Hi,

Been in Oz 2 weeks now, and finally got some internet time to post a message.

Went to go see Kitty at Bayford last week Monday, it was the only time we could arrange a lift with some family here (everyone works and Bayford is some 70 km+ away from where we stay)

Kitty is not looking well. her fur is looking very dull, and the look of sheer terror in her eyes caused my wife to just burst out in tears.

She would not come down from the 'watch tower', and hissed and snarled at us (obviously letting us know how upset she is with us) which in turn caused my wife to just cry more.

I managed to get a step ladder so I could reach her, and after a bit of coaxing she allowed me to rub her. She just looked very very very terrified of everything. She is by nature a scared cat, being a rescue cat.

2 more days (saturday) and we can go fetch her. Opens at 08:00, and we plan to be there as the door opens. Bought a satnav so I won't get lost, and arranged a car to drive.

As for the place, it was not bad, apart from the fact that the holding pens were accessible to anyone. When we were there, a family with some children were visiting their cat, and the kids were running from pen to pen banging on the other doors, trying to see the cats inside. I can just imagine how scared kitty must get if that happens often.

I can understand that children are excited to see all the kitties, but it is traumatic enough without that sort of intrusion. I addressed my concern about this, and the people at Bayford assured me they will look into it, as it is not allowed.

We been buying lots of cool stuff for kitty, but still trying to find a nice activity centre for her. She loved the one we had in the uk.

As for Oz itself, GREAT. love it here. Originally from South Africa, so this feels more like home to me than the UK did.

Hope everyones animals are safe, and get returned to them soon.

Not long now and you'll have her home, then it'll all be forgotten.

We've got 2 cats and a dog and i'm dreading the flight and the 30 days in jail. I've just booked them into a cattery/kennel for when we go to Portugal in July and i wanted to cry just booking them in for a week They've never stayed anywhere other than home before, but we've decided to 'break' them in gently by letting them board while we're away for our holiday.

Sorry to hear that, dedmeet, but I bet you'll find that she was better after your visit. Ours certainly seemed to be reassured that we hadn't totally abandoned them, from the calls we had with the carer.

We went up again today - like your place, the Sydney one is a fair drive and we've been unable to get up again before now due to The Geek's work commitments.

I had a lovely cuddle with my girl Bo, full half an hour sitting on the stone floor with her on my knee before I even saw the boys! She enjoyed her fresh chicken. She feels fine and looks fine, coat looks better than in Singapore - I wonder if she's getting her first winter coat? She's still mean to the carer but let her feed her some of the chicken and we left some for her to bribe her with tomorrow, so she may finally come round.

My baby boy Fu (2 years as opposed to nearly 6) has put weight on! Nothing puts him off his food. We took him to visit Han and, unlike last time, they teased each other and jumped around, didn't hiss at all.

Han has charmed the carer, as he does everyone. She was stressing because he's lost 250g but he's a typical skinny Singapore cat, and I fed him up before they travelled so he's probably just getting back to normal, at 4.5kg. I took Han to visit his sister, Bo, as they've never been separated before, but she still hissed a little when he took up residence in her igloo. Han has realised he can get out when somebody goes in his pen, and today he went for a walk up the corridor! He would be quite safe wandering round the station but I know they're not allowed to let him. He's a people cat though, he does need company.

Not long now - we're picking them up on 30th - but I still had a little cry when we left. Not least because Bo wouldn't let me take my hand out of her igloo when I said bye-bye, kept getting hold of me with her paw.

We've shipped a 2 of our 4 cat stands so they have something familiar to come home to (shipping being delivered next tuesday ) but I found this last night, looks fun.

http://www.funkycat.com.au/index.htm

Hi Karen,

I am in animal transportation and would be very happy to provide you with a quote and a step by step guide to the procedure. We also book quarantine, provide the containers, and wil provide you with the government veterinary entry details for Importing into Oz.

Please feel free to call me 0845 052 0013.

Kate

Hi, I got a quote from Golden Arrow in Shropshire and Air Pets in Manchester for my Golden Retriever, was quoted between £2000 and £2500 plus quarantine when I get to Perth. The cat was £1000 plus quarantine but they're worth it

Hi all - I would really like some reassurance that our boy will be OK. We have a chocolate labrador that is very clingy to me. I am with him all day every day unless I go out for a couple of hours and the whole time I am here he just follows me from room to room. I can't bear the thought of leaving him here but also can't stand the thought of a month in quarantine plus flights etc.

We are going to take him no matter what but would it be best to visit him regularly or would that just make him worse. How often are you allowed to visit and what about walks, do you have to book somebody for that too.

Do some dogs pine really badly?

Thanks

I wonder what kind of parent allows their kid to go doing that to cats in a kennel?

Probably a parent that thinks their kid can do whatever it likes on the excuse that it loves animals.

I bet the Byford staff were not happy to hear of that, those poor cats. No excuse for it, their parents should have had better control - whether or not their kids were excited, it is not acceptable behaviour and I do wonder how they let the kids treat their own cats in the house.

Dedmeet, I hope your cat settles into Australia well. It took my Gordon quite few weeks to adapt to the space of our house - being an indoor cat.

He is now adjusting to the temperatures and it is quite funny, these temperatures in the UK would have him feeling the heat.

But in Perth he is freezing and enjoys being wrapped in a blanket.

Keep us updated about your cat though, I would love to know how Kitty is doing.

someone my partner knows is taking their pets to oz for a 8 month holiday, then they are coming back again! ( from the UK by the way!)

Hi,

Finally got the internet back up (seems to be an issue with the line here)....

Kitty has now been home 3 days. I bought a satnav, so we did not get lost getting to Byford. Arrived there as they opened the doors, not wanting Kitty to spend one second longer.

All in all it has gone well. The trip back was a bit long for her, but you could see she was already happy to be on her way home. She even looked way better than when we visited.

At home she has spent the first day and a half in the bedroom we have (which is in comparison a mansion to what she had the last month)
She was attention starved. Not letting us out of her sight, running between us, soaking up the love. She is also sleeping on the bed with us - which she had never done before. The first day we took turns to spend her. Not leaving her alone for one second.

On day 2 she explored the whole house, but it was an interesting affair, as my parents in law also have a cat (small female called Maggie, who's temprament is similar to Kitties). We had to juggle their occupance of the house area.

On day 3 they finally met, end result was a lot how growling, hissing, and then both sulking off to their 'safe areas' - more to come on this as it evolves.....

Mel bought Kitty this amazing stand - just over 6 foot tall. When I find where I have left my camera I will post a picture. It is really big, and Kitty has already taken to it.

Well, enough of my insane cat ramblings.

Kitty is doing well, my wife is happy as pie - what else can I want ? Oz - ah wait already done that mate

Cheers everyone.

I'm obviously in an emotional mood as that post, and last sentence in particular, has me in tears.

Bo, Han and Fu come out on Friday. Our furniture comes today, including 2 of their favourite stands and their old bowls, blankets, even their familiar litter box I also have microwaveable heatpads ready for them.

All the best for your new life, and enjoy sharing the bed with Kitty. It's a good job ours is a superking as it may get crowded...wouldn't be the first time but I'll put up with it.

I cant describe Gordon as attention starved when he came out of quarantine as I know the girls in there fussed him alot and referred to him as 'Gordy'.

He became very distressed when we took him away from his kennel maid and was frantically pawing at the cage to get to her.

He would often smell of their perfume where they had been hugging him.

However the first couple of weeks after quarantine and even now, he would become distressed if we left him.

When I get home from work he is waiting by the door screaming, he has only just started sleeping downstairs instead of outside our bedroom door.

I know the quarantine staff fuss the cats, I can tell by the way my cat bonded with them.

But what I don't know is how the overall effects of the flight and quarantine along with the strange and extreme noises of travelling on a plane have affected him.

In most ways he is a different cat, still an indoor cat as I dont want him killing the wildlife. He loves his life but is far more clingy with us than he has ever been.

My guess is that Kitty was well loved and looked after but perhaps putting them through the whole process affects them more than we realise.

Glad she is doing well though I was worried about her.

hi,

Found my camera, posted a pic of kitty's new stand here:

http://www.dedmeet.com/index.php/com...,27/page,view/

Hi,

Been a while since I posted here, been busy settling in.

We moved to WA, now living in Waikiki. Just moved in 4 weeks ago, (a rental for now) and I must say, about half the places we looked at considered pets. The one we finally moved in, did not consider pets, but we paid a 100 dollars cat bond, and the agents/owners were happy to accept Kitty, especially after we explained that she is fully house trained.

Personally I/we had no problems, and as said, enough houses in the area of Port Kennedy/Waikiki/Coolingup stated pets considered.

Also, I think with the current financial situation, a lot more owners will consider to bend their rules, as they cannot afford to have their properties standing empty.

Additionally, would like to share this:

Although the owners allowed Kitty, they would not allow adding of a cat-flap. Understandable. So I built a little attachment to the screen door area, that does not do a permanent change to the building structure. It can just slide out and be removed.

Cost me a total of around 100 dollars to make, and that includes the 58 dollars for the flap. All parts bought from the local Bunnings hardware store.

Hope this idea can help others.

Images here: (see last two images on the page)

http://www.dedmeet.com/index.php/com...eNo,3/catid,2/