Cats Chorus

Cats Chorus

Another day was beginning at the "Happycat Cattery" Hazel hated that
name for in
reality most of the cats here were not in the least happy. As catteries
went it was a damned
good one, but like all shelters who rely on charitable donations to
survive funds were
tight. Each "kennel" as they were called was an enclosure nine feet
long by three feet
wide, each had a raised platform with a cozy cat igloo, made from
washable fur fabric.
Each kennel also had a catscratcher, a large post with horizontals
coming off it, each one
covered in a different textured material from soft velvet through
hessian carpet to
sandpaper, the top of the scratcher opened into a covered platform,
where the cats could
sit and play with the ball hanging from it, or the Catnip Mouse.

All the cats had floor toys made available to them, but in reality few
except maybe the
healthier kittens ever bothered with them.

All the enclosures also had two food bowls and a fresh cat litter
tray, The entire block
was heated and kept at a comfortable 68*. The cats were loved by a
caring and dedicated
staff, but with the best will in the world,this was not a home.

The dawn chorus was in full swing when Hazel unlocked the block to
start her morning
routine, of cleaning, feeding, grooming, cuddling, and treating.

the noise was cacophonous, ranging from a tiny kittens mewl through a
plaintive
meeeoow, to an aggressive bawling "FEED ME NOW" growl.

Hazel moved along the line starting with Sally. The ritual was always
the same, to go in
with a few kind words, check they're okay, and give them a quick
stroke. Then she
removed the soiled litter trays, and food bowls. Next up was to
Sanitize the floor and
removed the igloos for washing if needed. All the soiled trays and
bowls were sterilized in
separate sterilizers, and were never just scraped and returned, as some
places seemed to be
fond of doing. Fresh clean equipment was given every morning while the
dirty ones were
being cleansed. Then Hazel groomed and cuddled each cat (unless with
young, or sick) for
at least ten minutes. Every possible care was taken to give the cats
the happiest time
possible while serving their 'sentence'.

Sally was as usual fine this morning. Sally's elderly owner had died,
and lain
undiscovered in her house for over a week. Sally was found lying next
to her in Poor
condition. She was starving, and badly dehydrated, but with a couple of
weeks of TLC,
she was now fit and waiting to be re-homed.

Easy to do, you would think, Sally was a beautiful smoky blue Persian,
with a thick lush
coat, and a tranquil loving nature. Sally was a lady. she had a huge
yellow eye with
eliptical pupil, unfortunately though she only had the one, and this
slight imperfection
meant that people passed her over time and again, no matter how much
her one good eye
pleaded "I will love you take me home please" Hazel picked her up,
cradled the cat on it's
back like a baby and stroked her ruff. typical of the breed Sally had
serious respiratory
problems, due to selective breeding, to perfect "beautiful" deformity,
Her face was
completely flat as though she'd hit a wall at eighty miles an hour. she
instantly set off
purring like a motor, when she was picked up,"Oh pleeeease yes, yes,
that's soooo good,
Oh don't stop, I like that, thank you" Hazel always called her, "Her
little princess, she
was a firm favorite"

Next up was Ice ....Or 'Madam' Ice to her friends. Ice was a pure white
cat with a pure
white nature and the most spectacular blue eyes. Ice cared for no one,
She was aloof, and
considered herself to be above every other living creature on the
planet, including Hazel,
who she promptly and pointedly turned her back on when greeted. Ice was
most definitely
not the type of feline to wash her bum in public. Ice had a littler of
six adorable little
kittens, and had been fished out of the canal by a lady who had seen a
man throw a hessian
sack into the water. Often when this barbaric disposal is done (witch
is more often than
you would imagine) they throw a few house bricks in the sack too, but
this time luckily
not and the lady was able to fish them out by sending her dog in to
"Fetch" the sack before
it sunk. Ice, for her part was less than grateful, and came out of the
sack, like a thing
possessed, scratching and spitting in a most unladylike manner.

This morning mother and babies were all fine, and Hazel, had a few
quiet moments being
flatly ignored by Ice, who actually quite enjoyed being tickled behind
the ear, though she
would NEVER admit it. "Excuse me my good woman. Did I actually say you
could touch
me. I don't think so, and I'm only stretching my head like this because
it aches...okay not
because I like what you're doing"

Hazel always referred to Madam Ice as "Your Majesty" and dropped into
a polite
curtesy as she left the room. Ice was a firm favorite.

Copper was a Tortoiseshell, covered from head to toe in healing flea
bite scabs, she was a
victim like so many of neglect and abuse, and a very sorry sight. She
was so thin when she
came in that she couldn't stand unaided, it was touch and go for the
old cat, but she had
pulled through for now. It was doubtful whether copper would ever be
re-homed She was
a very old cat with broken yellowed teeth, and a gum disease problem
that caused her
terrible halitosis, (er we won't embarrass her by mentioning the smells
from the other end)
but for all her cosmetic let downs Copper was a cat with dignity, she
carried herself (now
that she could) with an air of grace and Pride" "I'm sorry darling I
know I smell, And I
know I'm prone to wind, and I know I'm a shadow of my former Self, but
I have a lot of
love to give. I have feelings too you know"

Hazel called her "Copper Kettle" ...She was a firm favorite

she moved along the line of cats, sharing herself amongst them, and
giving of each as
much love as she could. Every one she came to had it's own special
nickname, a secret
between the cat and Hazel, and each one was ..... A firm
favorite.

Lastly she came to "King Luckshaw" he was actually called Lucky, but
Hazel considered
him far too regal a cat to have such a common name. He was a huge
ginger tom with an
ambition to grow up to be a tiger. He was massive. As soon as Hazel
walked in he
entwined himself amongst her legs, "Hey girl. How ya, doin' ah never
mind the touchy
feely stuff ....Yeah I know I'm gorgeous, and ya can't keep yer hands
off me, but come on
now, any chance of getting something to eat round about now. This
hunking great love
machine's pretty hungry you know?"

Luckshaw was some character, amazingly friendly and trusting;
considering! Luckshaw
had been rescued by a man coming home from the pub one evening last
November. Lucky
had been tied round a thin tree stump by his legs, then he'd had a
banger thrust in his
mouth. Luckily the good samaritan had scared the youths off before they
had a chance to
light the firework. though Lucky still had three of his four legs
broken.

King Luckshaw the great .....yes you've guessed it ...He was a firm
favorite.

Hazel left the block to continue her duties and the cats chorus faded
out: For now!