Mummy and I have been practicing our free climbing, well I’ve been doing the climbing and mummy’s been doing the guiding and encouragement. We make such a good team coz we’ve built up so much trust over the years we’ve been going outside and climbing together.

Over the last couple of months there have been lots of new little branches growing on the trees. Whilst you might think that as a blind cat climbing with a safety line (my lead) is the safest way, just in case I slip or need to find my way back down, sometimes a lead can be difficult, if I don’t come back down the exact way I went up the lead can get caught or wrapped round a branch. This might mean that I could get stuck high up in the tree with no slack to get back down.

I wouldn’t recommend free climbing, specially as a blindie, if you haven’t spent a lot of time together with your climbing partner, building trust, knowing how each of you react to any given circumstance and certainly for the human, the ability to be calm and trust your kitty cat. I’m very lucky that if I get a little bit stuck or unsure mummy just says come on Jenny you can do it, you went up so I know you can get back down again.

I’ve learnt things along the way as has mummy, for example if she stands under me to watch and wants to guide me back down she has to stand where she wants me to go so I can follow her voice and tree tapping, from underneath where I am. If she calls me from underneath where I am I try to get directly to her. I’ve learnt to follow mummy’s voice instead of the gentle tugs of the lead that usually guide me back down if I need it and I’ve learnt to have the confidence that if I went up I can come back down again, to follow my own scent

We started free climbing on small trees that I was already familiar with climbing on the lead, also where I couldn’t go too high. Mummy and I building our communication and our techniques, the trust element has always been there . Then one day when I started up one of my favourite big trees and I heard the gentle clip of the lead and the pressure from the lead vanished. Woo hoo here I go!

I feel free when I’m climbing, the rustle of the leaves, the sway of the branches and the gentle tweets of the birds, the sound of nature all around me. The sounds and smells of the world are different from up here, fresher somehow.

Whilst I’m exploring I’m talking to mummy all the time, “Look at me mummy, look how high I’m climbing. Where are you mummy, which way should I go. Look mummy I’m doing it all by myself.”

Then, once I’ve finished and I’m back down to the regular part of the tree mummy reaches up and I climb down onto her arm for a celebration cuddle and lift back down to the ground. One little clip and I’m back on my lead and off we go to finish our walkies. Each time I get to free climb, I go a little bit higher and get a little more confident as I map the tree over and over. I love exploring with mummy but it’s tiring work but I want to show mummy how much I love her. She lets me explore, challenge myself and be an adventure cat so after I’d had a little nap up on the scratching post bed I crept down the sofa and snuggled on mummy’s lap. What a perfect end to an adventurous day. Then Millie hopped up and snuggled in too and we made a snuggle puddle on mummy’s lap.

I lost my big brother this week, he has crossed over the rainbow bridge and become a bright shining star, an angel looking down on us.

Let me tell you the story mummy told me when I asked her how Peppar became part of the family so many years ago and what he was like as a kitten.

14 1/2 years ago mummy found a scared little kitten in a pet shop. When mummy went inside she noticed that this kitten was scared of everything so mummy spoke to daddy and then before he knew it the little kitten was part of a loving, caring family. A cute little black and white fuzzball, who no longer needed to be frightened as he was surrounded by love, care, compassion and food.

He was scared of everything, every noise, every movement every new experience. It was ok though, mummy and daddy were there to love and reassure him and as he settled in the kitten came out and play took over, his big sisfurs Misty and Mia helped to make him feel at home. Despite being so scared he had a fiery little character and mummy and daddy called him Peppar.

The little kitten settled in on mummy’s pillow where he slept every night, most nights trying to suckle on mummy’s neck before snuggling in for a cuddle, often lying right over mummy’s neck like a scarf, front paws on one side, back paws on the other! This was ok until he started to get bigger and mummy had to ask him to just use the pillow instead. They often used to race to get to bed first to get the best spot on the pillow, needless to say Peppar always won and mummy ended up with the smallest corner and Peppar sprawled across the rest in pure comfort. Occasionally if Peppar was dreaming deeply he would twitch and mummy would get a paw to the face! Mummy being mummy though wouldn’t get mad, she’d just reach up, gently stroke him and say to him “it’s ok Pep you’re safe, it’s just a bad dream, you’re ok, go back to sleep sweetie.” She would hold his paw until they drifted back off to sleep.

Being the only other boy daddy and Peppar were kindred spirits , “Us boys have got to stick together.” He would say. Even when Peppar left a chocolate drop (💩) on daddy’s arm one day, that was ok, “these things happen” daddy said and it just got cleaned up, no telling off, no shouting. Being boys together they would often sit watching the tv together or just enjoy each other’s company. Despite being so scared of everything Peppar was calm and relaxed with mummy and daddy, sharing his cuddles and love between them.

Peppar was a mischievous kitten, hiding and pouncing on his older sisfurs, he would hide behind the litter tray, lying in wait to pounce on Misty or Mia when they came out! Mummy and daddy always said “Careful Peppar, what comes around goes around” and sure enough when Angelin came along, she did exactly the same to him!

Peppar loved his food, so much so that when mummy and daddy came home form work one day a bit late Peppar had got hungry and decided to try and feed himself. He had figured out how to open the hallway cupboard where the food was kept, find the pouches and drag them out of the box. Knowing that dinner was always served in the kitchen he tried to drag each packet down the hallway, through the living room and into the kitchen. Each time being foiled by the lack of opposable thumbs to actually open the packet so going back to try another one. By the time daddy got home there was a trail of gravy through the flat and cat food pouches strewn along the way with lots of little tiny kitten teethmarks in them and a very pleased looking Peppar sitting in the kitchen, paws and chin covered in gravy patiently waiting by his bowl. “Look daddy I saved you from having to get the food out” All daddy could do was laugh and tell Peppar what a clever boy he was! It must have been a real effort as the pouches were about as big as he was!

If ever anyone came to the door Peppar would hide under the bed for hours after they had gone. If people came to visit he would be nowhere to be seen but gradually over the years and knowing that mummy and daddy were never far away he stopped being such a scaredy cat and became the most chilled boy. He had gone from being a completely scared little boy to a super chilled, love bug. Nothing at home really phased him, he even sat on the floor when it’s hoovering time and refused to move, before he would have completely freaked out but his was the cool, chilled Peppar (unless you’re a vet that is, then velociraptor Peppar comes out to play). Recently even when mummy and daddy had friends over Peppar came out to see them, ok it was because he was hungry and loved food but this would never have happened before. Aunty M who visits us has spent years trying to say hello or stroke Peppar and this year out he came to see her. I fink it made her year.

When Misty became an angel and I came along, Peppar welcomed me with open paws, not one single growl or hiss, he just accepted me as if it was just the most natural thing for me to have joined the family. We immediately bonded, he was the ying to my yang, my snuggle buddy, my calming influence, my support and the one I went to when I was scared, confused, in need of a cuddle or just to chill with, he is and always will be my best mate. We were always side by side, always snuggled up together, he gave me confidence, strength and balance. I think he’d always wanted a little sisfur to look after and I was more than happy to fill that spot. I was the only one allowed to really snuggle up with him, share his snuggle bed and occasionally mummy’s pillow with him (never at night though). Sometimes he even let me eat his dinner!

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So what do I do now? What do I do without him? My heart hurts and I know mummy and daddy’s do as well. I can smell him everywhere but I can’t find him or hear him. I’ve been looking everywhere for him, calling to him but he doesn’t answer. “We miss him too Jen” said daddy, giving me a loving stroke, mummy chipped in “we’ll get though this together, we will remember him with love and happiness in our hearts, it just takes some time for the sadness” I curled up in the snuggle bed to comfort myself, it smells of Peppar.

Even little Angelin who has never, ever been allowed in the snuggle bed curled up in there, like me she loves Peppar too and used to follow him everywhere, often sleeping near to him, never snuggled in like me but always close by. She’s never experienced loss before and so we’ll all have to make sure we look after each other and get through this terrible time as a family.

The first night after he became an angel was tough, specially for mummy who shared her pillow with Peppar every night for the last 14.5 years. So, I did something I’ve never, ever done before, in the middle of the night, ever so quietly I crept gently up onto meowmy’s pillow and snuggled into the familiar smell of Peppar and cuddled up against mummy’s head. I think it made her feel better coz she reached up and gave me a little stroke, kissed my paw and whispered “thank you Jen”.

Love you forever big bro

Mummy and daddy have been emptying out their cupboards and making big piles of things on the bed that for some reason we weren’t allowed to climb on. Yeah right, like that worked! Of course I helped supervise and make sure that everything was just right.

Then one morning, mummy was rushing around, moving things about and very strangely took away one of our litter trays! When she came back swiftly, one by one Peppar, Millie and Angelin were captured and bundled into carriers and then, off they went without me! I was all alone, mummy where are you? Then I heard mummy’s voice, “Jen, I’ll be back for you soon.” Back for me, you mean I’m going somewhere too? Where we going?

Before I knew it mummy was back and talking to a strange man who rustled as he moved. Then on went my harness! This is very confusing are we going walkies mummy? In the middle of the day? How exciting! Then we left the rustling man in the house and off we went but mummy was huffing and puffing and apparently I wasn’t going quickly enough so I got scooped up and carried as mummy rushed off? What’s the rush mummy? Where we going? I asked. “Quick, quick Jen, the others are waiting for us with daddy.” Up and up the stairs we went, I could hear Millie shouting and then mummy opened a door and we went inside into a new place.

One by one mummy and daddy opened the carriers, the others were very cautious coming out even though a minute before they hadn’t wanted to be in the carriers. Not me though, I was off exploring, whiskers forward, nose sniffing away and off I went. There were different feelings under my paws and some was hard like our floor, some was soft and fluffy like mummy’s bedside rug and some felt like our balcony. I just kept wandering around, mapping the area and then I smelt the familiar smell of the outdoors. I followed the smell but doink, only my nose would fit outside, mummy can I go out please? “Maybe later Jenny, once everyone’s settled in”

Angelin was very scared in this new place and sat, very tiny by our litter tray, mummy persuaded her out and she sat on mummy lap for a while before she poddled off under the table and then up onto daddy’s lap. Peppar found a safe spot under the bookshelf to set up camp whilst he took in everything that was going on. He doesn’t do well with change and gets very scared, he even growled at mummy! After a while he chilled out a bit and explored, he enjoyed the view and found a comfy spot to relax in for a bit. Then I heard mummy and daddy saying “1…2…3…hmmm where number 4? Where’s Millie?” “Millie, Millie, where are you? Come out, come out, wherever you are?” I could hear them walking around calling her name but no answer, where was she? I thought this would be a fun game to play, I bet I can find Millie before mummy and daddy and I was right I won! I smelt Millie out even though she was hiding tucked right in behind all the stinky shoes on the rack. Even they’re no match for my super blindie senses.

I forget that they’re not adventure cats like me. Millie and Angelin have never been anywhere other than our home so they’re not used to all these new things. Little by little though and with mummy and daddy praising and encouraging us all we all started to settle in. Every so often I could hear muffled footsteps, followed by a door opening and a man would walk in and talk to mummy and daddy. I checked him out and he seemed to smell ok and even gave me a little head rub, so I figured he was ok and nothing to worry about.

Then mummy said come on then, let’s explore outside…YEY about time mummy. Slightly cautiously I went out first on my own with mummy, I gave everywhere a good sniff and once Id explored mummy let Angelin , Millie and Peppar out as well. Mille decided it felt good to roll around on the rough ground, a good roll about feels great for us cats, you can really give those hard to reach places a good scratch. Angelin was very timid and sat listening to us from the doorway, then out came Peppar too, he was off exploring like a true pro, so I followed him about checking out the paces he wanted to see. I could smell the same scents up here as I can smell when were out on walkies but they were just a little more distant. Mummy kept a good eye on us all as she said we were very high up and she didn’t want any of us to explore too high up so it was a quick trip out and then when Millie started to get a bit excited being out in such a wide open space we headed back indoors. All except Peppar who point blank refused to come in, he was growling at mummy but she knows him too well to be talked to like that so with a bit of a stern talking to he eventually headed in too and then sulked under the table. “Were going to have a tough job getting him out from under there later, he’s being a right grump” mummy said to daddy.

Mummy and daddy had planned for our adventure and packed some toys so we passed the time with a game of football and ping pong. It was fun playing in a new place, the balls sounded different which was challenging for me to follow.

Then mummy went out, she took our litter tray with her and after what seemed like ages she came back and said to daddy “It’s nearly all dry, so were good to go. Whilst mummy was out though a new person came into the place we were staying, she sounded lovely and bent down and gave me a littel stroke, gently saying my name, I gave her a littel nose rub and a meow to say hello. Then I heard mummy moving stuff around and then Peppar started growling and grumbling from under the table. Mummy was saying, calmly “come on Peppar, it’s ok, just go into the he carrier and we can go back home. Come on, in you go” Well, Peppar was having none of it but mummy is very patient and persistant and finally I heard her say “Got ya, in you go! By the scruff of the neck isn’t the most elegant way Pep but we got there in the end.” Everyone seemed very pleased. Then it was Angelin’s turn, she went in quiet as a mouse but then everyone was looking for Millie, I could smell her “Shes over there mummy, behind the sofa” I meowed, the nice man who I sniffed earlier eventually listened to me and found her so mummy scooped her up and in she went as well. My turn next I thought and mummy clipped on my harness but I heard the humans talking and then mummy and daddy left! They’ve left me with two strangers – very nice strangers but wait! where you going? Don’t leave me! I’ve been the good one! Take me with you. “It’s OK Jenny I’ll be back soon, we’ve just got to take the others back home first but I know you’ll be OK here with your lovely new friends, I won’t be long” Said mummy. But…too late they were out the door with Millie shouting all the way!

True to her word a littel while later I heard mummys familiar footsteps and the door opened and there she was “Oh, mummy, mummy I shouted I’m so pleased to see you, I knew you’d come back for me but I was worried” Mummy scooped me up and gave me a big cuddle, we said goodbye to the nice people and mummy clipped my lead on and off we went, this time though we walked back home together, happy that we had a fun adventure out somewhere new. I knew the way as this is a regular walkies route and as we got closer to home I could smell the familiar smells of home but then…our door smelt funny, the same funny after the moth man had been before but much stronger, I guess thats why we had to move out this time, that smell was everywhere! WOW no wonder we went to the new place this time, it was strong but I could smell the others so we all wandered about, Peppar headed straight for the kitchen for food, complete calm and as if nothing had ever happened. Angelin and Millie found a spot on the bed and I checked out everywhere getting my scent back onto things. Mummy don’t forget my harness please but she obviously wasn’t listening so off I went, then after what seemed like ages mummy grabbed me, undid my neck strap and I thought finally! but then she fiddled about and did it up again! Whats going on? “Come on Jenny, lets go walkies” Oh Wow! I was so excited, You mean I get to go walkies as well as having been on an exciting adventure all day, This is the best day ever, I’m so lucky.

Off we went and had a really fun walkies just chilling and exploring with mummy, some quite time together in familiar surroundings in my favourite place. What a day this turned out to be. Once we got back home and mummy and daddy had moved some more things around so they could go to bed later, I was pooped and snuggled up in one of my favourite hammock beds and drifted off to sleep, thinking back on our adventure and dreaming of what new adventures might await me one day.

The big new is though that on Friyay mummy bundled Millie up meowing and meowing into the carrier first thing in the morning and off they went. “I’m just going to drop Millie off at the vets so she can have her 6 week x-ray and we can see how she’s healing” mummy said, don’t worry “I’ll be back soon”. Then the house was quiet for a bit. Mummy can home later it no Millie yet. “We’ll go and pick her up later Jenny” so for now just enjoy the peace and quiet.

Well, I didn’t need to be told twice, I realised this was a chance to get a bit more me and mummy time so I quickly hopped up onto her tippy tappy machine and sat in front of her so I could help supervise her work, I helped test that her clicky keypad was working properly and updated something called a ‘spreadsheet’ I’m not sure how that fits into mummy’s typing machine as usually when I help with the sheets it’s playtime on the bed as mummy takes off the old ones and puts on the nice new ones which I chase all the wrinkles in! Still mummy was doing ok so I settled down for a peaceful nap next to her in the little snuggle bed.

Mummy laughed, she said I was so snuggled in that it looked like I was being eaten my the snuggle bed! Well don’t just sit there mummy save me, pull on my cute pinky toe beans and save me from being sucked in and eaten alive! Wait! actually it’s very warm and comfy and I’m feeling sooo sleepy, so just wait a little bit but if you see my ears disappear then *yawn* you can save me. Night, night 💤

Then later in the, very quiet, peaceful day mummy’s phone rang and it was the vet. Millie had her x-ray and it was good news, she’s healing well and she’s ready for home. Mummy loves me so much that she made sure there was enough time to take me walkies before going and getting Millie, so as soon as mummy finished her work on went my harness and off we went. “Come on Jenny we can’t dawdle today, so make sure it’s a good walkies” Let’s have fun and see if we can explore somewhere new. Off we went, our usual walkies but then someone left one of the gates open to the lower garden so in we went…intrepid explorers, carefully exploring the new land before us, me first of course. Then I could hear the sound of the river, I can often hear it but this time it was closer, like when we (very rarely) go to the park. This time though it was quieter, not many people around and so we ventured out through the end gate and onto the crunchy pathway. The wind was blowing and the waves were lapping and I could hear birds squawking. The wind brought fresh, interesting, invigorating smells which I took in, breathing deeply analysing each one, trying to build a picture in my mind of what it looks like. We didn’t stay very long as new places can make me nervous until I get used to them but it was a place that smelt good even if I did smell it from the safest place – mummy’s shoulder.

Then we headed home and mummy and daddy went to get Millie, they were gone for ages and ages but eventually they arrived home and our peace was shattered by the very vocal Millie. There was good news though as Millie is now allowed out of her cage to get a bit of supervised exercise poddling about. Well, Millie had other ideas, she didn’t want to poddle, she wanted to release all the pent up energy, zoomies and mental Millie mode craziness that’s been building up over the last few weeks and she was off like a shot! Closely followed by mummy saying “get back here Millie, you’re only supposed to be gently pottering about! We’re going to have to keep a close eye on you, you crazy girl” So, mummy and daddy decided on supervised, short, gentle exercise time during the day then back into her suite to rest. She then gets her usual time out in the evening with mummy and daddy to cuddle and now a bit of walking around and then into her suite at night to sleep.

I’m still anxious about the whole thing, I’m not good with new cats and as Millie has been in a cage for so long, I can’t smell her around the flat anymore and that confuses me, it’s like having a new cat in our home, so I’m still showing her who’s the boss and letting her know that I’m the Queen. Yes, there’s some hissing and growling involved along with the odd paw swipe just to be sure she gets the message but that’s just how us cats work. I’m sure though as she starts being out and about a bit more and her scent starts spreading around I’ll might give her a bit of a break if she’s nice to me and let’s me be the boss and we’ll be back to normal in no time.

Well that night to celebrate Millies new found freedom we had a pawty, into the early hours, trashed the place and then slept it off as if nothing had happened. Mummy came through in the morning and just said “oh dear, what have you guys been up to?”

This weeks been a bit tricky really, Millie is feeling a bit better and whilst I’m really happy she’s feeling more herself, she is needy, very needy and wants to be out of her cage but she only seems to want to settle on mummy’s lap. Daddy’s doing as much as he can to help her but she only wants mummy to cuddle her and it’s only mummy who can settle her and calm her down. This means less time with mummy for me and I don’t like that one bit.

I’m still not sure about Millie, she still smells different, she sounds different and I can only smell her in one place, not around the whole flat which is really odd and I don’t quite understand it. It’s like having a new cat in our home. I can also pick up on Millies frustration being locked up, it’s in the way she meows, it’s not her normal happy, chirpy meows but loud demanding ones instead. It just makes me feel unsettled and confused. That’s where daddy comes in…

Daddy has been playing with me more and I love playing with daddy, he does biiig damp hands and I love playing the ready, ready game with him and our bond has grown so much whilst he’s been working at home and whilst mummy has to pay a bit more attention to Millie. I do really miss my extra time with mummy and so we try to have an extra long walkies together or a bit more playtime whilst mummy makes dinner and before Millie gets some lap time. It makes me upset though and when I’m upset I get stressed and then I meow a lot and pace the flat and do twirly circles and meow some more.

I miss playing, Angelin is a good fight and wrestling partner but I like running around and chasing, Peppar’s getting a bit old for that now and with Millie locked up I miss running around and chasing someone. As much as I don’t like to admit it I think I also miss playing with Millie, she’s the only one who’s allowed to chase me and I miss the running around and hide and seek that she plays. I don’t miss the mental Millie mode though as that’s just a bit too full on for me!

Daddy is trying really hard but he doesn’t know me as well as mummy and we haven’t got the same synchronised way of playing. With mummy I know what what she’s gonna do almost before she does it and mummy does the same with me. With daddy though it’s not quite the same and I meow to him “but daddy that’s not the way mummy does it” he says “I know I’m not mummy but we can still have fun” I give daddy full marks for effort but he needs a bit of improvement in the execution of playtime and football. Daddy keeps going though and I love him all the more for doing his best to make me happy as well as Millie and Angelin and Peppar too.

So when mummy and I go out for walkies I really try to make the most of it, I run around, we play apple football together, I chase birdies and sometimes we just sit together and chill. Spending some time together just being with each other, enjoying each other’s company. This is just the best time being outdoors with mummy and I’m making the most of every minute.

Then one day the little girl who likes to come and join in with our walkies came over one day and gave mummy one of her toys for me to play with. It was a football, well, you all know how much I love football so I was so happy, what a sweet little girl. Mummy and I started playing football straight away and we even let the little girl join in! Her shoes sounded funny so mummy said for he to stand very still so I could hear where the ball was going and I could hear the girl giggle when mummy kicked the ball and I ran after it. She was so happy and so was I coz I had a fun new toy to play with.

I can’t believe it, mummy was contacted by a lovely lady who wanted to tell my story to the whole wide world. Please check out the article that the lovely Meowasfluff wrote about me and the pawesome film they made about my life so far.

Moewasfluff share my life’s aim – to show that blind and special needs cats can make great furramily members and that we really shouldn’t be overlooked. We don’t necessarily need lots of special care and we give back more than we take. I’m just so honoured to be featured.

I would really love it if you would read the article as it’s just so great, please click on the ‘continue reading’ to see the whole article on the Meowasfluff website where there are also videos to watch as well – I pawromise its worth it. There is also a short video story they’ve done about me as well so be sure to watch that too. It’s at the bottom of the article but I’ve also put it separately at the bottom of my page here as I think it’s just such a special video to go with my story.

Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

So much disruption this week! It’s tough for a blindie.

Well of course I didn’t actually see them coz I’m blind but I heard and smelt them. Coz Millie has to be in her cage with her ridiculous lampshade on and poorly paw mummy and daddy weren’t comfortable leaving her to go and see their friends so their friends came to see them instead! It’s been a long time since any of us have seen or heard any other humans so it was quite a shock for us when four turned up!

Four sets of strange footsteps, four sets of strange voices, four different smells and well, it was a bit much for us, other than Millie who was demanding to be the centre of attention as always. Me, Peppar and Angelin went and chilled out in mummy and daddy’s room where we could hear what was going on but not be right in the middle of it all. We could hear Millie shouting and the sound someone opening the cage, then mummy’s voice saying “come on then Millie, come out and say hello.” Through the evening every time mummy put Millie back in the cage she would shout and shout, so mummy spent most of the night with Millie cradled in her arms or on her lap.

How did I know this if I was tucked away safely in mummy and daddy’s room? I hear you ask. Well, I got very brave and curiosity got the better of me, I wondered what was going on any why Millie was so excited plus I fancied some fresh air too. I carefully snuck out of the bedroom and very quietly so no-one would see me, I crept through to the living room. The voices carried on and I crept quietly around the edge of the room, along the front of the sofa so they wouldn’t see me, round the edge of the balcony window and then a little hop up onto the window sill and out the door. I thought I’d got away with being invisible but then I heard my name, I recognised the voice from before, she says her words differently to mummy and daddy and something sounded familiar about how she spoke. Then I remembered, it was Aunty M, she comes to see us every so often and she’s the first person other than mummy and daddy that I met when I arrived here in my furrever home. Well if Aunty M is here then I knew it must be ok and so I carried on exploring and wandering about and being extra brave.

Then Peppar came out, his tummy always gets the better of him and his love of food outweighs how scared he is of people these days. Then just as we were getting used to the noises and people they all started to go home and we were back to being on our own and then eventually Angelin came out as well. She’s a very quiet cat and was so young when she came into our furramily and since she’s been living with us we have had mummy and daddy home nearly every day so she’s not very used to other people so this was all a bit overwhelming for her. We’ve all just kind of got used to each other’s company and forgot there were other people in the world. “It’s alright Angelin” daddy said “we’ll make sure you get to know some other people so you’re not so scared in future.”

Then, a few days later mummy took Millie to the vet and she was healing well enough to have her stitches out but mummy said she still had to keep her cone on coz she had a little patch that still needed to heal properly.

Then one day mummy and daddy started moving loads of stuff around, picking things off the floor and putting them on the bed, one of our litter trays moved into their toilet, then even Millies cage moved into their bedroom. “What’s going on?” I meowed. “Well Jenny you know those moths that you love to chase and catch? The mans going to spray something that should kill them so they stop flying around the flat.” “Kill the moths! But that’s my job mummy” “I know you love catching them Jenny and you’re so good at it, we rely on your super hearing to show us when they’re flying around as we can’t hear them like you can. We need to get rid of them though as there’s too many for you to catch and they eat our clothes”. Well all four of us were bundled into the bedroom and kept prisoner for what seemed like a week, Peppar, chilled on mummy’s pillow, Millie was in her cage but then daddy reached in and fiddled about with her silly cone and pulled it off! You’re cone free Millie he said so she then had a major washing session and then slept in her cage, Angelin poddled about quietly and I meowed and meowed and meowed and meowed and then meowed and meowed some more. I hate being confined specially with everybody there, this isn’t right, this isn’t how our day normally goes, I’m a kitty of routine and this is just not normal. I wanted out! I could smell a horrid chemical smell through the door and I didn’t like it, plus how was I going to get out for walkies with mummy when I’m stuck in here! Let meowt! I’m being held against my will!

Eventually daddy ventured out and then a few minutes later mummy deserted us too, I could hear them talking through the door but we were still being kept prisioner, after what seemed like ages, the door opened and we were allowed free reign again. Ooh the floor feels funny and it smells weird but never mind all that now, it’s time for walkies and I’m raring to go mummy. “Ok Jenny, we’ll go in a minute, let me get your harness ready, daddy’s just choosing today’s bandana, we’ll go and get rid of all your pent up anxiety and energy with a good long walkies and maybe some tree climbing and bird stalking, how does that sound?” Off we went and I sure made up for being cooped up! The wind was blowing a little bit, just enough to make the trees rustle and whisper to me “climb me Jenny.” Well of course I did the wind gave me the zoomies and I just ran and ran and then climbed a couple of trees and made mummy laugh! What a great end to a very busy week.

This week we’ve been keeping daddy busy and he’s been teaching Angelin to catch her favourite crinkle balls. She just loves them and follows the crinkly sound wherever it goes. Her and daddy get to have their special playtime like mummy and I have our walkies. Angelin’s getting really good too and bats them back to daddy so he can throw them over and over and over again.

Millies still taking up a lot of mummy and daddy’s time, she’s normally a really cuddly cat who enjoys being around mummy and daddy all the time so they’re trying to give her some contact and cuddles so she still feels part of the family and feels loved and cared for. She sleeps in her cage most of the day and so in the evening once everything is done and mummy and daddy have had their dinner out she comes for as much cuddling as she wants. She still smells funny so Angelin and I are still very wary of her and keep hissing at her just to make sure she knows she’s got a long way to go to make up for all the attention she’s stealing from us. She’s gonna owe us so many treats when she’s better to make up for all of this. Still at least we don’t mind being in the same room as her now, at the beginning we just went and sat in the bedroom waiting for the weird smelling cat to go away but then, gradually we realised that weird smelling cat was Millie and if we wanted to do anything at all we had to start to adjust. Things are still a bit tense but we’ll get there eventually.

Maybe if she didn’t have that odd sounding, smelling and let’s be honest completely ridiculous looking cone on her head and didn’t look like a ginger floofy lamp (Peppar said that) then we might not be so confused by her. Mummy said that she was hoping to get Millies stitches out this week and had also hoped that would mean the cone could come off too but it wasn’t to be. Millie had a little scab by her stitches that they want to heal before they remove them. The vet had looked at it before and said it was nothing to worry about and Daddy and mummy realised it was being caused by the joint of the cone rubbing on her poorly leg so had put some soft cotton wool and tape over it to try to stop it rubbing. Well now Millie looks like a broken lampshade that someone’s done a really bad repair job on! 😹 Mind you compared to how I reacted (complete freak out) when I had a cone on she’s done really well. Paws crossed she’ll get the cone off soon.

I’ve been doing some climbing and enjoying my walkies. As you all know, there are lots of little humans where I live and one little girls that comes out to see us nearly every day. She’s quite noisy and runs after me to stroke me which I don’t like but mummy and I are training her to be quieter and slower so we can enjoy walkies together. She often says to mummy can I walk Jenny but mummy always says no as she’s worried that if I run after something the little girl might let go of the lead. The other day though there were two of them together and as part of their training mummy let them both stroke me. Mummy says it’s good for me to meet little humans and I teach them how to be gentle, that cats are little creatures and how to behave around us furry family members. They ask lots of questions which mummy patiently answered and they sat quite still so I felt ok, plus mummy was there stroking me and telling me what a good girl I was so I knew I was very safe. The little humans hands were very gentle and I even let them stroke my head, my ears, whiskers and paws. I wasn’t keen on them stroking my tail so I tucked it away under me so it disappeared. Then I’d had enough so off I went with mummy following, I know the little human isn’t normally allowed around the corner of the garden so that’s just where I headed. Bye bye they said, see you later.

Sometimes when mummy and I go for walkies when it’s cold mummy takes a sippy cup full of her hot tea to keep her warm, in the summer and when it’s the weekend daddy puts ‘adult’ drink in the cup instead. When he does this mummy always finishes it extra quick so we stop by our flat and mummy gets a drink drop from daddy on our balcony. Well it’s quite hard for mummy to catch the drink can whilst I’m busy exploring so she sometimes drops it in the flower bed! This week though the little girl was out with us so mummy said to her “ Would you like to hold the lead?” The little girl was very excited so mummy said “ You must hold it with both hands really tight and mustn’t let go, just stand still there and watch Jenny.” The little girl did just that and as mummy was preparing to catch her daddy drop drink can I was keen to carry on walkies, so off I went round the garden. I heard the little girl ask mummy “Can I walk with Jenny?” “Yes” mummy said and so off we went round the garden. It was much more fun walking with her than having her run after me and try to stroke me all the time and so tail up off I went. Mummy caught her drink and just as I was off round the corner she caught up with us. The little girls came with us and mummy said to her “ Jenny’s doing very well isn’t she? Why don’t you tell her what a good girl she is” “ Good girl Jenny” the little girl said and that made me happy. I was a bit unsure of the sound of the girls shoes coz they sounded different to mummy’s so as we went back mummy took the lead and I felt a bit more comfortable and followed her. “It’s ok” mummy told the girl, “Jenny just needs to get used to the sound of your shoes, it was ok when you were following her but she won’t follow you if she’s not sure who you are. She’ll get used to it in time though.” Then the little girl went home and we carried on with our walkies, mummy was very proud of me and gave me big cuddles and strokes for being so good. The girl ran home saying to her mummy “I walked Jenny, I walked Jenny!”

Mummy and I carried on with our walkies together with mummy telling me what a good girl I was to let the little girl walk me. It had felt odd having someone else hold the lead, I could tell the difference between how the girl held the lead and how mummy does. Mummy and I have learnt to trust each other with the lead and I know all the little tugs, pulls and pressures mummy uses to help guide me around if I need it. It was nice not to be chased around by the girl and be back to the familiar, comfy partnership but it’s also nice to know that I made a little girls day 😺.

It’s been another roller coaster week for us all. It’s been very wet and rainy so walkies has been quite challenging but I don’t mind the rain so it’s ok, sometimes it’s just a quick run out but mummy and I still go out every day regardless. It’s so good to just get some alone time with mummy and get some one on one attention. I love having lots of attention so with Millie being poorly and needing to have so much care and attention I miss getting mummy and daddy’s attention, plus Millie played with me a lot and and playing with Angelin just isn’t the same. I’m missing my mischievous ginger sisfur.

As the queen of the family I was worried and anxious about everything that was going on and Millies yowling at night really unsettled me, when I get anxious I pace and yowl at night and all this started me off. Mummy and daddy noticed this change of behaviour so daddy took me to one side.

He said “Jenny, I don’t want yew to worry, we’ll get Millie better, no matter what the cost, she’s our family and she’s our responsibility. We will do whatever it takes for however long it takes. We’ll always find a way, we can always sell something or remortgage the flat, material things aren’t as important as a life. Remember, this is your furrever home and we mean that, meowmy and I take the pledge we made when we adopted you very seriously. You will live with us until it’s your natural time to cross the rainbow bridge and for no other reason. We’re always here for you and your bandana says the truth”

Millie had to go back to the animal doctor to have her bandage removed, mummy said it was yet another noisy journey with Millie protesting all the way. Mummy and daddy went to pick her up later and we’re gone for ages and ages, much longer than normal. When they finally got home they were very flustered and Millie was very upset mummy said “Sorry we took so long, the traffic was terrible, we’re so happy to be home as Millie was shouting all the way.” Millie had swapped her bandage for a floppy cone! Oh I remember the cone of shame, it freaked me out when I had to wear one so I could really emphasise with how bad Millie was feeling. She kept pawing at it to get it off but her claws on both her good paw and bad paw kept getting caught in the fabric. This was no good and wasn’t going to work so mummy got the plastic collar and put that on, at least then Millie could see around her and her claws couldn’t t get stuck on the plastic. Millie was having none of it though and within 10 minutes had got it off so Mummy and daddy had another think and they pulled out a special collar they had bought. Mummy used the special collar to attach the cone, “Theres no way that’s coming off now and hopefully the special smell of the collar will help calm her as well.” said mummy. Well Millie carried on being unsettled and mummy and daddy had been told she didn’t need any more medicine for pain, only her anti inflammatory which they gave her but she meowed and meowed all night and we all got very little sleep. I was trying to imagine being a tripaws with a poorly front leg and a cone wobbling about and I get where she’s coming from, her balance must be all over the place and getting around, even just to have a wee wee must be very difficult and frustrating for her.

The next day wasn’t much better, Millie was unsettled, uncomfortable and mummy and daddy were having to work whilst cuddling her all the time but even then she was wriggling, squirming and meowing, even whilst she was sleeping. Mummy and daddy thought she was still in some pain and discomfort. Then when she was on daddy’s lap she stretched out her paw and split her skin around her stitches. Well that was it, daddy called the vet, worried that with Millie being so typically ginger she needed something to calm her to stop her getting so anxious in her cage and that they thought she was still in some pain. She she needs to be able to heal properly and safely. They were also worried about her stitches and making sure she couldn’t get an infection. The vet called back later and said mummy could pick up some more medicine for Millie and that mummy and daddy could give her pain medicine if she was in pain. Then just as I thought mummy was getting ready to take me for walkies she said “I’m sorry Jenny, we’ll go out later, I’ve got to go and get some more medicine to help Millie, we’ll go out later I promise.” Off mummy went to the vet again.

Mummy lived up to her promise and when she got back they gave Millie some medicine and then we went out for walkies. Then the mummy’s phone rang and it was the vet again about Millie, they wanted her back in to check her stitches and wound, mummy laughed and said she should just book a regular appointment as she’d been up there so much! We carried on with our walkies in the rain and then headed back in to see how Millie was, well, the medicine had kicked in and she was sleeping peacefully and carried on sleeping for the rest of the night. We were all relieved and all managed to get a better nights sleep. Millie had her stitches checked the next day and all was good, nothing to worry about and for once because of her chill pills she didn’t have to be sedated to be checked out and mummy had a quiet journey with her.

Then a real surprise, a package with my name on it arrived. What is it? What is it? We all meowed. Mummy opened it up whilst Millie watched from daddy’s lap. Well, what an ameowzing box, as mummy opened it she just said “wow”, she pulled out a box, then another one, then a packet and another and another, it was a bottomless box that was full of food and treats for us kitties. As she put each yummy gift on the table mummy had tears streaming down her cheeks and even daddy said he was choked up, mummy said to daddy “one of Jenny’s friends on Instagram wanted to send a small package when they heard about Millies accident and how much it cost” daddy said “this is way more than a small gift, it’s just so generous, what amazing friends Jenny has.” They we’re so stunned by such generosity that they couldn’t bring themselves to pack anything away that night and left it all ther on full show until the morning when mummy opened up some of the food for us to try at breakfast. It was so yummy and even better knowing that it came with so much love.

The new medication seems to be working well and Millie is much more chilled which means she’ll heal quickly and won’t get frustrated or hurt herself.

Millie had the operation on her paw on Monday and came home a few days later. Mummy and daddy were very nervous all day on the day of the operation and so I took mummy for a walk to help her relax whilst waiting for news. I made sure she was fully distracted by playing apple football, climbing trees, chasing birdies and exploring all of our gardens from one end to the other. We had an extra long walkies that day. It hasn’t always been like that this week though.

When Millie was in the hospital mummy and daddy went to visit her every night, sometimes depending on when they went to see her mummy and I would only get a very short walk but that’s ok coz family have to sacrifice for each other and as long as Millies ok I don’t mind having a short walkies or even no walkies at all. The day Millie came home (a couple of days after her operation) it was so rainy that even mummy said it was just too wet to go out. Normally we give it a try and get a bit wet and it’s my decision when I’ve had enough and want to come back in. Not that day though, I could hear how heavy the rain was and it sounded so loud, that I was quite happy to stay in. Then mummy and daddy had to rush off and collect Millie. She was coming home.

When it’s been raining so heavily the smells are so fresh, so invigorated and lively, as a blindie these smells are just so colourful in my mind. The world smells different, exciting, alive and enticing. Going out after the rain is such fun and once it’s stopped I can’t wait to get out and explore.

When Millie came home though she smelt different too. She sounded different, not her usual mental Millie self, I thought she would be fixed and well again but she wasn’t. We could all tell that she still wasn’t quite right. Mummy explained to me that when I’d been poorly with my eye infection as a kitten, the operation to remove them brought almost immediate relief from that pain as they took out what was making me feel so poorly. With the operation that Millie had they had to put plates and pins into the bones of her paw to make her better and so it would take a long time to heal. Until she is fully healed she’ll remain in some pain and discomfort. This is why Millie is being given pain relief which made her a bit wacky and makes her meow in her sleep and move funny so she’ll need a lot of looking after.

She will need to go back to the hospital quite often to get follow up treatments to check her bandages and have x rays to see inside her to check on how she’s is healing. Each time she goes to the hospital mummy said she would come back smelling funny and being a bit grumpy. She said we must be nice to Millie even if she didn’t smell or sound right as our love would help her feel better and heal quicker.

Well Angelin and I weren’t having any of it she smelt funny and sounded poorly so we left her to it, keeping out of the way, so that mummy and daddy could look after her and give her all the attention she needs. I’m really not quite sure about those strange meows, they just don’t sound right. Angelin, Peppar and I can keep each other company, keep each other amused and can snuggle up with mummy and daddy during the night instead.

Then, believe it or not I got bundled into the carrier and mummy and I went for a ride in the car. Mummy said it was my turn to go to the v-e-t I was being very good coz I didn’t want to get drugged up like Millie did and have to sat in there without mummy and daddy. I was such a good girl that I didn’t even have to get out of the carrier, mummy just opened the top and then a gentle stroke from an unfamiliar hand and “ouch” a jab in the neck and mummy said it was all done. Back in the car we went and took advantage of the peace and quite and took a little nap and before I knew it we were home and hen getting ready for walkies.