Thursday, August 9, 2018

Meet Bonkers

A couple of weeks ago we went to the animal shelter because Gary insisted we needed another cat. I didn't want to get another cat because I was missing Barney so much even though Barney clearly prefered Gary over me. I reluctantly said ok. We agreed we needed a female because they are more cuddly and an adult cat because kittens are so much trouble and besides which we probably wouldn't outlive the cat and that was cruel.
We visited with all the adult cats and all the kittens and then went back home. Then we went back and visited with all the kittens again. This short tail male tabby cried pitifully when we put him back in his cage. He came home with us. They had named him buttercup but it was clear he is not a buttercup, we named him Bonkers. If you come to visit you are warned his toys are everywhere underfoot and he likes to chase feet. All the furniture is covered to protect it from claws. All the shades are pulled up to keep him from playing with them. We had to zip tie the fireplace screen together. Thank goodness he loves the cat tree we got him.
He was four months old when we brought him home and he had never been out of a three foot cage except to be fixed or have his nails cut. When we got him home we saw he was truly emaciated and barely thriving.  He didn't know how to eat dry food even softened with water. He didn't know how to drink water. We found out when we got him home his claws were cut so short we didn't think he had any? What are these animal shelters doing with these cats?

He's been running, playing, and eating, running, playing, and eating, but only wet food, four or five cans of fancy feast a day. Bonkers has finally built up some muscle mass. He has yet to add an ounce of fat a normal kitten would have. I am finally teaching (encouraging) him how to drink water. I have yet to deal with the shelter circumstance but I will.

Meanwhile long distance family matters happened and I've barely kept my head above water. Luckily it's rained almost every day so no need to water the gardens. Bonkers is catnapping upside down half in my arms and half on the desk in front of the computer. He is purring away as I type. I'm pretty sure he'll be surfing the internet real soon. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.

16 comments:

  1. A huge welcome to Bonkers. How lucky that it was your heart he stole. All three of you benefit.

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    1. Hi Sue, thanks, yes we all benefit, at first I was put off by all the attention he wanted but now he has me trained. He cries when we enter the room with a meow and when we come home. In the back of my mind I am thinking of all those other cats at the shelter so many need homes.

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  2. How utterly gorgeous Bonkers is. :) I'm so glad for you, I feel like a home is not a proper home without a cat residing in it.

    Our cats have probably four or five different names they get called by - their real official name, and then several others which they get called by when they do certain things.

    For example, Happy is her real name, but we also call her Sandbag because at night she will sleep like a dead weight on the bed, Loopy because she does crazy running around, Fatpod because she needs to lose a little weight - more crazy running around would help - Supervisor Cat because she supervises us in the kitchen, Improbable Kitty because she often looks at what we are doing like it is not something we should be doing and she doubts the outcome will be ok, and there may be others I can't remember right now. :) Oh, they both get called Furby and Purrby at times.

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  3. Hi Snoskred, thanks, and welcome, of course all cats have nicknames, Ha, little guy, Bonkers, has quite a few names already. Maybe he'll grow up to be a buttercup but he is definitely Bonkers for now. Cats have a innate sense of what is correct I think. I can't think of a time I've never had a cat. I've spend more time with one than without that's for sure.

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  4. So happy for you that you and Bonkers found each other.
    It makes me bonkers to think of all the unwanted animals in shelters or worse fending for themselves.

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  5. Hi Suzi, thanks, yes it makes me bonkers and sad for all the unwanted animals. Barney was fending for himself for years till we moved here. We plan to keep Bonkers inside, but he is already trying to sneak out when we open the door.

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  6. Welcome Bonkers! So happy you opened your heart and let him in! Can't imagine a house without a cat. They make us laugh (and yes, they make us cry too)... but no matter what, the love remains with us.

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    1. Hi Rian, thanks, Bonkers has been bonkers today climbing up everything including mirrors on the wall trying to get behind them. Yikes.

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  7. Oh! How wonderful! I'm so happy for you, Linda. Bonkers is a lucky little fellow...and I'm sure he has already come to that understanding.

    My two, who will turn 16 years this November....drink their water from a large glass "tankard" on "our" bedside table...not from anywhere else. There is always a bowl of dry food at the ready for them to graze on at will. They get a packet or can, or two each morning for breakfast; and always late afternoon, I chop up fresh meat for them. This has been their diet/menu since they came into my life as six week old kittens. They're brother and sister.

    Remy is black and white; and Shama, his sister, is a tabby. I love them dearly...and I know they love me equally in return. :)

    I am so glad Gary talked you into getting Bonkers...We will always miss the ones we've lost, but I can't imagine my life without a cat in it. However, mine are getting older...as am I...and that does create a quandary for me.

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    1. Hi Lee, thanks, you sweet ones are true treasure for sure; I am not sure what will happen if we die before Bonkers is of old age, hopefully he will make us live longer than we expected to.

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  8. How lovely that Bonkers has found you and Gary and now has a wonderful home to grow up in! I remember the first year with our Nigella Stopit, she was a climber and in to absolutely everything! We felt exhausted and almost too old to be "parents" at times, but it really was worth it! Naming cats is quite a challenge, but all of ours have eventually found a name that seemed right, and usually gained a nick name or two as well!
    Pxx

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    1. Hi Peter, thanks, we are total worn out and trying to keep up with this little guy, fast growing into a big guy he sneaks downstairs now and wants desperately to get out, not happening after what happened to Barney

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  9. Bonkers is an absolutely precious cat! Looks like he has adjusted quite well to your home and your family. Congratulations on the new addition:)
    Thanks for the share, have a fantastic weekend. Keep up the posts.

    World of Animals

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    1. Hi World of Animals, he is fast taking over our whole household, we are trying to adapt to his needs. Ha.

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  10. a very pretty cat you have found a home for there. just a thought if you are keeping him inside... our neighbours have a Siamese cat that they put a halter and lead on, to take him for walks outside.. it is a very long lead so the cat hardly knows he is restricted.

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  11. Hi Anna, thanks, we were actually thinking of training him to a lead with a halter, good to know that cats can be trained like that. he watches us when we go outside and jumps in the window and follows our footsteps and when we come home he jumps in the window because he hears out car, so I think he would love it out of doors. We shall see how the training goes.

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