Greetings from my little cat sanctuary!

Thankfully the difficult conditions of winter are behind us now although there is still likely to be some rain before summer sets in properly. We have had soooo much rain this winter and this has not helped those felines unfortunate enough to pick up cat flu.

In this last month there have been more new arrivals, the first a black cat I have called Sooty, who turned up with such a clogged nose and runny eyes he was barely able to breathe. Skinny, hungry and desperate to be helped he offered no resistance to handling and care. The first morning after he arrived it was off to the vet where he had several injections but avoided admission because he willing to eat and drink. We were packed off with 10 days worth of antibiotics to be taken twice daily and instructions to buy some cortisone from the chemist also to be had twice a day; I am thrilled with his improvement and recovery and he now also no longer lingers far from here... Once again I can't help but think that he was someone's cat; not the least bit wild and ready to move inside and live with me... something I sadly cannot keep doing.

Another newbie is a very sad looking ginger and while cat which I've called Gerry - he is the grottiest, skinniest, saddest looking creature to arrive her for a long time. He has the classic look of a bin cat; dirty and with a black rough little nose from nosing around in the bins for whatever can be found. He too is desperate for affection and should ideally go to the vet too as he has patches of fur missing around his tail and on the crown of his head - possible mange but not the way I have usually seen it. For now he is eating a little but not the amounts you would imagine a hungry cat should and he is taking some time to improve although I'm confident he is slowly.

I had my own little mishap that impacted on my ability to doing anything more than feed the cats this last month when I fell down the stairs in my home and sustained a deep gash in my head which required stitches that still haven't come out and of course pain and stiffness all over my body given I fell from the top of the stairs down to the concrete tiled floor on the lower level. I am grateful to friends who came to my rescue and cared for both me and the cats while I was in hospital and I have been recovering slowly.

I really do need to get back to the vet with a number of cats that need follow up and attention, not to mention the de sexing that so many of my hoard need - mostly males which the free council service will not do. Sadly I suspect that it is too late for a couple of the young females that live here as spring was brought in with at least one of them being in heat even though they are so tiny and being ganged up on by some of the older more aggressive males. I will be very surprised if they are not already pregnant. I feel so tortured by this since those kittens have been living here most of their lives but their mother managed, in the time she cared for them to infuse them with a wildness that make them not amenable to handling. Even when I feed the gang these little girls stay well back until I have put the food down before coming forward. I am ashamed to say I have probably left trying to catch them a bit too late. So I watch and a I wait to see if the kitten population explodes again....

In the meantime Spring means the wildlife surges; swallows making nests in the weirdest places, geckos, moths, mosquitoes and snakes.... Just 2 days ago I found Sooty chomping down in the garden on a young snake and he was quite possessive of his catch. He get the award for first snake of the season!!!

Take care til next time my wonderful supporters; we will continue to solder on as best we can here grateful as ever for your encouragement, emotional, financial and practical support :-)