Charlie Is Happy Now!

15/10/12: All is very well in charlie’s world:”The 2 are now firm friends and there is already some signs that Stella is helping Charlie to be more confident. For the last few days he is less jumpy when I pass him in the hall, and he is finally again sitting on the stairs to the ground floor, watching Stella playing with the dogs. Stella and Charlie play for many hours a day and it is great to see him having such fun with her! Also for the last 2 nights Charlie, Stella and me have been sleeping on the bed together. Maybe it will just take a few more months and he will accept the dogs too.” Enjoy the lovely new photos of this VERY special boy.

16/09/12: Since my last update, Charlie’s Mum HAS adopted a little friend for him, and she is much younger than we had anticipated. Stella at about 4 months is Charlie’s little toy girl, and he seems very taken with her now. They have been together just over a month, and as she obviously has no fear of the family dog Leon, it is really hoped she will do the trick and help Charlie to finally have the confidence to brave the downstairs and get out into his garden at last. I’m still waiting for those photos of Charlie lying outside in the sun, but for now the new ones are making me very happy.

“Stella is a little girl cat, also from Spain, acquired via TEC Europe. As might be expected, Charlie was first afraid of the little girl cat. Fortunately, that has changed quite quickly! and now the two romp several times a day through the upper floors and even cuddle together. However, Charlie is also quite happy when Stella at times disappears down to the ground floor to ‘annoy’ her dog buddy and he can chill-out a little! Charlie now even washes Stella and allows her to wash him.

Since Stella is not spayed, she will have to wait until the spring to go outside, and we hope by then that Charlie will finally have the confidence to walk behind her down the stairs and into the garden. Meanwhilw Leon is very happy to have a kitten that loves him too!”

14/07/12: Today some lovely new photos of Charlie arrived, still not in his garden, but definitely looking very relaxed and at home!
01/07/12: Yesterday I asked Anke for an update on Charlie, and news came today. Our funny boy still has not ventured outside into the garden as he is too afraid to meet the dogs on the ground floor, but he does seem to feel safe and comfortable in the upper floors of the house. He did eventually forgive his Mum for tipping him off the bed and has been sleeping with her again! but every so often something scares him again and he retreats again for a few days. “Once towards morning he came into the bed and stood directly in front of my face, “staring” me awake. I said “Oh my darling,” and he was so frightened by this that for the next 3 days he could not even be in the same room with me.” His Mum is now thinking that maybe a cat friend would be good for Charlie, if he was happy to share his home. I agree that a confident, tame cat that liked dogs, may really help him. Charlie is such a sweet special boy. I SO want him to be able to go outside. Apart from this, his new him is perfect, and his Mum loves him completely!

Click on the photos to see them full size and have the option to download them.

14/04/12: I was thinking about Charlie the other day and wondering if he was out in his garden yet enjoying the Spring sunshine. The news via Anke is that progress has slowed a little but all is fine. Charlie still needs to ‘brave’ the dogs to get outside, and our funny boy is taking his time with this hurdle! Once this is achieved I will be completely happy for him, because I know he wants to be outside. In the meantime he is looking VERY relaxed and fantastic in his new photos, and I believe our special boy could not be more loved!

“Unfortunately, Charlie has not yet made friends with the dogs. When the weather was super nice, he was several times a day just on the ground floor and has then repeatedly “saved” himself on the stairs. I think this almost bravery had something to do with the fact that we always were in the garden, and Charlie is already clear that there are doors at ground level.
Since then the weather has become much worse, but every now and then he sits on the stairs to the ground floor, but unfortunately does not go further. We have, in the meantime, made the first window in the attic “cat safe” so we are all more relaxed.

It is positive that my husband has been able to stroke Charlie for about 10 days now, and I think both are very happy about this! The pity is that Charlie has for a couple of weeks no longer been sleeping with me. I had “bowled” him by mistake out of bed … and he is unfortunately very very unforgiving. When I lie down, he moves away ….. and since then I can only pet him when I’m sitting. Overall, I believe, however, that Charlie feels very comfortable with us. He plays several times a day with his mice and balls, etc. and I’ve never had a cat that has played so much and so long lasting. I think he has already made up a lot! I hope he will be in spring / summer yet more courageous and finally go out into the garden.
And I’m still very happy that we found each other!”

Charlie Relaxing At Home

13/02/12: This morning another fantastic update came in from Charlie’s new Mum. Our boy over the weekend has actually ventured down to the ground floor, and has been watching the dogs. She is amazed that he was brave enough to settle down to sleep and only shot back up the stairs when Leon came too close. She says that he seems very happy to now have the run of the entire house. Next will be the garden, and I can’t wait for photos of him outside. In the meantime he has become VERY talkative. He tells his Mum Corrina when he sees something interesting and also when he wants to be stroked. She now gets a great reception when she comes home, and Charlie demands a big fuss! It is obvious that Charlie is very happy in his new home, and really loves his new Mum. I am very, very happy for him and I know that his previous Dad Iain will be too!

29/01/12: I have just received the first photos of Charlie in his new home and I am SO happy. He looks fantastic and the email from his lovely Mum is fantastic too! Enjoy all those here that love Charlie!!! “And here are the first photos of the little prince! He develops sooo great and I am so happy that he is with me! Litter box, food and water are no longer under the bed. Food / water is now in front of the tree and the cat litter box is now in front of the closet and he walks every few days a bit more towards the hall.”

Charlie In His Forever Home

Charlie In His Forever Home

24/01/12: Yesterday morning another email came from Charlie’s Mum. Charlie had slept for the last 3 nights snuggled right up to her, and they had also been playing with a toy mouse together. Charlie was down one floor a lot looking out of the dining room window at the garden, and had also been watching the dogs from the top of the stairs to the ground floor. In the daylight he was still very cautious but she said: “Overall, there is progress every day and we are very happy. I also believe that Charlie every day feels a bit more comfortable and accustomed to all the noise.” Then this morning further news came. She wrote that it was like Charlie was reading our emails. He has come out from under the bed in the daytime and is rolling on his side for strokes. He was also found sleeping on the chair in his Mum’s room on his back looking very relaxed, AND he has been enjoying running up and down the stairs as if for exercise. She finished by writing:“I am so glad that I chose Charlie. It was 100% the right decision!” Now I am just waiting for photographs, which Charlie’s Mum thinks she will soon be able to take. All is just fantastic!!!

18/01/12: This morning another update came from Charlie’s new Mum: “Last night he has slept in bed and was completely relaxed. Even my “toilet” he put up with, apart from a little grumbling along the lines of “is this really necessary!“This morning my arm was hanging off the bed and Charly rubbed against it and purred, and then I was stroking him for about 10 minutes for the first time !!!!! He even came back to me and snuggled into bed (in front of my belly) and licked my fingers. That’s all fine!” It is actually FANTASTIC! I really am starting to believe that our ‘funny’ boy HAS found his perfect home. Next he needs to make friends with the dogs. His Mum has promised photos soon.

Photos will I do when he has become even safer and even in daylight time in bed or something.
17/01/12: I THINK, and I really hope that FINALLY Charlie has a home where he can be really happy. This has just come from his new Mum via Anke: “Last night Prince Charlie for the first time slept in the bed! This morning (in daylight) for the first time he has been sitting in the dining room one floor below on the window sill! And now for the first time he sneaks around me (in daylight!). Oh, the beautiful !!!!!” I am SO happy. His Mum obviously loves him, and Charlie is settling in very fast, AND soon he will be able to explore his garden. I fell in love with Charlie when I fed him for so long outside. This home sounds like he will have everything I wanted for him! Fantastic!!!

16/01/12: I asked for more news today from Anke: “Charlie is still under his bed but he is eating, drinking and he uses the toilet. In the night he is looking around in the house.”
12/01/12: Fantastic news! Anke has just called me to say that Charlie went to his new home yesterday evening. For now the plan is that he will live upstairs in the house so that he can become used to his new family BEFORE he meets their dogs. Of course being Charlie he has been hiding under the bed, but his new Mum could touch him last night. This morning when she came back from walking her dogs she found that Charlie had come downstairs to explore the house, which was not the plan but is a good sign. The dogs were happy to see Charlie, but Charlie was NOT impressed! His Mum was however able to pick him up easily (another good sign), and for now he is back upstairs. Overall everything is fine for the first day, and his family are happy with him and will give him lots of time. Things are looking very good for our ‘funny’, beautiful boy!

10/01/12: Charlie FINALLY will have his own garden! This is for me FANTASTIC news. I know that Regine and Markus love Charlie and would really like to keep him, but when I visited them in December, I decided that their apartment was not the right home for Charlie long-term. I always wanted a garden for him, because I strongly believe not being able to go out, was his main problem with his home here in Spain. In the last few days a lovely family with a house has decided to adopt Charlie. He will be an only cat, which we think he will prefer, but once he is settled, he will be able to explore the garden. This family have had many cats before, so are experienced cat people. This is great for Charlie as he is still shy of new people, and a slightly ‘funny’ boy. They do have a friendly dog, but will introduce Charlie slowly to him, and maybe, like our last ‘funny’ cat Lucia, Charlie will fall in love with his new dog friend. I SO hope that this works out, and that Charlie will finally have everything he wants and a very happy life. AND a big thank you to Regine and Markus for all the love they have given Charlie. I am very grateful.

31/10/11: Yesterday Anke sent me new photos of Charlie looking VERY well and this email: “My Sunday Charlie news He is very fine and likes to play with Markus and the laser pointer. If someone goes to the bedroom he immediately runs to the bed and wants to have Regine and Markus cuddle his belly! He is a good eater and drinker and he now has a wonderful fluffy coat.” Charlie IS a funny boy! I think that what he really needed was for his original rescuer to stay in her house, where he was born, so that he could come and go as he pleased. Now he does seem to have another family that love him and are also at home for him much more, but he is mainly living in one room. It is also possible that he is happier as an only cat. This IS a difficult one!

Looking VERY Well

Looking VERY Well

Looking VERY Well

Looking VERY Well

27/10/11: This is the latest news of Charlie: “Charlie is also fine. He makes little steps and feels slowly more and more safe. He loves to cuddle in the bed and to look out the window. But he made no single attempt to escape. He likes to play but he doesn´t understand if Regine tries to play with him.” Charlie is a tough one for me. Half of me still wants him to have his garden, but the other half thinks maybe he should stay with these lovely people whom he is learning slowly to trust, and who obviously love him. My concern is that he escaped from his original home where he also used to sit looking out of the window, but now he does have more human company and he is an only cat, which Anke thinks he prefers. IF a home with a garden is found, then he will have to start all over again learning to trust a new person. Charlie is rather a funny, special cat. I know what I really want is for his foster family to be able to move, so that Charlie can have a big sunny balcony, which is, i think, all he really needs to be really happy and to be safe and loved!

08/09/11: More new photos have come in of Charlie in his foster home. He does look well.

Contented Charlie

Contented Charlie

Contented Charlie

Contented Charlie

Contented Charlie

04/09/11: The latest news of Charlie came about a week ago with new photos. All is fine but Anke and I remain agreed that Charlie definitely needs a forever home with a garden. Before he escaped from his first home in Spain, he spent a lot of time looking out of the window. After he escaped the 3rd time Iain (his owner) and I decided that Charlie wanted his original outside/inside life back which is why he agreed that I could re-home him. We are waiting for the right home, and grateful to Regine and Markus for looking after him so well in the meantime.

Charlie Looking Just Fine

Charlie Looking Just Fine

11/08/11: Today I have news and photos of Charlie from his latest foster home. He is I think quite happy for now. He is spending less time under the bed, and seems to get very excited when he is stroked. He is however still a little nervous of the living room and quick movements or strange noises frighten him. This from knowing him here, seems quite normal for Charlie, but he is growing in confidence daily, and has 2 very kind understanding people to look after him.

A Relaxed Charlie

A Relaxed Charlie

A Relaxed Charlie

08/08/11: Yesterday Charlie went with Anke to see Regine and Markus in their home and for now they are fostering him. Charlie likes them a lot and they love Charlie but we are not sure it is the perfect home for him as they have no balcony, and Anke thinks it is not safe for him to be outside near their apartment. I still really want Charlie to have his garden and Anke agrees, so we are looking for another permanent home. For now he seems very happy in a very calm home, with no other cats and lots of love and attention. I am happy because I know he is in safe hands and we can stop worrying about him. Below are Anke’s last photos of Charlie before he left her home.

>” I just called Markus. Charlie spend his first night in his new foster
home in bed with Markus and Regine. He is still jumpy and every time Regine
or Markus turned around in bed Charlie escaped under the bed but some minutes
later he cam back, jumped in the bed and snuggled to Regina and Markus
:-)))”

Snuggle Boy Charlie

Snuggle Boy Charlie

Snuggle Boy Charlie

Snuggle Boy Charlie

07/08/11: Charlie does have some VERY interested people who visited him yesterday. I await more news after Anke’s home visit. In the meantime he is growing in confidence daily and becoming quite the little macho man. Below are Anke’s latest emails:
“Our little Charlie evolves into a macho. Yesterday, he pounded Cini and tonight he pounded Nelly very hard till she cried. After that she barfed because of the shock! So I had to separate Charlie tonight. Now he flounces through the flat and is crying if he sees another cat. The more as he feels safe here, the more he becomes a macho He was just marking the clothes basket.He is a real Tomcat But a sweet one.”

“So, Regine and Markus were here. Charlie liked both very much. He lay on the armoire on a pillow and purred a lot while Regine and Markus stroked him. Charlie licked their fingers and both were allowed to stroke his stomach. So this is realy perfect.
Now I have to do the homecheck tomorrow evening. The flat is very small, only 35 qm but I think this would be okay for Charlie as a single cat with HIS humans But I have to look at the ambience outside because it is Frankfurt and not a small village so there are streets. I will see. I hope it is positive because Charlie liked Regine and Markus from the first moment. I think these are the right people for him but I have a problem with habitation… Tomorrow evening I will know more.”

05/08/11: The very latest news and photos came from Anke last night:
“I came to the room were Cahrlie was sleeping in his cup. He miaowed and came to me to the floor to cuddle. He purrs and purrs and spooned around me. And he licked my fingers. I tried to make good photos but Cahrlie couldn´t stand still because I had to spoon every single part of him :-)))
Great. I am so happy. He is far away from beeing a difficult cat. He is a lovely and friendly cat. First a little bit afraid but NOT shy! I mean it is his third day here!”
Fantastic!!!

Charlie Spooning

Charlie Spooning

Charlie Spooning

Charlie Spooning

04/08/11: Things didn’t really improve for Charlie at Kerstin’s. It may have been a lot to do with the number of foster cats she has and the fact that Charlie is a little shy of cats as well as of people. I and Anke remained worried, so on Monday Anke drove to pick him up and I am very relieved that he is now with her. Thank you to Kerstin for taking him in initially, but my lovely boy already seems much happier in a quieter home. Anke has just sent me these fantastic new photos of a very relaxed boy! He was chilling out in the ‘cat cup’ and let Anke stroke him. He even did some ‘padding’ in the air.

This is more progress after last night when he sat happily in the living room with Anke, following a couple of days of exploring the apartment. Her cats are always completely unfazed by new cats. Jessi did have a good sniff in her tent after Charlie had been in, and Nelly looked a little cross when Charlie hissed at her, but apart from that all is calm, and Charlie therefore is calm.

The other great news today is that a young couple may visit him at the weekend. They have always had cats, and live near to Anke, in Frankfurt. Maybe Charlie will get his forever home sooner than we hoped!!! In the meantime, I am just happy that he looks happy for now after a very stressful few weeks for him. Thank you to Anke for helping him. This is another example of how dedicated the girls from Katzenherzen are, how quickly problems get solved and how the cats always come first!!!

Contented Calm Charlie

Contented Calm Charlie

Contented Calm Charlie

Contented Calm Charlie

Contented Calm Charlie

A relaxed Charlie from last night:

Charlie Chilling

Anke’s first photos the day after he arrived with her:

Feeling More Comfortable

Feeling More Comfortable

20/07/11: I was worried about Charlie after I read foster Mum Kerstin’s latest comment below, about having to move him to another room, but Anke has spoken to her and a few days ago sent me this message: “I just called Kerstin. Charlie is very shy and spend most of the time on the top of the armoire. But sometimes he comes down to watch out of the window and sometimes Kerstin can stroke him. He is a good eater and his poo is very fine. I think he needs a lot of time. Kerstin often sit down in his room to talk to him and she also tried to talk to him in english :-))) Everyday Kerstin brings one of her very social cats to charlie’s room and plays there and than Charlie is looking from his armoire 🙂 I think Charlie is in good hands and needs a lot of time. Kerstin also made photos and hope that she will have the time to show them on her blog this evening :-)”

So I am less worried and even more so after I read this latest update from Kerstin on her blog. It seems there is good progress:
“This afternoon I could no longer see the misery with – every time I came into the room, Charlie seemed not to have made a move – he seems frozen in his hiding place under the folding table.
Since the weather leaves something to rain and just 18 degrees to ere left out, I closed all windows and balcony doors and the door to Charlie’s room just once left wide open!
Now I am really curious if he on his own time goes on the hunt – my cats go into the room and out and have him quite well disposed: Gentle Anschnuppern, no hissing, no growling, no paw is raised to Charlie – that looks but even good times, and I’m very proud of my gang! As if they knew that they did not have to make it additionally difficult!
Charlie takes it calmly, it seems he still thinks what he should do now.”

This is a new photo Kerstin took of Charlie:

Charlie In Germany

07/07/11: Charlie is no longer a garden cat. This morning I caught him for the final time, and he is now safe, if not too happy, in a large cage, while he awaits his journey to his new life in Germany. He IS very special to me so I really hope everything work out well for him. He will need time to adjust to his new surroundings and trust his foster Mum, but I have confidence in him. He is basically a gentle, sweet cat, and I want him to be safe and loved and happy. This is his big chance.

02/07/11: Fantastic news today! Anke has found the perfect foster home for Charlie in Germany: “Kerstin Hub will foster him. She lives in a big house with a former pub in the ground floor. This room is now a big big cat room and her cats go outside so Charly can also go for a walk after some time.” Our transport is delayed until July 8th, so Charlie will now be on it!

I am very relieved, because I think Charlie is actually quite lonely after almost a year outside, and I cannot keep feeding him in the garden of someone else’s empty house. This will be the first step to finding him the life he really wants as an inside/outside cat. He has become very important to me over the time I have been feeding him outside. I am VERY fond of this lovely boy, and am determined to find him his happy forever home.

16/06/11: Today Charlie has been to the vet for his blood test. All was negative so he is just about ready to travel to Germany. For now he is back in his garden, but he will come inside for his last few days, once his transport is definitely confirmed.

14/06/11: This is Charlie whom I have been feeding for almost a year now (on and off) in the garden of an empty house. Charlie is a special cat. He started off as a stray kitten, then had 2 homes and for now is semi-stray! It IS a little complicated! He was first rescued with his mother and sister by a Scottish lady who started feeding them in her garden, and then found them slowly making their way into her house. This worked well for the first 6 months of Charlie’s life as he loved been an indoor/outdoor cat, but then his Mum went to live in Turkey and Charlie was found a new home with Iain another cat lover.

The problem for Charlie was that Iain likes his cats to be indoor only ones, and so our boy and his new friend Pepper had nowhere to lie in the sun and sniff the air. Charlie became more used to being an owned cat, and while not completely tame, liked strokes on his terms and slept on Iain’s bed. But every day he looked longingly out of the window for 2 whole years, until last summer, when he escaped through the door as Iain’s Mum was coming in to feed the cats.

Charlie quickly made his way back to his original garden, where I was already feeding a little feral female. After a couple of months he became confident enough for me to stroke him, and we have been good friends ever since. 3 times I have returned him to Iain’s only for Charlie to escape again! Now we have agreed that he needs a new home, and that in the meantime he is happier outside in the sunshine.

Charlie I think doesn’t really want to be a stray outside cat. He would like a home with a nice owner who understands slightly nervous cats, and a nice tame cat friend for company and to give him more confidence with people. He does however want to be able to go outside in the fresh air, even if it is only onto a nice big balcony. Charlie isn’t really an explorer but he is an indoor/outdoor cat. He is actually a very sweet boy and not aggressive to people or other cats.

AND he is also a very handsome boy!!!

Special Boy Charlie

Special Boy Charlie

Special Boy Charlie

Special Boy Charlie

Special Boy Charlie