The End of the Journey for Traveller

 #1 here. Having not seen Trav for a week, I was beginning to get very worried. On Tuesday night, I took his meal out to the garage late evening, as I always do. I noticed an unpleasant smell. I looked around and couldn't see anything. Then something made me feel under an old armchair that sits in a corner, covered in a sheet and old throw. There was a miaow. I got on my knees and lifted up the sheet, and there was my poor Trav. He looked awful. Filthy, smelling bad and clearly either injured or ill. For the first time ever, I was able to pat his head a bit, and then he crawled further back. There was nothing much I could do at that time of night, but I put food and water under the chair, within easy reach, and a soft chamois cloth on the ground. I went to bed, determined to get him whatever help he needed in the morning. But on waking up on Wednesday, he was gone and none of the food had been eaten.

I searched for him but did not find him again until around 4pm yesterday afternoon. He had crawled into the winter shelter I had made for him. He looked and smelled absolutely terrible and was covered in maggots. It was the saddest sight I have ever seen. He hissed at me. I went and got a carrier which I could open from the top, put on my big thick leather gloves and proceeded to get him out of there and into the carrier. He managed to bite through the gloves in a couple of places. I immediately went to disinfect and then took him to the vet clinic in town. There was no point in taking him all the way to Dr. C's. It was clear that there was nothing to do other than put him to sleep. The vet thought he had either been run over or had a saddle thrombus. They were very nice there, and first just made him sleep before they euthanised him. Such a sad end for a kitty who had such a tough life but it was one final gift I could give him. Given the maggots, he had obviously been in this state for several days already.

What touched me most deeply was that, despite the awful state he was in, he had managed to come back home, the only home he had ever known. Maybe he wanted to say a final thank you, and I think he knew I would do what I could for him. He is being cremated and I shall get his ashes back in a few weeks, and scatter them over all the places he loved.

Here are some of my favourite photos of him:

 

 

 

 

Run Free, Sweet Trav. In the last year and a half of your life, you did have a home and people who loved you and cared about you, and you will be remembered.

Well Done on Wednesday!

Da Beebs: I don't know whether we have mentioned this in the past but our #1 grew up with no pets. She has always loved animals and desperately wanted a cat or dog when she was little, but her parents always said no, citing all sorts of excuses. In fact, the family as a whole was a bit of a pet desert. So, it's no surprise that #1's cousin, Ms. K, also grew up without any animals. What is more, she was told early on that she was (might be?) allergic to cats and dogs, so that was that. As she married and had her own daughters, they started asking for a pet and she automatically said no. And so the years passed. And then one day, someone told her about some kittens who needed a home and something shifted deep inside her. Almost without realising it, she said she was interested and then went home and asked the girls. They and their father looked at her with open mouths, but they jumped on the opportunity! And so what it was that a tiny little panther called Olive came to live with the family!

Amazingly enough, Ms. K's allergies proved non-existent, and little Olive now has the entire family firmly wrapped around her velvety paws!

 

 

Well done, Miss Olive, for making yet another family into cat lovers! We are proud to have you as a cousin!

Tama-Chan Tuesday

Tama-Chan: I don't want to jinx anything but I have to say that I am really quite pleased with life at the moment (even though I know that #1 is going to be abandoning us for almost a week from Friday...). In fact, I showed my approval with life in a quite unexpected way: yesterday morning, for the first time ever, #1 woke up to find ALL of us on her bed, including me! She said it was the most amazing gift and she thanked me most particularly. How about that?

Here I am having a nice nap right where #1 normally sits on the sofa. I like to sit where she sits...

 

Oh, and here are a couple of nice photos from last Monday, when Mr. G's Mum played with me:

 

 

 

We have house-sitters, Mr.A and Ms. J, arriving on Thursday. I am crossing my paws that they will like me, well all of us, really:

Manly Monday

Da Genj: #1 said I could go first this week as she has taken some great photos of me over the past couple of days. So, let's get this show on the road!

Helping with the bedmaking:

 

Lounging on my red Peggy's blankie (as opposed to my blue Peggy's blankie!)"

 

Simply looking handsome...

 

Da Beebs: I am happy to report that, under my tutelage, my little bro has learned how to use the new drinking fountain!

 

Checking for treats:

This was when #1 was away last Monday. I am getting a treat from Mr. G's mum:

 

Vidock: I have some seriously studly photos of myself to show you this week:

 

Here I am with my Lusitanian pal, Noyvo. He is a "regular size" horse...

 

And here I am with Noyvo and Diego. Guess what? Diego is my little half brother! We have the same dad. He is only three so still only a baby. He belongs to Mr. V who rode Violette at our  medieval festival:

 

#1 called us the Three Musketeers! 

Tommy: I have been posing for #1 on our walks as I knew she needed some nice pics for today.

 

 

The grass has gotten so tall in the fields!

Have a great week, everyone!

Snuggles on Sunday

Tama-Chan: #1 says we should start this week's SoS post with this nice shot,  taken last week when she was away, of Genji snuggling with Mr. G's mum:

 

Isn't it sweet?

Next, we have a rather special one of Tommy and my Beeb. Just look at those paws:

 

We also have more classical pics, such as this one of Sei-Chan and Tommy:

 

 And this one shows me and my boy Beebs simultaneously snuggling with Tommy!

In this one, I am having a morning snuggle with #1:

And here is Da Genj having a late night snuggle with #1:

 

Once again, we don't have snuggle pics with the Vs, but #1 did take this sweet one of herself snuggling with Violette's Mama, Hôtesse:

 

#1 has been taking apples to Hôtesse and Wowie most mornings.

 

SEIturday

Sei-Chan: It has finally gotten warm! We thought it would never, ever happen but it has and we are enjoying it. It has also stopped raining, for now anyway. So you  might think all is right with the world. Well, not quite. #1 is going around with a stunned look in her eyes and the phone keeps ringing. Apparently it has something with a referendum and the results are not what she had been hoping for. The absolutely only thing which made her smile yesterday was a comment by someone that Britain was acting like "the cat of Europe" with its inability to decide whether it wanted to be in or out. Anyway, she is sad because she has never been into isolationism, and we are all trying to make her feel better.

 

Can you believe that she and people like her (Brits living in Europe) were not even allowed to vote on something that will directly affect their lives? 

Here is a nice portrait of me that Mr. G took when he was looking after us?

 

And this one too:

I am crossing my paws that everything will turn out OK for us:

Flowing Friday!

Da Beebs: We have a new item in our house. It's in the study and this is what it looks like:

 

Yes! It's a water fountain. It is made of ceramic and it is completely silent! I am proud to say that I am the only one so far who has availed himself of its fresh, delicious water output. The others have been looking at it askance.

And whilst I was at it, I decided to have a play session as well:

 

Da Genj took one lick of it and walked away to have a little nap on Tom's large bed. It has been very hot today:

 

The good news is that #1 weighed Genji today, for the first time in several weeks. He weighed in at a hefty  4kg (just under 9lb) and we are thrilled1 It is very important that he keeps his weight up to stay healthy!

Tommy Thursday

Tommy: The weather is strange. We don't seem to be able to get more than a few hours of sunshine without a major thunderstorm. That's what happened yesterday, and it looks like more of the same today. Still, #1 and I have been venturing out in the mornings, and taking apples to Wowie and Violette's mum, Hôtesse.

 

 

And I thought you might enjoy seeing this panorama shot of the view from the top of my big field:

 

It's supposed to get pretty hot today, for the first time this year!

 

Wonderful Wednesday!

Genji: #1 came back as promised late morning yesterday and this is what she found: Mr. G was in the house playing with us Chans and Tommy was running after the ball at Fernant's. She was thrilled to see that we were all happy and relaxed, and not at all sad as is so often the case when she leaves. She says she will definitely ask Mr. G again to come over the next time she goes and there is nobody staying in the house full-time.

Here is a nice picture that Mr G took of me when he was here:

Tama-Chan Tuesday

Tama-Chan: I am glad that #1 is returning today for my day. She did take some good shots of me last week, so I have a few to share...

Helping to make the beds:

 

Indulging in a little double dangle:

 

Pensive...

 

Getting ready to launch myself at the dangly toy:

 

And in this one, she caught me in mid-play and I did not have the time to, ahem, you know...

 

That tail would not stop!!!