Well, I thought it was about time I updated you on what’s going on around Kini and at Syros Cats. I’m Junior, I like to think I’m top cat and I get to sleep on my mom’s bed every night. I make sure I’m waiting there when she comes to bed. That’s a bit of a chore, because she has a ceiling fan going. She feels the heat much more than I do and the fan ruffles my fur in a very unpleasant way. I like to get up and go for a bit of a walk around and a nibble at about 2am. I’m really quiet, so I don’t disturb her. I check outside, that everything is OK and that everyone’s where they are supposed to be and look for some leftover biscuits, just in case breakfast is a bit late. Usually, I check all round the house, then just as it’s getting light, I scratch at her window to be let in. I’ve got a cat flap, but can’t be bothered to go all that way back. I know my mom hates this and I have to scratch quite hard until she wakes and hears me. But she is always pleased to see me.
I do this as a bit of a punishment for her, because she’s just been away for a long time – nothing urgent, she was having fun! She always comes back, so I’m not that worried, but it’s a bit inconvenient having to train new people about how and where I like my supper and what time suits me best. Cookie though, he had a really bad time. He’s so shy he won’t let anyone except our mom touch him. Of course, he’s got his bestie, Jenny. They play together and groom each other all the time. But Jenny has a sore place under her chin. It must hurt, because she won’t let anyone touch it. So today, she was bundled into a box and taken to the vet. She came back very sleepy and smells funny, but I guess they sorted her out.
Quite a few things happened while my mom was away. McDuff got a horrible bite on his backside. It was so deep, he had to go to the vet for stitches. I don’t know who would bite him, as he’s no threat to anyone – and of course no one is owning up to it. Pumpkin got wounded too. He has a huge hole in his head. He’s not making any fuss when the volunteers clean it, but again, no one knows how it happened and Pumkpin isn’t saying anything.
Karamelos, one of the cats that lives on the harbour in the fisherman’s colony – he used to live here, but prefers to be closer to the sea and tavernas – caught a really nasty infection. He was coughing and sneezing, very tired and his fur looked all matted. So, it was off to the vet for him too. He had to take medicine for ten days, and was kept in a cage here. He hated it and made a big fuss, but yesterday, he was well enough to go back to his favourite taverna again.
We’ve got a nice bunch of volunteers looking after us at the moment. Our main person is on holiday for three weeks, but we’ve still got three Irish people and a French lady who has been here for a long time. It’s so tedious when they keep changing and we have to keep training new people. But we’ve got this lot organised perfectly. It’s so hot that they usually go to the beach in the afternoon, then we don’t have to worry that one of them is going to spot something and bother us with eye drops, ear cleaning or some kind of flea treatment. It’s still early in the summer, but we’ve had lots of visitors. Mostly they don’t bother us, they always want to cuddle the kittens and we’ve got six of them. They have all lost their mothers, so I guess they like the attention. They are cute, but I’m happy that they are in big runs as they haven’t been vaccinated yet, so don’t get in my way. Kittens can be a real problem for us bigger cats – they want to take our food, play with our tails and they are always wide awake when I’m trying to have a siesta.
Talking of siestas – it’s time for one now – I’m very sleepy, so I’ll say ‘tiraa’ and send you more news later.
P.S. Thank you to everyone who looks after us and sponsors us – it may not always seem like it, but we know how some of the street cats have to live – and we are very grateful!
