cross with catsitter

[Incaminka]

This is in retrospect quite funny, but it wasn't at the time. Anyway, here goes. A few weeks ago we went to Fran e for a week. I breed siamese amd orientals and we knew my oriental queen was likely to come into call while we were away so I arramged for a little old lady in her 80s to cat sit while we were away. We'd known her a little for a year or so, and lnew she had cats of her own. So I left written instructions, plenty of food and litter and off we went.
When we got back after a 10 hour journey, she had moved in!!!!
By moving in, I mean she had changed our carpets and furniture for hers and imported her entire garden into ours! She was asleep in our spare bedroom, so I spent the night taking up her carpets and moving her stuff outside. The next morning, we tackled the subject of her leaving. She'd been evicted from her council bungalow. For anti so ial behaviour and gbh!
It took me week to gently remo e her from our home, get her set up with social services (she had mental health issues) and I am very p'd off that none of the agencies seemed willing to tale responsibility for an elderly, vulnera le adult w mental health issues).
However, that is now all sorted, but I now find that my little cat is pregnant, because the old lady let her out, and also stole all their food to give to her cats!

[Incaminka]

Ps sorry for typos - texting on phone.

[issey6cats]

omg i hope you had a good holiday to make up for all the aggro i have a half siamese boy (feral tabby mom) and he is so loving and very exotic looking as you can see both breeds in him

[Incaminka]

Yes half ones are gorgepuss!
These will be silver as mum is a silver oriental. :-)
Holiday was good but we are taking another to recover! But no catsitters ever again, just friends and family!

[FrozenChocolate]

She changed your carpets and furniture for hers?

Please tell me I misunderstood that.

[ripsishere]

Really? bloody hell.

[usualsuspect]

How the hell did an 80 year old lady do all that?

[Incaminka]

The neighbours tell us that she actually hired a removal van and had some young chap carting things in. They texted me on holiday to see when we were coming back but as it was next day, they didn't make an issue of it. After I persuaded her to leave, I went to get the locks changed, and the locksmith told us she'd been in earlier in the week to cut keys! She has now got a mobile home amd a permanent pitch, but it took some doing. Very sad really. She needs mental health care (not taking her pills) but none of the agencies were very intetested, yet they seemed keen enough to serve her up to the local papers. PS, in the unlikely event that this happens to anyone else, a great persuasion tactic is to have a few metal band rehearsals till late. Worked for us!

[LST]

A bit off subject... But... Can I have a kitten?...

[Incaminka]

Lol! She is due mid June and the kittens will be ready for new homes in September. I'll post pics and things in the litter tray thread when they arrive. I will probably be selling them at 14 weeks fully vaccinated, and they are likely to be silver or smoke, but we'll see when they come out!

[LST]

Aw aw awhhh!!

Please don't tempt me. DP will kill me

[Toddle]

I've been so busy with missy I've neglected the rest of mn for a couple of weeks so thought I'd have a nosey round again. omg I feel very sorry for the lady but wow that's beyond impressive for all the wrong reasons.

Not that I'm personally interested in one just rather nosey of all things related to my new kitten hobby will you have to sell the kittens lots cheaper then you would if she had been with the intended partner?

[Incaminka]

Yes. My pedigree kittens are £400. This sometimes covers the cost of the stud £200, the fiv snap tests £50 for my queen for the stud owner, travel (70+ miles), registration of each kitten £14+ each, initial registration of cattery name (£200) vet treatment eg caesarian or x ray for queen if there are problems, £500+, as insurance won't cover pregnant queens, full vaccination each kitten £70 each, litter, royal canin kitten food etc. Also show costs for developing line and getting queens up to champion etc. As a result, I have a waiting list for my kittens, because people know I don't cut corners, but I still often make a loss, definitely an expensive but well-loved hobby! I'm 7 weeks pregnant at the moment, and if things go well, I will be taking a break from breeding until the baby is old enough to enjoy it.

[Incaminka]

By the way, I think you've done an amazing job with Missy.

[Toddle]

A waiting list for kittens didn't know such things would exist. Although from what you've said I can see why I'd be more reassured getting a kitten from you then Jo bloggs. Will any of the people on your waiting list want any of these kittens if that makes sense or is it more the 'pedigree' (is that what it's called) that they want and you will have to sell them like 'normal' kittens.

Congratulations on the pregnancy

I can whole heartily suggest you try to avoid having a due date anywhere close to your cats

[Incaminka]

Hi, one of them will, the others I will advertise locally. I'm sure I'll find them lovely homes, but it is infuriating, as these are homes that might have otherwise rehomed rescue cats, whereas my siamese owners are definitely looking for siamese/orientals.

[Toddle]

I can't begin to imagine how infuriated you must feel. It's that crazy it's almost beyond belief or something a comedy film would be made of!

Can I ask another general cat question too if you don't mind. Since missy went back into the cupboard the other day her and the kittens dont seem in a rush to move. It would be fine but it's our junk cupboard so our living room currently looks like a yard sale. We have tried to get her and kittens into her bed but she just hops back into the cupboard. How long can we expect her to want to stay in there? I have visions of our baby coming which will bring loads of visitors I'm sure and them wondering what on earth were living like :L

[Incaminka]

Lol. Leave it a couple of days then move her bed under your bed in the bedroom, or whichever room you want them in when they start to run about. Put the bedding she is currently using in her bed, so it smells right, and add a covered litter tray. Put a couple of other bedding options in your bedroom too, (even if just cardboard boxes with a towel in) so she has some choice. Wait till she needs some food and offer her some nice chicken, away from the kittens. Then while she is distracted, put the kittens in the bed, and shut her in there with them, enticing her with with more chicken. She will try to move them at first but when she finds the door shut she may settle. Keep the cupboard door shut too.

Cats do move their nests in the wild, to ensure that the smell doesn't build up and attract predators, but you need to wait till you are sure she is properly bonded with them and won't reject them if you move them.

Hope that helps.