Hi Again From Tom the Cat's Dad

its tom the cat

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It has been a while since I posted. Sadly we lost Tom in November. He had been with us just 11 months but we could not do anything it seemed to control his hyperthyroidism. We spent thousands of dollars (gladly too!) on vet bills, medication and tests. In the end the vet discovered 6 big tumours on Tom's body. A vet came to the house and put him to sleep. We have his ashes in a special spot with our past animals.

It was a big blow losing him. Perhaps the biggest we have ever dealt with except for our rabbit Sedgewick. Tom was more than special.

We said we would not get another cat but we found a female version of Tom at the same sanctuary. She was born on the same day and could have been his sister. She is also 13 and so far without any medical issues. But she does not have Tom's personality and is actually quite an angry cat. I have the bite marks to prove it. But she is here and will never go back to any sanctuary again.

One problem with her is that she was an outdoor cat and  we do not want her outside. She is desperate to go and we have to be very careful she does not bolt. I could build her an outdoor enclosure but that would not work. She wants to roam.

After her arrival we received another cat from a family who had adopted him from Cuba but realized they could not keep him. He was only in the country for a few days when we got him. He is not yet a year and he is blind! He has no eyes, just pink tissue where the eyes aren't. When he arrived I showed him his litter box and food area and he has done wonderfully well. He has had no accidents, seldom runs into anything and is extremely active jumping up on beds and sofas. If you were unaware of his problem you would never know. At night I have to had his noisier toys as he keeps us awake chasing them. If you are ever offered a blind cat but are reluctant, don't be. They are amazing.

And no both cats do no get along.
 

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Aw, I'm so sorry about Tom.  I have wondered about him many times but knew things didn't look good.  Bless you for taking on another senior cat as well as a blind one.  Very few people would do that.  What are their names?  And do you have any photos?  We'd love to see them. 


Do you think Tom's "sister" would take to walking on a leash?  I know you said she just wants to roam, but it might be worth trying.   A lot of members walk their cats and it works very well.  The article below gives some good information, plus there are many threads that you can find by doing a search of the site.
[article="22430"]Harness And Leash Training For Cats  [/article]
I think there must be quite a story behind your new Cuban kitty.  I'm so glad you were there to take him in, poor baby.  Now he has a good home where he is loved for the precious being he is!  
 
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its tom the cat

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Thank you for the reply. The 13 year old female was named Wicket and I have no idea what it means or where it came from. I do not think she would be manageable with a lead. She is a fighter and even trying to put her in her carrier takes a lot of work and scratching and howling. She had a history of not liking other cats and her former owner said the kids were afraid of her. That is fine. She won't be bothered here and can live safely and happily I hope.

The Cuban cat is called Rey which I am told is Spanish for King. Apparently he was the king in Cuba. He was feral and because he is blind was taken to a sanctuary before he could get himself in trouble. According to export documents he was born March 7 last year and in August was put up for adoption on-line. A lot of Canadians vacation in Cuba and many fall in love with the stray dogs and cats. While they are visiting they take care of the animals at the hotels. Many hotels encourage this. If a person wants to take the animal back to Canada they can and have to go through some paperwork and provide a carrier. There are two airlines which go to Cuba from Canada and they will carry the animal at no cost if it is travelling with you.

As you can imagine animal care in Cuba is unlike North America due to the lack of supplies. Many tourists take supplies with them for the sanctuary that cares for the animals. The sanctuary does a lot of TNR and loves animals.

If you Google APAC-Varadero you will see a Facebook page which outlines what is happening at that sanctuary. Although I have not been there and am not on Facebook I can access the site and am very grateful for what the doctors and volunteers are doing.

As to Rey. Well he is a true gem. The way I understand it he was put up for adoption in August and a Canadian couple adopted him. But it was only December when he flew to Canada. The couple who adopted him realized that given their lifestyle it would be unfair to Rey so gave him to us. We are so lucky.

If you get to the Facebook page you can scroll down until you see a white and very ginger cat in numerous photos. That is Rey.

As much as we love Wicket and Rey and the four bunnies we really grieve over Tom. He was unique in so many ways.
 

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I'm sorry to read about Tom.  Welcome to Wicket and Rey.  They were very lucky to have found their way into your life.  
 

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APAC - Varadero looks like a wonderful organization.  I googled them as you suggested and looked for pictures of Rey.  What a beautiful boy he is!  He's a lovely shade of orange, so deep and rich.  Being a ginger tabby lover, I think he's extra adorable!  And  I loved the photo of him checking out the refrigerator - he looks so healthy and happy.   He's a very lucky boy.

It's no wonder you are still grieving over Tom.  He was a special guy and it wasn't that long ago that he left you.  The new ones can fill our lives again, but there is always a place in our hearts for the ones that left us behind.
 
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its tom the cat

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Thank you. Glad you found the site. They are trying very hard and doing well with what they have. Yes Rey is sweet and a people cat. Never leaves us alone. Being blind he is not allowed out although I did let him roam a bit in one of the bunny pens when the rabbits were in the bunny barn.  Wicket looks very much like Tom.
 
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its tom the cat

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Wicket is the tabby who is 13 and she was adopted by us this past December. Don't know the meaning of the name.

Rey is the orange guy who will be one year on March 7. We are not exactly sure of his age but that is what is written on his export papers. He came from Cuba and we also got him in December. He has no eyes yet is a remarkable cat.
 

margd

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What great photos!  
  Wicket really does look like Tom - she's a stunner with those golden eyes. You'd never know she was a senior. And Rey has such a regal presence, on top of being gorgeous.  He almost looks like he's "seeing" with his nose, the way he has it tilted upwards.  
 
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I'm not British, but I think "wicket" is a wire hoop used in a cricket game. You know the expression "sticky wicket" meaning a difficult task. You've got two beautiful kitties!
 
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its tom the cat

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Somebody had mentioned the wickit connection to cricket but I could not figure why they would call a cat Wicket. My son says they called some baby creatures in Star Wars Wicket.

She has a nasty disposition at times so I call her "Wicked". What is also interesting is my first rabbit was Sedgewick and I called him Wicky.

Rey, according to tests from a local vet is blind. The tried everything and they even suggested sewing his eyelids closed to "prevent infection". I found that appalling and of course would not even think of doing that.

As to his blindness, he has no eye balls but the way he gets around is amazing which makes me feel he has something. He chases ping pong balls around the house and I tie an old envelope to a string and he jumps for it. Noise? Smell? Feel? Don't know. But do not be dismayed by a blind cat being offered to you. They are wonderful creatures.
 

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Tomorrow is Rey's Birthday! 
  Do you have anything special planned?

I imagine there is never a dull moment in your house.  How are Rey and Wicket getting along?
 
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its tom the cat

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Rey says thank you. Nothing special planned for him because everyday is a special day for him. Wicket hates Rey as she is older and Rey is always looking to play/torment her. Wicket is a problem cat. She was, I hoped Tom's sister (same birth date) but she isn't Tom. She is nasty. She can sit on my lap while I stroke her and the she will suddenly snap. My arms are full of scratches. So it is a handful around here. Thankfully the rabbits live in the barn in hutches at night and let me say they are much easier to care for than 2 cats who are not friends. To compound the situation my wife has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and I am taking care of her as well. That is okay. its my job and I am happy to do it.
A RARE moment!
 

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I am really sorry to hear about your wife.  That's just about the worse news you can get and I'm glad she has someone like you to care for her.  
  

In terms of Wicket scratching you while you're petting her on your lap - cats often get over stimulated while being stroked and lash out.  Often they will give you a warning - they're muscles become rigid, the tips of their tails begin twitching and their pupils dilate.  Once you are attuned to their body language, you can often (not always) avoid their reactions by just no longer petting them.  Getting her off your lap in that state might not be easy, but cats will often just jump off after a bit.

Again, I wish you and your wife the best.  [emoji]127799[/emoji] [emoji]127800[/emoji] [emoji]127799[/emoji]
 
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its tom the cat

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Thank you for your kind words. It is very difficult and having two cats who are unfriendly to each other adds to her stress level. But we took them on and we will not abandon them to anyone.

I understand what you mean about over stimulation but the example I gave was just one of the instances. I think she is angry because she wants to go outdoors and roam which we do not allow. The former owners gave her up and one of the reasons was her temper and their kids were afraid of her. I carry her outdoors every so often and do a "tour" of the garden but when I bring her back in she swipes at me. Nonetheless its not her fault and I do love her dearly.
 
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