Gizmo's Favourites

Favourite toys
tennis balls
bouncy balls
pom poms
cardboard boxes of any size
balls of paper
paper butterflies
balls of foil
string of any kind
toilet paper/empty toilet rolls
empty cling wrap rolls
catnip mice
ribbon
peoples hair
peoples ankles
peoples hands
drains
bath/sink plugs

Favourite Places to Sleep
anyones lap/chest/neck
under blankets
open or closed lap tops
on a heat pack
in boxes
under the desk
on the couch or bed
in the pot plants
anywhere in the sun
in the cupboards
in the camping chair

Favourite Mischief Making Activities

chewing electrical cords

playing with blinds

jumping up walls

jumping out at people

attacking feet

biting hard

pulling up the drains

hiding anything from jewlery to bath plugs
going fishing in the fish tank

waking up people with kisses so they don't mind

scratching on doors

Hates

being left alone

being cold
having baths
not having someone to play with
being bored
getting in trouble

A whole new world

Through Gismo's Eyes

I got to go outside today. I've been staring out the window for ages, feeling the warmth of the sun, looking at all the lovely things moving out there that I wanted to chase. My people opened the door and let me play on the balcony in the sun. So many new smells and exciting things to see. There were these things called bugs that move and were so much fun to chase. There were lots of plants, and high places to sit and look at an even bigger world.

I could even get to the edge of the balcony where I could look down at other people, and other dogs and cats, although I don't think my people like me going too close to the edge. They keep calling my name when ever I go over there. I can't help that I'm curious to see whats going on.

I sat in the sun for hours playing, catching bugs and having a nap. I can't wait to go out there again!

Mischief Maker

Gismo has learnt some clever tricks to get attention lately. We love playing games with him, but there are times when it's a little tricky amongst doing paperwork, whilst cooking dinner, or when we're getting ready first thing in the morning. He loves to chase balls of any kind eg balls of foil, bouncy balls, balls containing catnip, tennis balls, glittery pom poms, balls of paper, even plastic bags. He also loves to chase string, ribbons, peoples pants as they move down the hallway, basically anything hanging. We have created a new toy out of an old clothes horse, by hanging string, ribbon, paper butterfly's and all sorts of glitter pompoms etc tied on. He loves playing with it when we play with him, but shows very little interest in it as soon as we stop playing.

The tricks to get attention are things he knows he is not supposed to do, because he knows it involves us chasing him, or paying some form of attention to him, even if it involves us using the water spray bottle, used to try to stop bad behaviour. Latest attention seeking behaviour includes jumping/running up walls to try to get pictures hanging up, jumping for the phone cord, jumping for any electrical wires even if they can only just be seen over the edge of the counter top, and jumping for the bag that holds plastic bags we recycle. Even though he knows he will get in trouble, and that it may result in getting a squirt from the spray bottle, he insists on jumping up a wall and running away to hide (when we are busy). We have tried ignoring him, squirting him, playing with him a little during the times we are busy, locking him in his room...and yet none of these things have stopped the behaviour. Currently all things hanging have been tied up and hidden from view (unless we forget).

He likes playing with the vertical blinds, as well as the cords that open and close them. He likes playing with any electrical cords on the ground, or coming from equipment. He has also taken to scratching doors, clawing the carpet and meowing when you go into the bathroom without him, or close him into his room. Again resulting in squirting.

He seems to take great delight in the hide and seek game that results from doing something naughty, and after getting squirted likes to come and apologise for a cuddle and kiss, before doing the same thing again 10 minutes later...

While it would be nice if we could work out a way to stop him, we can't help but love him and laugh at the extent he goes to to get attention.

Gizmo gets a bath

Gizmo has settled in well, and we are enjoying spending lots of time with him. Unfortunately, probably because he was so young when we got him from the pound he hasn't really learnt about cleaning himself properly. Unfortunately for Gizmo, it has gotten to the point where we decided he needed a bath, until he learns to bathe himself. We also wanted to make sure we had gotten rid of any possible fleas etc.

Currently Gizmo fits in the bathroom sink, so we filled it with a little warm water to wet his feet, and then left the water running gently. When we first put him near the water he didn't know what it was, but as soon as he realised we weren't going to let him out, the meow's started. At first it was more of a quiet meow, then it became more insistant, and then it was more like "get me out of here". He scratched a little, but with kitten claws, he didn't do much damage.

He looked even smaller without his fluffy coat. After the bath was finished, we dried him with a towel. He looked so forlorne and bedraggled, but yet so cute. We felt bad for him, so we gave him a heat pack to help keep him warm, and he bathed himself whilst sitting on it on the couch.

Now he is much fluffier, and smells nice and clean. Hopefully it lasts a while,or he starts to learn how to bathe himself... otherwise he might just have to get used to more frequent bathing experiences.

My new home

Through Gizmo's Eyes

I'm so happy right now I can't stop purring... I got rescued from death row by some people who seem nice. They took me to somewhere new that has all sorts of fun things to play with, lots of new smells, lots of hidy holes, and places to snuggle that are warm. no more cold cement or metal, no more sad eyes that stare and look away.

I miss my brothers and sisters, but my people play with me. They throw things for me to chase, my favourite being paper butterflies, catnip mice and string. I have my own room with boxes and tunnels, toys and blankets, and lots of things to scratch. I am never hungry, as there is always food.

I sometimes miss the warmth of my brothers and sisters, but my people even let me sleep with them in their bed. Sometimes I like to curl up between their feet, or stretch out in between them, but most of all when it's cold, I like to nudge my way under the covers so I can curl up on their chest where it's warm and I feel like I'm with my mum.

They keep talking about a thing called a bath... I don't know what that is. They keep saying they are going to give me a bath today, I hope it is a fun game...

Rescue from Death Row

After 2 years without pets, we decided we needed the company of a feline. A friend of mine helps out with various rescue organisations including save our strays, and she suggested we look for our new family member at blacktown pound. I looked on the website and couldn't believe the number of cats and kittens that needed new homes. These animals are only kept for a week from when they arrive. After that they are killed because there are so many. Organisations like save our strays, drummoyne darlings and various other rescue organisations just can't save them all.

We searched through the listed animals and found a tabby kitten who looked adorable and in need of love. He was due out about 3 days later, so I went to the shelter to have a look at him. When I walked into the Cattery, I felt so sorry for the cats and kittens. Cold cement and metal surrounds them, and people walk in and out feeling guilty that they cannot rescue them all. I walked in optimistic that I could at least rescue one. I sought out Gizmo... at the time he was just a number. He wore a pink band around his neck with his number on it as they thought he was a girl. While the other kittens in his cage clamboured over each other to come to the front and get a pat, he sat behind them and just watched. he looked skinny and bedraggled, but so cute.

I didn't want to leave him that day, however the pound had a system of application for tender, meaning you had to bid on the animal and the highest bidder got a call to pick up the animal on its due date. I put in an application on Gizmo hoping I would get the phone call to let me know that we had won his life...

2 days later I got the phone call and went to pick him up. He got his number cut off, got a new number in the form of a microchip, and I paid to release him from death row. He meowed the whole way home, and I felt so mean transferring him from one cage to another without being able to hug him.

I took him straight to the vet for a check up and his first vaccination. They wormed him, gave him a flea treatment weighed him and checked him out. He was malnourished and skinny, but other than that in pretty good condition... oh and they let us know he was a boy.

Finally I got to take our new family member home. He walked out of the cage tentetively, quietly had a walk around, and then curled up on my lap. He had found his forever home, and he knew he liked it. It took us a few days to decide on a name, especially as we had originally been trying to find a girls name. We decided on Gizmo as he had a huge head and ears, and he reminded us of the cuddly little mogwai from the movie gremlins.

Gizmo started to come out of his shell in the first week showering us with cuddles and kisses, sleeping curled up at our feet, or under the covers on the bed. He loved playing with paper and string, and chasing our feet. This would be the beginning of many hours of cuddles and kisses, games of hide and seek, fetch, mischief and fun. He has brought so much to us, and we are just glad we were able to save him from death row.

Gizmo's experience on Death Row

Through Gizmo's Eyes (or at least a humans imagination of Gizmo's Eyes)

So many people walk in and out.
So many faces. Some came to feed me, some came to play, others stared or looked away.

 After a week on death row I didn't even go to the cell door anymore. The others clambered over each other to lick or chew fingers, trying to please jailers, or possible rescuers. I just sat and observed. I didn't like this cold place. Cement, metal and it was always full of strangers. Funny smells and never enough food.

Why am I here? 5 weeks old, stolen from my mother. My brothers and sisters disappear one by one. I don't even know what to do anymore.... I want my mum. Maybe if I curl up and go to sleep I will wake up from this nightmare.