Note from Maggie: Tammy Moreland is Picton Castle’s purser as well as Captain Moreland’s wife. She had messaged me to say that it looked like she had found a kitten to adopt as the new ship’s cat. Pretty tiny but sweet, apparently a good mouser. She was a stray who ended up hanging around the tattoo place a number of our crew had visited in Mangareva and the shop owner seemed happy to give her away. Now here’s Tammy.
Yesterday, when I took my husband and Dirk to see the little kitty at the tattoo place, he spotted the other little black and white male kitty (who was busy loving him up) and enquired as to what was wrong with him and why weren’t we taking him. He then he suggested that maybe both kittens would be fine, like former ship’s cats Suva and Fiji. The owner of the house brought the second little kitty, the cute female I sent you a picture of, and said “here, take them both!” So, now we have TWO kitties – Riki (M) and Tea – pronounced tay-ah (F). *Sigh* Whoever said my husband isn’t a softie definitely has not seen this side of him! Although, truth be told we’re all kinda chuffed, even Dirk.
I wasn’t totally prepared to get them at that exact moment, but the crew and Dawson were helpful in finding the cat litter box, Dan and Lisa went ashore to find some kind of food for them (plenty of dog food ashore but no cat food so they bought small tins of tuna and pate), and Lisa, being a former vet tech, checked them over and declared them quite clean and healthy, and about 8-10 weeks old – although they do have a few fleas, which we will take care of today. I set them up in the mess, fed them, gave them water and they settled down for the night, motors a-hummin’. Tea is incredibly chill and very affectionate. Riki is quite a pistol (he almost immediately jumped up to the skylight forcing me to cover it up with a plastic garbage bag and duct tape) and vocal but affectionate – he loves rubbing noses.
Most of the crew are very excited, particularly George, who has also been a big help, and Violet, who has been asking for a while to get a kitten. They will not lack for affection. I’m keeping them in the mess/superstructure for now and letting a few people into the mess at a time so as not to overwhelm them, but to also get them used to other people. They seem to be a comfort to each other, too, which helps, I think.
I guess we’ll need a vet check for two kitties in Tahiti.
So, there you have it! Picton Castle once again has ship’s kitties!! 🙂
