PetFinder Charity Fair Weekend

I have been in a state of perpetual melancholy since Louis' demise. The daily thunderstorms and the fact that I am overwhelmed with responsibilities do nothing to improve my mood.

Every week is an endless stream of football matches, reports, research papers, housework and volunteer commitments.

I am currently providing treatment and care for 2 kittens, Toby and Oscar, under Project Second Chance. If it weren't for the fact that I have to be in Singapore this weekend to play in a football match, I would be bringing home another 2 from the office, Hopscotch and Duchess, for medical treatment and vaccination. In the meantime, my colleagues will have to help me feed the two feline waifs until I am back from battle.

Last Sunday had been another wet and blustery one. It started raining when I was in the middle of giving tick baths to the SPCA dogs, so I moved on to cleaning the kennels and cattery instead. However, as the floodwaters kept rising, I decided there wasn't much point in cleaning and disinfecting the floor, and started checking on the animals in the lower-lying parts of the shelter instead. After securing tarps over the cages and making sure our drains and rain gutters were clear of obstructions, I barrelled over to Sunway Pyramid to join the SPCA Marketing & Communications team at the PetFinder 3rd Anniversary Charity Fair.

PetFinder is a local online portal with the objective of rehoming animals and reuniting lost pets with their human guardians. Unfortunately, there are no restrictions as to who may utilise its services, so it is widely used by backyard breeders and pet stores as well as rescue groups and animal welfare organisations. Still, any effort to rehabilitate and rehome animals is better than none.

The beneficiaries of the Charity Fair are:
- SPCA Selangor;
- PAWS Animal Welfare Society;
- HOPE;
- Save A Stray;
- MYAnimalCare.Org;
- Malaysian Dogs Deserve Better and Malaysian Cat Care Project; and
- Paws Mission.

While many recognise SPCA and PAWS as registered organisations and MDDB/MCCP and MY Animal Care Org as established animal rescue groups, organisations like Paws Mission and HOPE are new volunteer-run animal rescue and care groups that operate out of the homes of members and volunteers with the help of vets, much like how Project Second Chance started 3 years ago.

The Charity Fair was a resounding success, as the photos below attest:



Nicole and Kelvin attending to customers at SPCA Selangor's merchandise and outreach booth. This is Nic's standard pose.



These puppies were brought in as mascots and have already found homes. Here, the puppies receive some much-needed tender loving care from kind visitors.



Adorable Henry Cats mousepads, keychains and magnets for sale to raise funds for Paws Mission, an animal rescue and welfare group based in Old Klang Road.



Mr. Brownie the Chow-Chow raising funds for his less fortunate brethren.



Case histories, with before and after pics, from MYAnimalCare.Org.

MYAnimalCare.Org is an animal rescue & welfare organisation that also does pro bono public education and awareness work and produces publications for distribution.



"All Lives Are Precious", avers this beautiful sticker produced by MYAnimalCare.Org. I acquired one for That Special Someone and one for myself.



Bola, the 5-month-old Pomeranian, helped to raise funds for his less fortunate canine and feline friends.



"Rescued" may be my favourite breed, but I couldn't resist giving Bola a squeeze.





Adorable cell phone pouches for sale to raise funds for PAWS Animal Welfare Society. The PAWS Animal Shelter (yes, it's still running and it's
still located in Pillmoor Estate) also houses dogs captured by the Shah Alam and Subang Jaya local councils.



Easter cupcakes given out to volunteers at the end of the day. Yummers. I had the blue one and Nic had the pink one.



Escaped helium balloons adhering to the ceiling. Save-A-Stray was offering a balloon for a minimum donation of RM5, so that's RM35 over there stuck on the ceiling.



The fundraising canine team all ready to go home after 2 days of hard work. Poor doggies hardly had any rest. All the visitors wanted a photo opportunity with them.



A group photo of the representatives of the various organisations for posterity.

Cash donations amounting to RM20,362.70 were collected and distributed to the aforementioned organisations, and the organisations collectively made over RM15,000 from the sale of merchandise over the weekend. Heartiest Congratulations to PetFinder on their 3rd Anniversary and many thanks for the funds raised for these deserving animal welfare organisations.

A Candlelit, Contemplative Christmas

It is Christmas Eve, and I am sitting here in my office drafting reports in order to avoid the bad weather and festive season-induced traffic congestion. The past week has been one filled with tribulations. I am ready to put the crisis behind me, move on and do better. I will not let recent events break my resolve to rescue and help animals in need, and I have faith that this time around, I will do things right and that I have the support of my friends in places high and low.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Weekly Roundup, In Photos:



Due to the unpredictable weather, I have been going to the SPCA animal shelter a little earlier on weekends in order to be able to bathe and tickwash the dogs before it rains. Once it is no longer warm and sunny enough to bathe the dogs, I clean and disinfect the kennels and shelter to help keep the shelter safe, healthy, and clean for the animals, staff, volunteers and visitors alike. In this photo, the dogs at the back of the office are let out to play and exercise while I clean out their enclosures.



The SPCA cats curl up and tuck their feet in under their bodies to keep warm when it rains. I cleaned out their enclosures and laid out thicker layers of newspaper for added insulation to ensure that the cats remained warm and dry. Adoption rates are quite encouraging, especially when it comes to kittens. I have treated Neko for worms, fleas and other possible health issues and returned her to the SPCA to be put up for adoption. Her adoption prospects look good, especially with the coming Christmas weekend.



My department had a Christmas tea party and gift exchange on 17th Dec, before everyone went off on Christmas vacation. I contributed nacho chips and salsa and root beer floats to the potluck.



Santa left me a present! I must have been on the "Nice" list after all!



I attended KLPAC Orchestra and Choir's "A Candlelight Christmas" on 18th Dec 2010 with Alicia, Lynette, John, Adrian, David and Adam. And what a treat it was!




A year ago, I came to KLPAC in December for Handel's Messiah. It feels good to see the spirit of the season at KLPAC each year, with its brightly-lit and decorated Box Office, its tree-lined park and its welcoming, unpretentious feel.




Young and talented members of the orchestra delighted the guests at the lobby of the KL Performing Arts Centre (KLPAC) with traditional Christmas carols.



I have always preferred chamber music, but the Christmas performance may have just tipped the balance in favour of a full orchestra!

A Candlelight Christmas

Hark the Herald Angels Sing!

A teaser for those who missed the 3-day special.

May the festive season bring justice, compassion, truth, acceptance and mindfulness to this troubled world of ours. May those whose livelihoods depend on humanitarian work understand the true meaning of service. May those who are cruel, corrupt, avaricious and hypocritical beware, for their Judgment Day will come. May all animal abusers face divine justice. May those whose motives are kind and pure and who assist those who are needy and weak find success in all their undertakings.

Wishing all my friends and gentle readers a joyous Christmas and a blessed New Year.

9th August 2008: Farewell, dear Shasta :’o(

I haven’t much progress to report on the issues of my clinical depression and Project Second Chance, except that I am off Xanax because it makes me sleep. With a workload like mine, I need something that could help me stay awake and survive on 3 hours of sleep a day, not something that would help me sleep. I could sleep at the drop of a hat because I am always so tired and unwell.

I took my skateboard out to Mayang Plaza, about 200 metres away from the Bachelor Officer’s Quarters, on Friday night, to skate for 15 minutes in the hope that it would help me relax. I quit after a while because I found that my mind kept drifting back to Keisha and her kittens, who were still at the SPCA awaiting adoption.

I was at the SPCA very early on Saturday morning as I was anxious to see the cats. The rest of the kitties looked fine, but Shasta was doing quite poorly and looked really thin and gaunt compared to his siblings. His left eye, which had been swollen and rheumy even when he was still living with me, did not seem to be any better, even after all the medicine we had applied. It was worrying me but it looked as though he was losing his eyesight.

Rose arrived and we discussed the shelter animals’ chances of getting adopted. I got the tickwash and bath things ready and proceeded to bathe and medicate the dogs from Kennels G and H and the Pounds. Rose went off for a bit and I continued working solo until interrupted by Erica, a volunteer with a reputation for being pushy, needy and somewhat eccentric. I thought that she had wanted me to do her a favour again, but 4 years of working with legally insane clients have taught me patience and diplomacy, if nothing else.

“Yes, Erica, what can I do for you?” I inquired, keeping my tone pleasant. It was a good thing I did not sound irritable and unwelcome, because it turned out that Erica had seen me working through lunch and had doggie bagged some lunch for me. I was touched and grateful, and it renewed my resolve never to jump to conclusions or be gratuitously rude or impatient. I ate my lunch gratefully in the vets’ office, as the vets let me use their room whenever they are around.

Mazni, who is the shelter caretaker, called me away after lunch with the news that Shasta was having an epileptic fit. My heart sank with the news. I had suspected, after witnessing Shasta having a seizure in my home, that he has epilepsy on top of cerebellar hypoplasia, but I had hoped that it was an isolated incident. It wasn’t. The little one was in pain and bit himself, trembled violently and hurled himself against the bars of the cage, while his fearful siblings watched, uncomprehending. He soiled himself after the fit, and looked weaker and frailer than ever. My heart went out to my little fighter and I held him and tried to help him feel more comfortable.

I made up my mind to bring all the cats home with me, and after having informed Mazni of the same, I got to work cleaning the shelter. I soaped and disinfected the Cattery, the Maternity Kennels, the cooking area, the central area, the puppy cages and the front Recep/Admin area.

Around 1800 hours, I collected the cats from the Cattery at the back and got ready to bring them home. Reve persuaded me to leave Snowy, Mini-Me and Shadow in a big cage in the front area in the hopes of increasing their chances of being adopted. I agreed, on condition that the shelter staff hold on to my cats for me until I come back for them next Saturday. I told Reve of Shasta’s epilepsy and asked if she had any suggestions as to whether and how his health could improve.

Reve told me that as Shasta had multiple disabilities (progressive blindness being the latest one), it would be impossible for us to heal or help him or even give him a significantly higher quality of life. Shasta was, as I suspected, in frequent pain, especially after his epileptic fits, and would never be able to live a normal life like his siblings. I sensed as much, because he had stopped playing in the last few days. Reve asked me to consent to Shasta being put to sleep. I was overwhelmed with grief but I realized that Shasta has a very low chance of survival even if kept alive with medications. I cried and held Shasta, and Reve grieved along with me, but I finally signed the consent letter to let Shasta be put to sleep.

As I brought Keisha home, I prayed that Shasta’s soul would find peace and that I could do better by him in another lifetime. I felt so inconsolably sad and guilty that I wondered if I could ever find happiness again.

I’ve been despondent for so long that I believe there will never again be a day when I will not be sad.

Brand new month

I had the Battletank’s exhaust header, expander and silencer replaced last week. Sold the old parts to a scrap metal dealer to recover some money for food. I have to save and scrimp more so as not to have to dig into my savings, which I plan to invest on land and stocks with.

Woke up on Saturday morning to a text message from R.R. inviting me to a threesome. My first thought was where was it going to be, and how many fuel miles would I have to travel to get there? You know you’re on the wrong side of thirty when you could actually turn down an invitation to a wild party.

Left the ‘Quarters for the SPCA after feeding and cleaning up after the cats. Jake had left for Korea the night before, so things were pretty quiet. I didn’t even feel like watching football on Friday. Arrived at the SPCA and got to work immediately with the kennel dogs. There were a few new admissions to Kennels G and H, and I’m afraid they’ve spread ticks to the others. I made a tub of Tactick solution and shampooed, rinsed and tickwashed each dog. Then I soaped and disinfected the kennels to get rid of any remaining parasites.

A kind man came in with 4 feral puppies he had been feeding and had managed to capture, and he even paid for their vaccination and neutering fees. 2 of the puppies escaped and cowered in a corner, snapping at anyone who tried to pick them up. I went behind the cages and picked them up. They were so terrified that they eliminated waste all over my crocs. Ah well. They are puppies, after all. Great distract-and-flee tactic, though. I cleaned my clothes up and resumed bathing and tick-washing dogs.

There was to be a Vintage Clothes Sale at the shelter on Sunday, 30th June, to sell off as much as the Jumble Sale ware as possible, and so I cleaned up the front Reception/Admin area where the sale was to be held. I soaped and scrubbed the table, benches, sink, floor and gutters and put away the old cages, mops, pails and other junk that didn’t belong there. In the evening, the evening staff let the dogs out to play in the compound so we could clean the shelter. I cleaned the Cattery, cages, puppy area, maternity kennels and central area and we collected rainwater in barrels and pails for washing and rinsing. The monsoon season may be a killer, but it does provide us with a steady supply of freshwater.

Finished cleaning up and bade goodbye to Reve, Linda and Muniandy. On my way home, I purchased a copy of the upcoming week’s ‘The Edge’, as I had been interviewed for their special Green Pullout. Went back to the ‘Quarters, fed and cleaned up after the cats, tidied the place up and drove on back to the parental home. Spent Sunday giving Amber a warm bath, cleaning the parental home, spring cleaning the spare rooms and washing the driveway with, yep, you guessed it: more rainwater. Took Amber and Cody out for a short car ride in the Battletank, followed by longer walks around the neighbourhood.

Went back to the ‘Quarters after dinner. Did the laundry, mopped the floor, and did some research work on the rights of directors and shareholders. This is about as exciting as my Sunday nights get. Now that Mizan has stopped singing at Online, I don’t even go to the pubs anymore. I currently have the social life of Napoleon Dynamite. I really need to get outdoors and do some camping and offroading again soon.

Bowling with the workmates again on Monday night, which was an excruciating waste of time. At 2100 hours, the alley management turned out the lights and switched the ultraviolet lights on for glow-in-the-dark bowling. I couldn’t think of anything more ridiculous. It felt like being on Space Mountain, which I found dreadful and didn’t enjoy at all.

Was relieved to be out of the bowling alley and shopping mall and downed a cheap daiquiri before boarding my train home. It had been raining again and I squelched my way back to the ‘Quarters.

More than half of 2008 has come and gone. I wonder if the ensuing months will bring my country more political and economic stability. I wonder if as a direct consequence of the rising fuel prices, we could make significant cuts (10%? 15%?) in per capita carbon emissions by Christmas. I wonder if, out of boredom, I might want to go for the threesome after all.

21st -22nd June 2008: Monsoon Melancholy

It’s been a rainy week. The landlord has come to check on the leaking roof at the Bachelor Officers’ Quarters and the contractor will soon start work on it, for which I am grateful.

My cousin, Boy Scout, came over and bunked at our Bachelor Officers’ Quarters for 3 days as he had to sort out some matters pertaining to his college registration. The rowdies behaved commendably and did not try to assert their claim over the spare room, although I suspect that Daisy and Chloe slept in his bed while he was out.

My mother had intuited that I’ve been going through a rough patch, and decided that a break from all my care provider duties is in order. We had talked about going on another mother-daughter mall-crawl, and it was decided that she would take the rail transit over to my place on Saturday morning, and I would pick her up at the station and we will then spend the day at Sunway Pyramid.

And so we arrived at Sunway Pyramid around 1100h on Saturday morning, happy to be in each other’s company and looking forward to spending 2 weeks’ worth of transport allowance that I had saved for this occasion. Mum was hungry and so we made Subway our first stop. After a midmorning snack of sandwich and coffee, we proceeded to go through all the shops and laugh at things we would never wear. I encouraged Mum to try on some shoes that we both liked. I was in the process of deciding on a pretty pair of Scholls that we both fancied (yes, Mum and I can and do share clothes) when two belly dancers in full dance regalia walked into the shoe store. I nudged Mum and she pulled me to the seat next to hers, both of us under the assumption that the belly dancers were about to start performing right there in the shop. How we laughed at our own silliness when we realized that they were also there to try on shoes! I paid for the shoes and we went to look at bags.

Boy Scout turned up at the mall to meet his favourite aunt. I asked him to join us at Pancake House for lunch and he was happy to be given a treat. He had the roast chicken set meal while Mum and I indulged our sweet tooth with mango crepe with ice cream and ice cream waffle foldover.

Our mall-crawl resumed after lunch. Upon Mum’s persuasion, I finally bought a handbag that really looked good on me:

PUMA “DAZZLE GIRL”

This sets a dangerous precedent. I hardly ever spend money on myself and here’s Mum telling me “to buy yourself something nice when you really deserve it”. We bought some snacks for Dad and treats for the dogs and called it a day at 1730h.

Went back to the parental home, had tea, took Amber and Cody (also known as: Buster/Cody/Little Big Dog) out for walks and mopped the floor. Mum was too tired to go out for dinner and so I brought our food containers to the food court and had our food packed to go. Cleaned up the kitchen after dinner, tidied the parental home and retired to my room with the newspapers and the latest copy of the Malaysian Naturalist.

Woke up early on Sunday morning. Cleaned up after the dogs and gave Amber a bath. Cleaned the living and dining rooms and polished the furniture, and then I took the recyclables out. Had a quick lunch, gave Amber and Cody their lunches and waved goodbye to the parents.

Arrived at the SPCA in the early afternoon to see Rose still there and hard at work. Halle had been duly neutered and Dr. Pushpa reported that 3 of her kittens had been adopted, which is excellent news, although I am still sad over Little Chip. Rose and the other volunteers had bathed and tick-washed most of the dogs, and so there were only a few new arrivals left to do. We bathed and tick-washed the dogs and I took them out for a run to dry off. After returning to the shelter and letting the dogs into their enclosures, I started soaping and disinfecting the shelter. I scrubbed the Maternity Kennels, Puppery, Hospital, Food Preparation Area and let Linda hose it down. Then I cleaned the Cattery, Reception/Admin areas and Front Kennels while the dogs were out playing in the compound. I soaped and cleaned out a stack of litter trays and water bowls, put away the donated newspapers and took out the trash. Finally, I rinsed off the shelter floor, cleaned myself up, transferred Halle into her carrier and then into the Battletank and drove on home.

Swung by the night market to pick up fresh vegetables, fruit and sandwich bread for the coming week. I’ve managed to save a lot of money over the years by bringing my own lunch to work. Cleaned up the Bachelor Officers’ Quarters, fed and cleaned up after the cats and watched an hour of popular culture bullshit on the telly with the housemates. I’ve come to terms with the fact that I don’t have to be a douchebag to be able to sit through “Psych”, “Eureka” or “Ghost Whisperer”.

14th – 15th June 2008: Farewell, Dear Chip

Halle’s babies, being almost 3 months old, were supposed to be ready for adoption, and I had accordingly made arrangements with the SPCA to have the babies put up for adoption and Halle spayed on Saturday, 14th June.

Sometime during the week the cats were living with my friend who was assisting with fostering, something strange happened to the white kitten, Chip. He was perfectly fine and active on Wednesday morning, but whenthe fosterer came back from the shops, Chip seemed paralysed and unable to move his hindquarters. I was duly informed and that evening, after feeding Amber and the Rowdies, I went over to check on Chip. He didn’t seem to be in any pain although he could not move his hindquarters. We arranged to have him brought to the vet in the morning.

The next morning, however, he was crawling and even attempting to stand up. There were no signs of fever or an infection, and his appetite was hearty. By afternoon, he was walking again. By evening, he was hopping in and out of the litter tray and playing with his siblings. We then concluded that he must have been a little rough in his play and must have hurt his back or legs. In retrospect, perhaps we should have erred on the side of caution and taken him to the vet. But you see, we have given him the best of love and care, and he wasn’t exposed to other cats or animals that could spread disease, and he had been vaccinated and dewormed and showed no sign of illness or injury, and so we believed, in good faith, that he was alright and we had no reason to believe that he would suffer a relapse.

On the morning the cats were to be put up for adoption, I gave them warm baths and dried them with a towel. I gave them a special meal of fish with vitamin supplements and cod liver oil before putting them into the carriers.

When I reached the SPCA and began transferring the kittens into the big viewing cage, I realized with horror that Chip was not moving. He looked lifeless and his limbs were askew. I massaged his little heart and put him next to his mother for warmth. Chip leaned against Halle but made no attempt to suckle. I began crying for him to wake up. “We’ve come this close to finding you a home, Chip”, I begged. “If you are not adopted, I’ll bring you home and look after you. Please, just wake up.”

By 1300 hours, Chip’s vital functions stopped, and fluids flowed out of his tiny body. He was hardly breathing. Dr. Pushpa euthanized him to end his suffering. I cried because I missed him very much already and felt a great sense of loss and regret. Dr. Pushpa said that Chip could be suffering from a congenital problem with his circulation or some other matter, and treatment and medication may not be sufficient to cure him or help him live longer anyway.

Our general worker Maran helped me dig a grave for my little Chip at the animals’ graveyard behind the shelter. I buried Chip with a handful of longifolia flowers and prayed that he will find peace at last. I let him know how much I love him and how sorry I am that I didn’t do better by him.

Resuming my duties at the shelter was difficult. I didn’t feel capable of walking the dogs just yet. In any case, we had a new volunteer that week, a wholesome young man who did a great job of assisting Rose with bathing and tickwashing most of the kennel dogs. I cleaned and disinfected the cattery because I could be alone in there with the cats, without having to speak to any other person. Next, I soaped and disinfected the E and F Kennels while the dogs were out playing in the Dogs’ Playground. Some of the dogs squeezed up against the gate in the hope that I would take notice of them, so I stopped to pet them and talk to them. Rose helped me hose down the soapy enclosures so I could take the dogs out for walks, 2 by 2. Rose and I de-ticked 2 of the dogs that had a particularly resistant strain of ticks. Wolfhound came to help us, and when we were done, we put the tickcide and flea comb away and resumed cleaning the shelter.

A few visitors arrived after we had locked the gates and I was called upon to assist with surrenders and donations. The economic recession is hitting local charities pretty badly. While we still do receive donations from corporations for tax rebate reasons, individuals are less likely to donate cash and pet food to the shelter now that food and fuel prices are soaring. Adoption rates will continue to suffer in months to come, as fewer people will be able to afford landed properties, vet bills or pet food, and more people will have to work longer hours or take up second jobs just to make ends meet. I pray I will still be able to find homes for my little ones once they have been vaccinated or neutered and ready for adoption. I cannot even afford to repair my car or shoes and may not be able to afford premium food for my fur-babies unless I moonlight.

I soaped, scrubbed and disinfected the shelter Reception/Admin areas, puppy area and central area and got ready to clean myself up and leave as Reve had offered to do the rinsing for me. I left the shelter, returned to the Bachelor Officers’ Quarters, showered and drove back to the parental home in time for our early Fathers’ Day Dinner. I gave Dad a boxed fruitcake studded with entire almonds and glace cherries, the kind he loves. We went out to a restaurant nearby for an inexpensive dinner and came home for a dessert of fresh fruit.

Sunday was Fathers’ Day proper. I was up early to bathe Amber and clean the house. I mopped the floor before lunch. After lunch, I dismantled and cleaned the cookerhood, cleaned my Dad’s work area and polished the living and dining room furniture. In the evening, I washed the cars, cleaned the dogs’ cages, washed the driveway and porch and took the dogs out for walks. Went back to the ‘Quarters after dinner. It made me feel sad to see the kittens’ empty cage. I hope they all find good homes.

I’m feeling disproportionately sad and pessimistic right now. But I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep.

31st May -2nd June 2008: Cosmic Blues

There doesn't seem to be very much I want to say these days, except that my career these days seems to be much like the climate change conferences -- full of good intentions and motivation, but stymied by many factors and not really going anywhere.

It's been another busy weekend at the SPCA. I finally got Halle's kittens vaccinated. I've renamed them Chip, Tigger, Java, Jewel, Jet and Gypsy. It's easier to identify them now compared to when they were named Heidi, Hayden, Heath, Henry, Harriet and Heather. The babies should be ready for adoption in 2 weeks.

Rose and I have been washing, grooming and tick-washing the kennel dogs each week, so we have fewer cases of parasitic infection at the shelter now. I'm sure the garlic works too. This week, we bathed the bow-wows from Maternity and Kennel E.

Spent the later 3 hours scrubbing and disinfecting the Cattery, Kennels, Maternity Kennels, Reception/Admin area and central area, after the gates had been locked and the dogs let out to play in the compound and playground.

Went back to the Bachelor Officers' Quarters at night and cleaned myself and the kitties up. Went back to the parental home to spend the rest of the weekend with the parents and Amber.

The parents were to go to Singapore for a few days to help Big Bro and Sis-in-law get their new home cleaned up and their things unpacked, and I was to bring Amber back to live with me in the 'Quarters for a week.

Spent Sunday cleaning the parental home, cleaning the venetian blinds and bathing Amber. Amber and I arrived at the 'Quarters at 2230h on Sunday and I proceeded to get her settled down.

Unfortunately, Halle was utterly hostile to Amber, and provoked my poor sweet doggie, which caused her to erupt in a frenzy of confused and frustrated barking. We had no respite from the barking that night, and so I arranged to have Halle, Keisha and Co. farmed out to a fosterer's house for a week to ease the tension. Amber was happy with the arrangement, as she gets along well with the indoor cats, Chloe, Pixie and Daisy.

Thankfully, my friend was happy to board the cats and had his spare room all cleaned out for them. The initial arrangement was for me to come over after work each day to clean up after the cats, but the foster family had gamely taken on that responsibility too, for which I am touched and grateful.

Here’s to another challenging week ahead.