The deafening quiet echoed all around me. Loneliness hung over me like a heavy blanket. The song, I’m so lonely droned in my head. How many hours until my owner got back?

Nothing to do, I was going mad. What was that? It was definitely something in the Rose bush bed. Don’t worry master, I will defend the garden. Dig, dig, dig! Damn, no sight of it. Maybe it’s in the Pansy bed. Dig, dig dig! No, let’s try the Daises. Yhew, I’m exhausted…….Oh my gosh, what a mess, my owner, Dan is going to freak.

“Rob, what have you done!” Dan cried.

I hung my head in shame. I was just sooo board and lonely.

Dan stormed inside, I heard him on the phone, something about Doggie Day Care. What did that mean? Was I being rehomed? I hardly slept that night, what was going to happen?

At about 9am the next morning there was a knock at the door. A kind looking man, named Jan, gently put a lead on me and led me to a huge car. Badham’s Fourways Kennels collection and delivery was printed on the side. Oh no, where was I going? Even though I was nervous, the journey was exciting with new smells and lots of different noises.

We arrived at the kennels and I was enthusiastically greeted by two ladies, Esta and Janet. They led me to a big exercise garden and introduced me to Penelope the Pointer. We hit it off straight away. We romped and played until my tongue hung out. Content we rested under the shade of a big leafy tree. In the afternoon two of the staff, Lucas and Johannes, came and took us for a walk around the vast property. I had such fun, sniffing all the different interesting scents, I must have marked at least five trees!

After that, Jan came and led me back to the car. Before I knew it, I was home. I had just settled in for a snooze, when Dan arrived home. After dinner we snuggled down to watch TV. Peace rained in our home, the flower beds were restored and I had exciting new adventures to look forward to.

So there I was, I couldn’t believe my owner, Cathy, had done this to me. I had performed the whole way to the cattery in my travel box, right through Sandton and I got extremely loud toward Fourways, but she had just kept going, until I saw the sign, Badham’s Fourways Kennels and Cattery. Horror, me, Sir Perciful in a cattery!

I grudgingly have to admit that we were met by very kind and friendly ladies, Joan and Kerry, but I still didn’t want to be there. I made this plainly obvious by spitting and trying to scratch everyone, including Cathy, my traitorous owner, serve her right. Much to my disgust Joan remained calm and loving. I was hoping they would send me home. After my owner left, a lady called Gloria, made sure I was comfortable with a nice basket to sleep in, fresh water and a cat litter tray. (Thank goodness, I can’t live without mine.) Gloria spoke to me in a soft gentle voice and gently stroked me, which seemed to take the edge off my stress. After my TLC, I decided to look around.

Sid the Siamese, my neighbor was fast asleep on a log in the sun. I completely ignored him, being a Siamese and all. Another member of staff Klaas, opened my unit door, escape I thought, but the door led out into an enclosed exercise garden, with logs and plants. It was quite exciting to explore all the nooks and crannies and have a good destressing scratch on a log.

After all the exercise, my tummy started to rumble, and I realized it was supper time. The dread came back, what would they serve me. I was used to premium cat food! Dinner arrived, what a nice surprise, Royal Canin pellets with delicious tin food on the side. Even though I was starving I decided to sulk. Joan came and sat with me, stroking and encouraging me to eat, until all my will power broke and I thoroughly enjoyed my meal.

The sun started to go down and the air cooled, panic set in. No electric blanket! Then a warm glow appeared above my basket. Heated kennels, what a relief! I snuggled into my basket and I closed my eyes, all was good in my world, as it should be, I’m a Persian you know.

The days passed quickly. One morning a man named Lawrence came and put me in a tub of warm water. A bath is not one of my favourite activities, but he was gentle and afterwards I was dried and brushed. I felt fantastic after my grooming. Not long after my bath, my owner Cathy appeared to take me home. I did what cats to best, I sulked. No need to let her know I had a good time. Though I better not sulk too much, she might not bring me back. Ha Ha, it’s good to be a cat.

Have you ever had one of those days where everything goes pear shaped.

Well I had one of those days last Tuesday. It all started on my morning walk. It is usually the time of day I enjoy the most. One on one with my beloved owner Cheryl, we walk to the dam on our estate. Once there she takes me off my lead and I frolick around. On this particular day I got a bit carried away and went a bit further than I normally do and landed in a stinky mud puddle. I got such a shock, I shot off straight into a bush of burrs. I was literally and figuratively a mess. I could not possibly show my face in the neighbourhood, I am much too beautiful to look like a hobo.

As usual my wonderful Cheryl knew just what to do. She phoned Badham’s Fourways grooming parlour. Due to the “emergency” they were so accommodating and fitted me straight away.

On arrival I was feeling ashamed and embarrassed, I had never looked so awful, but all the staff were friendly and kind and made me feel so welcome, even though I must have smelt horrific. I was lead to a lovely spacious kennel to wait my turn, not like some grooming parlours where you are left to wait in tiny boxes. While waiting I made friends with Sally the Scottie and Matthew the Maltese who were in the kennels on either side of me, also waiting to be groomed. Sally had been before and assured me I was in good hands. Before I knew it, it was my turn. Edward my groomer was gentle and understood I was nervous about removing the spiky burrs. After he expertly removed the burrs, he gave me a wonderfully new stylish haircut. I was then bathed with a divine smelling shampoo and blow dried. Edward even gave me a pedicure. I was feeling fantastic! It was then that I got a lovely surprise. A sweet lady called Paulina took me for a walk around their beautiful grounds. Pampering and a de stressing walk…. just what I needed.

Cheryl got caught up at work, so their driver, Jan delivered me home. When Cheryl arrived home I strutted over to show her how beautiful I was.

She was so thrilled, that she booked me in for monthly collection and delivery grooming.

What started badly, ended well.