New Black Cats - 2 small 'Panthers' to care for

Hello - at last some better news for a change!
First - Tom is settling where he is (in prison,) and has at last sent us a visiting order to go and see him this week - only the second time we have seen him to speak to, since he has been inside. It took him long enough to work out how to arrange it!

I am sitting in our front room, at my PC, waiting to see if Cleo, our new black female cat will venture in here and start knocking the ornaments off the window-sill or nibble the houseplants. We obtained our 2 new cats 2 days ago - they are a handsome brother and sister aged just 7, sleek black British shorthairs, not pure-bred, with no white bits at all (perhaps a few white hairs on their chests). She's just been in here and gone out again... Her brother is Charlie - he is bigger but much more nervous, and is hiding under a cabinet or cupboard in the corner of the living room, where they were first introduced 2 days ago. Getting them here was a right old performance - we only had use of our single cat carrier, and had to make two car journeys. The previous owners were supposed to lend us a basket, but could not find it (silly so & so's). I have ordered another basket, but it's not arrived yet. Thus poor old Charlie had to wait in our house, while we went back for his sister - he was here for half an hour, alone in a strange place... perhaps he was a bit traumatised. We had no choice. Cleo has just walked in and was pretty relaxed straight away - she let me stroke her, and walked all about, looking around. (She's now climbing up on everything in this room, and has leaped from the cabinet top onto the sofa! Before that she went dangerously near all the PC wires and then up by the plants on our antique wooden chest and the window-sill, looking out into the road.)

The cats already had these names (Charlie & Cleo)- but they suit, and we can live with them - it's confusing for them to change their names. They need eveything possible to help them to settle in here - in a strange house, plus two strange people. They can get to know Tom next year, when he's out of prison. They were used to young men - where they were, there was a young guy of 19 who was feeding them, under protest. Their owner, his mother - a woman who shared my first name, has now a new partner with a dog and 2 other cats, so there is no longer room for these two. Her son did not want them - too much baggage for him. So the local rescue service had them on their "urgent" list for rehoming - and we put in an offer. I think that 7 years is not too old for cats to adapt, and to have several good years of healthy living ahead of them. Whitton (our old cat) lived to be nearly 18; many cats are fit until they are 15-plus. We have now had them for 2 days - they have caused some havoc or mayhem - books and papers knocked ont he floor at night, "puddles" in the hall, from Cleo - and torn up cat litter paper and grit all over the floor - but that's cats for you. We cannot let them out for at least 2-3 weeks. Charlie is so nervous he might run away and get lost. And they will have to encounter Jack, the 9 year old tabby neuter male puss next door - Whitton's old buddy. Cleo has already seen him out of the window, and was very interested - maybe romance will blossom there! But Charlie and Jack could have a few fights ahead of them, as Jack controls the territory for now. Cleo is likely to be the 'softener'; she will intrigue Jack...

I have already invested in some special 'Feliway' ferramone diffuser which is supposed to make cats feel less stressed - plus a spray which one can put on doorposts, chairs etc, so that it seems as if the cats have marked their territory. I have got them catnip mice, and play balls, plus 2 smart new collars (not touched or used yet). Their ID tags are ordered, and we have bought more litter and crunchy biscuits (good for their teeth). I added a catnip spray to make their toys and bedding more appealing. I had already ordered a 'scratching post' from an animal charity - so far Cleo has preferred the chair back - and Charlie has been too timid to venture out for more than 10 minutes. His best period was last night, when he came out and sat ont he window sill behind the curtain, looking out into the dark of the back garden. I was then able to stroke him properly. He's back in hiding today. The cats are fine at eating their food - doing well. Charlie's food is put just by where he is hiding - he puts his head out to eat it, and had drunk and used his litter tray too. We put our hands under there to stroke him - he's quite gentle, and seems to respond.

Cleo has begun to be truly affectionate - she climbed on to our shoulders, purring - she nibbled my ears and hair! She is sitting on a fleece mat on Whitton's old armchair, settled and comfortable, in the evening. It's so nice to have cats again, that it is worth the chaos (I find it most first thing in the morning). We may have to separate them at night, as we have noticed a raw place on the back of Cleo's neck and some fur clumps on the hall carpet - perhaps Charlie was "going for" her, sexually. We once had a black neutered pair (Louie and Ping Pong, our first ones) - not related: the male would try to mate with the female, who struggled. They do this, even when they are neutered, as these two are. We always had to keep them apart at night too.

Next week the cats will have their first big trip to the Vet's - to have their anti-FIV injections, and to be generally checked up. They will be microchipped too - in case they stray, or God forbid, get injured somewhere and need to be identified. We will arrange flea, ear and worm treatment... All these things will cost something. I hope we have the 2nd cat basket by then - but the adoption agency could lend us one. The cats have been hard work so far - it is just as well that Tom is under control somehwere (but a pity it has to be prison), and Eric's "estate" business is less in need of attention now. We will revisit E's flat next week to clear the last of the furniture. Fortunately E's nephew has now taken over much of the business (as the blood relation, he had to, under law - as E. left no will.) I wrote to people who sent flowers, sent donations, wrote or came to the funeral, to thank them - only about 10 people, or 6-7 letters.

It's lovely too have puss-cats again - I hope they will become truly beloved pets, as Whitton was, and others before him (Zebedee, Brownie, Bo, Pong and Louie). We just need the big male puss, Charlie to thaw out a little. He will, given time. Cleo is wonderful - so sweet natured and lovable. She could have been with us already for 5 months or even a year. They were both described as friendly, easy cats - so they should be before too long. At least there are no noisy children, crying babies or loud, chaotic teenagers to disturb them, and this is a quiet road. Really, our place is ideal for cats. Check in a few days or weeks - they should both be settled in well by then, maybe going outside in another 3 weeks. I'm signing off now, with miaows and purrs from the two small panthers ("panthers" are black leopards or pumas - not a reference to the "Black Panthers")!

Love, peace and pawprints - Tigey.

PS - ADDED 3 DAYS LATER (12th Nov.) - The pusscats are just starting to settle in. Cleo is fantastic; she's so adaptable (a female characteristic!). She's been curling up on our double bed, sitting on D's lap, purring and generally "at home". I have let her in the front living room (see above) and since then, my own bedroom - which is small, full of papers, books, my late daughter Alice's dolls/teddy-bears and photographs, and I can't get under the bed for things stored there! But she just jumped up on the desk and looked out at life out in the street. If we just had her, we could start letting her out - I am sure she now thinks we are her family and this is home. (They have a better deal here than their last place, I'm sure. The garden there was shrub and treeless, with old plastic bags blowing about - on a council estate.)
But though poor Charlie (her brother) started coming out for a short while, something else scared him so he found another "hidey hole" in an open cupboard where we put waterproofs, woolly hats, scarves etc., at the foot of the stairs. He burrowed in there and won't come out except to defecate - on the door mat! So I had to move his litter tray and feeding bowls to that area, near the front door. I had to put his food right into the cupboard, so he'd eat it. He is a big wuss! He seems reluctant to accept that we're now his "people", and this will be his new territory. He may be mourning his old territory, which (as a male cat it matters more) he's lost since his move. I've continued spraying and using the pheramone diffuser, but to little avail. Cleo now has her new yellow collar on, with our's and the vet's phone numbers engraved thereupon. He needs to wear his collar and tag in case he gets lost if he manages to escape from here before he knows this is "home". Cheerio again - Tigey.