C for Cats & Celeste

Child matador kills six bulls in Mexico

2009-01-25T16:36:00.003+08:00

This is so sickening.

It is so unbelievable that killing is considered an achievement. Same goes for fishing and hunting as "sports" or "hobbies". How can killing "for fun" be enjoyable? We are no longer living in the caveman era.

Child matador kills six bulls in Mexico

Yucks!

The Most Difficult Call...

2009-01-25T00:30:00.001+08:00

The following blog post of an overseas friend had me in tears for a while... As a pet owner myself, I can understand the pain of having to make this difficult and heart-wrenching decision - which is kinder (in this situation) - to hang on or let him go. It is very painful to watch a loved one suffering and wasting away.

For someone who has never experienced the companionship & unconditional love of a faithful pet, I suppose he/she will never truly understand the loss and sorrow... I know for those who have had their special canine/feline family member(s), you'll feel what I felt.

They say all dogs go to heaven... that's where Java is now. RIP.

* * * * *

Tuesday, January 13, 2009
The Most Difficult Call...

I just made what is possibly the most difficult call of my adult life: the call to schedule an appointment for Java to be euthanized. I'm sitting here with Java at my feet, crying while I type.

Java in the past year has has a number of medical issues: A huge mass in his abdomen, the baby-wipe swallowing incident(s), some type of gastrointestinal issues which caused a large case of the "vapors" emanating from either end and now, diabetes. The diabetes came on suddenly just before the end of the year. One day Java started looking thin, then we noticed he wasn't eating as much, then he wasn't eating at all. He was drinking excessively, and urinating excessively too. He was up at all hours of the night wanting to go outside, probably to drink and pee. We tried feeding him different food, more food, more different food, but he wouldn't eat enough to sustain himself.

One trip to the vet told us he had severe diabetes and was acid ketodotic. His glucose numbers were off the chart. Java has been on insulin since the 2nd, with his doses steadily increasing. We've tried twice now to get a glucose curve to check his response to the increasing insulin doses. These have been to no avail, his numbers are still off the chart. Java is now below 60 pounds, a shell of his former self, all skin and bones. He's now nicknamed "Kate Moss" for his lithe figure. Its easier to laugh about the situation than it is to cry over what we know is coming.

Java can no longer run around, walk up and down more than a handful of stairs and often has trouble getting up off the floor by himself. He spends most of each day in his bed, which has been moved downstairs since he can no longer go up to the bedroom. When he does get up to go outside, its a slow process as he carefully makes his way down the front steps and, sometimes, back up them. The past few nights I have carried him upstairs so he could sleep with us in the bedroom as he has always done. I have also been awaken by him each night to carry him downstairs and outside so he can "do his stuff."

When I picked him up at the vet yesterday we spoke about Java, this treatment and possible outcomes. He's never going to be the same dog again. We can continue to treat him and try to get his diabetes under control, but what else is wrong? What caused this sudden onset of diabetes? At 12 and 1/2 years old, he's a very senior dog. The average lifespan for a lab mix is 10 years.

Last night I knew what the next step should be. Steph and I discussed it ad nauseum, but it wasn't until this evening that we finally were able to make the decision.

The past twelve years have been great. Java has been my companion, my friend, my chick magnet (when he was a puppy!) and a part of my family. He's given me unconditional love, something we all need to learn a little more about. He's been with me as I was a struggling graduate student, trying to find my way in the world. As a grad school dropout, falling into computers and programming. He's been there through many (ex-) girlfriends, a wife, a new dog (Lucy) and the birth of Maya. He was Maya's protector when she was a newborn. I had hoped he'd be around as she grew older, since he is so well behaved with children...

I know I am doing what is best for Java, even though it feels like I am betraying him by failing to take care of him when he is most in need. He was always there for me when I needed him, I feel like I can't do the same right now... This would be so much easier if nature would take its own course, rather than forcing me to make this choice.

We've had a tradition for many years now. On every birthday Java gets an ice cream cone. First it was from McDonald's, later we found that Brewster's Ice Cream does a "dog bowl" which includes a small dog treat. Later this evening I'll be headed to Brewster's to buy Java one last cone. A big vanilla waffle cone, just for him. One last treat for my friend.

May peace be with you Java. You'll always be with me in my memories.

Goodbye Molly... Goodbye.

2008-09-02T01:18:00.000+08:00

收到G的简讯：Molly passed away peacefully awhile ago.. I was beside her.

... ...

我好难过。不用三秒，我哭了。稀里哗啦。

虽然，我们都知道Molly的时日不多。。。

也许，这反而是对她的一种解脱。不用再被病痛折磨。

然而。

心情非常低落。

安息吧，勇敢的你。

哭过的我，会永远记得你。

xoxo

Love knows no limit.

2008-08-28T00:33:00.001+08:00

This vid.. made me.. u know.. yeah, CRY. A love so powerful and beautiful.

The sobbing (roll eyes) continues... even harder.

Some human think that animals are just creatures incapable of emotions - that's utterly naive. All lives are capable of emotions and feelings, even the ants. What you don't see doesn't mean they don't exist. I wish humans will learn to respect all life forms, as well as the environment. The planet does not belong to us only.

The interview with Christian's owners 35 years later.
Part 1
Part 2

Cat House on the Kings

2008-08-27T08:07:00.001+08:00

This is an amazing place... if only we have the luxury of space.

One Eye, Ugly & Skinny

2008-07-27T14:07:00.003+08:00

Maybe he has never felt the human touch but he has always wanted one. Every cat deserves love. From never knowing love to being loved... all lives recognise love when being loved. :)

Max & Moo Moo

2008-07-15T00:57:00.004+08:00

I was pretty ill over the past few days and finally found the chance to bring Max to Dr. H last evening. He has been warded tonight so that his two decayed molars can be extracted today or tomorrow. On top of that, he is infested with fur mites. Poor boy. He must be in alot of discomfort and pain. Dr. H gave him a jab to reduce his pain and also applied revolution to tackle his fur mites. He would have to stay for a couple of days until he is well enough to be released.

Judging from the number of teeth left, Max may be older than we thought.

I took the chance to say hello to dear Snowy but she was already soundly and sweetly asleep. I decided I shan't disturb her. :)

I also met Moo Moo, a 6-months old little boy who suffered multiple injuries (maybe fractures included) from being dragged by a car - how awful! I gasped (literally) in horror when I saw how he was injured - why can't some drivers be more vigilant?! Depsite the bandages and stitches, Moo Moo was still spirited and gave a few feeble meows when he saw me. Soon after, he drifted off to dreamland, twitching once in a while - I assumed from the pain/discomfort. The sight of him broke my heart. I hope he gets well very soon. Whoever rescued him (maybe the driver??) deserved commendation.

(I'm trying to get his pic uploaded here. Gimme some time to figure out how my mobile bluetooth works).

Someone brought in a small sparrow with broken wing. So kind of the person. I hope little sparrow will be able to spread its wings and fly again and rejoin his family.

10 Promises To My Dog

2008-07-08T13:00:00.002+08:00

10 Promises To My Dog:

1. Give me time to understand what you want of me.

2. Place your trust in me. It’s crucial to my well-being.

3. Be aware that however you treat me I’ll never forget it.

4. Before you scold me for being lazy, ask yourself if something might be bothering me.

5. Talk to me sometimes. Even if I don’t understand your words, I do understand your voice when it’s speaking to me.

6. Remember before you hit me, I have teeth that could hurt you, but that I choose not to bite you.

7. Take care of me when I get old.

8. You have your work, your entertainment and your friends. I have only you.

9. My life is likely to last 10 to 15 years. Any separation from you will be painful for me.

10. Go with me on difficult journeys. Everything is easier for me if you are there. Remember I love you…

It's a miracle - cat giving birth

2008-05-18T18:11:00.000+08:00

If you haven’t seen a cat give birth - you have to watch this video. It is long - but even if you watch the first two minutes - it is well done. Cats are naturally shy and hide and this was well videoed. Check out a live cat birth. It is a miracle.

Progress or Regress?

2008-05-17T14:21:00.005+08:00

As I read through the comments to my letter, I couldn't help but wonder - as we progress as a country, are we, as human, regressing? Whatever happened to compassion, humanity (the word 'human' is in it) and kindness? Has progression made us unfeeling and intolerant?

Some would rather the cats be culled and killed than for their cars to be rested on. The cats bleed like we do, the cars are just metal. For the sake of the metal, some chose to be cruel. In case some of us don't know, cats culled are sent to be killed. The nicer term some people used is "removed". The culled cats are not sent to some shelters FYI. Maybe using a nicer term makes the complainants feel a lot less guilty about indirectly murdering.

As a caregiver myself, I try my best to sterilise, feed and care for these homeless - many whom were abandoned by ourselves, and we're debating the 'root' of the problem. Occasionally, I get rude stares but mostly, my neighbours have been nice and supportive.

Those who hate cats want them off the streets because they think cats are nothing but nuisance and, they scratch their cars. Those who love all lives wish the cats do not need to live outside, suffer and be unnecessarily devoided their rights to live, and instead have loving homes. The cat haters and the cat lovers - we have the same ultimate goal - not to have so many strays but our methods of achieving the goal are different. Culling is not going to work and is inhumane. Sterilisation, applied cooperatively and long term, will. Like it or not, there are no quick fixes to a long standing issue. If we truly want the goal to realise, we have to work together, in a humane manner.

It's ok not to like cats, honestly. But it's not ok to hurt them just because you don't like them. You can just leave them alone and I'm sure the cats will appreciate.

As with any situations, there always will be black sheep. Some charitable organisations have failed us but does that stop us from being charitable? The answer for most - no.

DJs' remarks on stray cats not funny and irresponsible

2008-05-17T00:53:00.005+08:00

The letter I wrote in to ST Forum has been published online.

ST: 4 cats found dead - 3 with stab wounds

2008-05-14T00:12:00.003+08:00

Another 4 cats have been found dead in Pasir Ris, bringing the death toll to 7 felines since May 2nd.

Of the 4, 3 were found in Pasir Ris Town Park yesterday, within 50m of one another and with abdominal puncture wounds.

The 4th cat was found nearby, in an open field near Blk 536. It had a fractured jaw.

It had no other observable wounds, and it is not known whether its death was related to that of the other 3.

The SPCA, alerted to the deaths, said the wounds on the 3 in the park were stab wounds, not the result of dog bites.

On May 2nd, 3 cats were found in Pasir Ris Street 21, doused with what is believed to be thinner. Two died and the 3rd was eventually put down as a result of its injuries.

The SPCA is offering a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the person or persons involved in this spate of cat deaths.

The SPCA may be contacted on 6287-5355, Extension 9.

- The Straits Times - Tuesday, May 13 2008

A responsible act of kindness should be fine, not fined.

2008-05-12T23:22:00.000+08:00

Here's what I think on Radio DJs made tasteless remark on cats:

One does not joke about the sufferings of the others, whether humans or animals. I do not find the DJs' comments at all funny. In fact, I think the "jokes" were distasteful, uneducated and reflects the lack of empathy and basic respect for other lives. Very appalled, very disgusted.

What is wrong with kindness for the homeless animals? Kindness and benevolence are open to all, not just human beings. Is there such thing as "selective kindness"?

If I were to give money to a homeless human begger so he could buy food to fill his empty stomach, should I be fined and ridiculed? I cannot possibly be giving money to a cat, can I? If cats know how to use the money to buy food, then perhaps, we run the risk of being sent to Peru instead.

A responsible act of kindness should be fine, not fined.

The pest control strikes again

2008-05-06T10:36:00.006+08:00

The pest control strikes again.

This morning, I received this disheartening message. Areas first hit was Sunplaza and 400+. Apparently, a feeder stop them somewhat and they moved on. TC denied activating from what I understand.

When is this vicious, unproductive cycle going to end?

I forwarded the info to my neighbours and fellow caregivers, hoping they'll keep an eye and count on their charges. Most of the cats at my area are collared and tagged with contact details. I hope the pest control - if they do come by - hesitates - about trapping them.

It really irates me that despite the voluntary efforts we put into sterilising and caring for the homeless four-leggeds, there are still human beings who are so unfeeling and unappreciative. Whatever happened to their hearts?

My heart cries ...

2008-05-05T23:39:00.002+08:00

When will cruelty cease?

When can we learn to respect all lives?

When can we live and let live?

When can we have more love, less bitterness?

These sufferings...

These inhumane acts...

When will we stop channeling our anger or tedium on the homeless, defenceless and voiceless?

When can we be proud to truly call ourselves HUMAN?

My heart cries.

Farewell little one, I'm sorry I couldn't stop whoever did what was done to you.

I can only hope, and pray, that justice will prevail.

:( :( :( :(

http://www.spca.org.sg/SPCAAppeal.pdf

Fuming!

2008-05-04T00:44:00.001+08:00

My blood pressure just shot sky high after reading this article.

My heartbeat rate doubled.

My temperature tripled.

I am fuming!

Taking anger or unhappiness out on the defenceless and voiceless is such an ABHORRENT and COWARDLY act.

What is the problem here?!

EXCUSE me, feeding is NOT illegal.

2008-02-20T01:01:00.005+08:00

"EXCUSE me, I don't think I can agree with what you've just said cos No. 1, at least there are people who are kind enough to bother. I feed. I sterilise. I pay. My time. My money. My compassion. Being kind is not illegal. If the feeders do feed and not clean up, blame the human not the cats.

No. 2, it is so uneducated to think that just because we love cats, we want them around. On the contrary, because we love them, we want them off the harsh streets. You have two kids, I am assuming u love children somewhat. If u love them, do u want to see them suffer on the streets? I don't think so.

No. 3, the next time you try and argue, maybe you ought to do some research and get your facts right first. You forgot you are dealing with someone who is rather active in the matter of discussion and that this someone is reasonably educated, has a mind of her own, dare to speak out and not some auntie from the older generation (I almost said - your mother's generation) who gets bullied just because you speak English, work for the government and stay in landed property.

No. 4, if you would like, I would be more than happy to supply info on this so that you do not continue feeding wrong info to the others, especially your children. It'll be a shame."

- me to someone who had my blood boiled with "feeding the cats is illegal and encourage them to populate. Such a nuisance." He asked for it.

Have yourself a very Meowy Christmas! - Santa Paws

2007-12-24T00:48:00.000+08:00

A very touching Christmas ballad for you & your loved ones. I was very touched listening to this song. As we celebrate this festive occasion, let us spread more love & warmth to those who need them. May there be love, peace & hope. HAPPY CHRISTMAS.

And So This is Christmas - Gloria Estefan, Celine Dion & Charlotte Church

From all of us.
Celeste, G, Snowy, Nana, Oren & clan.

Cats on cars

2007-11-30T16:49:00.000+08:00

Cats resting on cars is one of the most common complaints received.

Anyone has any suggestion how to prevent the cats from resting on cars?

BBC NEWS: Cat's daily routine baffles owner

2007-11-30T10:48:00.000+08:00

A cat is baffling his owner by wandering off at night before expecting to be collected by car every morning at exactly the same time and place.

Sgt Podge, a Norwegian Forest Cat, disappears from his owner's home in Talbot Woods, Bournemouth, every night.

The next morning, the 12-year-old cat can always be found in exactly the same place, on a pavement about one and a half miles (2.4km) away.

His owner, Liz Bullard, takes her son to school before collecting Sgt Podge.

She said the routine began earlier this year, when Sgt Podge disappeared one day.

Read more...

Meet Missy

2007-11-27T00:54:00.000+08:00

Hey guys - meet Missy, a super adorable 4-month old calico girl who was abandoned.

She was picked up by a good friend who realised little Missy has a wound on her leg. She was sent to Dr. H and is now recuperating and at the same time waiting to go to a good home.

Ain't she adorable?? See how comfy she is!

Missy though young, is full of personality. She has that sparkle in her eyes, ready for game, anytime! ;-)

An update on Snowy..

2007-11-25T13:18:00.000+08:00

Please forgive me for the long absence. Been busy with Oren and some unexpected domestic occurrence. Sigh.

Oren is back to being himself once again. He has also regained his "chubby" status.

Now, it's back to our beautiful and brave Snowy.

* Snowy has put on weight!

* Her coat is beautifully light golden in colour after a nice loving shower by the Joyous angels.

* She has learn to believe that not all human beings are cruel. She is so manja and affectionate now she enjoys being cuddled. : )

* She still walks in circles. She'll probably remain like this given the impact of her injury. This will be a permanent reminder of her sad past.

* Snowy is still waiting patiently for her special someone. The very one who will love her unconditionally, wholeheartedly, responsibly, never forsake & care for her for the rest of her time on earth.

Both G and myself visit her weekly and spend some quality time with her. It is always a joy seeing her & the other furry patients. The last time we visited Snowy, she was sniffing, possibly down with slight flu.

Snowy has come such a long way. It has been almost 6 months from the faithful day (30 Jun 07) we rescued Snowy. To some, Snowy is just a cat. To all of us who care, she is a life.

We are very grateful to the angelic team at the clinic who has been so loving to Snowy. We want to especially thank Dr. H for her big heart. Without her, it would be impossible to continue caring physically, mentally & financially for Snowy for this long.

We are equally grateful to kind donors who have supported our efforts in financial aspect. I wish to update that the donations for Snowy will be exhausted soon. Details of her expenses and donations will be posted shortly.

We want to also thank fellow bloggers who helped spread words regarding Snowy and all who kept Snowy in their thoughts and prayers.

The journey has not been easy - from tears to laughter, from anxiety to relief, from despair to hope.. We would not have made it this far without all of you. Thank you for braving the storm with us and Snowy. We are finally seeing the rainbow emerging.. The full rainbow will appear the day Snowy meets her special someone. : )

Please pray with us, for Snowy to find her happily ever after. Let her story end beautiful. Let the rainbow appear full.

My Four Essentials

2007-10-09T13:30:00.000+08:00

This comment caught my interest.

san said...

I used to tag my community cats until one day, one of our cats Minah got dragged by her collar by some boy. The old aunty who helped to feed her aw him just in time to stop him but she could not tell me what he looked like. He actually hooked her collar to a kind of spring that teenagers use these days. She got a bloody mouth and a bad sprain. :( So now I don't tag her nor any of the cats although I still think it might be safer to tag them.

10/06/2007 9:18 PM

San, I'm so sorry to hear about Minah's traumatic experience. : (

Generally, sane humans won't disturb the cats. It's the insane who will. And if these insane do, then whether the collar is on the cat or not is really secondary. Their primary intention is, to hurt the cat. They can hurt the cat with anything.. even with bare hands. With collars that comes with elastic band portion, the collar will stretch when pulled.

It's a pity the abuser got away scot-free. But I suppose the old aunty can't do anything also due to her age. She can't be running after him. Sigh.

What I do when I go feeding, is to always ensure my four essentials are with me (actually I have them all the time with me):

1. my digital camera
2. my mobile phone
3. a shrill alarm (good for creating a scene so as to draw attention)
4. a small handy bright torch (Energizer has good ones)

** Pic to be uploaded **

For cats who love the trees, then it is up to the caregivers' assessment on whether the collars will be suitable. I guess they know the cats best.

For cats who love the cars, I would reccommend but only with safety collar. Remember to state also the street name where the cats reside - it'll be helpful.

Home Sweet Home

2007-10-04T15:45:00.000+08:00

Thanks for sharing our joy and for welcoming Oren back. * smile *

I saw him last night. He has lost a little weight.. oh well, quite a bit cos his face is not so pinch-able now. He looks weird in his shrunken frame. Haha. But rest assured he'll be chubby again in no time!

"Yum yum yum..."

He appeared very exhausted though and slept most time. He hasn't been sleeping well I believe or maybe he's too famished to sleep well. It actually pains my heart to know he starved almost a week.

"Interview later please. I need to catch up with my sleep k?"

Everybody who saw him fussed over him and ooh ahh-ed over his incredible adventure.. so much limelight! I think Nana felt neglected!

Collaring & Tagging your community cats

2007-10-03T12:39:00.000+08:00

Many may think that it is unsafe to collar your community cats but it actually depends on how well you know your cats, how well you know your turf and the type of collars being used. I'm actually very particular about the collar itself - it must be comfortable to the skin.

Never use collars meant for dogs on cats. The cats' claws may get stuck while they scratch.

Take Nana & Oren for instance.

1. They rarely, if not, never climb trees.

2. We know the neighbours (and prata shop next to our blk) well enough. They know the cats too.

3. The collars I use are "safe". Noticed the elastic portion (circled in pink in pic)? This part is stretchable so the cat can escape if stuck for some reason.

4. The tags are round in shape so the edge will not cut the cats or cause discomfort.

I have so far not tagged the others as I wanted to observe. However, as a result of this incident, I have decided to tag the rest, beginning with Taro (who also likes lounging on car tops and hardly climb trees).

I also think it is important to include, besides name of the cat & contact no., the blk & street name.

In my opinion, having the tags deter others from disturbing the cats as they seemed to "belong" to somebody. Also, pest control are more hesistant somewhat about taking cats with collars & tags (I feel).

Of cos, the above are my own views and opinions so it's up to individual to judge if the same works but it definitely has for me. Otherwise, we wouldn't be reunited with Oren once more.

Thanks for sharing our happiness in recovering Oren. : )

How the hell did Oren manage THAT distance??

2007-10-03T12:19:00.000+08:00

Many are quite appalled at how Oren managed the distance (Tampines to Orchard). Here's my attempt to explain the possibility.

The vehicle looked like a Mitsubishi Raider from my impression. Oren was seen "driven off" on Point 1. My guess is that he jumped off to Point 2 and remained there till he felt safe enough to escape, i.e. at Orchard where the Raider driver would have parked (at Cuppage Rd).

Make sense?

Otherwise, it's quite difficult to imagine him on Point 1 all the way.. I'm sure fellow drivers on the road will alert the driver in Raider wouldn't they?

Oren is home!!!

2007-10-03T10:31:00.000+08:00

OMG!!!!! I can't believe this! Someone called M this morning - Oren has been found!!!!! Yay! Yay! Yay! Yay! This is incredible good luck! I almost dropped my hair dryer and my jaw - in blissful joy. Wednesday has never felt this good. : )

I'm glad we had made the decision to tag him (since his first disappearance) and Nana. Otherwise, we would be denied the chance of this reunion.

Silly boy actually sat on top of the vehicle from Tampines to Orchard. Can you believe it??! * Roll Eyes *

He ended up inside St. Gerard's School at 12 Mt. Sophia Rd which is near Plaza Singapura. A very kind teacher noticed him, saw the tag on his collar and called M (whose no. is listed first followed by mine). She said Oren was very friendly and she was glad to reunite us. M's dad flew down (in his cab) in happiness to fetch His Majesty. Haha. Happiness beyond words.

Was told he lost quite an amount of weight. It's hard to imagine Oren being slim. He has been chubby all his life. But for him to lose weight than for us to lose him is still, a better deal. Weight can be put back but heartache is forever.

We hope Oren has had enough of his adventures (twice this year!) and just stay in his own "kingdom". We're sure Nana is glad her silly "boyfriend" is home.

Nana & Oren

I wanna thank everyone who were with us in spirit during Oren's disappearance, esp GL and G.

Can't wait to fuss over Oren this evening.

Help us find Oren. He is dearly missed.

2007-10-01T18:52:00.000+08:00

Oren is a sterilised male ginger cat with white chest, a tipped left ear and a short bobtail. He wears a green collar with a yellow round tag (with our contact nos.)

He is the resident cat at Blk 897A Tampines Street 81 and will wander to the nearby blocks and carpark occasionally.

Witnesses at the prata shop at Blk 820 saw him being driven off on Fri (21 Sep 07) at around 11pm while being on top of a black twin-cabin. We managed to trace the vehicle owner who is genuinely not aware of what happened. His destination was Centrepoint area / Cuppage Rd that night.

We have since gone to look for Oren on a few occasions at that area and distributed flyers. We’ve also searched for him nearby our Tampines St. 81 area. Other possible areas include Tampines Ave 4, Tampines Ave 1, Simei Ave 5 (leading to PIE), PIE, Cairnhill Rd and Cuppage Rd.

We are extremely worried about his well-being and safety. We miss him very dearly.

Please call xx immediately if you see a cat fitting Oren’s description.

A million thanks.

Where are you Oren?

2007-09-26T00:57:00.000+08:00

PLEASE HELP US FIND OREN

My heart has been aching the past 48 hours.

Oren is missing again.

The last time he disappeared, it was in May. We were lucky to recover him after 2 weeks then, thanks to alert fellow caregivers. He ended up in another part of Tampines - I don't know how. It remains a mystery to-date. This time, we heard from some witnesses at the prata shop where Oren was a frequent "patron" he was driven off on Fri (21 Sep 07) night while being on top of a car (it was a MPV they think). They tried to get the driver's attention but to no avail. No one took note of the car's plate no.

Oren was gone.

Just like that.

Where? We don't know. Everyone who loved him at my area are heartwrenched.

Oren has a penchant for car tops. He enjoyed lounging on them. Maybe for the coolness. As he was a popular "part of the blk" character, nobody really minded.

That faithful night, for some reason, he didn't get off the vehicle in time.

There were so many questions on our mind.

Is that vehicle's owner a resident near our place? Or was he from somewhere far? Did Oren leap off at some point? Was it a busy road he chose to escape? Was he hurt? Was he frightened to be away from "home"? Was he hungry? Is he still alive? If so, WHERE??

This is such an awful feeling. So awful. : (

We have no idea how we should search for him. He could be anywhere from Tampines to Simei to Changi to Bedok or even further. We intend to put up posters, flyer the vehicles at our area, write to SPCA and AVA, spread news via CWS. The only brighter hope we are placing on is that someone very kind will notice him and the tag on his collar with our contact nos and call us. Since the last time he went missing, we've decided to tag his collar.

Oren is a sterilised (tipped left ear) ginger male with white chest about 3-4 years old. He has an easy to spot short bob tail. Friendly. He is the resident cat of Blk 897A Tampines Street 81.

Please help us keep a lookout for our dear friend. Please call xx immediately if you spot a cat fitting Oren's description. We miss him dearly.

Snowy - Update - 6 Sep 07

2007-09-07T00:39:00.000+08:00

Thanks to those of you who shared your views on accupuncture. As funds are limited, we have decided to at this point, to drop the idea as this alternative treatment is too costly for us to handle. A 30-min session is about SGD85.00. Snowy definitely need more than just a single session.

Snowy now has a beautiful tipped left ear - she was spayed earlier this week. Up next will be vaccination in about 10 days' time. She still need to put on more weight.

Scabs on Snowy's head clearing. ~ 20 Aug 07

Snowy in a relaxing mood. ~ 25 Aug 07

Snowy purred!! ~ 25 Aug 07

Snowy on 25 Aug 07 - about to enter dreamland.

Video Clips:

Snowy enjoying affection from me. ~ 20 Aug 07

Snowy enjoying affection from G. ~ 20 Aug 07

Snowy is sterilised. ~ 6 Sep 07

Snowy still spins. ~ 6 Sep 07

Snowy is still pining for her special someone to appear. She waits each day, with patience while G and I prayed each night, with hope our prayers will be answered - that our brave little girl finds a good, loving & responsible home.

celestelock@hotmail.com

ASD 2008 Calendar - Help the Singapore Dogs

2007-08-19T20:27:00.000+08:00

2008 is around the corner. What have you accomplished this year? Whom have you helped? Have you been part of making a difference for the lives of the less fortunate?

Start your brand New Year great by getting the ASD 2008 Calendar @ SGD10.00. All proceeds will go towards helping our very own Singapore Dogs. Let each day of the the calendar remind all of us that we are so much more fortunate.

Help ASD (Action For Singapore Dogs) help the dogs, like you've help us help the cats. Together, we can make a difference.

Where to get the ASD 2008 Calendar?

Cheers.

Acupuncture for Snowy?? - Share your views.. ..

2007-08-16T13:16:00.000+08:00

G and I heard that acupuncture may help Snowy - in her 'spinning' condition.

Veterinary acupuncture practitioners, we understand, are limited in nos. in Singapore. At this moment, we only know of a few vets who do that - Dr. O, Dr. L and Dr. S

Also, the costs associated with this treatment is not exactly affordable.

We thought we'll like to hear some views on this.. .. or if anyone has experience on this and would like to share with us.. ..

Thanks in advance, on behalf of Snowy who, is still waiting patiently - for her special someone. : )

Snowy - Update - 11 Aug 07

2007-08-12T22:43:00.000+08:00

18 Aug 07 - Snowy looking better.

The sores on Snowy's head are definitely looking much much better. She's more vocal now and enjoys being let out of her confinement to exercise and investigate. We also saw her grooming herself for the first time.

Sores on her head looked so much better.

She still has yet to put on enough weight despite her huge appetite. Her last weight was about 2kg.

Video Clips:

Snowy unknowingly scares Xiao B, the vet's resident cat by sneaking into the box.

Cute little white kitten trying to entice Snowy for a game.

Kitten still trying her luck - so adorable.

Snowy busy scratching...

Snowy still spins round and round from time to time...

We are not sure how long Snowy will take to recover (she will not recover fully given the extent of her injury)... however, the process of helping her find a good, loving and responsible should begin. Snowy for sure, is unfit to be released onto the streets anymore.

Snowy is patiently waiting for her special someone, that someone with a big heart who is willing to give her a responsible home and a lifetime of love - physically and emotionally, someone who accepts her unconditionally the way she is, a home where she will never never be forsaken under any circumstances (she cannot afford to be abandoned, she will never survive in the streets). Write us at celestelock@hotmail.com

Snowy waits... ...

Snowy - Update - 28 Jul 07

2007-08-02T19:58:00.000+08:00

Snowy, 28 Jul 07

Snowy is very much the same - she can now eat pretty steadily on her own. She has a HUGE appetite! : )

The wounds on her head are healing... looks better then before. We understand there's no new scabs surfacing - which is great news.

Snowy - Video Clip 1 (exercising her limbs)

snowy - Video Clip 2 (scratching away)

Snowy - Video Clip 3 (spinning around in her 'room')

More updates to come...

Snowy - Update - 18 Jul 07

2007-07-20T19:22:00.000+08:00

Snowy, 18 Jul

Snowy can eat on her own!

There's no need to spoon feed her anymore. No more grinding teeth sounds when she chews her food - this means that her loose jaw is slowly healing and getting better. She is also able to eat more chunky canned food now (previously need to add water to soften it for easy swallowing).

She is able to walk better, still circling but is able to walk in a straight line when you call out to her. This means she can hear and recognize the direction of the voice – her sense of orientation is getting better!

Snowy weighs only about 2kg.

The scabs on her head and face are slowly peeling off; there are some blood stains when the vet and nurses clean her but nothing serious. Hopefully the skin scabs will slowly peel off and the new skin can regenerate and get better. The scabs on her toes are falling off too. Antibiotic ointment and powder are applied daily.

Snowy is still on injection antibiotics – Dr. H feels that her immune system is fighting very hard to cope with her illnesses, so the course of antibiotics may be prolonged.

Snowy, 18 Jul

Our next visit will be on Mon, 23 Jul. : )

Snowy - Update - 14 Jul 07

2007-07-16T17:30:00.001+08:00

We visited Snowy on Sat, 14 Jul.

Snowy, 14 Jul 07

Some great news to share:

6 panel test - Snowy's kidneys and liver are normal. She is also not diabetic.

FeLV and FIV test - All negative .

YAY!!!!

Here are further updates:

Snowy's lower jaw is actually loose at the middle (mandibular symphysis) but this is not very serious. She is still able to eat. The team at the vet is hand feeding her still as Snowy cannot stand firm enough to finish her food. It is observed that while Snowy eats, she will produce this sound as if she's biting her teeth - this could be due to injury to her head or jaw muscles. Dr. H said she will continue to monitor.

The wounds on Snowy's head is drying up and healing with dead pieces slowly peeling off. Dr. H suspects her skin outbreak on the head could be due to traumatic injury as she rubbed against the cages.

There are also new skin scabs on Snowy's toes - a condition called vasculitis which means that her blood vessels are affected with immune complexes and these cause the infection and scabs. The outbreak of scabs could be related to really stressful circumstances (reduced immune system), toxins (but there is no known history) or even unknown viral infections.

Dr. H noted that Snowy is getting stronger, able to stand and walk, but observed that she is walking in circles. G and I noticed that as well during our visit. See clips.

Clip 1: Snowy walking in circles.

Clip 2: Snowy collapsed from giddiness, from the circling. G gave her words of support.

Snowy is also snorting and sneezing. The nasal discharge is not as much as last time but she will sneeze more when being fed. Her eyes are clear, not teary.

"Also my nurses mentioned to me regarding the donations for Snowy. It is great that there are many kind souls out there. : ) I will try my best to help Snowy to get her better. She is fighting really hard to survive and I hope she can make quick and full recovery." - Dr. H

Thank you everyone who chipped in to help with Snowy's medical bills and to Dr. H and her loving team who showered so much TLC on Snowy. We are deeply grateful.

Our next visit in on 18 Jul, Wed. More updates then.

Snowy - Update - 11 Jul 07

2007-07-11T23:57:00.000+08:00

As planned, we visited Snowy tonight and spent some time with her.

Snowy, 11 Jul 07

She has been moved from the normal ward to the isolation ward - she has flu. We believe Snowy got the flu bug from the cat hospitalised above Snowy's cage in Dr. A's clinic. Unlike Dr. H who has an isolation room, Dr. A does not separate cats with flu from the others. We could hear Snowy snorting due to her blocked nose. Sigh.

We let her out of her confinement in the isolation room to exercise. She could walk more steadily now. She is also eating, with assistance.

Clip 1
Clip 2

When I carried her, I could only feel her bones. She was by far, the skinniest cat I've met.

G and I were told something unexpected. Dr. H suspects Snowy may have Feline Leukemia or Feline Immunodeficiency Disease (FIV). Snowy developed new sores on her face (between the eyes). There are also scabs on her paw. These may be caused by the immune suppression of Feline Leukemia. Dr. H will run some tests (FeLV & FIV) in the next few days to determine if her suspicion is true. Of course, G and I hope her suspicion is untrue.

New sores appearing.

Snowy resting.

Snowy, feeling tired.

We deposited the first batch of kind donations with the vet. Before we left, we told Snowy to take care. Then we heaved a sigh of melancholy, forced a smile, bided goodbye and left, with heavy hearts. When will Snowy's suffering cease?

We will visit Snowy again over the weekends. More updates then.

2007-07-08T11:12:00.000+08:00

Snowy, 7 Jul 07

OH MY GOD!

Snowy can walk! Snowy can stand and walk now! Both G and I gasped in extreme delight when we visited Snowy last night. That moment was very emotional.

Snowy, 7 Jul 07

Snowy must have felt the loving prayers and encouragement from all of you. We were told she is also eating much more now, with help from the loving nurses who spoon-fed her patiently. She is also looking more alert and we heard her meow for the first time! It was lovely music to our ears. What we heard past few days were only groans and moans.

Snowy, 7 Jul 07

The following clip is a short glimpse to Snowy walking around in her 'room'. She has not regained full mobility as you can see. She still fumbles from time to time but compared to the beginning, this marked a significant improvement.

Short clip of Snowy walking!

Aren't you like us so very happy for Snowy? : )

We're motivated to continue this arduous but full of love's journey, hand in hand with Snowy. Stay with us.

Snowy - Update - 6 Jul 07

2007-07-06T12:35:00.000+08:00

I rang the clinic up at 12.40pm today and spoke with nurse A.

Snowy is still the same, eating just a little with help from the nurses. She is still relying very much on the IV drip. She is still flopping and crashing but slightly lesser. She pee-ed but not poo. Looking forward to visiting her tomorrow. Will update again with pics.

A piece of good news - Nana can be discharged tomorrow.

Snowy - Update - 5 Jul 07

2007-07-05T12:59:00.000+08:00

I received the following tear-jerking heartwarming news from G at 1.55pm:

"Celeste, I just called Joyous and spoken with A (the nurse). She said Snowy is still tilting her head to one side but is eating & drinking on her own, with them holding up the bowl for her..."

Snowy hasn't had any food (she couldn't manage at all) except fluids fed via the intravenous catheter since Sat, 30 Jun 07 - a total of 5 days.

I'm glad the angels at Dr. H assisted Snowy in feeding on her own.

Now, I feel like crying... the tears of joy. : )

Also, thank you all for the very kind, encouraging and comforting words. We have since the appeal, received a few responses on helping out with Snowy's bills. Heartfelt thanks and gratitude.

Please continue walking with Snowy on her journey to recovery.

===

p.s. I'm sorry I may not be able to respond to some of the questions posted via comments immediately.

Snowy - Will You Help Her?

2007-07-04T15:39:00.000+08:00

As planned, we turned up at Dr. A in the morning. G had called in advance to inform them we will be disharging Snowy and requested for the x-rays to be provided.

G was already at Dr. A when I was on my way. I was alerted by G via sms the bill was $480!

The bill from Dr. A. [click on pic to read contents]

---------------------------------------------------------
Examination Summary (from the bill):

Reason
HBC- Suspected trauma to the cranial region. Multiple degloving injuries around the forehead and face.
Blood test - Liver dysfunction confirmed (likely due to impact). Mild anemia.

Plan
1) To monitor for epilepsy and/or other cns signs.

2) Hospitalise for observation and treatment - given injections of antibodies and Vit B complex and liver tonic daily. Please refrain from giving any steroids in lieu of liver damage!

3) Please review liver function after medication.
---------------------------------------------------------

LIVER DAMAGE?!?!?!?!?!
Again, we were not told at all that Snowy sustained liver damage! What we were told on the day of admission was (1) she has no spinal injury (2) no bone fractures (3) no internal injury to her organs.

The blood test for liver dysfunction was performed either on 1 Jul or 2 Jul. Dr. A called G on 3 Jul, he didn't mention anything on liver damage (on top of not mentioning the abrasions and sores).

When we asked him, he said "I've informed you (on day of admission) I'll be doing some blood tests on her to check for liver dysfunction right? You mean I didn't confirm the results with you?". We said "NO". To be honest, we both don't recall him saying so. We were flabbergasted.

He then reminded us not to give Snowy any steroids and mentioned Snowy is getting slightly better (sorry to say but in my opinion, she looked worse). We both rolled our eyes and left, not wanting to question anymore for fear of prolonging Snowy's sufferings. We had to get to Dr. H quickly.

Dr. H checking Snowy. She said Snowy is a young adult, about 18 months. We briefed Dr. H the case.

Dr. H assessing Snowy's head wounds.

X-ray #1: Dr. H suspects there is trauma to Snowy's spine at her neck area. It is unusually caved in. This probably explained why she is unable to hold her head and keeps collapsing.

And Dr. A ruled out that possibility!!!

X-ray #2: No fractures on her limbs.

This is the position of Snowy when she's lying down. Note the unnatural angle of her head tilt.

Poor Snowy cannot hold her head up. G had to gently support her.

Padding her confinement area as much as possible to keep her comfortable. She will be fed via intravenous catheter.

Snowy is still trying her utmost to stand. She is still crashing all over in her confinement cage but this time, the paddings were there to cushion the impact. G and I were concerned about further trauma if she persists so Dr. H may sedate her lightly (if necessary) to calm her so she could rest. We will leave the medical decisions to Dr. H because we have faith in her.

This time, we left the clinic feeling comforted that Snowy is now in good hands. Our wish is to see her stand without falling again.

We are sincerely appealing for financial support to assist Snowy in her long road to recovery. Please contact celestelock@hotmail.com if you wish to help Snowy stand again. Alternatively, if you would like to help but cannot do so financially, you can keep Snowy in your prayers. Snowy and us will appreciate the same.

Heartfelt thanks in advance.

Hugs from,
the voices for Snowy

Snowy - The Horrifying Chapter

2007-07-03T23:22:00.000+08:00

We visited Snowy tonight. It wasn't a pleasant visit.

Snowy had terrible abrasions and sores on her head and on the side of her face - we were petrified!

Dr. A had called G in the morning and had informed her that Snowy is still disorientated and cannot stand without collapsing. The usual drip cannot be used on her as she may strangle herself accidentally from all the struggling (to stand). So Snowy had to be injected the fluid. The point is, Dr. A had not mentioned anything about the abrasions and sores. G and I were perfectly certain they had not been there when we admitted her.

1 Jul 07: Day of admission

3 Jul 07: The wounds

In the 30 mins we were there, we saw for our very own eyes the damages Snowy had involuntarily inflicted on herself from the collapses. She crashed, flopped, smashed, toppled, thumped herself against the metal bars (all 4 sides of the cage, no solid surface) she was in. Only a thin piece of towel was there. Nothing else. We felt terrible, real terrible. Uncle Y stood at the side, silent with immense sadness. I don't know how else to describe the pain in our hearts.

Snowy, totally helpless...

G and I had to improvise the condition with whatever we could find - the newspapers. We laid the papers on the base of the cage and the sides so it wouldn't be too painful for Snowy when she hit herself against the bars when she collapsed.

The cages used for hospitalisation. Snowy is in the middle.

We would have expected intervention from the nursing staff (or the vet) to do something about the cage (to perhaps cushioned the cage) once they noticed that Snowy was hurting herself. Even I could think of at least an e-collar to minimise contact of her head to the metal bars, why can't the professionals? When we questioned (nicely) the female staff about the wounds on Snowy's head, she said she wasn't sure and asked that we check with the vet. We were appalled - the staff didn't know?? The wounds were so apparent! Unless she's implying she did not check on Snowy (or it wasn't her responsibility to) since Sunday to be alerted about Snowy's wounds! Gosh.

When we later check with Dr. A, he explained that the wounds are likely "internalised". G and I have our reservations about this explanation (though we are not certain). I asked Dr. A if they were going to do anything about the cage otherwise it will be a matter of time Snowy is going to break her skull or her neck. He suggested using an e-collar (*roll eyes*) or transferring her to a carrier (those you use to transport the pets around) with smooth surface. Aren't these measures they ought to have thought of in the first place?!?!?! Isn't this something they would have anticipated given Snowy's condition?

Snowy crashing herself.

G and I have plans to transfer Snowy to Dr. H, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE (Dr. H's clinic is closed on Tue unfortunately)! We are very disturbed about tonight's finding.

I managed to get in touch with Dr. H via their emergency line and discussed the situation with her. We will discharge Snowy from Dr. A tomorrow morning and send her to Dr. H. It is only at Dr. H we can really be assured of quality care, attention and conducive recovery environment.

I can't wait for morning to come.

===
p.s. I am not doubting Dr. A's professional knowledge and skills and I'm not saying he's not nice (he is ok) but I'm awfully disturbed about the hospitalisation conditions.

===
Note: Some of the comments are removed either as requested by comment author or email addresses are included (for privacy).

Snowy - The Beginning

2007-07-02T12:09:00.000+08:00

On 1 Jul, G and I sent Snowy, a nursing mother cat to Dr. A for emergency treatment. Our regular vet, Dr. H has no x-ray facility in her clinic.

Poor Snowy has been hit by a vehicle in Bedok. A fellow caregiver from G's area found her by chance in Bedok and brought her home on 30 Jun. Snowy had a brood of 5 young kittens with her then but the elderly malay lady can only cope with Snowy at that point in time (she perhaps had no carrier with her). When she returned later, the kittens were missing.

We understand Snowy was quite lifeless when they settled her at home. They thought she may not make it. On the following morning (1 Jul), Snowy started struggling. Mdm L, another caregiver contacted G and asked for assistance. G and I arranged to send Snowy to Dr A immediately.

Poor Snowy, in a carrier, waiting to be transported to the vet for emergency treatment.

Poor Snowy struggled hard to stand up but collapsed on every attempt. Our hearts broke each time she collapses. Deep in our hearts, G and I believe Snowy was struggling to brace herself up for her kittens - she must be very worried about them. We feel so sad and sorry. The malay lady will try to locate the young ones again.

Every collapse and moan from her breaks our heart. It was very painful for us to see her suffer.

Dr. A took two x-rays of Snowy and the diagnosis was that she was injured in the head, went into a shock and suffered concussion from the blow. This explains her inability to stand. Other than the head injury, Snowy is not hurt elsewhere. Dr. A administered an anti-shock jab for her. Snowy will have to be warded for observation. We sincerely hope she can get over the shock.

Snowy resting after her anti-shock jab.

Please join us in wishing Snowy speedy recovery and hopefully, for her to be reunited with her kittens she so loved.

If you happened to be in the vicinity of carpark near Blk 81 Bedok North, please help keep a lookout for Snowy's young kittens (unfortunately I do not have the kittens' description). Please call 97670958 if you see them. Thanks.

Kindness

2007-06-28T18:33:00.000+08:00

I want to give Lingcat a big pat on her back and a big hug for doing a great job in rescuing a little kitten whose head got stuck in a drainage pipe in a carpark.

I'm touched by this beautiful act of kindness.

The lucky little kitten who was rescued. What a handsome boy.
[Photo from Lingcat's blog]

2007-06-27T13:03:00.000+08:00

As expected, Nana has to be hospitalised. Dr H said the hole is likely from a bite puncture wound sustained in a cat fight.

Nana's wound will be stitched up today.

If all goes well (meaning if Nana behaves herself by not removing her collar and yanking the stitches off like the last round), she should be able to go home on 07-07-07. Nice date huh.

Nana, 25 Jun 07

I visited E's community cat, Smokey, who was warded for an eye condition. Smokey lives in Telok Blangah. Smokey will be going home tonight.

Smokey, 25 Jun 07

Some of the patients at the vet:

Ah kow, warded for diarrhoea and vomitting

4-mth old Tommy warded for Diarrhoea and dehydration

And Princess, the rabbit for some limb injury

On the same night, we released Fiercy from 829 (she was in for sterilisation). We were told by the auntie and uncle who feeds the cats at 829 Fiercy's kids missed her. Fiercy so named as she is rather fierce. Even as I took her pics, she flattened her ears and hissed.

Fiercy, 25 Jun 07

We met Sunshine, Fluffy-tail and little cute Felix. Sunshine and Fluffy-tail were the first two from 829 we sterilised. Little Felix is too young to be neutered.

Sunshine

Little Felix and Fluffy-tail

Nana is wounded

2007-06-25T11:50:00.000+08:00

Dear Nana was found wounded yesterday. M gave a frantic call to me and alerted Nana's situation. We think she has been in a fight. M's dad sprinkled some antiseptic powder on Nana's wound but Nana licked them all away. Uncle Y also put on some antiseptic powder to be all licked off again. I've asked them not to sprinkle anymore powder for the time being cos I think the powder smarts and that irritates Nana. I'm worried the more she licks the wound, the worse it will become.

We will bring Nana to Dr H tonight. Other than the raw, wet gaping hole which is bigger than a 50 cents coin, she looked alert and well this morning when I saw her.

My guess is Nana may need to be hospitalised - we'll see how. More on Nana after we visit the vet.

Nana, 25 Jun 07 morning

The wound, 25 Jun 07 morning

My Name is Hedwig

2007-06-19T18:26:00.000+08:00

Something rather funny happened today while I was in the office. I happened to pick up this telephone call.

Me: Hello.

Caller: Hi, can I speak to W?

Me: I'm sorry but W is on the phone right now, would you like to leave a message for her?

Caller: Uh ok. Can you let W know I called.

Me: Sure. How do I address you?

Caller: Hedwig.

Me: Uhm. How should I spell your name?

Caller: H-E-D-W-I-G

Me: I immediately connected to this:

Harry and his pet owl, Hedwig

Me: *Trying hard not to giggle* Alright, I'll let W know you called.

After hanging up, I laughed inside my head.

Speaking of which, I'm looking forward to the final instalment of Harry Potter. : )

The Void Deck, The Chair and The Cat

2007-06-15T14:04:00.001+08:00

Someone threw an old chair at the void deck and Nana decided to investigate.

Apparently, the chair wasn't comfy cos she left after scratching the cushion.

Cookie, the Jack Rascal Terror

2007-06-14T16:12:00.000+08:00

My precious youngest "daughter", Cookie. I adopted her when she was 2 months old and very ill. Very happy to see her grow up strong and happy. She'll be 2 next month the 9th. I love her to bits even though she is very mischievous. Can't imagine my life without pets!

My gifts this week

2007-06-14T15:59:00.000+08:00

Received today a nice gift.

Received on Mon from G this lovely magnet.

Homecoming

2007-06-12T10:46:00.000+08:00

Pinky has been discharged and released last night. His friend, Siam was around when we released him.

Pinky, 11 Jun

I'm beginning to find all cats handsome and pretty. Pinky looks statuesque in this pic. : )

Nemo and Terry were both discharged as well but still require medication.

Jay Boy (the one who fell from 4th floor) was not in the clinic anymore. We think he has gone home.

The feral pigeon has been discharged last night too. The driver (who injured it unintentionally) has shown up but I didn't get to meet him else I would like to tell him how nice he has been.

The 2 girls from 829 were released too (after sterilisation on Fri, 8 Jun).

It's a night of homecoming.

These are some of the cats at 829 last night.

11 Jun 07

11 Jun 07

11 Jun 07

2007-06-11T13:10:00.000+08:00

This is the feral pigeon I mentioned in my previous post. A driver who injured its wing had the kindness and conscience to bring it in for treatment.

This is Pinky's wound as of 9 Jun. He will be discharged and released tonight. And yes, he'll probably be spotted with this bald patch for a while.

Pinky's wound, 9 Jun

A patient at the vet. Mimi from Eunos who is hospitalised for a cat fight wound also.

Mimi from Eunos, 9 Jun

Another patient. Jay Boy, a 10 years old cat who fell from 4th floor. Thank goodness he is alright.

Jay Boy, 9 Jun

Remember Terry? He was warded for flu treatment. Will be discharged tonight too. Isn't he such a handsome fella?

Terry, 9 Jun

These very adorable three kittens are up for adoption.

Meet Pinky, Elmo and Nemo

2007-06-08T13:12:00.000+08:00

Pinky

This is Pinky, one of the community cats G cares lovingly for. He's hospitalised from a bad cat fight injury and had to be stitched up. As of today, he is still warded for recovery.

The huge wound, now stitched up. The tube is for draining the pus.

Also, I want you to meet a handsome young lad. His name is Elmo.

Elmo, 2 Jun

Both Elmo and his equally handsome older buddy, Nemo, consulted Dr H on 2 Jun for flu. The two former community cats found their forever home with G.

Nemo, 2 Jun

However, Nemo is not doing too well (while Elmo is recovering). He has stopped eating and was warded for treatment yesterday. As you can guess, he needs to be put on drip and force fed a little to ensure his condition does not deteriorates.

Nemo, 7 Jun

Nemo, 7 Jun

Please join me in wishing Nemo speedy recovery so he can go home quickly.

G and I managed to send 3 boys and 2 girls for sterilisation from this area following a complaint. We still have more cats to go.

This is one of the girls we got. Pretty girl right?

And we saw a feral pigeon warded at the vet, sent in by a driver who accidentally knocked it. I am totally impressed with this person. So kind and conscientious of him or her! Wish we have more of such humane beings. Will try to take a pic of the pigeon when I next go to the vet.

p.s. Oh yes, I still have Garfield's story to tell you guys.

I'm back!

2007-05-29T17:00:00.000+08:00

From Tokyo and am busy clearing a week's supply of work. Sigh.

Hope to update soon.

Meanwhile, a quick pictorial tour of Tokyo.

5th Station of Mount Fuji

Mount Fuji - Breathtaking!

Another shot of Mount Fuji from a different angle

More of Mount Fuji

More of Mount Fuji

WIll you pay 300 Yen (approx. SGD3.80) for a can of Mt Fuji Air?

Awakudani "Hell Valley"

Asakusa Kannon Temple - the outer gate

Another pic of Asakusa Kannon Temple. The temple was completed in 645, making it Tokyo's oldest temple.

Kirin Beer Factory

Ginza - For Shopping

Burberry in Ginza - Is it cheaper cos some of the tour members requested to visit?

Ueno Flea Market

Nakamise Shopping Street

Japan is a place full of vending machines

And Gaming Arcades

Beautiful flowers everywhere

Bullet Train. 10 mins on bullet train or 45 mins on the road?

It's teribble to be lost in Japan. I was told a taxi journey of 2 hrs costs close to SGD800!

A typical toilet seat - with all the buttons

No kidding, there are people who go out in their kimono

Disneyland - Lots of fun!

Disneyland - Donald Duck

Disneyland - Chipmunks

Disneyland - Stitch

Disneyland - So many Stitches!

Disneyland - It's a Small World

Disneyland - Pinocchio's Daring Journey

Disneyland - Toontown

Disneyland - Peter Pan's Flight

Disneyland - Queen of Hearts Banquet Hall

Disneyland - The Parade

Disneyland - Say Cheese!

Disneyland - Crystal Palace

Disneyland - Nice trees!

Disneyland - A centre to babysit your pet dog or cat while you have fun

100 Yen Shop - Every item @ 100 Yen

The Fortune Cats!

Reunited!

2007-05-20T11:47:00.001+08:00

Reunited! Oren, 19 May 2007

We found Oren!

We found Oren!

We found Oren!

I still can't believe this.

A fellow caregiver at 200+ found a new ginger male wandering at her area since 16 May and heard from her friend (who is also a caregiver) I lost a ginger male (I am at 800+). She contacted me last night about this cat. I got hold of Uncle Y and we both flew down to verify and my god, it was HIM!!! I kept asking Uncle Y, "Uncle, you sure? You sure its him?" cos I cannot believe we could find Oren. I thought we've lost him for good. Isn't this so amazing? It was as if heaven knew we lost Miki and decided to return Oren to us.

Our guess is that someone dined at the prata shop next to my blk, saw Oren (he likes to loiter at the prata shop), liked him and brought him home to 200+ or 300+ area (where this person resides). Then perhaps, either Oren escaped or they decided he is not adoptable or lost interest in him and left him at the void deck.

M's dad was saying this person could have return Oren to where he picked him up if he decided not to keep him anymore and not just abandon him anywhere.

Oren is home. : )

p.s. Thank you GL and Paula.

2007-05-19T00:55:00.000+08:00

Miki will be dearly missed.

Heartfelt thanks to all of you who have showered me kind words and thoughts regarding Miki. We are less sorrowful now but the heartache remains and will take time to fade. Since Miki's death, OJ and Mi bonded less. Miki was the link to the trio.

I called the police station this afternoon hoping to find out if they had performed a postmortem on Miki but I was not successful in contacting the officer. I will try again.

Meanwhile, I received a call from the TC officer on Wed about 3 complaints.

Case 1: Too many community cats.
Case 2: Feeding upstairs + urination/defecation along corridor.
Case 3: Feeding upstairs + defecation.

These 3 areas are not managed areas. I'm not sure why the TC officer called me (perhaps I was the nearest) but I will try my best to help. However, I am not certain if I can take on 3 cases so I may have to sadly let go if I can't. We'll see.

G and I went to see the complainant last night on Case 3. This is the area of the 8 unsterilised cats. Complainant was reasonable in our opinions. Mrs T resides on the 3rd floor and mentioned of someone feeding on the 2nd floor. She is also concerned about the growing population. The person who feeds on the 2nd floor works in one of the stalls at the coffeeshop down the block. He is the kind malay uncle I mentioned before.

We've asked for Mrs T's understanding and patience to allow us about 3 weeks' time to get the cats (about 10 of them) sterilised. We also said we will speak to the feeder to request that he feeds downstairs and to clean up after feeding. We have promised to visit her a month later to receive her feedback. Before we left, I left Mrs T my contact no. and have told her I will be out of town the next week.

These are some of the cats at the area:

We named this cat Uncle Chocs. He is a sterilised male.

G will, with Uncle Y's assistance start trapping on Thu while I am away.

I was supposed to write about Garfield but Miki's incident came too abrupt. I guess I can only tell Garfield's story when I return from Tokyo next Fri.

Meanwhile, I wish G luck in trapping the 3 cats we have planned for.

Goodbye Miki

2007-05-16T10:28:00.000+08:00

It was a tough night yesterday. I was sad and I slept very late. You'll see why.

At 10.29pm, I received a call from Uncle Y. When the call was connected, he didn't speak till a couple of seconds later. He said in his breaking voice, "Celeste...Miki died.".

I was absolutely stunned. I didn't know how to react for a while. "Where are you Uncle?" I asked with tears welling up already. I rushed to meet him at my void deck.

Miki's still warm but lifeless body

When I got there in a fluster, Uncle Y, M, Z (M's youngest sis) and M's dad were all there, surrounding Miki's body which was lovingly wrapped in a white towel. All of their eyes were wet with tears, esp M and Z, evident of crying just before I arrived. I cried.

Wrapped in love

These were the facts I gathered and shared with Dr. H (whom we called immediately):

1. A neighbour upstairs heard a loud cat cry.
2. Half an hour before, M's dad still saw Miki well and alive.
3. A puddle of what seemed to be urine was spread around Miki's rear.
4. Miki's eyes and mouth were opened when he was found but already lifeless.
5. The only visible wound was something that looked like an abrasion on his thigh.
6. There were no blood.
7. There didn't seemed to be any signs of abuse.
8. He was found at the pavement behind our blk near the road.
9. There was no tyre mark. Even if there was, we can't really tell since Miki was a dark tabby grey boy.
10. 2 primary school boys were cycling at the void deck of 898, which is the blk behind ours. They cycle regularly at the void deck. M's dad has seen them scare the cats before and have scolded them.

The puddle next to Miki

The abrasion

These were what we tried to do to resuscitate Miki:

1. To keep Miki warm.
2. To try to hear if there was any breathing.
3. To put my ear to Miki's nose to feel if there was breath.
4. Tried to see if the chest was rising and falling.
5. To feel for any pulsation by feeling in the armpits on Dr. H's instruction.
6. Tried chest compression on Dr. H's instruction.
7. To do a jaw test on Dr. H's instruction.

After trying our utmost to resuscitate him, we concluded with heavy hearts we've lost Miki.

We brought Miki back to 898 to say goodbye to his buddies, OJ and Mi.

Goodbye my friends

OJ: "Bye Miki"

M brought Miki home to say goodbye to her mum too. I understand her mum cried badly. M's family loved Miki dearly. They had wanted to keep Miki but Miki doesn't want to stay in and prefers the outdoor. Perhaps his buddies were all there.

Miki with his best friends, Mi and OJ

Our initial guess was that Miki may have been run over by the bicycles but after thinking though and discussing with Dr. H, it is not very likely because impact from bicycle injuries should not result in death so quickly. We think Miki died within 10 mins or under. We think it is most likely from a motor vehicle impact while Miki was trying to dash across the road. Upon the knock, he could only manage a few more steps (to the pavement) before he collapsed. He could be running away in fright from the bicycle boys or from other cats or simply from just trying to cross the road.

M's dad found 2 shovels at a construction site so we could bury Miki.

The unexpected twist was, someone saw us digging from a distance and called the police, thinking something suspicious was going on. We returned to the burial ground when we saw the police and explained what transpired. However, they said they will still need to excavate and retrieve the carcass for confirmation and to evaluate to see if there were any elements of abuse. M's dad was naturally upset that Miki couldn't even rest in peace. He told the 2 persons (1 malay lady and her teenage son) they could have just came over and checked what was happening before involving the police (we were not in a very dark corner). It turned out that M's family kind of know the lady (she stays near our blk). I could see the lady was rather apologetic. The police asked M's dad not to blame them as they weren't aware what was going on (just in case we were burying human corpse or planting bombs!). I could understand both sides but it was just so unfortunate this had to happened.

The police

A (M's 2nd sis) rushed over once she arrived at our bus stop and started crying when she saw Miki's body (after excavation). Emotionally charged up again, I started crying and the police woman officer comforted us.

Miki's excavated remains

We were told Miki's carcass will be eventually sent to AVA for proper disposal. I also furnished Dr. H's contact in case they want verification we were trying to save Miki and not kill him (Duh).

Miki was sent his final journey with lots of love - all of us were with him. He was a happy boy with lots of friends.

Though Miki could not be buried near us, he will be buried deep in all our hearts and be fondly remembered.

Till we meet again, goodbye Miki.

Miki - 15 May 07 (last pic of him alive)

Garfield - The Preview

2007-05-11T17:46:00.000+08:00

Please stay tuned for Garfield's story next week.

Putting up missing notices

2007-05-08T00:24:00.000+08:00

M and I went around our neighbourhood to put up the missing notices for Oren (aka Tubbs) last night. We posted a total of 10 notices at the lift lobbies. Midway through, a call came in - this chinese guy said he saw Oren at 898A wearing a red collar. He said he played with the cat and the cat bellied up for him.

Now, we fear well-intended callers may mistake OJ or Taro (both at 898) for Oren. OJ looks like the junior version of Oren, only he is younger, wary and not touchable. Taro is a mix of ginger and white with long tail while Oren is a full ginger with white chest and belly and short bobtail.

We analysed the call:

1. The cat the guy mentioned is not OJ cos OJ will not belly up and allow him to touch.

2. We asked if the cat he saw is a mix of ginger and white, he said no. It was full ginger. So the cat is not Taro.

3. Neither Taro nor OJ wear a collar. He said the cat he saw wears a red collar. But Oren was not wearing any collar when he went missing.

4. The guy sounded a little flustered.

Our conclusion:-

1. The cat is someone else's home cat who is allowed to come out. However we have never seen another ginger cat besides OJ and Taro at that area.

2. The cat is Oren. He must have been adopted by a family at 898A and was collared.

3. The guy played a prank.

We met another group of youngsters at 898A and decided to show them the notice and asked politely if they saw Oren. One guy said he saw a cat like Oren at 807. He sounded quite sure. He said he last saw the cat last week.

M and I knew of another full ginger cat (without any white chest) at 808 vincinity so our guess is that the youngster meant this 808 ginger. We decided to just pop by to investigate. We found only the 808 ginger. No Oren.

We hope to receive genuine calls on Oren's whereabout and not prank calls. I have asked M to note down all the mobile nos. reflected on caller ID for record just in case. Her no. is given first followed by mine so chances of her receiving calls are higher. Luckily she is on university holidays now so she can man the calls. It's more difficult for me as I'm working.

8 unsterilised young cats!

2007-05-07T13:46:00.000+08:00

Oh my goodness.

I was informed there are 9 young cats of about 6 months old at a coffeeshop few blks down my area of which only 1 is sterilised! I believe that area is unmanaged. A kind malay uncle who helps out with dish washing at a malay stall feeds them a little but the no. is getting out of control and he has problem feeding.

I don't know how many males and females there are. I haven't seen the cats. The thought of the cats multiplying is really terrifying.

I will see what I can do.

2007-05-04T12:30:00.000+08:00

This is how I feel now. Sad. Very sad. Very very sad.

Cas and Tubbs, please come home.

2007-05-04T11:28:00.000+08:00

Shadow

I have decided to name the young unsterilised tabby cat at my bus stop 'Shadow'. It was perched on the tree yesterday night when I saw it. Still wary. Shadow has beautiful markings.

This is Toto, the sterilised newbie at Taro's territory. She's the one Tubbs was pretty fond of.

Toto

Taro is quite fine with her but Toto will hiss at Taro when he comes too near. Perhaps Taro has taken a liking to her?

Toto and Taro

Taro

Mi (aka as Cinder)

Miki with OJ

Miki and Mi on the tree

Mi, Miki and OJ the 3 boys are getting along fine except mini brawls sometimes do happen between Mi and OJ. Miki is the friendly one, to everybody - cats, dogs and human. OJ is exactly a mini version of Tubbs. He looks so much like the senior. That is why he was named OJ for Oren Junior. Oren is another name given to Tubbs by my malay neighbour. OJ is still unsterilised to-date as he wouldn't allow anyone of us to touch him.We hope to get him fixed soon so he wouldn't roam so much. He has been wandering lately.

Seeing OJ reminds me of Tubbs. I miss him badly. I miss Cas too. They both are still missing. Their disappearances really make my heart ache.

These are the last 2 pics I have of sweet little Cas.

Cas, 27 Apr 07

Cas, 27 Apr 07

Two missing cats. Two new cats.

2007-05-03T12:46:00.000+08:00

The unsterilised young newbie

I saw two new young cats on my home last night. My neighbour, M saw them an hour before I did. She said one was sterilised and the other, not. I think they both are boys. I can't be sure of their genders as they are both very jittery. I returned 3 hours later to find the unsterilised one still there. This morning both were not seen.

Nana spotted OJ

On the other hand, Nana is well but seemed to be on high alert with Tubbs' absence. It's hard on her to defend the entire territory (my blk) herself. OJ and Mi (aka Cinder) were spotted at my blk. Uncle Y had to bring them back to their own territories. Hours later, OJ appeared while Nana was having her dinner and the hissing started. I had to make an SOS call to Uncle Y (who was in the vincinity) to quickly bring OJ away as I held on to Nana (to prevent a fight).

Tubbs is missing

I wonder what happened to Tubbs.

Where are you Cas?

2007-05-02T16:52:00.000+08:00

Sweet Cas has been missing since Sun night. All of us are frantically worried because she has never in her life been missing before. She was always reliably there. We really hope she is well and safe. I called the TC and the very helpful officer said there wasn't any culling. H called AVA and was informed no cats were sent in from Tampines.

She was last seen at the exercise area next to Blk 896A Tampines Street 81. She spots a tipped ear and is petite in size.

The very heavy downpour mid of last night added weight to my heart.

Cas, where are you? Please come home soon.

Happy Labour Day!

2007-05-01T13:35:00.000+08:00

Hachiko

2007-04-30T16:39:00.000+08:00

I will be going on a trip to Tokyo sometime late May. I have heard so much about Hachiko and am really looking forward to seeing the actual bronze statue of this faithful dog at the busy Shibuya Station. For those who have not heard of Hachiko's touching tale of love and loyalty (he kept vigil for over 10 years!), this is the true tale:

Chu-ken Hachiko (lit. the faithful dog Hachiko) was born in Akita in 1923 and was first brought to Tokyo in 1924. He and his owner, Mr. Eisaburo Uyeno, were inseparable friends right from the start. Each day "Hachi" would accompany Eisaburo, a professor at the Imperial University, to the train station when he left for work. Upon returning, the professor would find the dog patiently waiting, tail wagging. This happy routine continued until one fateful day in 1925, when the professor was taken ill on the job and unfortunately died before he could return home.

Despite the fact that Hachiko was less than two years old at the time, the bond between dog and owner was strong. Hachiko continued to wait each day at Shibuya station for a friend who was never coming back. At times, he wouldn't return home for days at a stretch.

The Akita became a familiar sight to commuters as he kept his vigil for over ten years. On March 8, 1935, Hachiko finally went to meet his master. He died on the very same spot he last saw his friend alive.

The people who passed the loyal dog each day were so touched by his story that they erected a statue in his honor in 1934. The famous artist Ando Teru was commissioned for the original bronzed sculpture, which was melted down during the war.

After the war, Hachiko was hardly forgotten. In 1948 The Society For Recreating The Hachiko Statue commissioned Ando Tekeshi, son of the original artist who has since passed away, to make a second statue.

In memory of James R. Richards, DVM

2007-04-27T16:17:00.000+08:00

I felt very sad after reading this on Wildrun's blog. At the same time, I felt extremely touched by Dr. Richards' act of kindness.

Dr. James Richards, a renowned cat veterinarian and beloved Cornell University Professor died from injuries suffered in a motorcycle accident while trying to avoid a cat on the road. For someone who loves all living animals, the reflex was, I believe natural and without second thoughts.

I think I would have done the same.

Rest in peace Dr. Richards.

Thanks for bringing love and kindness to this world and showing us what compassion is.

The Case of the Sleeping Cat

2007-04-27T15:04:00.000+08:00

There has been a complaint 3 streets down where I reside.

The complaint came from the father of a girl who is afraid of a cat who sleeps on the staircase. She has to walk that flight of stairs down each morning and the cat frightens her enough to make it an uphill task getting to school. I heard the cat in question is pretty timid so I don't think kitty is that frightening.

Our community cat, Nana sleeps on the staircase leading to the second floor all the time and nobody at my block seemed to mind. Since our lifts serve every floor now, nobody really climbs the stairs.

I have offered to walk the girl down the stairs to show her that her fear is uncalled for.

We now wait to hear from the Town Council.

The last complaint I mediated was The Case of the Cat on Car.

STAMP

2007-04-26T17:02:00.000+08:00

STAMP is a nation wide project that celebrates the city, city-life and you, the city-dweller. 40 city post-boxes have been selected for makeovers and await your magic touch! If you have an idea of a good post-box design, you might actually get to paint it onto a post-box and showcase your design to the rest of the country!

This is my personal fave! It's easy to see why.

CV 10: Cats in Red Lights

Location: Bugis Opp Parkview Sq

These are my other four votes.

S07: Shop Till You Drop

Location: Far East Plaza

CV06: City's Secrets

Location: UE Square

CV 07: Rolling Hill

Location: Carpenter Street

CV 03: Blue Sky

Location: Stamford Road

You can vote for your favourite ones too at http://stamp.sg/votes/vote.html

Gifts from wonderful colleagues

2007-04-26T15:41:00.000+08:00

Knowing I love animals, my lovely colleague got me these when she was at a dog show. I'm totally delighted!

Another colleague who returned from her LA trip got me this pretty little evening bag.

Another very thoughtful colleague got me these from Melbourne.

From Pebble Bridge

From Sunny Ridge

Shiro is coming home tonight!

2007-04-26T15:24:00.000+08:00

I'm so thrilled to hear that Shiro is coming home tonight. He was hospitalised since last Sat. M and her dad will pick him up.

On the other hand, I heard Tubbs has been friendly to a young female newbie. This lad is usually not, so this lass must be attractive somewhat. And this makes Nana very angry. Oops.

Tubbs with Nana. This love affair is starting to get complicated.

Top of the world!

2007-04-26T14:08:00.000+08:00

Hi! I am Xiao B, a proud resident at the clinic. I'm going to sing a song. Ahem...

Such a feelin's comin' over me
There is wonder in most everything I see
Not a cloud in the sky
Got the sun in my eyes
And I won't be surprised if it's a dream

Everything I want the world to be
Is now coming true especially for me
And the reason is clear
It's because you are here
You're the nearest thing to heaven that I've seen

I'm on the top of the world lookin' down on creation
And the only explanation I can find
Is the love that I've found ever since you've been around
Your love's put me at the top of the world

Something in the wind has learned my name
And it's tellin' me that things are not the same
In the leaves on the trees and the touch of the breeze
There's a pleasin' sense of happiness for me

There is only one wish on my mind
When this day is through I hope that I will find
That tomorrow will be just the same for you and me
All I need will be mine if you are here

I'm on the top of the world lookin' down on creation
And the only explanation I can find
Is the love that I've found ever since you've been around
Your love's put me at the top of the world

Now it's time to rest... ZzZzZzz

Fabulous Felines

2007-04-26T14:05:00.000+08:00

Current issue of Clubpets is all about cats! Cool.

Shiro is hospitalised

2007-04-23T11:46:00.000+08:00

My neighbour, M's cat, Shiro (who is Nana's son) is hospitalised on 21 Apr, the same night we discharged White Socks. He has not been eating well for the past few days and has been diagnosed with diabetes a couple of months back. This is his 4th review with Dr. H.

Shiro has to be put on the drip and has to start his insulin jabs. It will be twice daily jab for Shiro for the rest of his life. Poor boy. Lucky for him, he has a loving family.

White Socks - The Sequel

2007-04-22T11:25:00.001+08:00

This is White Socks.

This is White Socks-lookalike. Very similar right?

Dr. H and crew did not managed to vaccinate White Socks last night. All of them were either scratched or bitten by her. Nurse Y mentioned that White Socks is alright when not touched, but once someone tries touching (or gently grabbing) her, she'll go berserk. Strange thing is, White Socks is usually gentle. Perhaps she is afraid of strangers and the environment.

Another startling discovery - White Socks is microchipped. She is very likely to be an adopted cat from SPCA. Nurse Y will help me find out more when she visits SPCA coming Mon. We'll get SPCA to help contact the owner to find out what has happened. We're hoping the owner genuinely lost White Socks - we'll be more than happy to reunite them. Otherwise, we have another abandonee.

When we released White Socks, she ran to a blk we don't manage. We saw another sterilised cat who looked so much like her, with the 'batman' look. So in all, we have 3 'batman' cats in our area. The third is a home cat owned by an elderly malay uncle who allows him to come out.

White Socks

2007-04-19T16:08:00.000+08:00

A new "resident" at the clinic - the SPCA dog.

We sent White Socks, a female to the vet last night for spaying today. She is a newbie found recently at my estate area.

I received a call at 4.00pm today from the nurse who said "White Socks is already sterilised leh."

? ! ? ! ? ! ? ! ? !

Fortunately, White Socks' belly has not gone under the knife yet. The vet saw an old scar on her belly and a tiny tattoo inside her ear when examining her after she was sedated.

I am thankful the vet was meticulous. Otherwise, poor White Socks will spend unnecessary hours recuperating for an op she doesn't need.

I have requested for the nurse to have the vet tip White Sock's left ear since she is still under sedation when we spoke. Conclusion I derived - White Socks must be an ex-home cat who was abandoned. Sad.

Singapore Flyer

2007-04-18T17:46:00.000+08:00

Have you seen this? You should, if you have been on Nicoll Highway.

http://www.singaporeflyer.com.sg

Reminds me of The Eye on Malaysia. Doncha think?

http://www.eyeonmalaysia.com.my/home.html

Nuts about My Dog

2007-04-18T17:40:00.000+08:00

This, I could not resist not buying. It reads:

My goal is to be as wonderful as my DOG thinks I am

I think it is an attainable goal. There's one about the cats too. Will get it as soon as I see it.

Tubbs is never too far from Nana

2007-04-17T18:01:00.000+08:00

He simply adores her although the feeling may not necessarily be reciprocated. Nana is the temperamental one, she can be nice one second and nasty the other. She was in exceptionally good mood last night. She came flying to me from the second floor when she heard me (walking on my heels) at the void deck.

Jack Russell "Tear-er"

2007-04-17T17:50:00.000+08:00

Look at what my Cookie did. I'm fortunate it's only two pieces. I could change one for a new piece at the bank. The bank staff's eyes were sprung wide opened when she saw the badly mutilated second piece - "Wah, what happened to it?!" she enquired very curiously. Embarrassed, I replied "Oh you know, it's my dog." Haha. She's not sure if it could be changed. She'll checked and revert.

Despite all these, I can never bring myself to be angry with her (or Queenie). I love them both. : )

Vivo City

2007-04-14T00:45:00.000+08:00

I was at Vivo City today (13 Apr) with a friend who was back in town from London. This is my first visit to the mega mall. Really huge! Noticed it housed many UK brands like River Island, Ted Baker, Prinicples, etc. There's a particular shop I fancied at #02-68, Mother Garden. They sell cute childrens' items but what attracted me were the doggy stuff they sell as well! I will be back for this shop. As we shopped, we noticed a long queue at Vinco, a donut store. Donut Factory at Raffles City Shopping also commanded similar long queue - are donuts the latest craze or something? We spent also an hour or so in Mu-EE #02-40 where we got ourselves these. Absolutely adorable!

I know there's a Pet Safari on level 3 but we didn't have the time to go anywhere beyond level 2. In fact, we didn't even finish level 2. Now that's how huge the place is - that is, if you do seriously shop and not just browse.

Cookie says hi!

2007-04-11T12:23:00.000+08:00

Cookie is wearing her new collar for she had destroyed the old one.

Dig It, Build It!

2007-04-03T17:33:00.000+08:00

I got this very interesting book for a toddler friend of mine (my colleague's very adorable grandson to whom I'm so addicted to) at the bookstore. This is such a cute book. All the vehicles will pop up in 3D form when you flip open the page. What more, there's a dog and a cat in the vehicle. So cool!

Why are Nana's nails trimmed?!

2007-04-02T14:04:00.000+08:00

M and I realised to our horror last night that all of Nana's nails are trimmed! Now this explained why she was in such an agitated mood - she probably felt defenceless. She'll bite whichever hand went near her. Mine was nearly ripped. Tsk. Why would anyone do that? We have a few speculations:

1) Somebody finds Nana cute and wanted to adopt her. So they trimmed all her nails in case she attacks. However the 'adoption' didn't work out so they released Nana. Nana loves freedom and hates to be confined.

2) Somebody adopted Nana, trimmed her nails, realised many of us were looking high and low, day and night for her, decided to return her cos they felt guilty.

3) Nana scratched someone's stuff outside the unit and that someone decided to trim her nails to prevent further destruction.

p.s. Nana was also limping on her right hind leg.

Nana is BACK!

2007-04-01T16:02:00.000+08:00

Just as I finished publishing my post on Nana's disappearance, my mobile rang. M (my neighbour) called to inform Nana is back! I heaved a great sigh of relief. She's finally back!

I rushed down to my neighbour's unit to welcome the queen's return. Tubbs was there for the welcome too but Nana wasn't too friendly to him. They had a mini brawl, leaving Tubbs dejected at the void deck. I tried to cheer him up by offering some food which he gladly feasted on. I advised him to leave Nana alone for now 'cos she's in bad mood. He then washed and groomed himself while I went up to check on the angry lady. Offered her a can which she took 90%. Then she went to sit at a corner to continue fuming. Funny girl. Anyway she can fume for all she wants now that she is safely back. I can sleep well tonight. : )

Nana is MISSING

2007-04-01T15:01:00.000+08:00

SIGH. Our dear Nana has been missing since Wed, 27 Mar. It has been 5 days and there's no news at all. All of us are worried sick. We've been searching for her every single day - Uncle Y combed the entire block, Uncle M drove his taxi around looking for her and Uncle O searched on his bicycle. I waited at the void deck in case she turns up. Nana has never been missing for this long. It's depressing. I hope she is fine.

Scarlet

2007-03-26T15:58:00.000+08:00

Scarlet is a beautiful 1 year old Siamese Cross girl who was clearly abandoned. She was found ill with severe flu and looking pathetically scrawny. She is now recuperating at the vet and is scheduled for sterilisation this week.

Adoption Trial for Terry FAILED

2007-02-14T17:53:00.000+08:00

Today is a day of love.

Ironically, of all days, Terry was returned this very day after a failed adoption trial. I suppose this isn't a Happy Valentine's Day for him. Actually, not for me nor G as well.

Adopters had no choice but to give Terry up after 1.5 weeks as Terry tried escaping many times. We know the adopters gave their best efforts to provide a good home but alas, it was not meant to be.

How long will Terry have to wait to find his special forever home?

Photo from http://singaporecommunitycats.wordpress.com/

Background:

Terry was found limping really badly. The sight of the pressure sore saddens G and myself. We found out Terry had been living in such a state since he was a kitten - it broke our hearts. We were advised by our vet to have his limb from elbow amputated as the nerves around his pressure sore area have long died.

Throughout his ordeal of having to shuttle from vet to vet, to undergo surgery and rehabilitation, to adjust to life in a cat shelter, we have to agree that Terry has been obedient and sweet despite the fact he displays signs of nervousness and will take flight if he is being frightened. Thinking back, we suspect he may have had unpleasant experience as a kitten that developed this nervous behaviour. His injury was either as a result of motor accident or he was abused. I hate to decide which.

2007-02-08T13:44:00.000+08:00

Some pet owners are incredible. Incredibly silly I mean.

Look at what happened to this 8 years old maltese boy. He was hospitalised due to intestinal damage. His owner fed him chicken bones and the fragments of the bone ruptured his intestine and caused internal bleeding. Poor boy was passing out blood.

Better still, his owner did not want a surgery done. They brought him home after dripping him. Goodness.

Terry has been adopted!

2007-02-04T21:15:00.000+08:00

GOOD NEWS!

I received wonderful news from G on Sun while I was helping a good friend with her bridal gown selection and fitting that Terry has been adopted to a very nice couple! May this be a happily ever after for Terry. :-)

Meet Trivo, the goldie.

2007-02-04T21:12:00.000+08:00

Meet Trivo, a goldie hospitalised at Dr. H. Saw him when we visited Tubbs. Poor boy has an amputated paw. He's a very lovable boy.

Tubbs is hospitalised.

2007-02-04T21:04:00.000+08:00

Tubbs has been warded for the past 12 days for a fight wound sustained. Poor chap. Nana has to work doubly hard to protect their territory while Tubbs is away.

Update: Maomao (or Nana)

2006-12-08T14:14:00.000+08:00

So very sorry. I have been so extraordinary busy the moment I came back from Copenhagen. Phew. Now that a major business event is over, I have a little more breathing moments.

Let's start with Maomao or more affectionately known as Nana these days.

Since her discharge from the vet (where she stayed for a good 1 month) on 22 Oct (the same day I departed Singapore), she has been adjusting to her "old self" gradually. Initially, she was so frightened. She dared not emerge from the carrier and when she did, she rushed upstairs and defecate on the 4th floor (unusual of her to do so, she usually defecate on the grasses). No amount of coaxing would make her come down. When we tried to carry her downastairs, she ran up and hid behind the pipe - this happened about 4 times before she decided to seek solace inside the deep drains. We waited for an hour but she stubbornly refused to come out. I had to leave first as I had a flight to catch. Determined Uncle Y waited longer, I think was about 3 hours and to no avail. We even enlisted the help of M, my kindly malay neighbour who love her as much as we do.

Am happy to inform that as at to-date, Maomao is back to normal as the Queen of my area. FYI, Tubbs is the king. Hehe. They are a good-looking couple.

Maomao on 21 Sep 06 with the abscess on her right face.

28 Sep 06.

30 Sep 06.

7 Oct, being very restless and destructive to her collar. Open wound was ruptured a few times.

11 Oct 06. "Will I see the sun again?".

On day of release, 22 Oct 06. Frightened and uncertain.

Hiding behind the water pipe on 4th floor.

Tubbs detected the Queen's return!

6 Nov 06.

8 Nov 06. The king guards while the Queen feasts.

11 Nov 06.

14 Nov 06. The confident Queen once more.

Nana wants to thank all concerned readers. "I am fine now and being taken care of well".

Updates

2006-11-14T18:23:00.000+08:00

I am so sorry I have been silent for ages. Been so busy since my return from Copenhagen that I couldn't really find time to update.

MAOMAO
For those following Maomao's story, I will be updating on Maomao very soon... akan datang.

CINDER
Also, Cinder was found on 11 Nov, Sat limping very badly. I saw his wounds and they looked like they're sustained during a very fierce cat fight. We're applying antiseptic on the wounds and is monitoring the situation.

SOS: TERRY
Meanwhile, myself and G are currently working on a young male cat who was found with a severly twisted paw on his left front leg. The part of the paw in contact with the ground is thinning and tearing (from friction) and infection has started to set in. If nothing is done, we were told the boy will eventually die. I will be posting information on him after we consult the vet tomorrow. We have named this brave boy Terry after Terry Fox, the man who ran cross-country his native Canada in 1980 to raise funds for cancer research despite his amputated leg. We hope Terry will be as brave and strong. We need to raise funds to see Terry through his amputation, hospitalisation and rehabilitation. Please help Terry if you can.

Hey hey!

2006-10-30T02:55:00.000+08:00

Dear all, I am now in Copenhagen and now you know why you have not been hearing from me the past week. I am here for a training and extended a few days for some tours. I almost died on the plane for the flight is a scary 15 hours. So hard to pass time. Weather here is cold - 7 degrees celsius today. Freezing...brrr. And I feel so very proud when I hear how impressive the Danes (and a couple of others from elsewhere) were about SIA. One told me he loves flying SIA and looked forward to flying SIA. Whoa.

Some quick updates for you - Maomao has been officially discharged from the vet on Oct 22, Sun, afternoon - the same day I departed Singapore for Copenhagen. When we released her, she was totally and frightfully disorientated. She dashed out of her carrier with her tail hidden between her hind legs to the 4th floor where she defecated. It was so not her! She has never inappropriately defecated in her life. I think she has been away for too long. After a few attempts by myself, Uncle Y and M, she decided to hide in the drains instead and refused to emerge until hours later. I was told she has been making good progress and is adjusting to her old life again. I am so very glad.

I can't wait to get home on Nov 1 - I miss my two doggies and all my kitties. I hope they miss me as much!

Will post a lot of pics of Maomao and Copenhagen (Denmark) and Malmo (Sweden) when I get back so stay tune. Ciao!

Good news this time!

2006-10-17T18:54:00.000+08:00

Thanks to cat_aunty, auntie p, ml, hot(m)bc, bonnie underfoot and everyone who showed concern to Maomao's situation.

Finally, there's some good news. Her collar stayed on for a good 5 days! Yeah!

M's suggestion worked beautifully. When I saw the stubborn cat last night, her wound was healing so gorgeously. She was allowed to roam for 15 minutes outside her "prison" as a reward and she was so happy and kept singing away... however, her hind legs seemed wobbly probably due to the fact that she hasn't really walked around or exercised for such an extended period of time. If she continues to behave, she will get out very soon. I look forward to being able to discharge her by Saturday cos I need to be away on a business trip on Sunday. Please keep your fingers crossed for her. = )

2006-10-11T17:09:00.000+08:00

I'M AT MY WIT'S END.

So are the vets and nurses.

Maomao did it AGAIN today! She ripped her collar off despite having her paws bandaged and elastoplasted. Her wound got so big Dr. H has to re-stitch her. This means, she'll stay longer.

I am going to the vet tonight with Uncle Y to see how we can anti-rip Maomao's collar.

M suggested I first put on a normal cat collar (with normal buckle) then hook the e-collar to the cat collar with ribbons tied with dead knots. This is what she did for her cat who has fits. And the collar stayed on for a good 2 years.

OH MY GOD. HELP!!!

Update: Maomao

2006-10-09T13:49:00.000+08:00

Dr. N even plastered the collar but to no avail.

This is bad. Very bad. My poor Maomao has to be hospitalised longer than expected.

She has spent the 17th night at the vet as of today. Dr. N just called me to inform that Maomao has ripped her collar off again (for the third time) and yanked off two of her five stitches (which Dr. N decided to put in the stitches after the second time her collar was ripped off to prevent her open wound from getting bigger). Good grief! We have already tried ways and means to "tighten" the collar but still, Maomao is intelligent enough to figure out how to counter strike. I think Maomao is extremely restless and frustrated after being cooped up day and night for so long. I wish she could be discharged soon.

SIGH.

An update

2006-10-03T00:45:00.000+08:00

MAOMAO

Pic taken 30 Sep 06

Maomao is still hospitalised to-date. Uncle Y and I hope to be able to discharge her by this weekend, provided Dr. N gives her approval. The void deck seemed so empty without Maomao. Really really miss her. My neighbours keep asking me when the girl is returning "home". I know she feels terrible being confined and worse, having to wear the e-collar. I know she's dying to be back, to return to where she belonged. Hang in there Maomao, you'll be home soon...

TUBBS

Pic taken 30 Sep 06

Tubbs is getting better from his flu. He is looking less sickly and is eating well. Still wheezing a little. Credit goes to M & her fmaily (my kind neighbour on second floor) who has been feeding him medication and administering eye ointment daily for him. Also, I believe the loving cuddles and hugs he received helped in speeding his recovery process. I can tell he miss his friend, Maomao. He'll wait at Maomao's usual hangout on some days and looked sad when he does not see her. Aww.

MIKI, KOKO & TUX

Miki made some new friends. He now has the company of Koko, an older unsterilised tabby male and recently Tux, a handsome tuxedo male (I think) who appeared from the blk behind mine not long ago. Not sure if Tux is sterilsed or not, have not had the chance to be near him. Koko is very defensive and wary of human so I'm not able to get near him (he'll hiss) as yet. He spots a very long scar on the right of his body, possibly from abuse and hence, I believe contributed to his wariness and distrust in human. However, he is a great friend of Miki and will watch over his younger friend.

CINDER

Also known as Mi, is getting bolder, especially since Maomao's absence. He is wandering into her territory but I am sure he will not when Maomao is back. Not many can outfight this very tough lady.

MACY (the doggie)

Pic taken 26 Sep 06

Macy has been spotted more frequently than in the past. She has learnt to recognise me, G and Uncle Y. Macy will wag her tail when she sees me but still keeps her distance. I guess it'll take more time for us to be able touch her. We really hope to sterilise her when she is ready. Cas the sweet little young female cat loves chasing after Macy! Macy is so mild that she ran for her life! Hope they become friends.

This is Cas sweetheart

2006-09-29T11:42:00.000+08:00

We miss Maomao (also known as Nana) very much so we went to visit her again last night.

She is looking very much better. No tantrums so far. And she talk less too.

Maomao: "Sigh...how long more must I be here... I miss home."

Maomao: "But food is delicious here though...Yum."

This is Nemo, the resident cat of the clinic. She is so gentle-tempered and friendly. Very very comfy with human. Continued to sleep while we pat her. She is very heavy! Haa.

This is the very cute kitten. He is still there. Still so playful ever. He is just so adorable.

This is Nurse Y's Dachshund pet dog, Rex. He has been castrated and is resting.

We felt very sad when we saw this almost blind cat. We were very touched to learn that Dr. N adopted this cat 'cos she knew nobody would.