Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK

Cat General => Our cats stories => Topic started by: Frances on September 22, 2013, 13:20:03 PM

Title: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Frances on September 22, 2013, 13:20:03 PM
I have found a new furry girl to join the boys – meet Eleanor (Ellie).  Ellie is a tripod – she had been caught in a trap, taken to my vets and had an article in the local paper to try to find her owner – see link http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2013/07/29/cat-cheats-death-after-being-snared-in-trap/ (http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2013/07/29/cat-cheats-death-after-being-snared-in-trap/).  Her previous owner never came forward (hmmm) so I went to visit her a couple of times.  I had to wait for her spay to be done but she came home with me on Friday 13 September, complete with buster collar (she’s a stitch nibbler and had previously managed to unpick her amputation stitches). 

Compared to the boys she is so tiny (although I understand a lot bigger than she was when first found).  Her missing leg doesn’t bother or limit her, her size means she’ll be able to get into spaces the boys can’t (I expect to find out what these are in time!) and she has bundles of energy.  The vets reckon she’s about 12-15 months old and semi-long haired – hard to tell when she’s got so many baldy bits from her ops and general fur clipping around her back legs and tail to remove maggots (yuk).  She went back to the vets last Friday for her spay check – yay, collar off and weight gain since her spay – plus her first vaccinations and will be back in three weeks for second vaccs and another weight check.

So far the boys aren’t that impressed with the alien in the cage – particularly when Ellie had the collar on as she’d bang about in her cage like a prisoner rattling a tin cup along the bars.  It’s still (very) early days on the integration front – they have seen each other and scent swapping is in progress.  James, I think, is mortified at the prospect of sharing lap time with another cat and is pretending she’s not there whereas Christopher is intrigued, although Ellie did come out with some fairly fruity hissing when she spotted him.

As :need pics: here are some to be getting on with . . .
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: sheilarose on September 22, 2013, 13:37:59 PM
What an incredibly lucky girl she is, well done Frances for taking her on, I'm sure she will have a wonderful life with you and the boys now.
 ;D ;D ;D
Have you heard of Comfy Collars? I prefer them generally to the cone type as they don't freak the animal out and do allow them to feed, but wonder if it would restrict her movement quite enough to stop her picking out her stitches.

She's utterly gorgeous, I can't believe her owners haven't come forward!  :shify:
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Liz on September 22, 2013, 14:04:08 PM
She is beautiful having a couple of tripods here and she will soon have those boys whipped in to shape ;)

Comfy collar here as well so much better than the head trumpet and worth the investment unless you have an NFC who needs a dog one :-[
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Frances on September 22, 2013, 15:33:27 PM
Thanks sheilarose (now you know why I was asking about cages ;) ) and Liz.  I have heard of Comfy Collars but she was due to have her spay check last Wednesday so thought she'd be okay for 5 days. I hadn't reckoned on the Alcatraz sound effects  :rofl: or her appointment being postponed to Friday.  I think I'll get one in case any of them ever need it (umbrella principle - if you've got one you won't need it).
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: sheilarose on September 22, 2013, 15:41:58 PM
I'm really pleased with my cage. Frances. I've just taken it down as Kuki's spay was so neat she doesn't need to be separated any more, and because Kato has now been re-homed she hasn't got the rough and tumble going on. Hope Ellie's recovery continues apace.  ;D
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Lyn (Slugsta) on September 22, 2013, 17:22:42 PM
What a sweetie! I have a soft spot for tripods after my darling Chivers lost a leg when he was 2 yo - and he lasted for another 16+years after that. I hope Eleanor has such a long and happy life with you  ;D
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Sue P (Paddysmum) on September 23, 2013, 07:58:12 AM




Oh Frances - she's gorgeous, bless her paws.   :wow:  What a dire first year she's had from the sounds of things, but so very glad she's ended up with you now.  :hug: :hug:

Sounds like James and Christopher are actually being very good boys about it all. 

We gave our cage away - an action I do regret, especially seeing how pricey they've become in the intervening years.

Eleanor's a wonderfully Queenly kind of name, neutered or not.  Very regal.   :Luv:  Her fur will grow back, and then she'll show the boys a thing or two, I bet.   ;)
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Jiji on September 23, 2013, 08:51:06 AM
So pleased Eleanor  :Luv: has found a wonderful home with you after all she has been through  :)
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Tiggy's Mum on September 23, 2013, 12:54:29 PM
What an absolute beauty  :Luv: :Luv: :Luv: The poor little thing must have been in agony, thank God the lady noticed her and took her to the vets. Were you on the lookout for a new friend for the boys anyway or did she just steal your heart?  :Luv2:
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Frances on September 24, 2013, 17:30:09 PM
I'd been thinking for some time about getting a third cat. James is very human-orientated so when Christopher wants to communicate in cat, particularly grooming, James gets the hump.  If Christopher insists it usually ends up as a bit of a bish-bosh.  I thought a third, cat-speaking cat might improve things.

Ellie is a bit younger than what I'd been looking for but when I saw her in the paper it was definitely :Luv:.  She does have cuddlebum tendencies but she's young, in a strange place and had two pretty major ops in three months.  Christopher is definitely curious about her; James is doing the feline equivalent of sticking his fingers in his ears and going la la la.

Ellie and Christopher already have something in common - they are both very food orientated!  She managed to find and "kill" half a packet of Dreamies yesterday :naughty:; fortunately no ill-effects in her tray today.
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Lyn (Slugsta) on September 24, 2013, 19:51:27 PM
Butter wouldn't melt...  :Luv2:
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: sheilarose on September 24, 2013, 22:04:49 PM
Oh my  :Luv2: :Luv2: :Luv2:
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Sue P (Paddysmum) on September 25, 2013, 07:25:44 AM



What do they say about a picture painting a thousand words........  :evillaugh: :evillaugh:
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Dawn F on September 25, 2013, 08:49:23 AM
oh she is a sweetheart!!  I'm being very slow with my intros for newbie willow - am putting it off  :naughty:
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Rosella moggy on September 25, 2013, 09:14:25 AM
Oh isn't she just lovely  :catluv:
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Gill (sneakiefeline) on September 26, 2013, 16:21:08 PM
Ellie is  :Luv2:

My Ducha was a tripod and he used to fly around at a million ,iles an hour and up and down the stairs and he was  13/14 when he came to me.

He even got over the fence and heard scrabling on the other side cos path was lower so helped him back although he was nearly over and back.

I never saw him as a 4 legged cat but think he would just have been a bigger version of monster cat Lupin  :innocent:
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Purdy Bear on September 26, 2013, 18:44:14 PM
Aww she is totally gorgious.  It continues to amaze me how much cats can go through and walk away to find their forever home.   :hug:
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: girlinleeds on September 26, 2013, 19:16:13 PM
shes beautiful  :Luv2: :Luv2:
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: kittiesmom on October 02, 2013, 16:25:56 PM
 :Luv2: What a little cutie, definitely full of mischief.  :Luv2:
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Frances on October 04, 2013, 22:27:09 PM
My Ducha was a tripod and he used to fly around at a million ,iles an hour and up and down the stairs
yes, this sounds familiar although as she is still getting used to being *ahem* legless  :-[ her cornering is a bit haphazard
He even got over the fence . . .
no chance of this at the moment until she has her final vaccs
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Frances on October 04, 2013, 23:22:49 PM
Sooo, an integration update . . . last weekend I moved Ellie out of the cage in the living room and she now has the dining room as her space which gives her much more room to move around.  It also means she now has a hooded litterbox (which wouldn't fit in the cage) so there's a lot less litter being flung about :rofl:.  Her coat is growing back really quickly – no more baldy bits – and although she is predominantly black, her back is definitely “pepper and salt” with no discernable pattern.

The good news is the boys get their living room back.  They couldn't quite believe the cage had gone and I think James hoped that meant Ellie had gone too.  He'd already expressed his opinion about her by vomiting all the way up the stairs :sick:.  The bad news is that they boys have to pass the dining room door to get to their litter tray.  Christopher expressed his opinion about this by peeing on the front doormat :sick: so there is a temporary (I hope) litter tray by the front door which seems to have solved the short-term problem.

An integration opportunity presented itself when Ellie got into the front room while Christopher was there.  He was on the window cill and she didn’t spot him at first; when she did, she got onto the sofa and slowly moved towards him.  I was just thinking “well, this is going okay” when she launched herself at him, hissing furiously, and then backed off.  They then had a bit of a hissy growly “conversation” and then moved away from each other.  This all took about 10 minutes after which Christopher looked liked he’d had (more than) enough so I took Ellie out of the room.

Does this sound promising? :-:
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Sue P (Paddysmum) on October 05, 2013, 05:39:25 AM

Hi Frances.  The new pics are great. 

I think it is promising.  The boys are expressing their concerns in the vomiting and the inappropriate weeing, but given they're now sharing some space, albeit reluctantly is a good move.

Am hoping good ground will be covered in the week ahead, and seeing what your next progress report will be.  Goyt everything crossed here!  :evillaugh:
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Sue P (Paddysmum) on October 09, 2013, 13:15:31 PM



How are things progressing Frances? 
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Frances on March 22, 2014, 22:46:57 PM
I thought it was about time I updated this thread. :-[

On March 13, six months to the day when Eleanor arrived, all three cats sat on or next to me on the same sofa at the same time. :Luv:  Not just sat, they slept. :Luv2:  This is not to say that all is now sweetness and light – there are times when the swearing and fisticuffs is like living in an episode of Shameless :Crazy: – but overall, James, Christopher and Eleanor have now come to an accommodation.

James has definitely asserted himself as senior/alpha cat – she hisses at him, he hisses back, she (usually) shrugs and backs off.  Sometimes she waggles her stump at him first; she is certainly an alpha cat in waiting.

Eleanor does manage to scare the bejasus out of Christopher – she makes a move towards him, he runs off and of course that gives her something to chase.  On the other hand, they are quite happy to eat next to each other and do have the occasional nose-touch.

Eleanor’s coat has now grown out fully and the "pepper and salt" effect is much less obvious; she also now has proper trousers and a fully-fluffed tail.  She’s a lot less food-obsessed than she was and is starting to learn some manners when it comes to sharing out Dreamies. ;)

It's been an "interesting" six months, what with the room-juggling, litter tray arrangements and making sure that each of them had "personal time" with me and there were a few times when I wondered if taking on a third cat was such a good idea. :tired:  But, as I told the boys a couple of months ago, she's here to stay and you'll just have to work it out between you.  And so far, they are. ;D
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Rosella moggy on March 23, 2014, 09:45:21 AM
Oh Frances.  What a corker she is  :Luv2: :Luv2: :Luv2: :catluv:

So glad that things have settled down.  We are currently relatively settled here to (says she touching wood) except Groucho (Eleanor's twin) is a devil for lying in wait and chasing the others but no vet visits needed following these encounters and the inappropriate peeing has all but completely stopped  :crossed:

We just have to learn to enjoy these moments of peace whilst we can  :hug:
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Lyn (Slugsta) on March 23, 2014, 18:22:23 PM
Eleanor is a beauty! I'm glad to hear that they are managing to sort themselves out.
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Gill (sneakiefeline) on March 23, 2014, 20:30:04 PM
So pleased things going well and hope cathy rread this thread cos time and patience is the way.

lupin is worried about sasa who swears at him and then the next minute he is chasing her!
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Sue P (Paddysmum) on March 24, 2014, 07:23:03 AM


Lovely to see her looking so relaxed and "at home"   :Luv:
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Tigerlily (Allison) on March 30, 2014, 19:55:52 PM
She's looking great Frances  :Luv:
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: GRoberts99 on April 11, 2014, 10:42:14 AM
Beautiful!!!  :innocent: :Luv: :)
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Frances on May 01, 2014, 21:11:24 PM
Today is all three cats’ “offishul” birthday.  Christopher was given May 1 by Teresa when he arrived at Paws Inn in 2008 – he was still a kitten :Luv: and easier to age.  James was fully grown when he arrived in 2010 and Teresa thought he was between 4 and 5 (and he wasn’t telling :shify:), so it was simplest to give him the same date when I insured them.  Eleanor was thought to be between 15 and 18 months in July 2013, so she got the same date too! (I'm not always this unimaginative :-:)

Official birthdays mean official pictures . . .
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Lyn (Slugsta) on May 01, 2014, 22:04:01 PM
Happy birthday to the Terrible Three.
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: CarolM (Wendolene) on May 01, 2014, 23:13:33 PM
Oh my word - I love the pic of Christopher and Eleanor together.  James of course is as handsome as ever.
Happy Birthday to all three.  I hope it was extra treats day in your household Frances.
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Sue P (Paddysmum) on May 02, 2014, 07:13:38 AM
Oh my word - what a lovely way to start the day.  The piccies are fab Frances - I love the one of Christopher and Eleanor, because they look so relaxed together, and then James - debonair James - he's got the most wonderful face.   :Luv2:
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Dawn F on May 02, 2014, 16:22:19 PM
great photos, a legacy to everything Teresa did
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Gill (sneakiefeline) on May 02, 2014, 17:08:54 PM
Happy birthday all 3  :Luv2: :Luv2: :Luv2:
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Tiggy's Mum on May 02, 2014, 20:15:28 PM
Happy Birthday to the beautiful trio  :Luv2: :Luv2: :Luv2:
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Rosella moggy on May 03, 2014, 10:09:41 AM
Belated burffday wishes to James, Christopher and Eleanor.  Sorry I missed it but hope you all had a super birthday kids  :)

:wooooo: :wooooo: :catlove2: :cheer: :bee: :drool; :yayyy: :Applause: :dance: :Applause: :yayyy: :drool; :bee: :cheer: :catlove2: :wooooo: :wooooo:
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: hollycat on April 08, 2015, 01:56:04 AM


I know I am very late to this thread Frances, I came upon a link in another thread, 'Sparky's successor and I must say Eleanor is gorgeous  :Luv2:
and the pic of James, what a handsome boy he is.

How is Eleanor doing now?  ;D
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Frances on April 08, 2015, 19:58:11 PM
No problem Andrew :).  I started this thread because I knew that integrating Eleanor with the boys was going to be “interesting”, partly for support from others who had done it before and partly as a record of how things went – two steps forward and one step back at times :tired:.

Eleanor is no longer the stroppy overgrown teenager she was when she arrived.  She’s now a bossy adult with loads of energy, enormous curiosity and the language of a navvy – yes, she’s turned into a hoolicat :naughty: :evillaugh:. 

She can still be feisty with the boys but they now bop her back.  I’m sure James still hopes she’ll go away but he can reach places she can’t if he needs to escape; I think Christopher is a little bit besotted with her, and they have a shared passion for fud :Luv2:. 

So, 18 months on (really?! :Crazy:) I know I’ll never get a picture of them cuddled up together but for three unrelated adult cats they’re not doing too badly.
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Sue P (Paddysmum) on April 09, 2015, 06:36:58 AM


Frances, I think you've so beautifully illustrated there how well cat integration can work, even when it seems to us to be different to what we want to achieve.   :) :hug:
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: hollycat on April 09, 2015, 14:21:18 PM


Glad she is doing so well. Just like a female cat to take over  :rofl:
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Frances on May 01, 2016, 15:20:21 PM
It’s now two and a half years :shocked: since Eleanor’s arrival and their offishul birthdays have come round again.  James is now 10 (ish, only he knows :shify:), Christopher is eight :innocent: and Eleanor, unbelivably, :Crazy: is four. 

Birthday pics below
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Frances on May 01, 2016, 15:21:51 PM
More pictures from the last few months . . .
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Sue P (Paddysmum) on May 01, 2016, 19:49:22 PM
Great photos Frances
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Cloveart on February 10, 2017, 20:53:32 PM
Eleanor is a great name for a cat. It recalls the song, Lady Eleanor.
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Gill (sneakiefeline) on February 11, 2017, 00:27:07 AM
 MISSED THESE PICS FRANCES AND DIDNT REALIZE ALL WERE BLACK AND SO GORGEOUS  ;D ;D
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Judecat (Paula) on February 11, 2017, 23:09:02 PM
Eleanor looks very similar to my Emo, and when did you sneak in and nick my kitchen tiles Frances? :rofl:
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Sue P (Paddysmum) on February 13, 2017, 11:59:41 AM
Funny, cos I was just thinking Frances has got my moon-gazing Hare too!  :evillaugh:
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Frances on May 01, 2017, 22:16:02 PM
Another May Day, another offishul birthday:  James :Luv: is now 11, Christopher :Luv2: is nine and Eleanor :naughty: is five.

Will sort out some pictures - the last lot I took are a mix of furry blurs and black cats in coal cellars :-:.
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Sue P (Paddysmum) on May 02, 2017, 05:38:43 AM
 :evillaugh: :evillaugh:  Only time I can Nick pictures of ours is when they're asleep.   Happy anniversary beautiful coal black babies xxxxx
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Judecat (Paula) on May 02, 2017, 09:30:42 AM
:evillaugh: :evillaugh:  Only time I can Nick pictures of ours is when they're asleep.   Happy anniversary beautiful coal black babies xxxxx
I suppose that photographing imaginary cats poses all sorts of difficulties and challenges. ;) :rofl:
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: Sue P (Paddysmum) on May 02, 2017, 09:42:47 AM
Dey do , Paula - dey do 'sackly that.   :evillaugh:
Title: Re: Introducing Eleanor
Post by: alisonandarchie on May 04, 2017, 20:48:56 PM
AREN'T THEY LOVELY :Luv:

SENDING BELATED BIRTHDAY WISHES TO THE GORGEOUS THREE :Luv2: