Monday, January 21, 2008

Home at last...

A long and stressful journey has come to an end. Our cats Sebastian and Catalina have made it through two weeks in a kennel, a fifteen hour flight, an hour drive, 32 days of in country quarantine in Sydney, another hour drive, then another hour flight to Brisbane. From San Clemente to our door has been six weeks of living in cages interspersed with moments of terror. Yesterday I watched from the terminal as they were carried from the plane and could not help but wonder what this whole ordeal must have been like from a cat's perspective. One day they were happy and fat in San Clemente, then the next they were in a cage for weeks, then they were put into the belly of a really loud thing (jet), and flown for 15 hours to who knows where and in another cage for a month. I am really glad they are here but i can't say that I recommend the ordeal to anyone. It was tough on us all.

When we got to our apartment we opened the carriers and they made their way out very slowly and cautiously. They both headed under the couch where they stayed for two hours or so. After a while Catalina, always the adventurer peeked out and took stock of her new surroundings. An hour after that she owned the place and eventually Sebastian followed suit.

We have noticed how close they have become after spending six weeks in a cage together as they are hiding together and sleeping together and seem to be calm as long as they can see each other.
They both looked tired but good. They will be needing a bath soon but we will let them adjust before we put them through that ordeal. I was really afraid that after a month in a cage with nothing to do and no exercise they might have gotten fat. Although I think they both gained a pound, they are not obese.

They will have to move once more once we find our permanent address as we are still in our temporary apartment but that is nothing considering what they have been through.

Well, they are brave and now they are here. Just think, our cats have traveled more that G.W. Bush did in his whole life before he became President of the United States.

3 comments:

Gina Kadlec said...

Catalina (Ella Fitzkitty) is a pro at traveling but she does prefer to ride in the cabin of the plane. :)

I'm glad the kitties made it safely. I never would have guessed that tiny little abandoned kitten from Dallas, TX would be a world traveler!

Congratulations guys!

aunt linda said...

Good! The little family is back together. I'm sure the kittys are relieved as well as the "parents". Calls for cuddles all around.

gio said...

nice pad!