Happy Endings & Cat Tales

My name is Michelle. I live in Chelsfield and I picked up Belle from your sanctuary back
in Feb 09. Belle I was told was brought into the sanctuary
because her owner couldn't keep up with the number of cats that
she had. I have had her since then as an only cat and I
cannot believe that just over 6 months has passed already.
On day one of taking her home, Belle was straight out of
the cat box and walking up the stairs. Within a couple of
days it was obvious that she was the boss of the house!
The first few weeks of having Belle she was still quite
nervous of my visitors which was to be expected as she has a
new home and garden to get used to. But after 3 months she
had started to settle in well and had made the house her
own. Anyone that comes round she is straight up to them and
asking for attention. She could often be found sitting on
the window sill when I was due home from work and would
usually greet me at the front door in the hall with a big
purr, meow and a back roll so I can tickle her tummy!!
She will not sit on your lap and is not keen on being
picked up, but she is a very affectionate cat. She
constantly nudges you and tries to lick you to death plus
enjoys curling up next to you!!! I am actually pleased that
she is not a "lapcat" as I work all day and I dont like the
idea of her pining for attention plus although I love all my
animals don't want them on me and around me constantly.
I back onto a railway and live in a quiet cul de sac, so
there are plenty of trees to climb and plenty of mice and
voles to hunt. she has often brought me the odd "present"
into the kitchen, which I am always grateful to receive!!
Ha-ha. I do not always leave the kitchen door open during
the summer, any "bloodshed" is usually contained to the
kitchen floor and easy to wipe up! The "presents" and finding half a mouse is not particularly nice on returning home from work, but I always say thank you, give her a treat, big affectionate strokes and then she usually
rolls round on the floor as a thank you back.
When she is not hunting and mousing, she can often be found
up the huge pine tree at the bottom of my garden or rolling round on the patio sunning herself.
In the evenings when I come home from work, if she is not
in the house already, I usually go out to the back door, clap twice and
she comes pelting across the garden to greet me. She always
purrs and often squeaks at me as though to say hello! Her
own cat language which can be very funny when Im talking
away and she is squeaking and meowing back. My neighbours
must think Im crazy as I often chat away to her!!
Part of her evening antics, she often has what I call a
"witching hour" and can been found haring up and down the
stairs and in and out of the cat flat, but once this is
over, she often jumps up on the sofa, curls up by my feet
and will sit and watch a film with me, content to chill
out.
I also have a large tropical fish tank in my living room,
which she finds greatly amusing, there is no way she can get
to the fish, but she enjoys pawing the tank and following
the fish round which can be extremely funny to watch.
Naughty as it might be, she sleeps on my bed at night. I
have a huge king size bed, so there is plenty of room for
the both of us! In the morning, she usually has a big
stretch, huge yawn and trots off down to the kitchen and
waits patiently by the cat flap to be let out. Once outside,
she usually has a good look round the garden and comes
running back to say goodbye before I head off to work.

I have recently suffered with anxiety and depression and
have been having therapy and part of my issues was insomnia
and bad sleeping patterns. I would often wake up in the
night, not be able to sleep at all or just lie there unable
to get back to sleep. This is a common side effect of
depression but I have found Belle has been an amazing
comfort. She doesnt sleep on me so doesnt wake me, but often
when I have woken up at some ridiculous early hour, she will
walk up the bed to give me some affection purring madly
usually in the form of nuzzling and wanting her neck and
tummy tickled. I actually have found that her purring and
nuzzling helps settle me, and on more occasions than not
have dozed back off again. I have been on many websites for
people who have suffered depression, and I have often
commented when asked how I felt recovery was going, and
stated that the best relief I ever had was getting a cat!!
They have an amazing calming influence and I have no idea
why I never got a cat a long time ago. On some days when I
have felt lonely or down, she has helped perk me up by
doing something crazy or just lets me talk away to her while
she is purring or meowing back. She is definitely the one in
charge in my house and she is well and truly a huge part of
my life. I cannot now imagine life without her.
She did have a urine infection a few months ago, but this
was quickly discovered when she actually sat on my lap and
was looking at me, not usual behaviour, so I whisked her off
to the vets straight away, they tested her samples and she
had jabs and some tablets, and by day 2 she was almost back
to her normal self.
I just wanted to drop you a quick picture and some updates
on Belle as I know you do not hear from all rescue cat
owners and how they are getting on.
I can gladly say, that Belle is having a fantastic life
with me, she is probably pretty spoilt as she has access to
the garden and the house all day, plus she even has her own
hot water bottle!! A real pampered cat bouncing around like
a happy young lady!

The health benefits & therapy of keeping cats

Just to give you an update on Mariah (who is now called Ciara)

I think she may be the happiest cat on the planet! (She's certainly one of the bossiest..)

Ciara was really small when we gave her a home- she's ben eating like a horse and is now MUCH bigger - not fatter, but bigger all over. She chats away to us all day long, and we are enjoying her company as much as she is enjoying ours!