Grögu is our baby. He is now just over 3 years old and is a pure Selkirk Rex. He was born on a farm where the farmer's wife breeds cats. Although a typical Selkirk Rex with his fluffy curly fur, he has extremely long legs and a long body. Grögu is Swiss German for "funny little thing" and that was how he got his name.
Grögu had an accident in January 2006 and lost his sight. Since then a lot has happened and both Grögu and his two legged owners had to learn a lot.
At first Grögu was a very careful cat. Spent a lot of time just sitting in the home before he made a movement. I think the first journeys he made independently were to his toilet, which he seemed to find first of all. He also lost all the fur on his tummy and inside his back legs after the accident, but the vet gave him some male hormones and within a month or so he look again like our Grögu.
Within a few weeks he was quite aquainted with our home and found his way around very well. He was not very well accepted by the other two cats. Animals can be very brutal when they notice that another animal is handicapped, but we just had to learn to accept it and the other two cats also had to learn to accept Grögu. It's not 100% acceptance now, but I don't think that exists amongst cats. Even my other 2 cats, litter sisters, sometimes have a disagreement about who gets the cat nip first.
I remember the first time Grögu climbed the cat tree. The height is about halfway to the ceiling so it's not so high and there are 2 steps to get there. He found his way up very slowly and carefully, hanging onto each level with his front paws until he pulled himself up completely. The first time he jumped down from the top to the floor, but only once. Since then he always goes from one step to another.
When the months got towards Spring he wanted to go out as he was an outdoor cat like our other 2. We live fairly rural so they all liked to go mousing and other catty hobbies. Grögu was the best mouser of all and had the record (not really to be proud of as a human, but cats have a different system). We fitted a strong wooden pole up in the garden and put a harness on Grögu. We had an expandable dog lead from his harness to the pole, so he could walk around in the garden. We also had another fixture on the wall for his walk, so he had a bit of a change now and again. Of course, he couldn't go mouse hunting any more, but the other cats sometimes brought them home and deposited them in the garden and Grögu made sure that they didn't stay long. Grögu is just one of those cats that find mice a sort of 5 star delicacy.
As my husband, is retired he had a bit more time than me for the cats and he started going for walks with Grögu at least once a day on the lead. Grögu enjoys that a lot and gets excited just like a dog when he goes out with his lead. He finds his way so well, as he knows the route. If we go a bit off the beaten path, he just walks with his nose close to the ground sniffing his way. He always does his business somewhere on the route, probably to mark his territory.
We are quite well known amongst the neighbours with our blind cat and they always have a few words with us if they meet us on one of the walks and also ask how Grögu is keeping. Usually when the other two cats notice that Grögu is going for a walk, they come too, walking along with my husband. I think I will have to film them one day.
Although we were devistated when Grögu had his accident, we have learnt a lot since, and wouldn't want to be without him. As my husband once said, he just belongs to us.
Grögu had an accident in January 2006 and lost his sight. Since then a lot has happened and both Grögu and his two legged owners had to learn a lot.
At first Grögu was a very careful cat. Spent a lot of time just sitting in the home before he made a movement. I think the first journeys he made independently were to his toilet, which he seemed to find first of all. He also lost all the fur on his tummy and inside his back legs after the accident, but the vet gave him some male hormones and within a month or so he look again like our Grögu.
Within a few weeks he was quite aquainted with our home and found his way around very well. He was not very well accepted by the other two cats. Animals can be very brutal when they notice that another animal is handicapped, but we just had to learn to accept it and the other two cats also had to learn to accept Grögu. It's not 100% acceptance now, but I don't think that exists amongst cats. Even my other 2 cats, litter sisters, sometimes have a disagreement about who gets the cat nip first.
I remember the first time Grögu climbed the cat tree. The height is about halfway to the ceiling so it's not so high and there are 2 steps to get there. He found his way up very slowly and carefully, hanging onto each level with his front paws until he pulled himself up completely. The first time he jumped down from the top to the floor, but only once. Since then he always goes from one step to another.
When the months got towards Spring he wanted to go out as he was an outdoor cat like our other 2. We live fairly rural so they all liked to go mousing and other catty hobbies. Grögu was the best mouser of all and had the record (not really to be proud of as a human, but cats have a different system). We fitted a strong wooden pole up in the garden and put a harness on Grögu. We had an expandable dog lead from his harness to the pole, so he could walk around in the garden. We also had another fixture on the wall for his walk, so he had a bit of a change now and again. Of course, he couldn't go mouse hunting any more, but the other cats sometimes brought them home and deposited them in the garden and Grögu made sure that they didn't stay long. Grögu is just one of those cats that find mice a sort of 5 star delicacy.
As my husband, is retired he had a bit more time than me for the cats and he started going for walks with Grögu at least once a day on the lead. Grögu enjoys that a lot and gets excited just like a dog when he goes out with his lead. He finds his way so well, as he knows the route. If we go a bit off the beaten path, he just walks with his nose close to the ground sniffing his way. He always does his business somewhere on the route, probably to mark his territory.
We are quite well known amongst the neighbours with our blind cat and they always have a few words with us if they meet us on one of the walks and also ask how Grögu is keeping. Usually when the other two cats notice that Grögu is going for a walk, they come too, walking along with my husband. I think I will have to film them one day.
Although we were devistated when Grögu had his accident, we have learnt a lot since, and wouldn't want to be without him. As my husband once said, he just belongs to us.
No comments:
Post a Comment