Getting Serious About Morris and Mandy

Last week it was time to get serious about Morris and Mandy. 

BFFs, Morris and Mandy - time for us to make a decision

It was actually past time.  Up until now we know we have just been lucky.


After what happened to Tweets, we know that Morris and Mandy, who have been living outside our house for months now, are not safe here.  They have been crossing the street more and more - nearly every day and more than once a day.  It was making me a nervous wreck.  And then one morning, I drove home from the park, and as I got out of the car, I saw Morris dash out into the road from across the street to greet me.  Seconds later a car whizzed by.  Had he dashed out any later, it could so easily have hit him.

Morris, such good company

Mandy, sweet and very vulnerable - she loves Morris and follows him around

Jazzy was following along on these adventures, too. They all three would follow each other across the seafront road to the vast agricultural field, recently plowed, in front of the sea.  Perhaps it is a good place to hunt mice now that it is laid bare.   So night after night, unable to sleep because of concern over it, I would watch the three going back and forth, back and forth from the upstairs windows. As much as we love them and want them with us, and that is a lot, it was time for us to do something - to make a hard decsion. 

A vacant apartment in Nicosia is available to us at the moment.  We sadly packed up Mandy and Morris and moved them there.  Nik, who works in Nicosia, checks on them morning and night, cleaning and filling their food and water bowls, scooping their cat litter, and spending some time with them cuddling and playing.  Morris made himself at home right away; for Mandy it took a few more days.  Now they have both adjusted.  I miss them very much.  It was a hollow feeling to go outside and not see them there the day they left. 

The field directly across the street from us, in front of the sea, has recently been plowed, perhaps making it an attractive hunting ground for field mice

Jazzy, who has became pals with Morris and Mandy since his alteration, has been joining them on these dangerous adventures

I miss going outside and seeing this - cuteness and sweetness galore, and super company when I am in the garden doing chores

We now have to think about Jazzy, too, but he is feral, and we don't know how he would adjust to such a situation.  And Amber also, because she has moved back into the garden now that Mandy is gone.  Amber is not feral.

Amber, still vulnerable outside

It is only a temporary solution.  If we cannot find a better solution, we will have to take them to Paphiakos Animal Shelter, because we cannot stand by and watch these beautiful, loving cats that look at us so trustingly get hit by cars.  If we haven't learned our lesson by now, then we really are stupid.

Adorable Mandy is safe for now

Neither Morris nor Mandy is feral.  These are two of the most devoted cats we have ever known.  What we really want is to keep them with us, but until we find a more appropriate place to live, it's not acceptable to let them roam around outside anymore.  And the house inside is full at present.  I mean full. 

Mandy and Morris, devoted to one another and to us

I guess you could say they are in a sort of prison right now, though they seem to be enjoying themselves immensely, according to Nik's reports; but I side with the saying: "Better a live dog than a dead lion."  Whatever better solution we can come up with for Mandy and Morris, it has to start with them being alive.  

We really miss them and it was a hard, but, we felt, necessary decision, and in their long run best interests.  Perhaps now, they will actually have the promise of a long run, and not end up like Tweets. 

PS  Mandy and Morris are both on our adoption page!  Please visit it and have a look and if you are interested in adopting them, please contact us!  Thank you!