Coopers ducking under the gate for food, we had been feeding him for some weeks by this time. Coopers showing Vicki how much he loves her. He had this peculiar way of sleeping on her until Chelsea told him he was to take care of Phil for her. The cage that Liat was found in. Coopers bathing Liat's head. Liat's cat flu relapsed, she did look a sad little girl, her eyes were sore. Here she is getting a bath from Coopers. Coopers playing with Liat — he's extremely gentle with her, considering the huge difference in their sizes. Liat loves sleeping with Coopers, even if it is his feet. Liat now over her flu, savouring the feeling of 'freedom' sitting in the late afternoon with Coopers under the Fig tree.

Coopers and Liat – their story and how they met.

Coopers and Liat have just met, their story and how they were introduced is a success story for not only the introduction of these cats but also that life could have been so different for them. They are both rescued cats and both purebreeds, which goes to show it's not just 'moggies' that are treated badly or discarded. In Coopers case we believe he was stolen and the people that stole him then proceed to 'not take care of him'.

Coopers story:
Coopers entered our home, after his 'owner' moved leaving him and six dogs behind-she took four dogs when she left in the middle of the night with her three children in tow.

He had been stealing Chelsea's (our elderly cat) food for some weeks, when we decided the easiest thing to do would be to feed him. He'd dive in under our back gate gobble his food and take off. Of a night he'd sleep on our front steps which offered protection behind a security gate that the dogs (now forming a pack) couldn't get him. There was just enough room for a cat to get in. We had been feeding him for some months prior to his owner 'dumping' him. Coopers it turned out, when we could eventually pat him and take him to a vet, was a pure bred Abyssinian and a neutered male.

For a week after 'his people' deserted him, he sat crying at their door for hours each day, only stopping to come and get food from us. It showed the loyalty of him, considering he was getting little food and no love from these people. By the end of the week Coopers moved into our upstairs loft and made the decision to live with Phil, Chelsea and myself.

Chelsea tolerated him and every so often gave him a 'whack' just to let him know she was in charge, and Coopers would close his eyes, flatten his ears and accept that Chelsea was 'boss' of this house. When she was sick and going blind he began leading her out to her food and was very kind to her.

He found his niche and showed Phil, Vicki and Chelsea that he was a very loving boy.

Coopers is six years old and still loves a game and LOTS of attention. Phil gets no peace when working on the computer (we run a home business). We thought that Coopers may like the company of another cat (Chelsea had passed away some 18 months earlier) and with his gentle, kind disposition would probably accept a young cat. He had been attacked many times in our Lismore home (before moving to the farm) and we were sure he wasn't the aggressor. He was always locked up at night but still seems to get attacked just on dusk or during the day.

Liat's story:
Liat was another sad story of neglect and once again a pure bred cat (Tonkinese). She was born in a cage shared with 15 other cats, her 'owner' had been hospitalised very ill and the Department of Health contacted Animal Rights & Rescue just before Christmas 2004 asking if they could take the cats (full story here).

It was a massive operation as all the cats were suffering from cat flu and had not been given love by a human. Liat and her brothers and sisters were terrified unused to human touch and behaved quite 'feral'.

Claire took care of the kittens until they were well enough to go to their new homes, so when we picked up Liat we decided to lock her in our bathroom (our only lockable room) until she would come to us for food. Otherwise if she escaped into the bush she would surely die.

Introduction:
Coopers saw Liat on her arrival and was fascinated watching her walk past the door, he watched underneath. After a few days Liat began to allow us to stroke her outside of her box and she purred loudly. She was (and still is) quite jumpy, but getting better with each day!

On day four we decided to let her out of he bathroom, she was playing and pushing things under the door, Coopers was intrigued.

We let her out of the bathroom and she ran to Coopers. He hissed at her and she did a perfect 'kowtow' paws in front of him, head on paws and bum in the air. It was good she was accepting that he was boss.

That night we locked her in the bathroom again, just to ensure that nothing happened while we slept.

Next morning we let Liat out again and she spent the day in the house, she tried to get Coopers to play and he'd just hiss at her, he never lifted a paw or growled at her during any of his hissing. We thought well it's going to take time, he is six years old after all!

The morning after (two days after letting Liat out) Coopers being such a sucker for a game, could take no more, and began playing with Liat, and then to our surprise he started to wash her.

Coopers has fussed over her and she's like his shadow following closely by his side while he shows her the garden, and all the interesting things in this house.

Coopers will even lift his head from his dinner bowl (an unheard of occurrence) to allow Liat to eat his food, we now feed them together. They don't like to be fed separately.

Maybe Coopers remembers how sad he felt when he was living on the street and dodging dogs, or he's just the most gentle cat. Whatever it is we could never have believed he would take to Liat so completely caring for her. This is one introduction between cats that is proving to be quite amazing!

I can't think of a time that within two days a cat of his age accepted so totally another cat. It looks as though they have found a wonderful friend in each other and he's helping her to accept Phil and I.

Some notes:

A pet can be
the best companion you have,
it’s a friend for life!