A tale of two cats
Mischief and Lottie
When two cats were recently rehomed by NDAA members Jane and Karen Dennis-Smither, it was the beginning of a challenging adventure for everyone – not least the dogs and wild birds already in residence…
Mischief, a young black and white feral cat was taken into the NDAA’s Misty Unit in 2007 after being caught, along with her three kittens. Mischief wasn’t even nine months old – far too young to have a litter. Pauline, our chairperson, spent days trying to make friends with her – efforts resulting in nothing but ‘greetings’ from a hissing, spitting cat with its claws out.
Lottie was the complete opposite
Eventually, the aptly named Mischief was given a companion – a female Bengal called Lottie who quickly came to rely on Mischief, and to treat her as her guardian. Lottie was the complete opposite to the feral Mischief, a docile cat that never put her claws out or tried to bite; a cat so terrified that she spent most of her day on her bed – only coming out to feed when no one was around. Lottie had been bred from time and time again until, after an unfortunate encounter with the ‘wrong boy’, she’d been passed between different people, gradually becoming more unsure and withdrawn.
Lottie eventually ended up in a very noisy house where, when Diana collected her, she was crouching timidly atop a dresser in a six-inch space. Her reaction to being approached? She went rigid and withdrew into herself, obviously terrified as she wondered where she was going next…
The two bonded well
The two bonded well during several months in the Misty Centre. By the end of 2007 they were ready for rehoming – but it had to be a very special home, with people who’d make allowance for their different temperaments. Around this time, NDAA treasurer Jane and her daughter Karen had just lost their last cat, Georgie, at 17 years of age. Jane and Karen were on the lookout for two new cats – and were offering the perfect home for Lottie and Mischief.
