TOP PET SHOP TIMES
issue 2
In August of 2006, Top Pet Shop decided to adopt and home three feral cats from 'The Pussycat Lodge'. This is an excellent rescue centre based in Essex. They not only rescue abandoned pet cats but also feral cats that have taken up homes in the wild, usually in abandoned factories or other derelict buildings.
Do check out their website www.pussycatlodge.co.uk
The Top pet shop offices are situated in 1/4 acre of land, known as ' The farm'. With it's numerous barns and warehouses it is an ideal home for the three ferals, where they can hide and avoid human contact and with their presence they will deter any rodents from setting up home, and keep in check any colonies that may be active.
All the ferals rescued by 'The Pussycat Lodge' have all been neutered and they have all had one of their ear tips clipped; this is so that if they do go completely feral again, then at a glance rescue centres and agencies will be able to tell that they have been neutered and so unless in danger there would be no reason to trap them.
The work carried out by 'The Pussycat Lodge' is voluntary and they receive no support except from cat and pet lovers charitable donations! They need all the help they can get so please have a look at their site and see what they are up to.
So in August 2006 our three nervous, not to friendly cats arrived and were dually named:
Esau
(white/black male)
Puska (tabby
male)
Little
F.E (black/white female)
PLEASE CLICK ON ANY OF THE CATS TO SEE THE GALLERY PICTURES!
As they are feral cats and we wanted to encourage them to stay at 'The farm', there is a strict settling in process, designed to show them that their new territory (home) is safe, secure and plentiful with food and water. Although it was a difficult regime for us to follow it was a necessary regime.
When they arrived they had to spend the first six weeks kept in a large cage (it is actually a big dog training crate) in one of the barns. Then they are allowed free access into the barn and kept in here for a further six weeks. Then lastly they are released and you hope that with the regular contact with them over the past three months, that they have bonded with you and their new home and will stay around.
As the first six weeks were passing they were becoming less nervous and got to
know their routine and who was more of a pushover and would give them more
Thomas Cat Treats (their favourite). 
Gradually, despite the difference in opinions within Top Pet Shop as to whether or not I should, I even got them to eat off of a tea spoon but strokes and cuddles seemed a very long way off, if ever!
Once allowed out into the barn their characters could really shine out; Little F.E although the smallest and we think the youngest at possible only a year old, is defiantly the boss and would keep the other two in their places.
Puska is the shy handsome boy, who likes to act the fool and play with all the toys and scratch posts, unless he thinks you are watching.
But the biggest change in personality was Esau, who had gone from a real mean, hissing monster of a cat (he weighs 7.6kg) to a huge loveable tart!
With fireworks night fast approaching we prepared them with the help of Anxiety drops in their water. I am glad to say that they sailed through it with not even a whimper and I can tell you there were a lot of really huge firework displays going on very close by.
What is really nice to see are cats of who have never had toys and playthings (except mice and birds etc) discovering the joys of catnip for the first time. Try as they might to ignore the Kookamunga Catnip bubbles, one whiff and they were hooked, jumping, prancing, stalking and leaping to catch the bubbles drove them into states of euphoria. And as for the Cosmic catnip pillows, they were being carried around, rolled on, flung then pounced on again, it is so entertaining to watch it is a wonder any work got done!
In fact they enjoyed their toys and treats and scratch posts so much that they became our official testing board, if it survived and was enjoyed by these three then it would survive anything and we would put the best of the best on the Top pet shop site. This is the type of animal testing we can all enjoy.
They tried out a whole host of different scratcher's until they settled on the Cleo range as being the sturdiest and the ones which kept their interest ( the Montana being favoured the most, Little F.E thinks the fish must die!!)
The KatKabins also proved a huge success as they could retreat in and feel warm, snug and safe on all sides and seeing your reflection in, is a real blast according to Puska. As I write this there is now snow all around and I am safe in the knowledge that they have warm and safe beds which they love.
Then the day came where we could release them from the barn. The door was opened to the outside world.... Puska yawned and went back to bed, Little F.E carried on killing the fish and Esau just kept rubbing round my legs! Mmmmmmm Cats are not daft; they know where they are well off!
Well eight weeks have passed since the less than dramatic release, and Esau has now become a house cat and lives with perfect harmony with Bessy the dog. Puska and Little F.E still live in the barn and venture out only on nice days to see what’s going on, but the sight of a new toy or treat to test and they are there in seconds. So all you people owned by cats out there are safe in the knowledge that all our cat products have passed a very tough testing regime and we at Top pet shop offer only the very best.
ANY OF THE ITEMS MENTIONED CAN BE SEEN ON OUR SHOP JUST CLICK ON THE PICTURE!
In Next month’s newsletter...
ESAU AND HIS ON GOING RIVALRY WITH BESS
THE AQUATIC AND AQUARIUM EXTENSIONS BOTH AT TPS AND OUR BRICK AND MORTAR SHOP
YOUR ENQUIRES, QUERIED AND ANSWERED
Feel free to contact us with any; comments on products, funny pet stories, comments on the site or any problems that you may be having with your pets.
Either e-mail us at jar16@btopenworld.com or good old snail mail 'Top Pet Shop newsletter', Goosegreen Farm, St. Johns Rd, Collier Row, Essex RM5 2RX. Or you can phone us on 01708 741974.
We would love to hear from you.
All the best for now.
Thanks for reading.
Sarah and Boo and Esau
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