By: Karen Lowe
Hello there….
I’m Marvin , AKA Marshmallow by the Tyneside AC staff who know and love me, due to me being a big softie. I’m often told that I’m a handsome cutie, but I’m a little shy about that so I’ll let you make up your own mind – see my pic above. When I curl up I have a white heart shape on my side. Quite appropriate, as I was adopted on St Valentines day 2020 by one of the volunteers called Karen. Before I met Karen, I was living a cosy life at the centre receiving lots of food and fuss from my human servants. It was no secret to the hoomans that I love food, but when I started drinking more they knew something was wrong. Much to my disapproval, I was whisked away to see my cat doctor, who prodded me a while and ran some tests and told me that I have Stage Two Kidney Disease, which they say cannot be cured :(.
My condition meant that it took me a little longer to find a special home for me to spend my retirement years… but this didn’t deter my Karen.
I remember the days when I’d pop my head up and look out longingly every time Karen passed by my pen, pawing at the window to get her attention. I did this with everyone, but Karen and I had a special bond, and one day my hard work paid off and she whisked me away to be part of her family.
So , what do I get up to in my new furrever home?
My condition means that I have to be observed closely, weighed regularly and fed a special diet. I lurrv my food! I’m always hungry at 4am and bungee jump repeatedly from the headboard onto my hoomans to feed me. This works purrfectly. I’m proabbly hungry due to my night time antics. I have a gym session every night; my speciality is working out on the scratching post.
I also do lots of arm stretches , pawing at my hoomans faces whilst they try to cat nap in the night (I’m trying to train them to become crepuscular like me). My favourite daytime hobbies are pinching the mail and hiding it upstairs, chasing the laser light and catching my prey when the light lands on an object (it’s very important that I’m allowed to catch my prey when mimicking hunting otherwise I’d be frustrated) I enjoy watching birds through the window and cat napping and being Karen’s shadow.
Apart from the hoomans, I also share my home with the strangest looking white cat I’ve ever seen. She has big ears a bob tail and hops around.
We were introduced gradually, firstly we swapped blankets to scent share. Then we saw each other through panels for a while; it helped that we were already familiar with each other’s smell. Then finally it was face to face contact. We have reached a civil understanding , and I hope one day soon we will be good friends.
I do still try to trespass into her special utility room where her hutch is and she chases me out., which is fair enough really! We share plenty of other space as this funny “cat” free roams.
In a nutshell, life is pretty good since my adoption and I know the hoomans think the world of me; I’m the best thing since sliced bread and can do no wrong.
Shucks I’m feeling bashful.
I want to thank all the amazing staff and volunteers who gave me so much love and care in the centre.
You’re all fabulous !!
Much Love,
Marvin xx
Karen has been volunteering at Tyneside Adoption Centre since the centre first opened its doors. She was desperate to be around cats as she missed her two beloved 19 year old moggies who had passed away in quick succession;. Karen reared them from being 3 months old. Karen had also rescued a feisty territorial bunny called Violet soon after her cats passed away. Karen could not envisage Violet sharing her home with a cat, but her longing for her own cat never ceased.
It was due to Marvin’s special circumstances and chronic illness that Karen simply had to bring him home. It turns out that her previous reservations were unfounded & things are going pretty well between her fur babies!
Cats Protection Tyneside Adoption Centre 