New Cats: Peaches and Blue

After Cleo passed (two years ago yesterday) we left it a while before considering getting another cat. Originally we decided we would not because of our plans to downshift and spend more time abroad. However that date has shifted to the right so we re-thought our plans.

We wanted to adopt a pair because they would be company for each other while we are out at work and we have a preference for Persians having had three of them. They are very home loving cats not given to wandering - important in an urban setting with a busy main road.

We went first to Battersea Dogs and Cats Home but they had few cats available for rehoming let alone pairs. They are in the middle of building a new cattery and a recent cat flu outbreak meant they had diverted incoming strays to their outstations.

We also checked out the Cats Protection League who had a pair of six month old kittens available for rehoming. We rushed down the next day to view them and while we were there had a look round and Mary fell in love with an older pair in the next pen.


Peaches and Blue at the Cat Protection League

All the rescue homes have trouble finding new owners for older cats but we were happy to take on a more mature pair they are 14 (Peaches) and 12 (Blue). In some ways they do remind us of a pastel version of Oscar and Oliver. But we still had to have the home visit...


Peaches at home

I must say we were slightly apprehensive based on our friends' experience and I was not allowed to say anything until we had passed the test. One concern is the busy main road but we have high fences and older cats are less likely to go mountaineering over the wall.

Anyhow we passed the visit and if we were being assessed it was done very discreetly - more like a cosy chat on the perils of cat ownership but we are old hands. Having had the OK on the Friday evening we went down Sunday lunchtime to collect the 'monsters'.


Blue at home

They are still settling in but so far it seems to be going smoothly. The first 24 hours they hid in the darkest corners but now - a week later - they are out and about although still easily spooked. I am grooming Blue daily as she had a number of knots that the CPL had to have shaved off and I want to prevent reforming.

Time will, I am sure, see them settle in and become our new companion animals :-)