My sweet little Tumnus

It has taken him awhile but he is finally on speaking terms rather then spitting terms with Salem. Salem acted like he was very affraid of Tumnus but I think honestly it was because when Salem would vocalize, Tumnus didn't hear him and would keep advancing on him which Salem took as an agressive move.

I have actually caught these two laying close to each other and Salem will even bathe him from time to time. Rufus still is his best friend AND Tumnus will even tuck his head into his chest or his stomach.

Over this winter I have had a heating blanket on my bed (yes, in Florida) and found that there is no better way in the world to attract cats. They are absolute whores for the heating blanket. Tumnus gets up on the bed and almost behaves as if he is drugged or drunk. At times one of them will get hot and roll over on their back and show off their guts or move to the head of the bed to get away completely.

Today my daughter and I had done some work in the front yard, after cleaning the porch we decided to sit out there for a little so we brought Tumnus out, he stalked around the flower bed, moving slowing, but observing everything, sniffing everything. He never offered to run or even walk outside of the front flower bed area. It was fun to watch but we were VERY careful with him because it would be a disaster if he got away from us since he can't hear. He is ill equipped for the cold hard world out there.

I made up a makeshift petdoor for the sliding doors today. I don't have the $200 that the real ones cost so I made one up out of scrap and YES its ghetto but it does the job AND I will paint it to match the walls its around, there is also a curtain that hangs in front of it. Its getting warmer here and I can't leave the sliding door open so they can come and go from the screened in porch but for the sake of my dog Cinders, I have to have it open. Salem was the first to figure it out, we shoved each animal out through the door and Salem and Tumnus came back through. Rufus took his time and as far as I know Cinders is still outside, we made sure she has water but she has to learn how to use it. I put it on the left hand side of the sliders and they have been used to using the right hand side and I'm sure thats what the confusion is.

Tumnus' first visit to the vet.

One morning Diane came to me and told me that Tumnus had a swollen place in his ear. I checked it and recognized something that had happened to a cat I had years ago. Tumnus had a Hematoma in his ear.

We had to take him to the vet to have surgery and leave him overnight. I hated to do it because I was affraid he would be traumatized and think we had left him. He had been handed around before he came to us and I didn't want him to think he would never see us again.

I was SO proud when the bet took him out of his crate, the first words out of the doctors mouth was "what a pretty little white cat"...I always think the same thing when I see him.

He did fine and is back home now...he is going to have to wait an additional week to get his stitches out but they don't seem to bother him. He has been sleeping with me alot recently which is always nice.

He loves to be held now and purrs like a buzz saw...he is so cute and loving. When he first got home from the vet...he didn't want Salem to get too close to his ear...he let Salem know it and swatted him good. Its funny how someone so small can strike fear into Salem. I just have to laugh at the pretty little white cat with the spirit of a lion.

February 25, 2007

My little Tumnus has been a hard case. He has always been pretty but not very friendly...at least until this last week. He has decided to break down and love us like we have been loving on him. He sleeps next too me in bed and has in general become a love bug, literally overnight. He purrs all the time. When he is not laying next too me, he is laying about the house in a very interesting place, almost displaying himself to be admired. I am glad he has finally warmed up, I can't imagine that a distant and grouchy cat could be very happy. He still gets annoyed from time to time, when he does, he exhales through his nose loudly, like he is really peeved, its very funny. My two other cats, Salem and Rufus are a little affraid of him because he has let them know not to go to far. Its very funny to watch.
Just now he was laying in the bed next to me while I watched TV, he had fallen asleep so soundly that he drowled a little on the pillow and left a wet spot, now thats a relaxed kitty.

January 23, 2007

I finally got some pictures of my little baby kitty uploaded. He is not really a baby because he is 6 years old but he is so small, he is like having a baby around all the time.
Pets deserve to have a stable home, to live their whole lives in a loving, stable place. Tumnus lived with an older woman but then she had to give him up. The foster people took good care of him and thought they had found him a new home. As it turned out the female cat they already had tormented Tumnus so they returned him to the foster family.
When Tumnus came to us he was beautiful to look at but you could tell he didn't want to be held or loved on and he would fight my other two cats when they wanted to get close.
Well we have had him for about 2 months now. We love on him all the time, even when he acts like he doesn't want it. My daughter carries him around like he is a doll. We talk to him all the time, telling him how pretty and sweet he is. I think he hears us because he is becoming more and more sweet and loving.
The picture of him in the bed is a sign of how he is warming up in general. That is my Rufus in the bed with him. I didn't pose this at all, I was surprised to find them like this. Tumnus now lets Rufus bathe him and love on him. The night I found them in the bed together, Tumnus was curled up with his face against Rufus' belly, nuzzling him in such a sweet way.
You might wonder where Tumnus got his name. When I was younger I read the Chronicles of Narnia. Its full of interesting names. Tumnus was in the first book, The Lion Witch and the Wardrob. He is a fawn, man from the waist up and fawn waist down. Tumnus has a way of running and jumping that reminds you of a deer. He can jump so high its like he has wings. Its funny to watch because my other two cats are SO big, they can barely pull themselves up, Tumnus has no problem.
There are times when he gets fruity and frisky, thats when I call him Cool Whip. All the cats have nick names, Tumnus is on the way to having several.
I know when I first saw him, I thought he looked like a movie star. He has pretty blue eyes and long whispy white fur. He has a sort of grand attitude as well.
You know how some cats aren't the snuggle bug type? Well Tumnus is learning. It warms my heart to see him happy and content. My favorite is when he lets us hold him like a baby, he purrs like a little engine. Finally relaxed, sleeping being pretty like cats should be.
I was so thrilled when I found Tumnus sleeping with Salem. Salem is a sweet cat however he is very vocal and I think this is what upset Tumnus. He has been slower to warm up to Salem. They slept for hours like this, under my desk. Not as close as he did with Rufus but thats coming.
In spite of Tumnus slapping at him, Salem and Rufus don't raise a paw at him, they just seem perplexed when he gets upset. That hasn't happened in some time now though.
Tumnus is little but he doesn't realize it, he acts like he is a lion, fearless at times, thats why I also call him Tumnus the Lion Hearted.

This afternoon, Rufus was sleeping in the bed, I put Tumnus in there with him and of course Tumnus (ever the tough guy) hissed but settled down to sleep with his big, fat brother. They were so cute. Thank goodness Rufus is a laid back (half conscience actually) cat. Poor Salem is left out most of the time so he is clinging to me more.