Transferred to Living The Dream

I've not posted here for a long time because I've decided to blog about myself and the cats at Living The Dream instead.

See you there!

Lynette

Leaving something for your cats or dogs when you pass away

I've been investigating this since I have recently been putting my will together.  If you live in Singapore, you need to realise that if you want to leave something for your animals, it is somewhat difficult.  This is because when you die, your assets will be frozen until the probate period is over and the funds are released.  Unless you have someone willing to step in to help during this period, your animals will not have access to funds for their well being.

Your will does not recognise the welfare of animals therefore if you want to leave your animals to someone or if you want someone to take care of them or inherit them, this is only written as a wish.  There is no obligation for the recipient to take on that responsibility.  Since this would apply to my case, I had to think long and hard what to do when it happens.

In Singapore, parents will buy life insurance for their children as life insurance will by pass the probate so that the children will have money straight away to continue on with their life.  Usually, a trust is set up for them as well.  Unfortunately, Singapore does not recognise a trust fund set up for animals.  As I am an Australian citizen and I am not sure which country I will be living in when I pass away, I decided to purchase life insurance that would pay to a trust fund set up in Australia  as sole beneficiary when I pass away.  The trust fund in Australia will then distribute the money to the guardian of the cats.  My sister has been named the guardian of the cats and she will receive the money for their welfare.  As this is a legally binding agreement, it means that the guardian and trust fund has to carry out their duties.  It also means that you have provided enough money (hopefully) for their welfare and it is not a burden for the guardian who has been 'forced' to inherit and take care of the cats.

In my case, I have asked the guardian to fly the cats back to Australia (if they are not already living there) and set them up in a home which she will rent.  She will also pay for a care taker to take care of them so that they are comfortable for the rest of their lives.  The insurance pay out is SGD$500,000 and as I hope to keep my cat population to less than 6, I think the funds should be adequate for their remaining lives.

This is something you should think about if you love them and want to ensure they are taken care of when you are no longer around.  If you know of a less complicated way, do let me know as I have explored all options with the lawyers here in Singapore.

Lynette

An additional family member, Oscar

Oscar when he was sick a second time

In July 2009, we were very fortunate to have Oscar join our family.  He was very sick and we found him close to Cold Storage at Holland Village.  Without a doubt, I knew that if I took him home, he would stay with us and become part of our family.  Over the years, I am just not able to resist a sick cat.  My heart just bleeds if I see a sick and injured animal.

His teeth were rotting which created sores in his gums and in turn it affected his sinuses.  He was in very bad shape but after several trips to the doctor, we managed to pull out his rotten teeth and with some drugs, he was able to recover.  It was not until 6 months later that he fully settled in our home.  He was living outside in our front porch but he did not like it and wanted to be part of the family.  As he is a pretty old cat and got frightened easily when there was rain and thunder, he did not enjoy being outside.  He also did not get along with the rest of the boys and Gianna.  He started to pee all over our porch and poo in the garden so we decided to move him out to our back porch.  We noticed an immediate change.  He started using the kitty litter and he started to groom himself and take care of himself.  As a result, his fur became shiny and he started to look really healthy.  He still did not get along with the other cats but most of the time, they avoided each other.  He also started to sleep with our helper and claimed her as his new sister.


I am happy that I am able to give him a home and to see that he is now so relaxed.  Every day I watch him knowing that every day is an additional day he can enjoy his life.  I am not sure how long he will be with us but every day he is with me, I feel happy that I have made a difference to a cat.

Lynette

The personalities of my boys & one little girl

Our population has now grown to 5 cats with the addition of our little princess Gianna. This morning, I thought about their different personalities and how they are all different from each other:

Gianna is the youngest and an absolute princess. She gets away with anything and no one fights with her. She's also allowed to go near any of the other cats, wack them on the head and get away with it. None of the other cats can do that! She is also very anxious and does not like visitors very much. At the first sign of visitors, she runs away and will not come out until they leave. It is only in the evening after she has been fed and it's bed time that I am allowed to touch her.

Amedeo is a sleek cougar. Quiet, aloof and introverted, he will not engage in a fight unless he is provoked and when that happens he never loses. He makes sure he is always the winner. He reminds me of the reluctant warrior in The Gladiator.

Vicki is the play boy. He always seeks out women and does not hesitate to endear himself to them. He is happiest in someone's arms or when he is continually stroked. He is also the most friendly and takes very easily to people. He loves to hide in the shadows and when you walk past, he will run out and hug your leg and then run away. He just wants to play all the time.

James is the defender. He knows his territory and does not want to give it up. He will defend it agains't any intruder and he will willingly fight for it. He is sensitive and feels mood changes easily. If I go away for a few days, he notices and will ignore me when I come home. He needs to be coaxed as his affection is not given easily. As he is my first cat, he also knows he holds a special place in my heart.

Elmolino is quiet and extremely introverted to the point that he avoids confrontation at all costs. He will just run away or bow down to another cat so that he does not have to fight. He spends almost all day in the cupboard and will not come out until the early evening. In appearance, he is the most adorable and most people who see him just want to pick him up and cuddle him. This is something that he does not like too much, preferring his own company.

Lynette

On a rainy day..

We all slept on mummy and daddy's big bed. The mouse is Vicki's toy as he loves it and brought it with him to bed that day!

Amedeo poses for the camera

Amedeo loves to pose for the camera even when he is asleep! Here are some pictures we took of him.

Cats posing

James in his cubby hole looking more like a rabbit than a cat. We exchanged the previous scratching post for a new grey one since the one they gave us was from the show room.


Elmo once again sitting on my boxes while I work away at my desk. He's getting bigger and fatter every day!

Lynette