I've written about Rex and Sammy before - 2 lovely ginger brothers I've looked after many times.
Well, last week I was looking after them again while their family were away ski-ing. Difference this time was that the builders were in too. And boy, what fun we had!! Everything normal on Sunday, then the builders arrived on Monday. When I popped in to see the boys I couldn't find Rex anywhere! That's not so strange, as Sammy is usually waiting to meet me on the pavement or in the lounge, and is always first into the kitchen for his food.
Rex is normally either out wandering around, or upstairs fast asleep. It often takes him about 20 minutes to put in an appearance, but he always turns up while I'm there. On Monday though, I couldn't find him anywhere. All the upstairs rooms had been sealed, but he wasn't in the lounge or the kitchen. Did my usual thing of going outside to call for him, but nothing. After a while it was apparent something wasn't right.
When I got there the builders were hidden away on the top floor, but after a little while one of them came down. I asked him if he'd seen the cats, and he said "yes, there's a ginger tom in the lounge." Well, of course there should be 2 of them, but he was adamant, he'd only seen one cat all morning. Remembering they'd sealed up all the doors, I started to wonder whether Rex had got himself stuck in one of these rooms. We went about calling him, and sure enough, from behind a door we could hear him crying! So, I opened it up and a rather distressed boy bolted upstairs, only to find there was nowhere to go, so raced downstairs. I re-sealed the room and followed him down.
Rex tells me lots of stories, and when I'd come down to see him, he was telling me all about his troubles that morning. Clearly rather upset, but calmed down when he had lots of TLC from me. I had a word with the builder about being careful about the cats, that they didn't get shut in anywhere, and also asked them to ensure the lounge door was kept open, as this was the only place the boys could go to be safe and sleep.
Well, each day I returned I was rather cross to see that the lounge door had been shut again. Poor Rex and Sammy had nowhere to go! Luckily the weather was quite good so they were happy to go outside for a lot of the time, but it's still early March and not that warm yet, so obviously would want to come indoors and settle down to sleep at times. The kitchen was full of builders' stuff, and often builders when they came to make their brews, so they had to have access to the lounge. I'd been texting their family (as I always do), and let them know what was happening - they were very happy I was looking out for the boys.
Then one day, I got there, to be told by the boss lady, in no uncertain terms (and rather aggressively, I have to say) that although I'd told her builders the door should be left open, she had told them it must be shut, and that was that!! She was concerned - understandably - about any dust and mess that might find its way in, but my concern was for the boys' wellbeing. I told her that the family were very happy for the door to be left open, and she acceeded - albeing rather grudingly.
Also, that day I'd been told that there were no cats in the lounge, they were both out, but then I found poor Rex in there. He was quite happy, as he was fast asleep, away from all the noise and mess - but if I'd not checked, he'd have been locked in there all day and night, with nothing to eat, and no access to the outdoors. So although they might have prevented one mess, I think there might have been another!!
But when he came to a little he was clearly feeling upset. I had to persuade him to come to the kitchen with me to eat, then he wanted to go back to the lounge, and sit with me telling me how he was feeling. I stayed for a while with him that day, as I wasn't happy to leave him so soon. Eventually though, I had to go, and the poor boy was so bothered, he followed me all the way down the road to my car. It almost broke my heart to have to leave him, but I pledged I'd make an extra visit that evening to see how they were - while I was in the area seeing to another cat.
I turned up that evening to discover that once again the door to the lounge had been locked. This time there were no cats stuck inside, but poor Sammy only had the long hallway to occupy. No sign of Rex anywhere. Sammy was very happy to be able to come and settle down on the big cushion in the lounge, and started to clean himself, ready for bed. Sammy had been coping with the upheaval much better than Rex, but even so, spending the night on floorboards when you're used to a soft cushion isn't nice.
I searched all over the house and outside, calling and calling for Rex, but no sign at all. I was hoping that he was just enjoying prowling around in the dark as most cats like to do, but a part of me was worried that he'd been so upset he'd decided to go somewhere else. I didn't get much sleep that night, and woke the next day hoping I'd find him.
The next day was my final day - yesterday - and imagine how happy I was to find both cats waiting for me, and the lounge door open!!!! Sammy had his food, then trotted off outside without a care, but Rex wanted to talk again. So we both went into the lounge and sat on the floor together, while I listened to him. He came for lots of cuddles - he is very soppy - and then settled down for a wash. I told him that the worst was over, most of the big building work had been done, and his family would be back the next day. Again, I stayed for about an hour, not leaving until I was happy that he was settled.
I've had a text today from his family letting me know that they're home now, which is great. And a big thank you for looking after him so well. It's always good to be appreciated, but what matters even more to me is that I do the right things for the animals I care for.
Well, last week I was looking after them again while their family were away ski-ing. Difference this time was that the builders were in too. And boy, what fun we had!! Everything normal on Sunday, then the builders arrived on Monday. When I popped in to see the boys I couldn't find Rex anywhere! That's not so strange, as Sammy is usually waiting to meet me on the pavement or in the lounge, and is always first into the kitchen for his food.
Rex is normally either out wandering around, or upstairs fast asleep. It often takes him about 20 minutes to put in an appearance, but he always turns up while I'm there. On Monday though, I couldn't find him anywhere. All the upstairs rooms had been sealed, but he wasn't in the lounge or the kitchen. Did my usual thing of going outside to call for him, but nothing. After a while it was apparent something wasn't right.
When I got there the builders were hidden away on the top floor, but after a little while one of them came down. I asked him if he'd seen the cats, and he said "yes, there's a ginger tom in the lounge." Well, of course there should be 2 of them, but he was adamant, he'd only seen one cat all morning. Remembering they'd sealed up all the doors, I started to wonder whether Rex had got himself stuck in one of these rooms. We went about calling him, and sure enough, from behind a door we could hear him crying! So, I opened it up and a rather distressed boy bolted upstairs, only to find there was nowhere to go, so raced downstairs. I re-sealed the room and followed him down.
Rex tells me lots of stories, and when I'd come down to see him, he was telling me all about his troubles that morning. Clearly rather upset, but calmed down when he had lots of TLC from me. I had a word with the builder about being careful about the cats, that they didn't get shut in anywhere, and also asked them to ensure the lounge door was kept open, as this was the only place the boys could go to be safe and sleep.
Well, each day I returned I was rather cross to see that the lounge door had been shut again. Poor Rex and Sammy had nowhere to go! Luckily the weather was quite good so they were happy to go outside for a lot of the time, but it's still early March and not that warm yet, so obviously would want to come indoors and settle down to sleep at times. The kitchen was full of builders' stuff, and often builders when they came to make their brews, so they had to have access to the lounge. I'd been texting their family (as I always do), and let them know what was happening - they were very happy I was looking out for the boys.
Then one day, I got there, to be told by the boss lady, in no uncertain terms (and rather aggressively, I have to say) that although I'd told her builders the door should be left open, she had told them it must be shut, and that was that!! She was concerned - understandably - about any dust and mess that might find its way in, but my concern was for the boys' wellbeing. I told her that the family were very happy for the door to be left open, and she acceeded - albeing rather grudingly.
Also, that day I'd been told that there were no cats in the lounge, they were both out, but then I found poor Rex in there. He was quite happy, as he was fast asleep, away from all the noise and mess - but if I'd not checked, he'd have been locked in there all day and night, with nothing to eat, and no access to the outdoors. So although they might have prevented one mess, I think there might have been another!!
But when he came to a little he was clearly feeling upset. I had to persuade him to come to the kitchen with me to eat, then he wanted to go back to the lounge, and sit with me telling me how he was feeling. I stayed for a while with him that day, as I wasn't happy to leave him so soon. Eventually though, I had to go, and the poor boy was so bothered, he followed me all the way down the road to my car. It almost broke my heart to have to leave him, but I pledged I'd make an extra visit that evening to see how they were - while I was in the area seeing to another cat.
I turned up that evening to discover that once again the door to the lounge had been locked. This time there were no cats stuck inside, but poor Sammy only had the long hallway to occupy. No sign of Rex anywhere. Sammy was very happy to be able to come and settle down on the big cushion in the lounge, and started to clean himself, ready for bed. Sammy had been coping with the upheaval much better than Rex, but even so, spending the night on floorboards when you're used to a soft cushion isn't nice.
I searched all over the house and outside, calling and calling for Rex, but no sign at all. I was hoping that he was just enjoying prowling around in the dark as most cats like to do, but a part of me was worried that he'd been so upset he'd decided to go somewhere else. I didn't get much sleep that night, and woke the next day hoping I'd find him.
The next day was my final day - yesterday - and imagine how happy I was to find both cats waiting for me, and the lounge door open!!!! Sammy had his food, then trotted off outside without a care, but Rex wanted to talk again. So we both went into the lounge and sat on the floor together, while I listened to him. He came for lots of cuddles - he is very soppy - and then settled down for a wash. I told him that the worst was over, most of the big building work had been done, and his family would be back the next day. Again, I stayed for about an hour, not leaving until I was happy that he was settled.
I've had a text today from his family letting me know that they're home now, which is great. And a big thank you for looking after him so well. It's always good to be appreciated, but what matters even more to me is that I do the right things for the animals I care for.
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