The Adventures of James and Elmo

Transferred to Living The Dream

2011-12-31T09:21:00.000+08:00

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

2010-04-02T13:04:00.003+08:00

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

2010-01-19T12:10:00.002+08:00

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

2009-02-15T11:47:00.004+08:00

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..

2008-03-13T15:19:00.005+08:00

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

2008-02-05T11:47:00.001+08:00

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

Cats posing

2008-01-06T16:04:00.001+08:00

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

Our Christmas present

2007-12-29T13:42:00.000+08:00

Mummy and Daddy bought us this enormous scratching post for Christmas this year.

It's so fun! We are still exploring it.

James

Christmas Day at our house

2007-12-26T21:00:00.001+08:00

Everyone having a nap! Three cats and Papa! There is no space for me!

Here I am sleeping on the couch with Papa's belt around my head

Elmo

Missing papa

2007-11-11T15:22:00.000+08:00

Papa was away for 1 week and I was missing him terribly. Vicki gave me a hug and we fell asleep together on the bed.

I am so glad Papa is home now.

Amedeo

I am a handbag!

2007-10-05T15:44:00.000+08:00

Mummy recently rearranged her hand bags and I find it very comfy in her hand bag closet. I often pretend to be a hand bag so she lets me sleep in there ;-)

Elmo

Secret hiding spot

2007-09-16T21:36:00.001+08:00

Mummy discovered my secret hiding spot for my afternoon nap! It's her bedroom closet.

It's snug and comfortable here

Wonder if she will find me

Oh oh, she found me!

Elmo

I'm in trouble!

2007-09-16T20:07:00.000+08:00

Papa scolded me today for attacking James. He put me on the sofa and told me off.

Amedeo

First there were two, then three

2007-09-16T20:01:00.000+08:00

This is the first time we were able to find James and Amedeo sleeping side by side without killing each other.

And then Vittorio managed to join them without any major hassles too! Let's hope it lasts.

Lynette

This is how I sleep

2007-09-03T18:13:00.000+08:00

Human beings sleep with their long pillows called 'lam zhums' but I use mummy's leg when I sleep. It works the same way!

Elmo

How are you doing my darlings?

2007-08-13T21:19:00.000+08:00

Hello Darlings,

Mummy is visiting her family in Sydney. How are you all doing? I miss you all very much. Ah Fang tells me you guys have been wrecking the house. I hope you don't tear it all to bits before mummy comes home.

I shall be home very soon, another week but in the mean time, I will be thinking of you all every day.

Be good and don't fight with each other.

Mummy

Here are some pictures of me

2007-08-11T18:29:00.000+08:00

Aunty Lynette is visiting at the moment and she just loves these pictures of me!

Mosey

Settling In

2007-08-09T15:08:00.001+08:00

We are slowly settling into No 8. Mummy and Daddy have gone away so we have the house to ourselves. Mummy is hoping we don't kill each other and pee and poo everywhere.

If you look very closely, all 4 of us are in the same room. There is Vicki sleeping on the sofa to the right of me, James on the floor and Elmo sleeping on the chair.

This is me and Vicki sleeping on the same red couch a few days later.

Amedeo

Afternoon naps

2007-07-24T17:02:00.000+08:00

It's time for our afternoon nap so here we all are in different parts of the house:

That's me hidden under the pillows. Mummy had a hard time finding me.

James (Mummy likes to call him Jaimsey)

Amedeo (he's feeling depressed as he cut his lip and now he sleeps all day and refuses to go outside and play).

Elmo

My Papa and I

2007-07-02T23:51:00.000+08:00

This is me Vicki (Vittorio). My Papa says I am either eating or sleeping. I like to sleep during the day. I've grown heaps because when I first came to live with Papa, I was skinny and very scared of everyone but now I am not scared of anyone, or almost anyone!

This is my Papa working on the computer. He has a frog on his head.

Vittorio

We don't like to bathe

2007-06-20T16:44:00.000+08:00

Mummy likes to wash Elmo and I once in a while. She doesn't understand that we clean ourselves every day so we don't need to be washed. We hate the water and we always scream and shout but she doesn't take the hint.

This is us (very fluffy) on the bed after our bath. The only consolation is that we smell good!

James

Don't wake me up please!

2007-06-20T16:41:00.000+08:00

Mummy wants to wake me up but I told her to go away!

Mummy says Vittorio and Amadeo is going to come and live with us very soon. That means there will be 4 of us to play! I think it will get very messy!

Elmo

Our bed time ritual

2007-02-27T12:43:00.000+08:00

James and I have a bed time ritual that mummy never fails to understand. Last night, she was working on the bed trying to update her strategy for her school and this is what we were doing:

This is me preparing to pounce on James.

This is James looking at me.

Our fight sequence!

This is James resting on mummy's right side after our fight.

This is me resting on mummy's left side after the ordeal.

This is me sleeping because it's exhausting!

Elmo

I am obsessed with pens

2007-02-27T12:36:00.000+08:00

I love pens! Once mummy left a bunch of pens on the table and I stashed it all away under the carpet. She found it a few months later when she was cleaning up and she was so mad!

James

Lonely lonely lonely!!

2007-02-20T19:04:00.000+08:00

MUMMY!

DADDY!!

Please play with me!

Mummy has been sick the past few weeks and Daddy has been taking care of her.

I am LONELY!

Mosey

Who says sleeping is not good for you?

2007-02-19T17:18:00.000+08:00

Exactly! No one! James is an independent cat and he doesn't need mummy as much as I need mummy plus I am younger too!

When mummy is home, I never go outside to play. I like to sleep on her lap while she works on her computer. As long as I don't jump onto her keyboard, she doesn't mind.

At night, I like to sleep on mummy's pillow on top of her head but sometimes she is annoyed at me because my fur is so thick that she gets hot. When it gets cold, I crawl under the covers and sleep hugging her leg. I think she likes that better but then she complains that she can't move with me sleeping under the covers and James outside the covers. She is hemmed in by the two of us. Secretly, I know she likes having us around.

A few nights ago, James and I decided to test this by sleeping outside in the living room and mummy came downstairs in the middle of the night to look for us but we hid from her and she was very annoyed or maybe she was disappointed that we didn't come.

Mummy and I had an afternoon nap today but now I feel sleepy again so I think I am going to lie down. Maybe mummy will feed us soon otherwise I will have to go in search of some grass.

Elmo

Eating grass

2007-02-19T17:04:00.000+08:00

Why is it that these boys of mine eat grass? It's not as if they are not well fed because they get fed twice a day. James just came running up to me trying to tell me he's had enough outside and wants to come inside to check out what I am doing.

They have so far destroyed all the plants in my house so my home is now devoid of beauty because of them. Now when they run outside, they attack my plants and eat the leaves. Then after 5 minutes, they vomit everything out. If I am lucky, they vomit outside but sometimes they decide to vomit inside just to annoy me.

Sometimes they carry dead leaves into the house and then proceed to crack them all up, scattering all the pieces in every corner of the living room. It drives Ah Fang (our maid) mad because she has to clean it up.

Lynette

About Us

2007-02-17T11:48:00.000+08:00

This is me, James. I'm hiding in my favourite place, the bathroom towel closet. By the way, I am almost 2.5 years old!

This is my brother Elmo. He's always sleeping and this is his favourite position, close to mummy's pillow. He is actually much smaller than this picture makes him out to be. Somehow, he is elongated here! Elmo is almost 1 year old.

This is our cousin Moses. As you can see, he is talking to us on MSN when mummy isn't looking.

It's Chinese New Year and mummy is staying at home with us all week. I think she will be working quite hard though because she said something about doing the gardening and cleaning up all the dead leaves and filing all her paper she has all over her desk. I'm glad she is home as she works at a cooking school and is sometimes away for long hours.

Mummy is mad at me because I tried to get out of the house a few times. She fenced in the front garden where the drain is but I managed to work at it every day when she let me out and then one day 2 weeks ago, I managed to work a hole out of the fence and ran off. She didn't find out until a few hours later but by that time, I had explored all the drains around the area. She ran out shouting my name and I ran off to meet her but when I saw her face, I knew she was really angry so I started to run towards the house and in my haste, I ran into the neighbour's house instead and she ran in and just grabbed me and gave me a good whack! So now she has secured the hole with 2 flower pots and I have to find another way to get out.

Elmo is not very adventurous because whenever mummy is home, he just follows her around like a puppy. I think he is just getting fatter and fatter even though mummy has put the both of us on a diet. I feel like eating all the time!

James