Tanya Kitching and Mandy Thorpe of Ka-ttitude share…
Late one afternoon I received a video and a message from a lady who’d spotted a sick-looking feral. The picture looked terrible. Early the next morning, we went out and were lucky enough to trap her quite quickly. We went straight to the vet who said we needed to give her a chance. She was admitted to hospital and our little girl proved to be a fighter. She improved daily, and before long, it was time to start a new chapter in her life with a foster mommy, Sunè Cunningham. Sunè quickly agreed to take her in and get her tame and 100% healthy... and so her journey began…
Sunè Cunningham, Goblin’s foster mum, shares…
When Goblin came into my care, I already had three other kittens in my care, but I couldn’t say no when I saw the pictures of her. Her face and ears were badly burned; she went to the vet first to be treated for her burns. Thereafter, she came to me and she still looked bad. Although improved, she had no fur on her face or ears. The day I got Goblin she was terrified. She didn't trust anyone, but she craved love.
Goblin just wanted to hide under my bed the whole time, but I felt like that was also very traumatising to her because the other three kittens just wanted to play with a new friend. I decided to move everything that was on my desk and put boxes, blankets, toys and food down for her to create her own safe space where she could get used to everything.
In the first few days she began eating soft food out of my hand, until I got her to come to me when she wanted food. She started being very vocal and purring a lot. So, I started picking her up and we’d cuddle; she’d rub herself against me and we’d play! I thought this would be a great time to introduce my cat (my foster fail!) Annabelle to Goblin, and they loved each other right away. Together they were always playing, sleeping, eating and ripping my curtains, but I had so much joy watching her get better. Goblin is a very strong cat – she made it through a lot and now she’s thriving; she also stole so many hearts on her journey.
Skye Duffy, Goblin’s new momma, shares…
Goblin isn’t the first rescue cat I’ve adopted, but she’s the only one I’ve seen grow into herself and leave her past behind. The first week she was with me was a very difficult one for both of us. I was learning her triggers and she was getting adjusted to a whole new environment. If I was sitting down, she’d immediately place herself on my lap, but if I got up, she’d scurry and hide under the bed.
If I dropped something or made a noise, she’d again scurry under the bed and wouldn’t move for hours. As time went on, she became much more sure of herself, and the only thing that sent her under the bed was the sound of the black bag when I was replacing it.
She was very wary of my other cat, Rat, who’s currently six years old and also a rescue. Rat, on the other hand, was very happy with this new companion and was all over Goblin, forcing her into cuddles and cleaning her from head to toe. Now they’re inseparable… sleeping together, eating together, and sunbathing together.
Goblin used to have what I call “sleepy scares”. For the first month or so, she’d start to meow, almost eerily, in her sleep, and when she awoke, she’d be jittery and almost always attach herself to me, with those very sharp claws dug into my arm. Over the next few months, they went away. Rat used to start cleaning her when she got like that. She even grew into those gigantic ears of hers and has become the most beautiful and loving cat I have ever had the privilege to call my family. Nowadays, she enjoys pestering the dogs, whose very footsteps used to send her under the bed.
Goblin is now a very dominant figure in life, even deciding when my bedtime is by climbing onto my desk, shoving her face in mine, and licking my nose and cheeks until I eventually give up, shut down my PC, and get into bed where she’ll claim her spot on my chest or in my arms.
She gets visibly and very verbally upset when I’m even a minute late for her wet food dinner. May all the deities above help me if I carry on walking past her when she collapses on the floor in front of my feet, demanding a belly rub that she’ll turn into time for play fighting.
I fell in love with her the moment I saw that photo of this beautiful, big-eared kitten on Facebook. Not a day goes by where I don’t think of how lucky I am to have her with me.
