We’ve had visitors

Mummy and daddy have been busy again with people coming to see them, first it was a lady who just came for the afternoon. She sat and chatted with them for a few hours, which was fine with us as we just carried on our usual day, wandering about, giving her the casual sniff and meow and then off outside or to have a little snack. We never nap much when there’s people here as we’re always on the listen out for what’s going on. After all stranger danger is something that’s built into us rescue cats. I might look like I’m asleep but I’ve always got one ear open, just in case. She had a soft lilting voice, which was quite calming and gentle sounding, plus she didn’t smell of cats or dogs so that was even better for us as she just smelt of human.

Then some other people turned up, this time though they stayed for a couple of nights. When they were sleeping, they were sleeping in the spare room, which is our room, even if we very rarely go in there it’s still our room! I was camped outside the closed door with Angelin when mummy came past to go to bed, she laughed quietly at us and said to us, I don’t know why you’re waiting there, you never go in there anyway! I know mummy but I might want to go in there and I can’t. Oh you girls are so funny, if that door was open you’d wander right past and not think twice about going in, you only think you want to go because you can’t. Exactly mummy, you’ve got it spot on.

These days it doesn’t take us long to get used to new people but there’s still a way you humans can make it a little bit easier for us. Don’t forget everything about you is new to us, different footsteps, different smell, you’re clothes sound different as do your voices of course but also your movements are different too. So my Jenny top tips for meeting blind cats for the first time in no particular order are:

• Move slowly so we can get used to your noises.
• Talk quietly and in a calm voice.
• Let us smell you – hold out your hand for us to come and sniff.
• Don’t try to stroke us straight away and certainly not on the head, go for the chin or body first with gently strokes.
• Just ignore us unless we come to you, our curiosity will soon get the better of us.
• Give us time to get used to you and talk to us so we get used to your voice.
• Don’t rush around or come towards us quickly.

Us cats pick up on your body language, even us blindies pick up on tone of voice and movements and we react to how you are, if you’re all excited and energetic then we will be too, if you’re calm and gentle then we’ll mimic that and be calm too. We don’t always make friends straight away but with just a little bit of patience and understanding then we’ll be friends in no time.

Whilst their friends were staying mummy and daddy went out (a lot), they practically abandoned us, only coming home to give us dinner, scoop our poop and then they were back out again. The first morning they slept over the man got up early and let us all into the conservatory (we weren’t allowed into the catio as it was raining) but he sat in there with us, drinking his coffee and chatting away to us about all sorts of things. He was so calm and his voice was so quiet and gentle we felt so at ease and had fun spending some time with him just on our own. They had never met blind cats before and when they had some time in the morning before going out they just sat and watched us, fascinated by how we got around, what we can do, how we’ve each got different ways of doing things and different abilities. They even helped Angelin get down if she got stuck up anywhere. Apparently we’re quite fascinating and who needs tv when you’ve got four purrfectly imperfect kitties for entertainment. Each morning they came to see each of us, one by one to say good morning and did the same each night, we each got an individual little stroke and a night, night, they even got our names right too. Then just as we were getting used to them they said their final goodbyes and left to go home although I think they’ll be back sometime as I reckon they’ll miss their daily dose of blindie entertainment. As soon as they had gone and just to prove mummy wrong I went straight into my room to have a little nap on the chair, just to make the point that I really did want to go in there and that it’s my room really.

As well as human visitors we’ve had some new animal visitors too, mummy ‘rescued’ a little guy that had hopped his way into the conservatory one evening, Millie was trying to make friends with it and play with it so mummy released him back outside, mumbling something about him not being very useful as he didn’t turn into a prince so there was no way she was keeping him around. I tell you my mummy is lovely and I love her lots but sometimes I really do think she’s crazy when she comes out with weird things like creatures turning into princess, I mean really, that’s crazy talk.

The best thing that’s turned up recently are butterflies. Mummy planted a new bush ages and ages ago and it started to flower and all the butterflies love it and as it turns out I love butterflies. Their little fluttery wings, their kind of dancing movement it just makes me wanna play with them and dance along with them. Now when we go out for walkies I head straight for the sun and just sit and wait. Mummy knows how good my hearing is but even she is amazed at how I can hear their delicate wings fluttering over the noise of the breeze and the other sounds that are constantly going when we’re outside. But you know me, I like to be challenged and this is where I can really hone my blindie super senses. As I sit either under or next to the bush I can zone out all the surrounding noise, I’m not distracted by any visual movements around me, I can completely concentrate on listening for those tiny wing fluttering sounds, I hear nothing else but those tiny movements heading towards me and then pow! Up I go, jumping and twirling, leaping and soaring, twisting and turning, I’m at one with the butterflies, dancing gracefully and elegantly along side them in complete symmetry, we are at one together, I’m part of the butterfly dance, part of the kaleidoscope, I completely blend in. I am a butterfly.

Well thats how it all looks in my mind anyway until I land in the bush or almost jump into the wall in my eagerness to catch… I mean play with the butterflies. Still however it looks I don’t really care, it’s fun and I love it, I hope the butterflies stay around for a while longer as it makes a nice change to play with these little guys rather than the birdies which just tease me and taunt me from the trees and bushes.