Tipp and I have lived many years together and it has been a little adventure. Now it's time to tell her story. Please note that I consider parts of Tipps' story as a part of mother natures harsh realities. And even if some choises weren't perfect, I do NOT intend to put anyone in a bad light.
My good and beautiful friends Annette and Tiril (especially Tiril) are important persons in Tipp's story. Tiril is Annette's daughter and they both love animals. They have had many pets through the years. After several years of friendship, I have become very fond of Annette, Tiril and their pets.
And now we start the story: Tipp was born in 2009 in the town of Volda. Her name was Millie and had a good home with a family. At this time I studied in Volda and knew Annette and Tiril well. In 2010 I moved to Bergen (over 300 kliks south of Volda), but I kept in touch with my dear friends.
A few years later, Millie got kittens. She didn't seem to accept one of the kittens, but Millie's owners decided to keep the kitten along with Millie. The family hoped the relation between the cats would get better. Sadly, it didn't. It ended up with Millie escaping from home, never to return, not even for food that was placed outside her home.
I don't know for how long, but Millie lived by hunting and begging for food. In the neighbourhood Milly walked in, nobody seemed to know where she came from. But Tipp got help from several persons. Annette and Tiril was two of them. Another helper gave Milly the nickname Cola. This was a counterpart to Pepsi, the helpers' own cat. Cola became a loved cat, even if she was getting more stray every day. The autumn came and Annette understood that something had to be done for Cola. How could Cola survive the winter? Annette couldn't take another pet into their home. The house was full of pets already.
Annette and Tiril did everything they could to find Colas' owner but no one claimed Cola. After awhile, only two options remained: shelter or a new owner. Annette posted a photo of Cola on her Facebook profile. Under an hour later, Cola had a reservation for a new home in Bergen. I knew how much Tiril loves animals and I didn't have the heart to make her send Cola to a shelter. I also felt Colas' company could be great for me.
Three days later, Cola got a new name: Tipp (named after a cat the author Jakob Sande had as a child). A week or two after her renaming, she arrived in Bergen. A new life was about to start...
When Tipp arrived at her new home, she figured out the neighbour bird, Pelle, was visiting for the weekend. Tipp was fascinated! But Tipp became restless and started exploring the house. Soon, the house wasn't enough. She wanted to explore outside. But that was a no-go. Annette had taken Tipp to the vet for a check-up. After hearing parts of Tipps story as a stray, the vet recommended that Tipp should be kept inside her home for at least 3 weeks. During these weeks, Tipp was singing opera like she was going for the gold medal! She sometimes looked like a plant and sometimes she looked like a bad hider.
Not knowing where Tipp came from and if she had any owner bugged me. I also wanted to check if she was sterilised. I took her to the vet in case they could help. I was shocked when the vet told me Tipp was chipped. The vet seemed surprised Tipp had come so far from home. It seemed Annette and Tiril had forgot to check if Tipp was chipped. The vet seemed nervous when she asked if I wanted to keep Tipp. Without hesitating, I gave her a positive answer.
I was advised to fill out a form for changing ownership. The previous owner had to be notified and I needed his signature. I was scared of how my conversations with the previous owner could turn out. What if he or she didn't approve? While being at the vets office, I asked if they had some way of checking if she was sterilized. They had a few tricks, but they couldnt tell for sure without x-rays. It didn't seem she was sterilized. My wallet seemed to suddenly get thinner...
I was a bit traumatized when I came home. I had so many thoughts. The future was unsure. But anyways, I tried to contact the owner, but he wasn't home. While doing some research, I found a friend of the owner. The friend could tell me some of Tipps story. He also explained that the owner was on vacation. I contacted Annette, and made a plan with her to make things easier. The plan worked out well and the owner approved the change of ownership. He was actually a bit relieved that Tipp had a new home. It wasn't before now Annette and I knew Tipps story. The previous owner and I exchanged a few chats. The tone was well and he seemed like a decent guy.
While waiting for the paperworks and registration to be done, I worked on making Tipp more used to her new home. She was still singing opera, and she didn't like to be petted any place behind the middle of her ribs.. Little by little, she got more used to be touched on her back half. She also started to accept to be hold. A few days after the meeting with Tipps previous owner, I got the letter that Tipp was mine.
Now, Tipp was ready to take her first trips outside. She was a bit scared of her new environment, so she came back after half an hour. Her trips outside became longer after a few days and she enjoyed her new life. She always came back to her new home. But the roses would soon sting...
A few weeks after her first walk outside her new home, trouble arrived. A huge, uncastrated male cat started to attack Tipp. Luckily, it wasn't more serious than bite marks. Bites can be serious enough, but if treated, its better than breaking a leg or loosing an eye. After every attack, I took Tipp to the vet for a check. The attacks happened weeks apart, so she had time to recover.
I started to look for the owner of the cat, but without any luck. I was informed that several neighbours had problems with the same cat. At least four cats, one dog, and a person had been attacked by the cat. One of the neighbours had started to feed the cat, not knowing if the cat had owners. To make a long and cumbersome story short and easy: Trying to find a solution on what to do with the attacking cat, the relation between the neighbour and me became tense. After a few months of arguing, the neighbour told me he had captured the cat and got it castrated. I have not seen the attacking cat since then.
Tipp continued taking walks outside and enjoying life bouth outside and inside the house, but she have sometimes been tense when she came home. A few cats have visiting Tipps territory. One is a big, beautiful, grey and white cat. It kinda look like Tipp, but larger, and grey instead of black. The other one is brown and black striped. Tipp has hizzed and howled at both of them, but there has been no fighting. The grey and white cat has calmly walked away. The brown and black cat seems to be a young and curious cat. As long as the cats don't hurt each other, I am happy.
I planned to stop Tipps background story right about here, but I see we have more to tell.
20 months after Tipp moved here, we have found the time to evolve Tipps personality. It seemed like she had her "basic training" before she moved here. She don't care too much of jumping up on the tables (with some exceptions), she don't beg for food and she don't scratch furnitures. The only table Tipp jumps up on is placed close to a window. Naturally, this table is used as a throne when she wants to look out, so I allow her to sit on this table. If Tipp spots a ponytail palm, she might jump up to inspect it. Naturally this might include breaking the dont-get-on-the-table-rule.
Tipp has always seemed to be ok with people. Of course, Tipp might be a little bit arrogant and a bit careful. I see this to be normal for cats, and I see no reason to change this part of her. She is not hostile against people. I just wish she were a bit less hostile against other animals.
The first period we lived together, she wasn't much of a cuddler and she wasn't very playful (even if she were restless). She also hated to be held or picked up. She protested with both sound and claws if she was picked up, but I always tried to make the process as comfortable for her as possible. I never yelled at her, even if she scratched me. Little by little, she started to accept to be picked up. She still protest by using sound, but I feel safe enough not to use protection gear. When I sat on the couch, I had to use bait to make her place her paws on my lap. It has happened that she stands with two paws on my lap when she wants to cuddle.
While working on such things as being picked up and sitting on a lap, we work with trust, routines, and goodies. We now know each other and Tipp is more comfortable. This has made Tipp more cuddly, relaxed, and playful cat. She accepts more and it seems like she owns her home.
Today, Tipp has become a lapcat and she demands cuddles. She also accepts Shetland Sheepdogs in the house (thanx, sister!). So, yes, it seems like I have done SOMETHING right in my life...
