For me, this is one of the best-named cats I have featured so far. He belongs to Heather Heaton who lives and works on Merseyside in the UK.

This is what Heather told me: “Hendrix is a one year old Bengal, who loves getting the house up at 3am to hear the birds, and then goes back to bed at 8am”.

HENDRIX!! How cool is that name?

Heather says that he and she are both ‘made up’ to be on A Cat A Day. Well I am too and I hope I receive more pictures and stories about this gorgeous boy as the year goes on.

Attila and Genghis (brilliant names!) were wedding presents from Aurel to her partner. They are sisters and the only way to tell them apart is that Genghis has a white patch on her neck and tummy and is a little bit fatter.

I have tons more photographs and stories about them, so we’ll see them again before I reach the end of the year . . .

Post edited and updated 25 April 2011: FJ

This is Alex Blagona’s cat, Phoebe (my second one, the first belongs to Helena Butterfield). Here is the lowdown on her from Alex:

” Phoebe is 5 years old, and is really quite intelligent.  Able to open doors, cupboards and on one occasion the fridge, Phoebe is good at communicating her mood and demanding attention when it suits her!! “

How relaxed and contented is this cat? Every right-thinking feline knows that a freshly-made bed is just for them. Minou lives with Susie Arnott, who tells me that she is very choosy where she sleeps. I have another gorgeous photograph of her to show you later in the year.

If you don’t speak French, you might not know that ‘Minou’ is the French word for “kitty”. A perfect name, don’t you think?

This is CoCo enjoying the sun. Recently she injured her spine, leaving her back legs useless. Charlotte (who teaches science and sings alto at my school) has been reassured that it’s just swelling and CoCo will completely recover. I would like to hand over to Charlotte herself: “This one was just yesterday in the garden lolling around on the grass. She is called Coco as when I got her (at Christmas time) she appeared to be such a calm and gentle little lady. Reserved when necessary, calculating and well behaved… Then…. ‘Battle Cat’ emerged. After a few weeks, the daemon inside of her awoke and she’s been a bit mental ever since – her spinal injury is testament to how much she chucks herself about! She was a farm cat who arrived as a barrel shaped, poorly kitten with lots of worms and quite timid, but the vet suggests her farm cat credentials is why she is so lively…! So! This is her! ”
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Figaro lives next-door to my mum. Her owners thought she was a male kitten when she first arrived and gave her a boy’s name. She turned out to be a girl, but kept her name. I came across her and snapped her photo yesterday when visiting my mum. Figaro was waiting outside her front door for her owners and was happy to be stroked and pose for the camera.
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Yesterday, Nicki Allman posted this beautiful photograph of her cat Rosie sunning herself in the garden. I asked very politely and she was kind enough to share.

Rosie and her sister Storm are indoor cats, but occasionally Rosie can be coaxed outside while Storm peeps around the door to watch. Nicki also mentioned that both cats are grumpy because the family have been getting under their feet this week.

I feel the same sensation of cats breathing a sigh of relief every weekday morning when I lock the door as my husband and I leave the house with the children. I just know they love having the house to themselves all day.

Thanks for your lovely spring-themed picture Nicki.

Alex Bellars has sent me a new picture of Aeryn. I really love the angle of this picture and how relaxed she looks. Alex tells me that she’s really settling in now, although she “still has little dark moments when she seems to be remembering her life in the re-homing ‘system'” before Alex and Catherine rescued her.

In other news, earlier this week Aeryn has proudly presented her new family with two rodent gifts, a sure sign that she wants to impress. Apparently she is also a big chatter, so I hope we can soon hear a sound clip of her. The last one I posted (Malteser on 9th March) sent a few cats in various places mad when readers played it!

Chloe the cat belongs to John Sayers, a geography teacher from Newcastle. She clearly has a sense of adventure and considerable suppleness if she can get into that shoe-rack and turn round to face outwards!

This is what John told me about Chloe: 

“Chloe is 10 years old as of February and she is a very playful cat. Her party piece is jumping up to my hand to say hello when I walk through the door 🙂 She likes to sleep on the end of our bed and snore.”

I have another picture of Chloe, which I’m saving up for later this year.

This mad-looking feline lives with my science-teacher colleague, Kendra Wade. Kendra is extremely pregnant at the moment; indeed, today is her due date. But still no baby on the scene.

Whenever Junior does put in an appearance. Blacky is going to be even madder than in this picture. Cats are initially baffled and outraged by newborn babies in my experience. This is what Kendra tells me about Blacky: “He is 16 and still partial to catching the odd catnip fish on a string…Normally he’s far too happy on the back of the sofa though…”

Good luck Kendra and I hope your baby comes soon and safely!!

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