A Day In The Life at Amanda's Ark!
Walking In My Shoes
With so much to do on a daily basis, it's hard to pack everything in, and there are times when I don't feel I've achieved anything at all.
There are days when I take 10 steps forward, and other days 2 steps back, with days in between that I am so unbelievably overwhelmed that I am forced to take a rest day.
I consciously try and pace myself and prioritise but I can honestly fill 10 lifetimes and it's difficult to even know where to start!!!
My latest tactic is to have coffee with God and give Him my worries and my day, allowing Him to manage it in any way He chooses.
And this enables me to breathe a deep sign of relief as I walk in faith and do the best I can, one step at a time.
Security First
Mornings at Amanda's Ark begin early at first light as the dogs have an in-built alarm clock and know what time their walk is.
Everything has to be carefully orchestrated as the first hour of the morning is the most dangerous time for the cats who often pop in to the garden when the dogs are asleep.
Therefore, before we are able to let the dogs out, we have to check the whole front garden with a high powered torch.
This also serves as a wake up call to the cats signalling them to return to the back of the house where they live, which is a massive area of thousands of acres, and we escort them off the premises!
We are meticulous about safety and security and by God's grace, we have been able to spot the cat intruders in time.
First Dog Walk of the Day
Once the coast is clear, we let the dogs out, which is quite a frenzy when you have a large excitable pack who are ready for their morning constitution.
Thankfully, I no longer have to do the dog walks as it's too early for me and the mountain terrain is rough and rocky.
I climb a metaphorical mountain every day with the sheer amount of things I have to pack in that the last thing I want to do twice a day is to climb an actual mountain with a rowdy pack of dogs!!!
Simba the King of The Jungle is always on hand and has the necessary fitness levels combined with the fact that the dogs listen to him, making him an excellent Pack Leader.
For the avoidance of doubt, the person in the photo below is Christian, and even though there are only 2 dogs in this photo, I love it so decided to choose this one!
Morning Cat Routine
Now, we all know that cats are very clever, and this colony is no different!
We are forced to feed them early because if we don't, they climb over the fence creating a dangerous situation that we have to avoid at all costs.
We used to leave enough food the night before to carry them through to the morning, but since we added supplements, we need to feed them a fresh batch to make sure they eat it.
So, whilst the dogs are being walked, the cats are being fed and everyone on Amanda's Ark is a happy camper.
Each morning, they get 3 very large bowls of cat food to share, mixed with minced pilchards for tastiness and as a double win, to hide the L-Lysine powder which helps to combat the snuffles which is very often prevalent in a colony.
Cat Food Supplement
L-Lysine Powder - L-Lysine is different to Lysine so it's important not to get them confused. They are both types of amino acids, sharing the same physical properties, but there are some differences between them, which I don't fully understand.
A key difference is that L-Lysine has no taste, which is important when adding to food as cats are picky and this means that they can't distinguish it, it's also more bio available.
Our vet recommended we use this as a supplement for everyone all year round to improve the health of our colony and we estimate 1 teaspoon per day per cat.
Cat Water Supplement
After breakfast has been served, we then prepare our supplemented water, which we boost throughout the day with a number of products.
We add a little milk to colour the water and make it more attractive to the cats as we want it to appeal to them so that they drink it.
Then we fill multiple water bowls in multiple locations including the catio, the cat house and outside the back garden where the cats collect and they love it!
Eco-Snuff - Eco-Snuff is an oral homeopathic medicine from Eco Vet which helps in the supportive treatment of chronic respiratory problems.
It is specifically intended to assist in the treatment of cat flu and the advanced stage of snuffles in cats, amongst other things.
We add 30 drops to 2 litres.
Eco-Immune - Eco-Immune is an oral homeopathic medicine to help support the function of the immune system and improve resistance to disease.
We use it to help treat the cats who are prone to repeated health conditions who are slow to recover due to a weak or deficient immune system, together with other respiratory symptoms.
We add 30 drops to 2 litres.
Anti-Vital Immune Boost - Anti-Viral Immune Boost is a herbal tincture containing artemesia, sand olive and taaibos.
We use it to help combat viral and bacterial infections whilst also supporting the immune system and interchange with Eco-Immune.
Because this is an alcohol-based product, we add 20 drops to a small bowl and leave it for 15 minutes to allow the alcohol to evaporate before adding to our milk water.
Morning Dog Routine
Once the dogs get back from their walk and the cats have been fed and watered, it is then time to feed the dogs.
We have to feed them away from each other to prevent dog fights when one dog finishes their food early and then wants to start on someone else's and attention must always be paid to prevent this.
Feeding time is therefore a supervised activity and must be done by someone who is strong and alert.
Once the dogs have been fed, they usually settle down for the morning enabling everyone to get some meaningful jobs done to make for an easier and more productive life.
Dog Supplements
The dogs also have supplements in the form of Diatomaceous Earth (food grade) as a natural de-wormer and fresh raw garlic to prevent fleas and ticks.
This is recommended by various Holistic Vets including Dr Judy Morgan and we mix it into their food.
We feed all of our dogs 1 teaspoon of DE and 1 clove of garlic, with double to Scooby as he is twice the size.
Fresh Meals
Both the cats and the dogs have freshly cooked meals 3 times a week consisting of cooked meat (chicken, gizzards, liver or hearts), with brown rice, lentils and vegetables such as carrots, beetroot, butternut squash or spinach.
The dogs also have raw meat several times a week in the form of chicken necks, chicken carcasses and raw meaty bones.
They have their own private chef and silver service and pellets are a last resort but always available.
Ultimately, I'd like to move to a fully fresh diet, but this is a process and we are working towards it slowly but surely.
I recently bought a massive 35 litre pan so we could cook larger quantities in one pot and it does the job brilliantly!
Hospital Rounds
The final activity before our actual day starts is the hospital round where we administer whatever is required for optimum health and wellbeing.
This includes eye drops, pain killers and antibiotics which we have to hide in tasty snacks like cheese, polony, chicken or fish!
Worming & flea and tick medication must also be done periodically and this takes a lot of time with so many animals!!!
Additional Winter Luxury!
In the winter, we provide the cats with hot water bottles twice a day to keep them warm, and the cabin that the catio is in is heated so everyone is warm.
We also wrap blankets around the outside of the catio to keep the wind and cold out so the cats are toasty all day and all night.
Our cats are the happiest cats I have ever known, they are free to come and go as they please and have everything they need.
Pooh Patrol
The pooh patrol is an ongoing activity beginning in the morning and includes the dog poop, cat poop and chicken poop.
I like to think it's similar to mini golf as we use a poop scoop but with so many animals, it's a very large golf course and definitely not mini!!
Joking aside, the pooh patrol is critical to the health and wellbeing of everyone so it's an important task that has to be done regularly and frequently.
Obviously, with so much poop we need a much bigger bag and we fill at least one bag every day!!!
Interestingly, the chickens, despite the fact that they make a mess, are an important part of our flea & tick control as they eat them...
Maintenance & Building
Once the animals have been taken care of, there are always routine maintenance tasks which need doing including cleaning the pool, clearing the leaves and cutting the grass.
We have over 1,000sqm of garden so there's a lot of yard work that always has to be done and it takes a couple of days per week to complete.
In addition, pipes break, fences need fixing, security needs strengthening and there's always something new we need to build to accommodate our growing family.
We are currently in the process of designing a new laundry room, food storage and cat house as we simply don't have enough space to function optimally.
There is always so much to do, it never ends...
Evening Routine
Days go very quickly here and before we know it, it's the end of the day where we have to do it all over again.
Another dog walk and the second feed of the day, followed by the final hospital round before everyone is tucked in for the night in their respective houses.
The dogs live in the cabin with me, whilst the cats currently live in either the cat house or the catio, which is a safe space in the house at cupboard height, accessible via a window from the outside where they are free to come and go.
The catio has two storeys and is about 1m square in total, split between an inside and outside space. It's always packed full with cats, they love it and it's their favourite place to be!!!
Management & Oversight
Amanda's Ark is a lot to oversee, and is in addition to rescue, re-homing & rehabilitating, together with everything else I have to do on a daily basis that's not rescue-related.
I didn't plan this life for myself and I am stretched beyond belief, but I feel honoured and privileged to be surrounded by so much love, even though it's a huge amount of responsibility.
I whole heartedly recommend giving your heart to an animal, it's the best investment you'll ever make and it's deeply fulfilling.
I can only do this with the help of other loving Souls and together, we can make a profound difference to the lives of so many.
In a world where love is so lacking, always choose to be kind, open your heart and your home in any way that you can and be the change you want to see in the world.
