Ben
Our maine coon cat
Ben is our Maine Coon cat. We got him from the SPCA three years ago (2003)at New year and had him spayed then. We just happened to be passing by the SPCA when my daughter (who was over in Canada visiting from the UK ) said "Why don't we go in and see where your three other pets came from?" So we did. Two days later my daughter and I went back and took Ben home!!!! (We don't go visiting the SPCA anymore...not to specifically LOOK at the animals anyway .. YET!!!!) So really he is not just our cat but my daughter's too as she is the one who chose Ben as did my husband.!! I didn't think we needed any more pets.
For the first month he stayed in one room.... his choice not ours. Then for the next year he remained in the house, mainly living in the den and "his" room. He just seemed scared of everything and it took him a long, long time before he ventured out of the house. He was scared of his own shadow. He was happy around our two dogs, Otis and Jaxx and wanted to befriend Snuggles our grey cat,but she was not interested and kept him in his place, making sure he knew she was the boss! Ben would like to go outside the house and sit under the bushes watching the world go by. After we moved to our new home on the farm Ben liked to spend more time outside the house. He would go to the barn and go upstairs and sit on the hay there! He didn't wander much! Then winter came and the barn became too cold for him. So he liked to sit in his basket and watch the world go by! Nowadays he likes to follow me out the door whenever Jaxx goes for his walks across the fields and even ventures out to see the horses and under the fruit trees. Much more adventurous! Today Ben has his friends.. Cosmo, the ginger cat who also lives on the farm and came with the farm who comes calling to see if Ben is around and also comes calling for food now and again even though he resides next door inthe cottage on the farm. Also a tabby cat calls round to see both the cats. Snuggles is not really interested and looks on from a distance!
It is March and Ben has taken these last weeks to following Jaxx and I as we walk around the field each morning and at other times in the day. He likes to keep his distance but is following non the less! He gets more adventurous each day, seeming to go further and further!
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Ben is being adventurous and has climbed up the tree.
Ben and Jaxx way out in the field.
April 24th 2006. We bring Bosun home. Ben meets Bosun and hisses at him to show him that he will not be intimidated. He stands his ground while Bosun looks him over then hisses again and moves to the cat perch.
April 26th. This morning Bosun and Ben greeted each other at the door. They rubbed noses and then went their own way.
May 1st 2006. Ben and Bosun greet each other nose to nose several times a day but NEVER when outside! Only in the safety of the utility room where he Knows he won't get chased!
Ben is maulting BIG time! I brush him daily and he is losing lots of his long fur. His fur is shining and looks good.
June 11th 2006. Ben somehow got into the house last night without anyone seeing him so this morning he was on the dining room table resting there happily!
Late June and Ben has decided it is too hot to be inside at night. He prefers to be out where he can play with his buddies, Cosmo and the other cats that come visiting. I haven't seen him playing with Lucy, the ginger cat that belongs to our tennant, but he seems to play with the other cats that come in his yard! Ben's food is now inside the shed that is near the barn so he can have it whenever he likes!
Late Sept 2006 and Ben likes to be inside again at night!
Oct 2006. ben seems pleased to see both dogs back. However when Bosun went away for the day to have his operation the cats kept looking for him!
16 May 2007
Today Ben went to the vets to have some teeth extracted. At his yearly check up this year he was found to have some bad teeth and some roots exposed. An appointment was made to ahve teeth extracted. In the meantime I went off to the Uk and when I returned I checked Ben's mouth. It looked like he had lost his bad teeth. I phoned the vets intending to cancell the appointment to have his teeth extracted, but the vet wanted to check him over to make sure the roots were all out. So at that appointment she found that he still had teeth that needed treating as his roots were showing on some and possibly causing him pain. .... gingevitis. This was probably due to bones getting caught in his teeth. ...more than likely from catching and eating mice!! So today he had the teeth removed. He had two out on one side... one on the top, and one on the bottom, and one tooth the other side of his face.
Ben was fine when I brought him home. He lay on top of the washer and purred and wanted to have attention! All the animals were delighted to have him return! They all hate it when one of them is missing.
Go here to find out about Bosun.
Go here to find out about Jaxx.
Go here to find out about Snuggles.