I was SO excited, I willingly climb into the Cat Cage to go Home!

I endured the LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG ride in the hire car.

I was carried in and sat on the floor in the Cat Cage to be reunited-there they were, me Mum and Dad and I couldn't wait to get out of the Cat Cage to tell them how much I'd missed them, and how very happy I was to be there with them again!!

(Wait, what was that smell, there were OTHER CATS here, what??!!)

"Hiss!"

WHAT WAS THAT??!!

OMG, OMG, that's a big black and white cat and he just hissed at me! I think I'll wait to come out...

Right, so they let me out and there was me Mum and Dad, and I let them know straightaway that whilst I was fine after my long Scottish holiday, I was very glad to be Home...but what was that smell, there was the smell of more than just that hissy Tux...

I explored, looking for those other cats...ahhh, there's one sleeping on the sofa, I think I'll give her a sniff...

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Her name is Dinks and she DOES NOT LIKE ME! She tried to eat me! She ran me under the coffee table and was trying to eat me!

MUMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sigh. Things went downhill from there. I have been determined to 'not play well with others'; I tried warning those OTHER CATS off whenever I was In and they were Out and the screen was up so we could try to make friends. I yowled and howled like my Big Cat ancestors telling those usurpers that Mum and Dad were MY Mum and Dad, and I wasn't about to share.

They didn't listen. And They (Him and Her of Scottish extract) kept putting me in the guest room every time I got to the point where I was telling those OTHER CATS just  what I would do...

The first night I stayed in the guest room with Him and Her. I stayed in the bed with them because even though they aren't me Mum and Dad, they are OK. But just after dawn the evil Dinks came to the door and told me she would eat me, and then Smudge (the Tux) would eat me, and that there was another cat  here that would eat what was left, so I better get back in my Cat Cage and go back to where ever it was I'd slithered in from. (She is an evil kitteh, me Mum and Dad call her the Hairy Hand Grenade, and she is evil. Did I mention she is evil?)

Well, I got in my Cat Cage and if I had those damn opposable thumbs I would have closed the door after me! When Her woke up and found me in my Cat Cage, though, she is so thick she didn't understand I was saying "I'm packed, I'm ready, let's GO!" I thought we could all go together, Them and me Mum and Dad, and leave those OTHER CATS somewhere where we weren't.

Me Mum and Dad, and Him and Her, kept trying though, from Sunday through till Tuesday night, they kept trying to get us all to make friends. But I had to stay in the guest room because I kept telling those OTHER CATS they had to go, not the other way 'round.

Smudge tried, he really did. He kept telling me how great it was, and how much Mum and Dad were looking forward to us all being one big happy family.

But when I (ahem) tried to smack Smudge through the screen because I wanted him to go away so Mum and Dad and I could be one small happy family, I think everyone realised that sadly I do not play well with others.

And then the really hairy one, Shadow, well, she was in the house when I snuck out of the bedroom (doors are ridiculously easy to open, one hard paw swipe and I'm free, baby!) and she didn't hiss or anything but the look in her eyes as she chased me down the hall (WHEW, Her scooped me up to throw me in the guest room before Shadow could get her very sharp claws in me) said everything there was to say-she wanted to teach me some manners, and she wanted to do that very, very much! I really don't think I would have fared as well as Him thinks I would, that Shadow looks like a very dangerous cat.

No-one wanted us to try sorting it the normal way because really, we all made it clear that if we got the chance to duke it out (I'm learning American from Her, she says some very interesting things), there would be messy trips to the V.E.T. Yikes, we don't want that!

And Wednesday morning They put me back in my Cat Cage and we returned to Scotland. Another LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG ride but this time They made sure my Cat Cage was high enough on the seat between the seats that I could see out. If I wanted. Mostly I slept.

When I got out of the Cat Cage in the Scottish house I looked for me Mum and Dad but they aren't here. That's just not right, they should be here, I wanted to be with me Mum and Dad! (But not those OTHER CATS, dammit!)

I think Her understands that I REALLY miss me Mum especially, and somehow I think she is missing me too. I want to be with me Mum especially, but she has all those OTHER CATS to take care of, so I have to live with Him and Her now.

Her is going to make me my own blog page, I'll put a link to it when Her finally gets off her fluffy back side and does it.

Wow, those OTHER CATS make me mad, they have a cat gym and everything! My guest room was really, really nice, too, en-suite, room service, and hot running snuggles, what more could a fellow want? Well, a relocation of those OTHER CATS, that's for one big thing!

Dammit.

NOTE FROM 'HER':

Roo's Mum is the most gracious woman on the planet, I really do not think I could have been parted from Mozart with as much grace as she showed yesterday when we had to pack Roo up and bring him back to Scotland. It was a heartbreaking end to a simultaneously wonderful-tense holiday, and I wish with all my heart that Paul and I were the ones with the Roo sized hole in our hearts instead of Roo's Mum and Dad.

We offered to foster Roo partly in Mozart and Gonzo's honour, and whilst the Roo captured our hearts ten minutes up the road from the Devon caravan park, we fully believed he would be returned to his Mum and Dad to live happily ever after with Smudge, Shadow, and Dinks. It was horrifying when we realised Roo was not going to be able to adjust to being part of a large family. At seven years old, too, I don't think he will ever be able to be around other animals, so we brought him back to Scotland where he will live out his life with us.

We aren't his beloved Mum and Dad, and he looked a bit bewildered when we opened the carried door and he stepped out to look for them-it was quite clear he was looking for them and not the other cats. Paul and I will never be able to replace them in his heart, but hopefully we will be able to offer him a happy life.

I will be starting a new blog just for Roo as he will be having Scottish Adventures. I will put a link to the new page here, and then lock down Mozart's blog. Oh Mozart, I miss you and Gonzita so much, I know just how Roo's Mum is feeling today!

They've been busy doing everything except leaving the computers open so I could read my letters from Mum and Dad, and post replies. Not. Acceptable.

Luckily Her is in the front garden (quite the project going out there, heh!) and Him is in the study working on his book. So I am in the back on Her laptop, and can reply to this letter from Mum that was posted OVER TEN DAYS AGO!

 Roos Mum said...

Hello my darling Roo. Your Dad has sold 4 Motorbikes. The bungalow is on the market. We have seen some lovely houses in Devon that are for sale, but until this sells we are stuck. I'm hoping as it's a bungalow it will sell quickly, but we've only two viewings so far. Maybe it's because we've used an online site the age of the people that usually buy these aren't computer savvy. I've told your dad if it hasn't sold within the month, I want to get in touch with proper estate agents.

I had to take your sisfur da Dinkie to the vet last week as we thought she has a furball in her tummy. She WAS NOT impressed with what the v*t did to her, or the fact she had to have antibiotics twice a day. Shadow & Smudge are both fit as fiddles, although Smudge still misses my Mum and goes around the house shouting for her. A couple of nights a week I sleep in the single room to give him some company & your Dad some peace from my snoring lol. Your Dad let him sleep in our room on Saturday, and didn't even know he was there until he walked across the top of his head shouting he needed to go out - mol mol, but it was a 6.45am, so I opened the bedroom door and he went and got on his chair in the lounge.

I'm really looking forward to us being reunited as soon as we've got a new house sorted out in Devon, and hope it won't be too long.

Lots of love from Mum, Dad, Smudge, Shadow & da Dinkie xxx

May 14, 2012 4:17 PM

 

Dear Mum and Dad, HIYA!!

Poor little Dinkie! I certainly hope she is fine now, and that she hasn't had to visit the V*t again. I don't much like him either, even though he knows I am a superb specimen of feline grace and certainly doesn't hesitate to say so, I still do not care to visit there. At all.

However, he sent a little card to Them that it is time for my worming (ick, ack, gag!!) so They are taking me in some time next week. I. Am. Not. Amused.

I am very glad to hear Smudge and Shadow continue well, I hope Dinkie has made a full recovery from her ordeal!

I'm fine, not doing much at all really except lying about in the sun when Him and Her put The Horrible on me and tie my lead to the washing line. I quite like lying in the grass, even when the little 'beans from next door come up and stare at me over the garden gate. Him brings my water bowl out and sets it in the shady part of the garden. I eat grass, whorf up hair balls, drink water, and lie in the sun. Then I lie in the shade.

Yes, it's a Kat's Life I'm living up here in Scotland! The Warm is finally back, and it is so warm that They have not put wood in the stove for several days. I confess I miss having a bit of a fire in the evenings even though it is quite warm all through the night.

I am very much looking forward to being Home. I think They will miss me terribly when I do come home and I admit I shall think of them fondly. But it will be good to be Home! I hope the bungalow sells well, and soon:) 

Dear Mum (Hiya Dad!), Her FINALLY left the laptop where I could get me claws on it, so I did a Google search to find this small token of my esteem on this special day. I know you're not my fur mum, but you are my FUREVER MUM, and I wanted to say:

HAPPY MOTHERING SUNDAY TO THE BEST FUREVER MUM EVER!



Love always, your lad, Roo

Dear Mum and Dad,

Well, as you know, I have been having some adventures. Going to see the V.E.T. was not nice especially when the V.E.T. stabbed me twice in the neck, and then put a cold stick up my backsides! But it was over quick and I was with Him the entire time. We walked to the V.E.T., Him carried me in my cat jail and there were a couple of times the cars seemed to come very close! I did not like that, that part of my adventure was not nice either.

But I did enjoy walking in the cat jail with Him when we were on the quiet lanes. I was able to see out and smelled lots of interesting smells.

I am feeling much better now so I suppose the stabs and that stick (OH MY!!) was worth it.

I am also becoming rather good at slipping out the back porch door, lol! I understand now that if Him goes out with the rucksack on his back, He will eventually be coming back in with a full rucksack and at least two grocery bags in each hand. So I go into the loo and hide on the cistern lid-when I hear Him coming up the back walk I cleverly reach up and open the kitchen door so I can slip out the back door as He comes in loaded down with His sacks. I don't get very far because He (and Her) drop everything and run after me. It is a good game:)

But Mum and Dad, here is the thing. Her says She can go out by Herself because She has something called opposable thumbs, and I can't go out alone because I do not have these opposable thumbs thingys.

So when I come home, I want opposable thumbs, whatever those are!

Love always, your lad,

Roo

OH PS: here is a picture of me in my favourite spot:



Ahhhhhhoooouuummmm, roasty-toasty!

Dear Mum and Dad,

I am fine, how are you?

I have been enjoying my Scottish holiday! On New Years Eve we had a nice spot of excitement at Midnight when Him woke up Her and They went out to the back garden to let off fireworks. They took my picture when They came back inside:



They took another picture of me on New Years Day but as it is exactly like the one from the previous evening I shall save bandwidth and not ask Her to post it.

It has been a little cold here so I spend a lot of my time in front of the wood stoves, on the bed under the duvet, or keeping warm by playing String and Swing.

String and Swing is a very good game with two majour components. Part One involves Him pulling a string for me to chase; Part Two involves Him pulling the string (and me) to the small mat, where I immediately lie flat so Him can fold the mat and swing me. I LOVE this game!

I have a perch now and They understand Cat well enough now that when I want to go on my perch and meorow to tell them, they lift me up onto the top of the cabinet in the study. I can look out of the front window, or I can watch Her walking around the house. I think Her knows I am giving careful thought to pouncing.

Well, Mum and Dad, I have a New Year surprise for you. I knew you wanted me to learn to accommodate The Horrible and I think these photos show that while I still HATE The Horrible, I know it is the only way Them will let me outside: