25 August 2013
Cat pens update: Mia desperate to escape!! New cat ginger tom Marty is a lovely soul, very affectionate and settling in to life at the pens. Poppy and Maisie, two tortie and white girls, are adorable. Molly is a refined dainty lady, a real beauty. Trixie enjoying an adventure in the cat tunnels as usual! Finally poor Milo in solitary confinement (ie not allowed out to the wider run to play) due to his gastro-intestinal upset which is contagious, his tablets ran out yesterday hopefully they’ve done the trick!

11 August 2013
Cat pens – beautiful Ali is gone! In her place two gorgeous tabby and white 18 month olds. Mia full of mischief – this one needs a large garden to play in!! Bella graceful and elegant as ever, she is cat poetry in a body! Milo enjoying playing, but not as much as our Trixie! Finally Maisie as sweet and affectionate as usual (pictured).

By Rachel H Grant

Rose the cat slumbered, caught in a deep spell from which nothing could wake her. Inside her soul, feline magic unmelted.

Her sleeping spirit soared through the night. It knew where to go. Somewhere, a mother cat gave birth to kittens. She needed a soul nurse to help.

So Rose’s gentle spirit covered the queen in rose quartz comfort. The mother purred as she gave birth, pain banished in a rose quartz mystery.

Rose woke up. In the kitten bed a piece of rose quartz remained, a slice of the cake of rose quartz magic. Rose purred softly, her dreams a delicious memory, a cat treat for the brain. Exhausted from her nocturnal adventures, she knew nonetheless that there would be more, and soon.

It became a local myth. Many claimed to have seen her, a brown and white ghost cat at a kitten birth, leaving a rose quartz crystal behind.

A trend commenced. Feline owners began to buy rose quartz for their pet’s bed. Crystals were suddenly fashionable. Cats throughout the area enjoyed the soft energies of rose quartz, dreaming sweet fantasies and purring with untold pleasure.

Rose’s owners bought her a rose quartz. As she slept the rose quartz inside her was amplified tenfold. She slept deeply as her soul heard the cries of a tabby mother: tackling terror, understanding a quickly evaporating drop in her head. The tabby comprehended only confusion.

Rose purred invisibly beside her. As the kittens emerged, four perfect tabbies, a piece of rose quartz materialised in the bed. Rose retreated, as more cries reached her sleeping ears. It was going to be a long night.

Then one day, it all stopped. Rose’s dreams skipped past undisturbed. She turned over in bed, missing something that she had already forgotten.

In another room, in another town, a little boy jumped up and down in delight, then stood still as he was handed the new ginger kitten. “Rose! I will call her Rose!” he cried.

The kitten became his best friend. But little Rose had a secret. At night, she soul travelled to cats in need. Rose meowed piteously. Her secret burned hot inside. But just for today, she would be young, chasing fun all round the bedroom. Just for today, she would be a normal kitten. For tomorrow would soon come.

An older Rose climbed in to her bed several miles away, undreamt adventures awaiting. And just for today, nothing would disturb her. And all her tomorrows, she would now be free.

When she woke next morning, a new rose quartz crystal lay next to her. It was a kind of goodbye. Or a hello. Freedom licked her with its rough tongue. It was time to live, it was time to purr. But above all, it was time for breakfast. Feline priorities were never wrong. She ate her food hungrily, memories floating away on the whiskers of yesterday. Contentment claimed her rose quartz soul.

4 August 2013
Cat pens update: new cat Mia is the embodiment of fun, she loves to play and does not like being returned to her cabin afterwards! Hopefully she will soon have a large garden to run around in. Ali enjoying her stroll in the corridor; Trixie as adventurous as ever. Milo seems settled in, his second week here, eager for affection. New cat Bella is gracefulness and dignity in feline form. She is lovely, her foster home is on holiday and I reckon they may keep her when they return 🙂 Resident feral Aaron, who loved the Whiskas Oh So Meaty pouches I took with me, is enjoying the summer weather (and no doubt a mouse or two). Finally, I’m delighted that Alfie, who was new last week, has already been rehomed – pictured below.

24 July 2011
Some gorgeous new dilute torties at the pens, falling over themselves to be affectionate, very sweet. Sunny Spitfire has been homed and is apparently getting on very well – sitting on her owner’s knee and purring! It just shows you what the right home can do.

22 July 2012
Cat pens update: Serena is gone, the slimmest, tiniest but most beautiful cat. Tazza is as friendly as ever, Sandy much more comfortable at the pens and loving the cat tunnels, Eddie playful as always, and Casper growing in confidence and now desperate for affection. Also had a long cuddle with Emily and Mia, two long-haired girls with a very sweet nature.

“In just seven years, a single pair of cats and their offspring could produce a staggering total of 420,000 kittens.”
[source: https://www.factretriever.com/cat-facts ]

9 June 2013
Cat pens update: all well at the pens, beautiful Sally – tortie and white lady – loving affection; Trixie enjoying playing in the corridor; Stumpy (named as no tail) desperate for attention, she is adorable; Ruby playing in the cat tunnels; Ali exploring both corridors; Misui the most handsome pale ginger colour, friendly boy. Local feral Aaron around for his breakfast and to suss out the new cats. Stumpy pictured.

Memories from my time as a cat shelter volunteer.

5 June 2011
Cleo the 21 year old dame at the cat pens is still doing well. The kittens are getting bigger and two new adorable cats Winnie and Bella were just desperate for affection.

“Relax and enjoy!” proclaimed the DVD cover. “Two hours of non-stop cat antics!”

It was an unusual but not unwelcome birthday gift, considered Sheena as she set the DVD to play. What better way to spend a lazy Sunday morning?

A beautiful garden confronted her, a floral and feline paradise with a rainbow of flowers and various cat climbing frames. She counted nine cats, all content with each other’s presence, a feline family in happy freefall.

They chased catnip mice and relaxed on top of giant cat scratching post towers.

The DVD cover’s claims were true. It was very relaxing watching this. Sheena sipped her tea and smiled. What a thoughtful birthday present!

The next morning she decided to steal five minutes of cat bliss before leaving for work. Sheena frowned as the DVD started.  Where were the cats?

It was the same garden as yesterday. But there were no cats.

Sheena was puzzled but not alarmed. She did not have time to dwell on this mystery as she left the house for work, and during her busy day had no time to think further on the matter.

Driving home, a cat ran across the road in front of her. It looked like the tortoiseshell cat in the DVD. Sheena slowed and shook her head. She must forget about the mysterious DVD.

At her door, she spied a cat in her neighbour’s garden. Just like the grey cat in the DVD.

Sheena shook her head again, all cats looked similar, that was all.

She could not resist watching the DVD again. Perhaps she had been distracted this morning, that was all.

There were cats in the DVD now: only, they were different cats.

A large tabby cat lay sunning herself as her kittens ran antics around her. They were a mixture of tabby and ginger kittens. Sheena watched transfixed. Again, she thought how the DVD did exactly as stated. It was so incredibly relaxing to watch these feline souls at play. There was a joy of life in kittens so sadly missing in day to day drudgery.

We could all do with some of their jubilant enthusiasm, mused Sheena.

The next morning she took five minutes to watch the DVD again. The garden was empty. She was really intrigued now. This was beyond mysterious. It was uncanny.

As she opened her door to leave for work, she almost fell over a kitten on the doorstep. Ginger and adorable … and just like one of the kittens in the DVD. She picked the kitten up and took him inside.

She had never had a pet cat. But that could all change.

She poured out some milk and water for the kitten, and took a detour to buy kitten food before finally managing to leave for work. She spied the grey cat in her neighbour’s garden again.

Two of her work colleagues reported that unknown cats were at their door looking for food. Sheena smiled inwardly. Something supernatural was going on her. A feline web of wizardry.

Hamish the kitten became her new best friend. She donated the cat DVD to a charity shop, glad to be rid of it.

In another house, several miles away, a new DVD owner would watch cats at play, and smile. Only their lonely life was about to change. A stray cat would soon turn up on their doorstep, begging to get in.

Sheena stroked Hamish, and smiled. Some events defied explanation … but they were good anyway, special moments to cherish wherever they had come from, a taste of love in the labyrinth of life. She continued to stroke Hamish, a smile on her face in indelible ink.