Reflections from the Clan Cats as we leave 2009

[Liz]

Thought I would try and write what 2009 has been like here at the Clan

As 2009 dawned we lost our beloved Alpha male Tiger our diabetic feral, on the plus side Jester joined the Clan from an abusive situation and has settled in one year on like he has always been here

We very sadly lost Sailor in May another feral boy who in the last 8 weeks of his life went from being totally unhandlable to a purrpot who mastered the outside and spent several weeks with the sun on his back and outlived all his FIV prognosis - he was given 3 months and went on for another 18 glorious months

My OH reached 40, his Grandmother 100 and my Dad 80 all major milestones we celebrated

We had our first weekend away from the Clan in 11 years thanks to the wonderful babysitter Elaine who came with her cat and 2 dogs to look after our then 42 and Jazz - the Border Collie boys spent 4 days in doggy borstal!

On our return from our weekend away we saw baby Archie failing and he went to the bridge in July 2009 but had a wonderful year with us after sdome yobs used him as a football!

We have saved Sammy and Indie from life outside - Sammy would have died according to our vets he came with 38 ticks attached, very bad ear infestation and his boy bit - all gone now and he is outcold on the electric blanket as I type this. Indie walked in one Sunday morning and never left and is off to be speyed and get all her injections and ID Chip on 5 Jan 2010.

In September we found Jet and Tubo in a box on the track labelled Hissy and Nasty - they are now little poppets and our joy - both black boys who after cat flu foprgot all about that nasty feral stuff!

In October Robin went to Trinidad for a month and left me all at home with the Clan - I fell down the stairs and am currently having Physio thanks to Sammy and the staircase!

October also brought in to my life two feral "kittens" from the SSPCA - they ahd been shut in a shed with little or no human contact and did the wall of death once released here in to the isolation ward - or the pink bathroom! They were christened Aztec and Maya by me and are now just about litle purrpots - totally food driven and best friends with Jet and Tubo and causing all the chaos only as kittens can!

Robin came home in November and fell in love with Aztec and Maya and they are now staying forever!

November came and I got a temp contract ending 2009 in employment working for the Council 10 mins from home!

December dawned and we lost our Darling Jazz at aged 15 she was the leader of the Clan dogs and bought up her 2 boys Sky and Sunny the Border Collies we got her for company! Loosing Jazz didn't instill a lot of Christmas spirit here as she died the same day as Tiger one year on but we had visitors so had to get in the mood sadly things got worse when Baby Beijing didn't come home for Christmas - the visitors left and we found her 30 foot up a tree - she survivived 5 days in sub zero temps and snow storms and is currently out cold on the printer as I type this - I like to think the Clan Cats at tge Bridge had a guiding paw in her homecoming also the Clan Diogs there to as its an area we never walk the boys in but off they went and she came home with her releived parents - Robins bruises are now a variety of colours!

So in 2009 we loved and lost 3 of the Clan we gained 2 adult cats and 4 kitten hooligans and to have loved and lost is better than having never been loved at all

So from all here from a Blizzard driven Aberdeenshire we human, cats and dogs wish you a very peaceful start to 2010 when and where ever you are

[yola]

Liz, what a lovely tribute to friends lost and friends gained.

May those selfless souls like yourself always be there for the cats and dogs who stray from home and from the norm . . . you and Robin see the potential beyond what others see.

[angieh]

A real Clan leader speaking there Liz! Bless you and all your family - human, feline or canine.

I do hope your weather improves soon. Happy New Year to you all.

[dandysmom]

All I can say is bless you for the work you do ... you have changed so many lives.