Cat Tales

Hattie

Submitted by Richard Backhouse

"We adopted Hattie (or was it the other way round?) from the local rescue. She stood on her back legs and stretched her front legs up the wire cage 'til she looked about four foot tall. She made more noise than all the other animals - including dogs - put together, and she was for us. After a period of mutual bedding in, she is happily installed as a family member.

"She's mainly white, but has markings that give the impression that somebody spilled a tin of black paint over her back. Like all cats, she has a unique character. She is noisy yet timid, tarty yet a snob, and has a penchant for sleeping in naughty places (eg, on the table, on my suit, or in the washing basket). I love Eddie Izzard's thoughts on cats - like how they make drilling noises behind the settee - and Hattie fits the bill. Furthermore I think she hosts coffee mornings while I'm out, 'cause there's always more washing up when I get home than when I left.

"Currently Hattie is a bit confused by the three new black and white kittens that 'live' next door. In practice, they spend the majority of their time in our garden; running about, fighting, and being generally silly. Hattie can't be bothered chasing all three, so she now maintains a vigil on the back door step, making sure they don't come into the house and eat her food. She got caught before by the old decoy trick - chasing one kitten up the garden whilst the others sneak into the unattended house! These kittens know no fear and Hattie now seems resigned to sharing presence on her 'patch' - who knows, they might even form a gang.

"Whilst the kittens live in our garden, I discovered recently why Hattie sometimes smells of tobacco. Our neighbours (who smoke) told me how Hattie often wanders in and is given honey roast ham for tea - no wonder she turns her nose up at tinned food. As long as she doesn't take up smoking, I don't mind really."