Bringing them home
I brought foster cats Alba and Luna home today. Alba the very frightened Norwegian Forest cat hasn’t been eating much since her owners abandoned her. As a result, she is very thin. Her companion, Luna, is more receptive to humans but hasn’t been eating well either so she’s pretty thin too.
At the rescue centre, Luna and Alba have been sharing a patio with about 15 other cats that are generally friendly and inquisitive. I place the pet carrier on the floor and immediately a confident black cat decides to enter it and settle in. Very cute but not quite what we need right now! I gently turf her out ready for Luna or Alba.
Catching Luna
Both cats huddle in a baby blue blanket in a big kennel, designed for an Alsatian dog. We start with Luna. I hold the pet carrier on its end with the door open (this is a useful approach to use when you have unwilling cats).
The other cats continue to investigate and I have to shoo them away to keep the path clear for Luna. After some gentle tender strokes, Rachel the volunteer scruffs Luna and pulls her from the kennel. After a little wrestling with the back paws we have her in and secure. Easy peasy!
Catching Alba
Next comes Alba. She is buried deep in the fleece blanket towards the back of the kennel. A beautiful black cat is keeping her company. The volunteer strokes Alba gently around the cheeks and head, extending the caress along the top of her back. Alba seems accepting of this although unsure – she was swallowing intermittently, which is often a sign of uncertainty and stress.
Luna 
Trying to catch Alba 
Alba
Rachel takes Alba by the scruff and pulls her forward. But she loses grip and Alba escapes. Alba circles the patio, looking for a place to hide. She sees it – underneath the kennel. As she hasn’t been eating properly, she is near skeletal underneath the copious layers of fur. Somehow she squeezes into the 5 cm gap beneath the kennel and hides.
We decide to encourage her into an enclosed area where the door has a small gap for the cats to get in and out. This way we can hold the carrier on one side and coax her in from the other.
After a bit of a scramble and more shooing of other cats, Alba is in the carrier and secure. Phew! It’s always stressful for the humans doing this as well. Therefore, having them secure is brilliant.
The journey home
Luna safely strapped in 
Alba secured in the front seat
Alba is quiet in the car but Luna lets me know she is there. This is pretty normal for cats – the louder they are in the car the more normal they are! Cats are usually terrified if they are quiet. In their minds, you will kill them if you know where they are. So quieter is safer.
Once home, I take their carriers into the bathroom. It’s a very small space and ideal for introducing cats to a new place. They have their litter tray, food and water. Now they just need time. For now, they are my new foster cats.
