Sunday 21 August 2011

8 CATS HAVING BREAKFAST

Unusually, even very unusually, all my 8 cats turned up in the kitchen this morning to eat their breakfast. Half had been out all night and half had stayed in. Their choice in every case. What they don't do usually is all eat at the same time -6 together is the most, often less. I really can't remember the last time I saw all eight in the same place at the same time, not even in the garden.

Top left is Blossom. Top right is Max. Both are easily disturbed from their food.
Below Max is Toffy the tortoiseshell and next to her is ginger Leo. Leo gobbles his food down so as to finish first and shove someone else out of the way and start eating their food. 
Below him is Lilly the short haired grey. Lily tends to get picked on by all the others except for Toffy and Bob and doesn't spend much time in the house, preferring to curl up in a cat kennel at the bottom of the garden or on a bench.
The last three in descending order are Ted (looking at the camera) (Little) Bob (there is no Big Bob) and lastly Daisy whose preferred spot is curled up next to me on my bed.

The origin of my cats

Blossom was found, as a kitten, on scaffolding outside our doctor's surgery by Susan. We did try to find her owner but to no avail. Her long fur gets into tats quite often.

Max was handed in at the shop aged about six months old. We'd just lost a black and white cat and he was just so friendly.

Toffy turned up at the shop in heat and proved not to be as friendly as we first thought. She's not unfriendly but mostly likes to be by herself. She'll stay out all night and sleep all day.

Leo was a kitten I got from Carole while Susan was away on holiday with her brother and his family. I told her I got him from someone who was going to chuck him out. He's a lovely friendly boy who sometimes takes a swing at a passing cat.

Lily we got at 5 weeks old from an elderly lady after her mother accidentally smothered Lily's litter-mates. We tend to think it was the dog which shared the house. Lily loves people but is bullied by the others axcept for Toffy (who just isn't interested) and Bob (who likes everybody).

Ted was a two year old from Carol's who caught Susan's attention by jumping on her from the ground. He's a large and amiable laid-back cat who is patient with any new young arrivals like the final two.

All-black Little Bob loves everyone, cats and people. About fifteen months old now he is just the most loveable and nice-natured of cats.

Daisy arrived three months earlier than Bob and while they were kittens and young cats were inseparable. Daisy doesn't like being picked up but is otherwise very friendly and is prone to knock a book out of my hand when I'm sitting reading on the toilet just to get my attention to stroke her.

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