Over the last few days, I have acquired a few guest photographs from kind people. However, after I received this picture of Katie’s cat Bella watching the tennis from the opening day of Wimbledon, I just had to use it today.
To Jo, Susie and Helen – thank you for your photographs and they will appear in the next few days. I appreciate you thinking of me and my pointless feline activities.
Today’s guest is Ostara, Percy’s sister and litter-mate. She has gone to live in Lancashire, with Tina, who is a Siamese breeder. I asked her to describe Ostara and this is what she told me:
Ostara is a huge character and she never stops purring. She has the loudest purr out of all my cats! It’s ridiculous! She has a habit of catching sight of her tail out of the corner of her eye and chasing it round… Until she notices I’m watching and then she pretends she’s not doing anything! She’s also a serious health and safety hazard because she’s an under your feet cat! I’ve tripped over her and stepped on her more times than I can count! She loves drinking water out of a cup… I have to watch my cups of water or she’ll have them! Hee hee!
Oddly enough, Percy is also an under-your-feet cat and John is seriously anxious that he’ll break one of his Percy’s paws one day by standing on it when he’s sneaking up behind him.
Thanks Tina. Please keep me posted with lovely pictures of Ostara’s progress.
An antique today: my childhood friend Amanda (left) sent me this 1976 photograph of us in her parents’ kitchen. Neither of us has any idea where the cats came from; they weren’t Amanda’s.
An additional point of interest – apparently the framed picture on the wall behind us is Amanda’s own portrayal of Satan burning in the fires of Hell. At least, that’s what she tells me.
We both remember with confidence that my nylon skinny-rib jumper was acid-yellow.
I promised my friend Lynda that I would post this picture today. It’s Jo’s devastatingly handsome stud male Rio. He is a very friendly and affectionate boy, but because he’s a full male, he can be very liberal with his stinky urine. Jo’s partner has built Rio a lovely run outside with a warm house and lots of toys, but all of them enjoy it when he comes in the house for the evening.
This is where kitty pants come in. A brain box somewhere in the USA invented strap-on nappy pants for boy-cats. If Rio wears his, he is allowed to come in the house and socialise. In the photograph he is trying to hide them with his tail, but we know they’re there, don’t we?
This is Polly, who climbed into Annalise’s school bag. She was spotted and didn’t get taken to school. None of us at our house are at school tomorrow, because it’s half term, hard-earned and very welcome. Even John is off work. Happy days.
Lovely Lynda sent me this photograph of a very contented Fudge enjoying this afternoon’s sunshine.
Today’s cat Maxie belongs to one of my students. The poor kitty lost her leg after being attacked by a fox. As you can imagine, the operation and medical treatment which were necessary to save Maxie’s life were very expensive. The hero of the story is my student’s uncle, who very kindly picked up the bill. Maxie is now recovering well, so let’s shout HURRAY for kind uncles!!
You have worked hard all week and here is a pile of kittens to reward you. Happy weekend!!
This is Rio, who is a blue-point Siamese stud male. He belongs to Jo (our breeder) and is very good at his job, having fathered three litters of kittens over the space of nine days in his first attempts at the age of seven months. No wonder, with such handsome, ahem … ‘accoutrements’. He spends most of his time in a well-equipped pen outside Jo’s house, because whole males can be rather smelly. In a way it’s a pity, because Rio is so friendly and he loves people. He’s allowed in the house if he’s wearing his special pants. Hilarious!
On the home front, everything is going brilliantly. Rosa and Quartz are on my knee as I write and Milka has made friends with Quartz. We’re nearly there, as I’m sure Jo will be delighted to learn. Persistence and patience are paying off.
Let’s celebrate Friday and the 10th anniversary of Bridget’s arrival chez Helen. I learned tonight that during those ten years Bridget has put Helen in hospital by almost gassing her to death. Helen has accidentally broken Bridget’s leg. She has bitten many visitors, glared at Mr Daykin each day and been put under permanent house-arrest for terrorising the neighbours. In short, Bridget and Helen adore each other and Bridget is a mean, bossy menace to everyone else.
Long live Bridget!
A Cat A Day 