now hiding under a rug. I'm being positive and calling it progress.

The grey and white girl who is one of the emaciated ones, is now called Ash.

Luna is red (or may be cream?), with one gold eye and one blue.

Apple is a tortie with a cute black dot on her head.

The remaining two will have names as soon as I can tell them apart!

And here is their new home, which I'm calling Crazy Cat Lady Jess' Turkish Van Centre

At this point I would like to thank my family for all their efforts, which are continuing. I knew my family rocked, but this is just unreal. I'd also like to thank the people who have donated money. I hardly know you yet you're happy to reach into your wallets for the sake of these beautiful girls. Also, those who have helped and pledged to help with bedding, food, help with feeding, and more. All your generosity is so very much appreciated!! The best cat aunties and uncles around.

That's it for me for now, I will update this reguarly with all the details. Thanks for reading!