Incarceration

[ladyofastolat]

The cats are having their first incarceration in a cattery this weekend. We're dancing at a festival, and a chap's coming in to tile our kitchen and hall while we're away, and apparently even the feather-light touch of a cat's paw will utterly ruin a newly-laid tile. (Okay, admittedly I call my cats "thunderpaws" and laugh hollowly at the "cat-like tread" song, but, still, we're not talking elephants here.) I'm quite anxious and stressed about it, because there's no way to tell them that I'm not actually abandoning them like the last owner did, and I will be back.

(Also stressed by work – the lead up the summer holidays is always awful – though I don't know exactly what it is that's been giving me nasty dreams that make me feel out of sorts all morning. Three nights ago, a vampire was chasing me through an empty school and cornered me just as I woke up. Two nights, a bomber was circling overhead, having just destroyed Havant and probably started World War 3. Last night, everyone vanished – everyone)

But, anyway, getting away tonight is complicated, since I'd intended to leave work early (I worked until after 8 on Wednesday, at a parents' evening in school), but now probably can't do so… but maybe can, and I won't know the answer until it happens. We want to get a ferry off the island early enough to have our tent built before dark, but we also need to get the cats packaged up and sent off, and the cattery (understandably, since they have lives to lead) isn't that flexible about arrival time. "I think we only have a very narrow window to the get the cats into the cattery," I said, which prompts some very lovely images. :-)

Comments

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

I hope the cats-into-cattery, summer holidays, and festival all go well.

If it had been my dream, it wouldn't just be a bomber, it would be a Tu-95 Bear ...

[ladyofastolat.livejournal.com]

Er... it was yellow...?

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

Bright yellow, or desert camouflage yellow?

[ladyofastolat.livejournal.com]

Er... yellow yellow...?

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Oh, I know that feeling, it's awful. (well, leaving the dogs is - we have never cattarised our cats, but I bet they would play on the guilt even worse than the dogs do).

If it helps at all, I think with Az (who has lost his owners at least twice) it actually helped build his confidence in the long run, because it helped him understand that yes, we always *do* come back... Doesn't help the guilt though, and even though I know he has a good time once we've gone, the 'don't leeeeeave me' face gets me every time...

Re the vampire dream: my version of that is always that I am the vampire and am being chased by an angry mob with pitchforks and torches. It is very scary.

[ladyofastolat.livejournal.com]

It's glad to hear that they get over it. I suppose I feel extra bad because we're ripping up the cat-scented hall carpet and the friendly kitchen surface they're used to, so even when they arrive home, it's not going to feel like home.

As for the vampire things... If you're the vampire, then if you promise to stop chasing me, I'll tell the angry mob not to chase you. ;-)

[sigisgrim.livejournal.com]

I've never put an animal into kennels (or a cattery), but I can make a guess at how traumatic it must be. Yes, it is possible to communicate with animals, but how does one communicate the concept of "I will not be leaving you here for ever; I will come back for you."?

I always thought the purpose of the "cat-like tread" song was that it wasn't light and delicate. All the performances that I've seen has involved a large amount of jumping and stomping heavily...

*hugs*

[ladyofastolat.livejournal.com]

You just can't communicate it. It's like going to the vet. There's no way to tell them that this scary person who prods them is actually doing it for their own good. It's the worst thing about having a pet.

You could be right about the song. I'd always assumed that they were trying to walk as silently as a cat, but were failing horribly, but maybe Gilbert knew cats better than I gave him credit for.

cat like tread

[sigisgrim.livejournal.com]

I think there is a difference between what cats are reputed to be like and what they are actually like. They are reputed to have a cat like tread, but that doesn't mean that they always do. I think the point that Gilbert was making was that the people were failing at what cats were reputed to do, and instead were doing what cats sometimes do.

I don't know what prompted me to have this view, but I recall it from a long time back.

pets

[sigisgrim.livejournal.com]

That is just one of the reasons why I don't have pets. Another is that we are away sufficiently much that it wouldn't be fair on the animal; they'd be left (or put in kennels) a lot of the time.

Also I'm not a fan of (lots of) animals in an urban environment. So if I don't have any then there is one less household with animals.

[chainmailmaiden]

Our cats can tread lightly, they just seem to think it's more fun to be very heavy-pawed :-D

[nilsigma.livejournal.com]

Ah, the guilt is exquisite. And cats are easy ... just wait and see.

[chainmailmaiden]

Our cats are fine with going to the cattery. Ok they yowl a bit on the journey, so we are told (our cattery collects & delivers), but that's because they don't like trips in vans. When they come home they wander around the house for about half an hour check everything is still in order then settle down like nothing is wrong.

I wouldn't worry too much about it, they will be ok and it is one of those things you can't do anything about and so worrying about it just stresses you, which the cats will pick up on. Have a large glass of wine or a couple of shots of vodka and just relax :-) I would advocate spraying Feliway around the newly tiled places before they get back though. I know that you don't think it's had much effect on them in the past, but it might help in this situation when there is a major change in their environment.

[ladyofastolat.livejournal.com]

Mine are now deposited. They yowled all the way, yowled when they got there, snuggled up for ten seconds, hissed madly at each other for ten seconds, then yowled in unison. Sadly, that was when I had to leave them. I think I was making it worse. It wasn't nice... but I'm sure they'll be okay. The builders are also here now, making a lot of noise, so I'm sure it's better for the cats to be out of the way. I'll do that with the spray. It can't do any harm.

Got to go now.

[chainmailmaiden]

Being away from home while disruption is going on has got to be better than them being there and being terrified by it. Hope you have a good weekend away.

[muuranker.livejournal.com]

I'm sure it's better for the cats to be out of the way, too.

[lil-shepherd.livejournal.com]

Most of my cats actually love being in a cattery. They get lots of attention and get to be OUTSIDE - they are indoor cats, except for Flash, who being an entire male is an outdoor cat and has his very own cattery out back...