Nice Weather

The last couple of days have not been too bad, a bit chilly but plenty of sunshine. So I have been able to get out and about quite a bit. I haven't gone far, just pottered about really. Cloth-head got stuck in Fernande's garage yet again, one wonders if she will ever learn. Still, she has a loud voice which comes in useful when we are all hungry!

Jaffa says ... m,kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkcv  rt566666666666666666666666666666666666666r (she doesn't have the hang of the keyboard yet).

Took a few snaps while the weather was good:

Tollie in the sunshine despite his sore eyes

Selfie

Cloth-head before she got shut in Fernande's garage

A Trouble Free Day ...

The wind had dropped, the rain had pretty much gone apart from a bit of drizzle and I didn't destroy anything or get lost! I was a bit fractious when I came in though but I was starving, having been out most of the day. So I hit Fizz, beat up Jaffa and had a few pops at Tollie until a slave fed me. Full of food, I staggered off to bed. Happy.

Here is a picture of the Cheese Plant leaves I sorted out ...

... and one of my litter tray. The plant gets in the way a bit but I reckon it will be history soon as all the leaves have turned brown now!

In the Doghouse ...

I decided that I liked my new handle and decided to extend it by becoming Dora the Destroyer of Cheeseplants - that didn't go down too well with the slaves when I destroyed a leaf and a half. I got into trouble for using two pot plants as litter trays. I don't see an issue with that, they have soil in them, that's where I go to the toilet. The weather was absolutely rubbish so we mostly stayed in yesterday, that's the only reason I needed to use the facilities inside. Then I accidentally became Dora the Destroyer of nice plant pot holders. It's not really my fault if things aren't fixed down and I jump on them is it? If I am truthful, it did make a rather satisfying crash as it bounced down the cellar and smashed. The slaves didn't see it that way - I suppose they have a point, it was at 6.30 and the alarm hadn't gone off.

So all in all, not a great 24 hours, wonder what I will get into trouble about next? Hmm, let's see now, those wine glasses look ripe for knocking off ...

A New Handle ...

The week has been windy again and the weather has turned cold, but I have braved the weather and been out and about a bit, but not so much. The slave brought all the container plants in from the outside this week and the others have decided that I need a new handle - they now call me Dora the destroyer of fuschias!

The Big Rescue ...

I have been a bit too traumatised to blog this last week or so, I suppose if I were an American cat I would have a 'therapist' but being French, I don't. I have had to make do with the slave who made the big rescue.

It all started last Monday morning, early. It was dark and I heard Coco shouting 'mouse, mouse' outside. I always get very excited about this as they taste nice. I am very adept at diving in and pinching them from under her paws. She's OK about that, we are almost family after all!

So I dived out of the cat flap (yes I can use it in a declared state of emergency such as the vacuum cleaner has just been switched on or when there is something nice to eat outside) and grabbed the mouse. It was actually a rat, even better as there is more of it to savour. I dashed off out the garden as the Slave tried to grab me. Then I sneaked back into the garden when he wasn't looking and ate the rat in the usual spot. I refused to go back inside because Coco sometimes turn up with a second one fairly soon after the first.

When she didn't, I wandered off to see if I could find her. The problem is, I don't see too well and when I can't see my house, it is a bit difficult to find my way home. I don't have a great sense of direction either. I wandered around in the dark and found some other buildings that weren't mine. I eventually found a road and usually, when I cross that, turn right and walk along a short way, I get home. Only this can't have been my road.

I soon found myself in a field of big things that went moo at me so I had to do a rush. It was a bit of a random rush and I was even more lost. The dawn came, it was a nice one but I would have preferred to have seen it from my own wall at my own home. I was really worried when I couldn't see anything other than field, bushes and sky. I really didn't know which way to go so I went round and round in circles. I find that helps to calm me down.

So I trotted round a bit more and found some trees and decided to hide in there. I could hear the sound and smell some mice so I knew I wouldn't have to go hungry. I hoped that sooner or later I would be found or magically transported home.

The sun went up in the sky and had started to go down again so I knew I had been out for a long time today. Then, suddenly, I heard my name being shouted so I meowed at the top of my voice. I didn't know if the slave had heard me. I couldn't see him. Then his shouts were a bit closer and I had second thoughts. What if it wasn't my slave? What would happen to me if a stranger found me? But then I saw the person shouting. It was my slave so I ran across the field from my hiding place in the trees. I was so happy I shouted all the way and held my tail as high as I could. I knew I was rescued.

I let him pick me up and we went back across the field to where he had left his bike. I purred all the way. He tried to stuff me into his coat so that we could cycle back but I was having none of that and so I stopped purring to let him know I was displeased. I don't really like these mechanical things, they worry me. So we walked back. It was a long way, it took at least 10 minutes and uphill all the way. I don't really like being carried and tried to tell him that. But he kept hold of me and when we got home, he shoved me back in through the cat flap and went to get his bike. I heard him talking to the other slave and they mentioned I had gone 'nearly a kilometre'. I am not sure what that means but I think it could mean that I went quite a long way.

Next day, I was only allowed out on my harness. I didn't mind. Actually, I only went out to humour the slave who seemed to think that the fresh air would do me good. I just wanted to stay in. A couple of days later I was allowed out on my own, needless to say, I didn't go very far and stuck to the area I know really well. I had a mini-disaster when I found my way into the veg patch. But when I tried to get out, I couldn't find the hole in the netting. When I tried to bury my way out, I got a bit stuck. The slave explained that it was because I was lying on the bottom of the netting and my body weight was holding it down underneath me. He sorted it out for me.

It has been pretty windy this week so I haven't been out all that much, I don't like how the wind blows my fur up. It makes me panic a bit and so I end up rushing around at random everywhere. Yesterday was a lot calmer and so I was out for a lot longer, I think that I am now de-traumatised by the big rescue.

Tree trouble ...

After a couple of weeks just pottering around, I felt the need to stretch my paws a bit further. I wandered off past the chapel and was having a great time just poking around on new ground and lost track of the time. Apparently I must have been away for a bit longer than I thought because one of the slaves came looking for me. I always get excited when I see one of them, I like them to see what I am getting up to and I like to meow at them. Then I got a bit confused and needed a hand getting back but I will definitely check out this area again.

A few days later I was out, in the same sort of direction and I heard the other slave calling my name. I was so excited that I ran up a tree. Or at least a short way up a tree and then decided to do cute. So I jumped back down, parkour style and sat at the base of the village cross, looking out over the countryside. Then I decided it was in fact time for some food so I followed the slave back home for a couple of dreamies.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, I actually quite liked the feeling of running up the big tree by the Chapel so a few days later, I did it again. But this time, instead of using it as one of my parkour launch points, I kept going. I went right up into the branches and had a potter round for a while.

Then I tried to get down.

Not so easy.

Every time I tried to get established on the trunk I felt really wobbly and just couldn't face it. I had a bottom incident as well which was horrible, it made me smelly. After a while, because I had been out much longer than normal, one of the slaves came to look for me. I was too upset to even meow but luckily Fizz and her Mum had seen my plight and heard my feeble attempts to shout for a slave. Rose pointed her nose in my direction and Fizz sat under the tree and meowed at the slave to come over. So he did. I had a bit more confidence now that the troops had arrived but was still a bit scared. It was windy too. The slave pulled one of the branches down for me to walk along but with the wind, I felt really exposed and just couldn't bring myself to do it. So I went round and round the tree on the lower branches. Then I thought that maybe I could get down the side where there is a bit of damage to the trunk. So I put my front paws down, held my breath and went for it. I felt myself falling but somehow managed to swivel round dig my claws in and clung to the tree. The slave was just underneath me so I edged my way down backwards and felt the hands of the slave round my chest. I relaxed a bit and he lifted me off the trunk and took me home where I cheered myself up with a bum wash and a trauma relieving plate of gourmet gold pate ...

Exploration and constipation ...

Sorry about the title, sorry I haven't been online for a while, I really don't know where the time has gone.

The constipation is not me, it's Jaffa. After her accident, she gets bunged up more easily and has had to go down to the vets a few times over the last 6 weeks. In between times, she enjoys being out and we have a great time tazzing round in the garden and annoying the slaves by running out into the road either after each other or chasing those little green hoppy things. It is so much easier to see them on the road. Anyway, she seem to have things under control at the moment touch wood - I hope it continues because I miss running around with her when she is in hospital.

September passed quite well, I saw a few sunrises, wandered about a bit, stole a few mice and rats from Coco, chased round with the others and generally had a good time. We unearthed some more holes in the garden and enlarged them so we could get our whole leg in. The watering cans have been regularly filled and so we have had plenty to drink. I like to have a wander round the chapel now as well as going round the back of the house.

I had my official birthday on the 5th of October so apparently I am 1 year old now. I had a bit of a disaster a couple of days after my birthday. Since I was feeling grown up, I asked to go out in the dark, well before the sun came up. I had this idea, silly I know now but hindsight is a great thing, I wanted to get closer so that I could get a better view. The trouble was, because it was dark and i don't see or concentrate too well, I forgot how to get home. The sunrise was no better than if I had seen it from the wall at the bottom of the garden. Anyway, I wandered around all over the place for most of the day until I heard the slave shouting me. I squeaked as loud as I could and he managed to find me in some long grass - it turned out that I wasn't actually that far from home. I was so relieved that I let him carry me all the way. I purred a lot! Still, I had seen a lot of the world, I had a nap in some bushes, chased a few birds and mice, explored the farm buildings I can see from my wall and smelt loads of new smells. All's well that ends well I think the slaves say.

Jaffa Home Again ...

The last few days have been really hot. I have tried to stay in the shade as much as possible - the sun makes my black bits too hot. Still, I come into the full sun when there is something interesting to eat. Like yesterday, I caught a huge hoppy green thing, the slaves called it a 'massive grasshopper' or something like that. I can't remember exactly as I was too busy crunching it at the time.

 There was a good sunrise as well yesterday, I have put a picture of it below:

A bit later, during the day, me and Coco had a whizz round in the side garden, here is a video:

A bit later in the day, the slaves brought Jaffa home. At least it looked like Jaffa but it smelt awful so I had a few hissy fits to make sure that this Jaffa look-alike knew its place. Thankfully, the slaves made it stay in the poorly room overnight so that we didn't have to suffer the pong.

The weather took a turn for the worse last night, there was a big storm and this morning it was still raining. I went out a couple of times and eventually trundled into the garage and took over Fizzy's spot in the dry. I have no idea where Fizzy went to keep dry. 

Symmetry ...

The weekend was a bit mixed really. On Saturday, I was out most of the day, the slaves were around. One made a load of mess and painted the shutters blue, the other one pottered around doing various things. Me and the others took it in turns to enlarge a new hole we found and I also reckon there is something worth eating running round under the decking. Fizz jumped on Jaffa whilst she was having a go at it and Coco is still quite defensive of Jaffa and had a pop back at Fizz. Sunday was miserable - I was stuck in all day because the slaves went out at 5 a.m. to support somebody doing something called an Ironman. Apparently he did really well and cut an hour off his time. The Slaves got back just before dark so all I could do all day was eat Fizzy's stash. It has been noticed that I have an expanding waistline and someone mentioned 'diet'. Anyway, yesterday and today have been good days for getting out. Yesterday ended on a bad note because my friend Jaffa was a bit off-colour and couldn't poo. So she was shut in the poorly room overnight so that she could go down to see her doctor early this morning. Today, one slave got up when it was still dark to look after Jaffa. He came downstairs just as it was starting to get light and let me out. Me and Basil sat on the front wall and watched the Sun come up over the Monts du Forez. We all pottered around a bit, it is great fun chasing the green jumpy things, they are great because they hang in the air a long time so one has time to strike a cool pose in flight! Cloth Head got picked up and brought in by the slave at one point because Fernand's garage door was wide open. So I took advantage of the situation and was given some Animonda Salmon and Pumpkin, delicious. It was really meant for Jaffa but she is back in hospital now - her doctor said that she had become dehydrated over the last few days and that was why she got bunged up. They are going to un-bung her. But apparently the doc said she was impressed with how well Jaffy had bounced back after her car accident. I got into trouble a bit not long before bedtime. I went and sat in the middle of the road. The tarmac was nice and warm on my bum and there were loads of flitty things flitting around, looking for food in the gutter so I wanted to eye them up. I got chased back in. Not fair. Anyway, I went into the garage and one of the slaves tried the old grass waving trick to get me close enough to grab to take in to bed ... he had no chance, I am wise to that one. Ha! Anyway, back to the title of this post - you can't actually see the sun set from here, the mountain gets in the way but you can see the sunlight disappear off the Monts du Forez. Me and Basil watched it do just that from the front wall to end another great day outside. Symmetry Indeed.

The last few days have been fairly routine really, I forgot to mention last week that Rose has a new name. The slaves seem to call her 'cloth head' for some reason - it seems to be related to the fact that she got stuck in Fernande's garage again. I have found Fizz's hidey hole in the Garage, Basil has one there too and I have tried out both. They are great for a bit of a nap after I have been doing some serious pottering around - I tell you, pottering can be very tiring. Talking of Basil, he gave me quite a scare during the week. I was snoozing happily on one of my chairs, on a nice soft cushion. The flap 'flapped' and so I cracked open an eye and in came a grey cat. I was a bit worried as we don't have a grey cat in our clan. Then the grey cat put its tail in the air and it looked like Basil's feather boa of a tail. It was only when I checked out his rear end that I realised it was Basil. He had been out to the furdressers and had his fur recoloured. Actually, I don't believe him. He likes to have a bit of a laugh with me, I suppose it's because I am young and impressionable. I suspect that he has just found somewhere that is a bit grubby to sleep. Sunday I was stuck in the house most of the day. The slaves went to something they called a 'Vide Grenier'. They went out early and came back late. Then they went out again. Still, it gave me the chance to catch up with some sleep and to jump all over the worktops when no-one was looking. Tee hee! I have been up the tree at the back of the side garden a couple of times - rose, Fizz and Coco make it look easy but I find it all a bit too wobbly. I went the wrong way and the branches got a bit thin and bendy but I managed to get back down without ant disasters. I tried again a bit later and found the way to get up onto the top of the big side wall - the last bit was a bit of a scrabble, the slave said it was a good job that I wasn't wearing his climbing boots as they would have been worn out. That was a bit cheeky really, the slaves aren't very graceful ...

Last week this week ...

The end of last week finished with little extra excitement but Saturday was excellent. despite not being out all day, I caught and ate my first mouse. Brilliant. I know Coco has brought me some mice, she is kind like that, I haven't managed to get one for myself before. All that poking in holes finally paid off. I had to growl at everyone to let them know that it was mine and not for sharing but eventually, I found a quiet corner in which to eat it. It went down nicely. Unfortunately, it came back up too a few minutes later. I don't like being sick. I haven't felt 100% for the last few days either and have become a bit more used to being sick as it has happened 2 or 3 times a day for the last few days. In between times, I have been round the back of the house a few times, eaten some flies and come in the the magic window that leads from outside back into our house.

Routine...

Had a couple of fairly routine days, pottering in the garden, going over the wall to next door and round the back. Although now I think of it, something really amazing did happen that makes me think that the slaves have magical powers. I was round the back and jumped up on the outside windowsill of a house and a few minutes later, one of the slaves opened the window and called me in. It was my house!! I really don't know how they do that. Last night, Fizz came on the bed next to me and I was feeling all mellow, so I put my arm round her. She liked that and slept with her head on me. That was nice. Anyway, the Sun is up, the sky is blue and there's pottering to be done ...

Under the Duvet ...

Yesterday was a duvet day for all of us. I was out bright and early but came in and spent a fair time in bed. Coco and Jaffa spent most of the day in the loft apartment above the garage, Rose and Basil spent most of the day snoozing too. It's always a duvet day for Tollie, I like him but he is a bit fat. No idea where Fizz was, she must have found a duvet somewhere else. Went round the back a few times but that's really about it. One could say it was an unremarkable day.

Medium Size Adventure ...

Wow, every day is different at the moment. Weather was great today and so there was some slobbing around in the undergrowth to be done. There was also the back of the house to check out, see what was happening there.

And then there was next door's barn ...

I hadn't been in the barn for a while so I decided to nip in and have a poke around. I hadn't really noticed the big hole in the floorboards before, there was always enough of interest on the ground floor to keep my nose pointing down. But yesterday I looked up. Brilliant, I thought, better nip up there and see what's what. So a couple of jumps and a bit of a scrabble with my back paws and I was up. It was great, there were loads of new smells and little holes to poke. One of them was big enough to get my whole body in and so I did. Guess what, I found myself outside on a little roof. It was miles up in the air and I could see loads more than I can see from the garden walls. Anyway, after a while, I had sniffed and poked enough to want to come back down. The trouble was, I couldn't remember how. By this time, the slaves had appeared, one seemed a bit worried about me being on the little roof for some reason.

Anyway, the other slave shouted my name but I couldn't tell where he was. So I ended up back on the roof and shouted back. I wanted to go down at that point but didn't know how, it was actually too far even for me to jump straight down. So I howled a bit more. Then I thought about it for a while and went back inside. The slave shouted again and it actually seemed like he was near the hole where we go into the barn. So I headed that way. I still couldn't find my way. Anyway, cutting a long story short, a while later, I was near the big hole in the floorboards and I saw the slave poke his head through the broken window of the barn door and he shouted me again. I still didn't know how to get down so I howled a bit.

Then I stopped to think about things and figured that I had to get down through the hole in the floor. So gingerly (even though I only have a bit of ginger!!) I climbed down onto the beam that supported the floor before it had broken. There was another beam fastened to the wall, so with a bit of twisting and pussyfooting (and whimpering) I squeezed myself onto that. Then I held my breath and jumped down onto the top of a narrow wooden partition (it was only the same width as my paws) and from there I dropped onto the floor among a load of wooden fruit boxes. Job done. A few seconds to compose myself and I was able to casually stroll out and took a drink from the watering can as if all was well with the world.

A new hole ...

Yesterday was reasonably uneventful. I was outside most of the day, some of the time was spent in the undergrowth in the garden and on the wall, some spent exploring next door and some round the back of the house.

I went round the back a couple of times, the first time, one of the slaves came and got me because she thought I might be lost. Ha! No way, I can get back to my food bowl really easily now. The second time, I rolled around on my back to show the slave that I wasn't worried and knew exactly what I was doing so she left me alone and pruned a couple of trees so that she could see out of a window.

But the best bit of the day was when I found a new hole in the wall to poke. I hadn't seen it before and you can get your head in the first bit. After a while though, it got a bit boring, I couldn't find anything in it.

The others just slobbed around most of the day. At one point, it was quite amusing. Tollie was lying in amongst the lupins that have invaded next door's path when some people arrived. He was fairly complacent but you should have seen hos face when he realised they were coming up the path - a real picture of panic. He came leaping over the wall back home where he tried to cover up the fact that he had been in a bit of a flap by lying on the grass and looking disdainfully over at the people who had disturbed him.

Waiting for better weather ...

Thursday was truly awful weather so we all just hung around with noses up bums all day (our own noses and bums I hasten to add), other than the occasional feed.  It stopped raining by the evening but was still pretty cold so none of us ventured out for long.

Yesterday was a lot better, so I went out first thing. A big noisy BigMat delivery truck came up the road and parked opposite to the garden so I ran in and hid just in case it was looking for me. But it eventually went so it was safe to go out again. I had to come in half way through the afternoon as the slaves were heading out somewhere. I went out again a bit later for a while but then came in and played with my rolly-ball toy.

Stormy weather ...

Not much of any note happened for a day or two so I did a big poo on the netting that covers the veg patch. I managed to scrape a bit of soil through the netting, destroying just a single leek plant but the dump ended up suspended in mid air on the netting. It looked rather impressive I thought but one of the slaves cleared it away. Not much later, a load of people arrived and looked at the flowers. Then they got back into their cars and drove off. I have no idea what that was all about but I did hear one of the slaves say that he hoped that they would win another 10 euro voucher so they could get some more plants next year.

Then yesterday arrived! For a start, there was a bit of a storm first thing with a load of solid stuff instead of the usual wet stuff falling. There were loads of flashes in the sky and a lot of noise. The slaves seemed fairly upset about the fact that the flowers and their vegetables were a bit flat and most of the leaves and flowers had come off. There was a big pile of cold stuff in the undergrowth where I usually lurk during the day, it looked like sago. The storm was really impressive, the road looked like a river and there were lots of little ponds in my garden. I was out and about in the afternoon and one of the slaves kept shouting me so I hid. But then he heard Rose squawking and after a bit of faffing around, discovered that she was stuck in Fernande's garage. So he headed round to get Fernande to open the door to let her out. As soon as the garage was open, Rose decided that she was fine where she was and headed up to the upper floor of the garage. So Fernande opened the other doors and we all waited outside for Rose to come out. But Tollie was feeling mischievous and dived into the garage. The slave managed to turn him round and he grumbled a bit as he was shooed out. But Coco then decided to join in and dashed past into the garage. She was faster than Tollie as she isn't as fat so Tollie took advantage and they both went under a big machine. The slave was getting a bit stressed and managed to chase them both out using a broom. Coco was OK about it but Tollie was really grumpy about being pushed out by having a broom stuck up his bum. Rose then strolled out and while the slaves were closing one of the doors, insisted going back in. The slaves managed to discourage that and eventually the doors were closed and locked, rose was out and Coco and Tollie had wandered off. Then Basil decided to do a big rush-puss and shot past a slave towards the road. The other flapped her arms around and made him run parallel to the road because their was a car coming. They got us all back in the house and shut the flap (just as well as there was another big storm). and it was stormy for the rest of the night.

Anyway, today was a bit grotty to start with and I didn't fancy going out as it was cold and wet. I did go out a bit in the morning but when it cleared up later, I went out a bit more. But nothing much happened, I played chase the grass with the slave, pottered around on the wall and then came in for a bite to eat.

Good weather ...

The weather has been brilliant the last week or so and I stayed outside all of the day yesterday because it was so nice. This morning is a bit odd, I can't see much further than the other side of the road. It's a bit boring really, no jumpy things, no buzzy things and no fluttery things.

I had a mini adventure the night before last to follow up on my big 'getting stuck' adventure. I had wandered off round the back and wasn't sure how to find my way back. Luckily I heard one of the slaves shout my name so I howled as loud as I could and he came and found me and brought me back.I tried to pay close attention to the way he took me, it's so hard to remember you know.

Yesterday started really well. Coco arrived back and announced she had brought a mouse. I leapt off the bed and dashed downstairs with the slave. While the slave distracted Coco, I nipped in and pinched her mouse. I sneaked along to the TV corner and started flinging it around. Then disaster, I lost it. I don't know where it went, it was an 'over the shoulder' fling I did so I lost sight of it. I think I can smell it behind the books on the bookcase.

During the afternoon, Jaffa decided that she wasn't tired any more and we had a great game of poking each other under the garage door.

Anyway, back to my mini-adventure story. I was confident I could find my way to and from the back of the house so I tested it out yesterday. I hung around in the garden all day and helped one of the slaves with a load of gardening. When they sat down with a book and a shandy in the evening sunshine, I decided to chance it. There were a couple of people from the forge opposite putting up a new sign to get people to visit them and I wandered off round the back. Half an hour later, one of the slaves called me so I shouted to say I was OK. The slave came blundering through the undergrowth so I told him again that I was fine. He still didn't understand, I really wish I could talk 'slave' to explain it. So the only thing I could do was to demonstrate. I dashed back along the wall, back into the garden. Then I went in for a bite to eat and a snooze.

Then I remembered the lost mouse. So I headed over to the bookcase and started to poke around again. Unfortunately, that reminded the slave that he hadn't looked for the mouse. He pulled a load of books out. I could smell the mouse but couldn't actually find it. I think that the sneaky slave had found it and eaten it himself without me knowing. Anyway, I got bored with that and went to bed.

Missing friends and Big Adventures ...

Just after my last post which is ages ago now, the slaves turned up with a cat that looked like Jaffa but frankly, smelt awful and besides, all ginger cats look the same don't they? Not like us tricolours eh! This new cat was in my bedroom ... MY BEDROOM ... in the room downstairs. Outrageous. I can tell you I really wasn't happy so I took every opportunity to let this infiltrator know. I hissed and growled as often as I could.

Tollie, who is very wise, took me to one side and said that it was Jaffa, who had come back and the reason she smelt different was thet she had been in the vets for a couple of weeks and was still quite poorly after her car accident. I sort of believed him as I trust him, even though he does wrestle roughly with me sometimes when he is hungry, but I also believe my nose which said it couldn't possibly be Jaffa.

Thankfully, after a few days, the infiltrator was moved upstairs, STILL IN MY BEDROOM! I was annoyed at that even though I don't use it, it's the principle you know. Then a few days later, the door to the front room was shut and I could hear it moving around, playing with a new toy, scratching on the litter tray and the wallpaper, shouting for attention at 5am and so on. It did sound a bit like Jaffa but you know what it's like, all ginger cats sound the same don't they?

2 weeks ago, they let this new cat out, so I had to start hissing and growling again. Coco was the same as me, she agreed that it was an impostor and not her daughter. It still smely funny and hobbled around on its gammy back leg. So she did some hissing too and occasionally hit it just for good measure. Although it looked sad, neithe me nor Coco felt sorry for it. The slaves seem particularly attached to it for some reason.

But I know differently now. The ginger infiltrator actually smells much more like Jaffa so Tollie was right. He just shrugs, rolls his eyes and says 'I told you so'. Then last week, new ginger started to go outside. It seemed to be a lot happier even though it was hobbling around and was quite tired.It even started to smell better and I finally realised that it wasJaffa. So me and Jaffa are friends again.

So I decided to celebrate by living up to my name. Normally, I like to hang around close to the house, so that when I get a bit panicky I can dive under the hedge or go and hide behind the 'throne' or under the gooseberry bushes. But I decided to live up to my more famous counterpart's name and headed off to do some exploring. BAD MOVE. I went miles and miles and found a little hole to go through. Brilliant, a new barn to explore.

That was great fun, loads of new smells to smell and things to poke. I even heard the slave calling me but ignored him as it was having such a good time.

Trouble was, I forgot how I got in and was stuck. So I had a bit of a nap. During the evening, I heard the slave calling again and so I shouted back. The problem is that he doesn't hear too well so I don't think he could hear me. He did say later that he thought he could but wasn't sure where I was shouting from. Eventually, not long before it got dark (I am supposed to be in and tucked up in the snuggler before dark, after all I am still only 10 months old) I heard both of the slaves shouting my name. Eventually one of them realised where I was and helped me to get out. He called my name through a hole in an old door so I found my way to that. His hand appeared through the hole and moved a few bits and pieces by the hole so that it was easier for me to get out. The other slave went back home to get me some biscuits to help me to get out easier but I didn't need them. The picked me up, cuddled me, shoved me through a window at the back of our house and then made me stay in. I really really wanted to go out into my garden so whilst their pizza was cooking, one of the slaves took me out for a while on my harness.

So that's it. Today I decided to have a day at home, mainly in the garden, and to post this long-overdue account of the last 6 weeks on my blog.

Highs and Lows ...

What a great month since my last post. It was really interesting as I have been able to get out and about a lot more, until it snowed that is so we all stayed in for a couple of days until it melted. Hurrah for the en-suite toilets!

The weather was OK but cold and I did loads of things around my territory and got a bit stuck up a tree. Coco and Jaffa both came up to see me but I didn't really take in what they said about getting down. Eventually, I managed to get down so all's well that ends well as they say.

The slaves had a visitor for a few days, she was nice and I was quite happy that she was in my house. I didn't tell the slaves off too much for inviting people without getting my permission first.

Then I started to feel a bit off-colour. I had to lie down a lot as I felt hot and cold. So the slaves took me down to the doctor who stuck a thermometer up my bum and said I was 40 degrees. She stabbed me with a needle and said that if I wasn't a lot better in a few days I would need to come back. Then I had to wait in the car while the slaves wandered off somewhere. They came back with a box of plants ... I look forward to digging them up as the soil is sooooo soft after they have been planted.

Just after we got back, the slaves got into a bit of a flap. They chased around outside and put Jaffa into a basket and drove off. They looked distressed when the got back and Jaffa wasn't with them. A few days later, I found out what had happened. She had been hit by a car and broke her pelvis. She is still in hospital now, that's 2 weeks later and the slaves still are very worried that she might not come back. I hope she does as we have had some great times together.

I hope there aren't too manny mistakes on this, as you can imagine, with all my worries, I haven't had chance to proofread this entry.

Spreading my wings ...

I haven't been online for a few days now as I have been spreading my wings, metaphorically speaking as I don't really have any wings.

After a bit of chewing and pulling, I managed to get the bits of string out of my belly and went back for a post-op check at the docs. She said I was fine. So when I got home, I persuaded the slaves to let me go out for a while. That was great. I went out the next day too and went over the side wall of the garden. I was having a poke around when a scary monster appeared on the scene. It looked a bit like one of my slaves. So I ran around in circles, had a bit of a flap on I can tell you, but after half a dozen turns I regained my composure and headed back over the wall and ran in to safety.  I have been over there since that but not too far.

I have been over the wall in the other direction too. I poked a few likely looking holes to see if there were any mice hiding in them and found a hole that lead into a barn. Wow! That was amazing. There were loads of new smells, lots of little hidey holes and things to poke at. I was in there for ages and have made a note to myself to go back in there soon. While I was in there, one of the slaves had a big noisy thing going so I stayed there, out of the way. When he had finished, the green wall that I can hide under to get out of the rain looked thinner and neater ...

Inside, things have been much of a muchness, me and Fizz have played chase a bit, taking it in turns to run after each other. Jaffa disappeared again but came back the next day, since she got back she doesn't seem to have gone too far. I have also twigged that when the slave opens Tollie's tablets it means that a treat is in the way. So I go and pester and always get some. Yum.

Here's a picture of us just slobbing it - Rose was on the bed and Tollie was on his mat and neither could be bothered to come over for the group shot ...

The Secret of the Fridge ...

I often wondered why Fizz went on to the top of the fridge. Now I can jump a long way I found out. FOOD! There is a magic bowl up there with some biscuits in! I was called a bad cat and the slave made a stupid 'Grrr' noise and waggled his hands at the side of his head. I pretended to be a bit frightened by that but to be honest it was just so that the slave didn't feel stupid.

But what a start to the day. Vomit partout! Someone left a furball on the mat by the fire plus some follow up a few paws away; Rose puked her biscuits straight back into her bowl and Jaffa had a mouse for her third breakfast but a few minutes later regurgitated it onto the mat by the door.

Wonder who will be the next to barf? Still, we have slaves to clear it all up so what do we care!

Recovering nicely from my op ...

Not felt much like blogging this last week. Went in for my op on thursday last week. I wasn't particularly brave but the day seemed to pass quite quickly. I was poked, prodded, listened to and weighed first thing and then taken through to the back and put in a cage. Then the doctor came and spiked me. I felt quite drowsy and nodded off. I woke up a few seconds later and my belly felt a bit funny, when I looked down, there was a big bald patch, a cut and some string poking out. I was still fairly sleepy so I nodded off again. I got a bit frightened later when I woke up properly but was really pleased when the slave came and rescued me.

I was chuffed to be home and feeling much better so I had a poke around at my belly. Then I had a bit of a run around but the slave sent me to bed. He set me up with my private bedroom again, with some food and water and told me to stay calm. I don't do calm unless I am knackered.

Friday I was allowed out of my bedroom and noticed that my figure had been ruined! My belly is now looking like Tollie's, which wobbles a lot and hangs down. I have ordered a belly wig from catwigs'R'us and am hoping it will get here soon. It's really embarrassing with a bald patch at my age. Jaffa, who knows these things, said I had wasted my money on the belly wig and it will grow back anyway in a few weeks. Later in the day, I did some hurtling around but was sent to bed.

Saturday ... I can't remember what I did but remember spending a lot of time in bed. But so did the others because it snowed a lot. On Sunday, I quite fancied going out but was a bit taken aback since the snow was so deep and up to my chest. My bare belly didn't help matters as I felt a tad chilly. So I stayed in.

Monday it absolutely slung it down but I managed to persuade the slave to go out when it eased off. I really enjoyed the fresh air and the snow was much less. I had a poke in a few holes, dug in some snow and went back in for a lie down. Now yesterday, I went out several times. The weather wasn't great, a bit damp and cold but the grass had come back pretty much everywhere. I chased a couple of buzzy flying things. The last session outside ended badly in a way. I was down near the gate and a loud car making a funny noise came down the road. I didn't like that and dashed back to the house. But the good thing was that I discovered how to hurtle through the flap as well, whereas normally it is a bit of a slither. It's easy really, just take off from the step in front of the door and you can bang through without even touching the sides. I think I might adopt that as my normal mode of entry.

Spring has Sprung ...

Out again at the crack of dawn. When Jaffa got one of the slaves up we all took advantage and had a mass breakfast. Then the slave made a cup of lotus tea and we went out again. It was a lot warmer than yesterday. My main hole has now disappeared completely under what the slaves refer to as their potatoes bags.

When the other slave was ready to go out to work, I was shut in the cellar. But I don't mind that as there are lots of little nooks and crannies to investigate. I pooed in the corner.

Back inside, I settled down for a snooze but Basil came in and got me all wound up. We both hurtled round until Basil got some food. Then he staggered off outside to sleep it off. 

We went out a bit later and I had a great time chasing the little buzzy things. I had a poke round at one or two holes in the ground. Then we all ran and hid when a lorry with a brush on the front came up the road making a loud noise. I say all, Tollie stayed where he was, he is cool as a cucumber that cat but I like him. He's a bit grumpy at times though.

Anyway, I settled on the bed for the lunchtime nap after writing my blog. I got up a few hours later and went out into the garden again with a slave. They both keep telling me to be brave tomorrow. I know that something is going on but I am not sure what 'spayed' means.

The food has all been taken up this evening for some reason, so Jaffa went out and caught a rat. Needless to say, a slave confiscated it!

Sunny Weather Again

Managed to persuade both slaves to take me outside today. I dashed round the corner to continue work on the hole I was investigating yesterday but it had gone! Can you believe it, someone had buried it so I had to re-dig which lost me some valuable hole-poking time. I then had a bit of a disaster as a couple of stones I was playing with ended up down the hole and rather blocked it up.

Even though it was sunny, I stayed in the shade as much as I could as that is more character building for the slave, who went out without a coat on. I also had a poke round in the garage and found Jaffa had curled up on the bonnet of the little red car, on some garden fleece in the middle of the tyre from the slave's mountain bike.

After luch, I had a couple of good sessions outside but it was a bit worrying at first as there were voices outside of the garden. It is also worrying as the slaves keep saying something about an operation I am goung to have very soon.

Here I am digging the hole back to what it was like yesterday:

My Friend has Come Home ...

I was really pleased, Jaffa and Coco arrived home safely. Jaffa was pretty tired and I can't wait to hear tales of what she got up to.

Yesterday started off well. Coco shouted up to everyone that she had brought a mouse home. I was the first one on the scene and had a great time, finally eating it. Unfortunately, I didn't get to eat all of it as one of the slaves confiscated it complaining about the mess I was making on the mat.

I had a load of time outside yesterday as well, the weather was great, I chased a few flies and a few stones that the slave threw for me. Tollie concerned us for a while when we couldn't find him as he is usually around all the time, but he turned up a few hours later having had a nap hidden in the grass next door.

In the evening, a slave opened the cellar door and I got so excited that I hurtled around at top speed, from the cellar to the bedroom ... several times!

In the Dark ...

Just had to rush in and write my blog - I have just been out ... in the dark! I was quite keen to get up and out as soon as possible today as I haven't seem my friend Jaffa since yesterday evening. Or her mum. Rose tried to wake the slaves at about half four but gave up after a while. Fizz succeeded though. It was a bit bizarre really how she did it. She came in, squeaked a bit, stabbed one of the slaves in the leg by reaching under the duvet and the other one got up!

Still, I took advantage of the situation and made it absolutely clear that I needed to go out IMMEDIATELY!

So the slave that had got up, put my harness on me and off we went. I was a bit reticent at first because I haven't been out in the dark before, well, I say dark, it was a bit light but the Sun hadn't come up yet. It was quite nice actually, there were no machine noises, just those feathered flappy things tweeting all over the place. Oh, and the dew dripping down the pipe into the water butt. That puzzled me a bit at first but when I realised what it was I stopped worrying. There is still so much to learn.

Rose and Basil were already out, sitting on the end wall of the garden. They came rushing over to me and Rose was a bit of a pain. She poked at my tail and hit me on the head a couple of times but I am getting used to it. Basil was a bit more civil, he just sniffed my bum. The slave threw some bits of stone for Rose to chase and, when she wasn't looking, he threw some bits of wood for me to chase.

Somehow, the mice holes look different in the dark, but it is still fun poking my paw down them. I had a look over the road through the slats in the gate and from the wall next to the post box - nothing going on so I had another snuffle round the garden. I had a poke at the bottom of the house cladding and found something nice to eat. Not sure what it was.

Anyway, the slave said he was getting a bit chilly (the idiot had not put his fur on) and I had to go in. I had hoped to watch the Sun come up - oh well, have to do that from inside as usual.

I hadn't realised that my feet had got wet whilst we were outside and had a bit of an issue whilst doing a high speed turn round the corner of the kitchen units. So I went and sat on the mat and dried them off. I had forgotten all about going to look for Jaffa, but I am sure she'll be fine. I'm off to bed now, that's quite enough excitement for one morning!

Up a tree ...

Nothing much has been happening the last couple of days, life has proceeded much as normal - sleep, biscuits, run around at high speed, poo in plant pots and so on. Jaffa has had a few mice. Fizz brought one in and we reckon it bit her as she meowed and spat it out. It ran behind the kitchen unit and Jaffa was the one that dug it out. I was really proud of her. The slaves flapped around a bit to try to get her outside but she quickly killed it under the dresser and ate it. It made a very satisfying crunching noise and she growled all the time to warn us the mouse was now hers.

I have been out a few times, poking down the usual holes and chasing stones that the slaves roll. I feel a bit obliged to chase them to keep the slaves amused and to reward them for the effort. Rose is a pain as she keeps attacking my lead.

I fancied doing a bit of tree climbing. The slave started wittering on about a website he has recently done for a tree surgeon in London. I didn't have the slightest idea what a surgeoun or London was si I concentrated on my climbing. I didn't actually leave the ground but did dig my claws in the trunk and think about going up. Maybe next week I will try it. Jaffa is good at climbing trees and she scurried around in the tree in the back corner of the garden, I was really impressed. Rose said that it wasn't really that impressive and ran around in the tree even faster than Jaffa. I think that she was just showing off but secretly it did look impressive too given that she is no spring chicken she still seems fairly agile!

Back online ...

I haven't felt much like writing much the last few days. Mainly because my friend Jaffa disappeared. Or at least she disappeared for well over a day. We were all a bit worried, although her mum, Coco, didn't seem to bothered - outwardly at least. When Jaffa came back, she pottered around the garden and round the house and then came and settled down for a bit of kip. I was really pleased to see her but didn't bother her for a fight or judo practice or whatever as I could tell she was a bit tired so I made the slaves play with me and take me outside to make up for it! Coco spent the next day with her paws over Jaffa as if she was not going to let her out of her sight.

I have been out for quite a bit of time these last couple of days. I gat a bit frightened a couple of times but now I can use the flap it's OK as I can get back through to safety. Unless one of the others is sitting blocking the flap on the inside of course. The slave says just to burst through anyway but that seems a bit rude to me.

I keep checking all the mouse and mole holes to make sure they are still there. I give them all a poke just in case there is something good to be had. My favourites are the one that I can get my head in and one under a stone in next door's yard.

I really must get my picture taken with my harness on, it's great and looks very smart indeed against my fur.

Big Things and Voice Coaching ...

A couple of weeks ago, despite my reputation as being brave. I ran in when I heard a really strange noise. All I can say is that it sounded like something saying "neighhhhhhhhh". It was weird. It sounded all warbly and went up and down a bit as well. I have been chatting to the others and they reckon that what I heard is something called a horse. Tollie reckoned they are quite friendly really although he said that he had a bit of trauma with one a few years back when he was a lad. He had been socialising with one and it put its head down. He said it had really enormous teeth so he ran home and hid.

Anyway, I have been out quite a bit this week. I put my harness on and trundle around the garden, poking my paw into any holes I find. I like doing that. I don't know what I might find but you never know where there might be some hidden biscuits! Between us, we have managed to make one of the holes bigger, so big in fact that I can get my head in! Mow that's what I call great fun.

I haven't seen much of Jaffa this week and when she is in, she just wants to sleep. Her mum says that it is just a phase she is going through and she is out looking for mice. I saw her go through the gate and over the road. I was interested to see whaere she went and what she did but decided to stay in the garden. A good decision as I had to run in again as a car went past.

I don't think that the slaves are actually very bright at all. First thing in the morning, I run to the door to go out but I have to do a lot of shouting before they put my harness on and take me out. Rose has been teaching me how to project my voice and how to inject pathos, desperation, despair and so on into it. She is really good at all that but she said that yes, it does take a while to get through to the slaves to get what you want. Luckily, yesterday, my harness was on the table by the door so I was able to show the slave exactly what I wanted by batting at it with my paw.

More Snow ...

Yesterday was a bit dismal. I tried to go out several times but it was like the mountain in Wales (Snowed on!!!). By this morning, there was a foot of fresh snow. Me and my mates did go out a bit, I was first out the door today but Fizz went the furthest, she likes ploughing through snow that is as deep as she is tall. Rose is nesh and only went for a quick wee. I poked around in the snow but only went a couple of yards from the door. Then we all decided that it was time to have a nap, all seven of us went to bed. Tollie is still a bit off colour with a runny nose so we left him alone. He looked grumpy anyway as he grumbled at the snow and was the first to go for a nap.

 

 

The Great Outdoors

I have been out a few times this weekend, the weather wasn't as bad as when I tried to venture out last week. The wind isn't as blowy and there wasn't much wet stuff coming down from above.

Saturday, I was really ready to go out and rushed out and ran around in the garden a bit. I dashed down to the gate and ran out through it and went under the big car that brought me here to see what it looked like. The slave who was out with me seemed a bit concerned and chased me out - so I ran under a different one. Anyway, to cut a long story short, I ended up back in the garden and dashed in when a tractor went past. I went out a bit later. I was still in the mood to rush around all over the place so I went over the wall into next door. The slave brough me back and I went in. Again!

The other slave let me out a bit later so I went back over the wall to finish off the unfinished business of seeing what was next door. It wasn't very interesting so I went a bit further. That was quite interesteing, some new smells, grass and really big doors to investigate. The slave appeared from the direction of the road and so I mooched back into next door, on the smallest legs I could manage, just to make a point you know. Then I heard some voices and a car coming so I needed to get back into my barn. But I couldn't work out how to get back over there and so I ran and ran and found some wood to hide under. It was a bit closer to the road than I would have liked but still, I was safe. No-one knew I was there ... apart from the slave who fished me out and took me inside.

Then I had a harness put on me. I didn't like how it felt at first but then realised it wasn't too bad. I even went to sleep in it. A bit later, one of the slaves attached a lead to the harness and I went out again. I didn't feel much like rushing so I pottered about a bit and then dashed in when a car went past and the slave let go of me.

Sunday, I had a couple of outings in the harness, it seems a bit more restricting than when I am out without it but to be honest, I feel a bit safer when cars go past. It was quite entertaining seeng the slave following me in and out of trees and climbing over what they call the throne to make sure I didn't get tangled up.

Judo and a Traumatic Day

A few days ago me and Jaffa learnt Judo. It's great fun as we take it in turns throwing each other to the floor. It is best upstairs as the satisfying thumps as we smash each other down are much louder than on the tiles downstairs.

Went out a couple of times a day or two back and found it a bit of a trauma. Twice. The first time, I was just pottering on the step and one of the slaves made the ice crunch at the same time as Coco jumped down from the bird table so I ran in and hid. Only the slave didn't realise that and when he couldn't find me in the house (I was in my favourite hidey hole behind the fridge and under the dishwasher and was so traumatised that I wouldn't even come out for biccies) he spent the next half hour wandering round the village shaking the biccy bag and shouting for me. Even the second slave joined in the search. So after a while, I felt a bit sorry for them and popped out demanding food being as they had taken the trouble to get the biccy bag out.

So I tried again later, just as I poked my nose out of the door, a loud car went past. That was it. I decided that I would stay in.

Anyway, this morning, I didn't go out either, when the slave opened the door something weird was going on. There was water coming down from up in the air and most of the snow had gone so it looked really different out there. I was a bit worried and decided to spend the rest of the day with my nose up my bum.

The Big Wide World

Hey up, I have found out what is on the other side of the door! I have seen the others disappear out through the little plasic flappy thing but I have no idea how they do it. They must know some magic spell that I don't know that lets them pass throguh solid objects. Maybe I will have the magic one day.

Anyway, back to my story. The slaves opened the door for me a couple of days ago and I went through it. I tell you, it's HUGE out there. In fact, the first time I went out it was so huge that I made sure that I stayed close to the open door so that I could rush back in when a car or tractor went past. I seem to remember a bit about this part of the barn from when I was a baby but you know what it's like, trying to remember stuff from so long ago makes it a bit hazy. There is a load of the white stuff, snow I believe the slaves call it, on the floor. It reminds me of something but I don't remember exactly what but it gets me a bit panicky. One of the slaves put me down a long way from the door and so I quickly ran back and wenty to bed.

Anyway, I slept on it and when the slaves opened the door for me yesterday, I knew a bit better what to expect. The snow was still there but seemed to have shrunk. But I was a lot braver. The first time out, I went all the way to the hedge and sniffed at loads of things. I went back in after a while to warm up my paws and to grab a bite to eat. later, the door was open and one of the slaves was sorting out the wood that burns to keep us all war. So I took the opportunity to go out again. This time, I went the other way. I saw Jaffa going through a gap in the wall so I thought, 'hmmm, interesting' and went through. Wow, there was even more top see. I was snuffling about in a big pile of wood when I was picked up and taken in. Apparently, the slave was going out and was worried that I didn't have the magic spell to get back in. Fair enough.

Today, I wasted no time and went straight to the pile of wood because there are a load of really interesting smells there. After a while I got bored and had a mini-scrap with Jaffa and explored behind a big container. Me and Bas had a little chase and I panicked a bit when a car went past. I didn't really know if I could get back to the barn in time so I dived into the woodpile, which seemed like a good place to be. Anyway, I had a bit more of a snuffle round then was taken back in where I had some more food, ran around and then went back to bed with the others.

This was my first attempt, I got a bit stressed and ran in!

Not a Good Day

Yesterday wasn't a great day, I fell into a washing up bowl from the windowsill and got locked in my food cupboard.

So I retreated to the log basket ...

Teasing the slaves

Me and Jaffa played a good trick on the squeamish slave yesterday. We got a brillo pad, made it look about the size of a rat and played with it in a dark corner. She was not happy and the non-squeamish slave had to come and confiscate it. It was good entertainment while it lasted.

The Good-Cat-Bad-Cat Routine

Dora the Good has moved out. Dora the bad has moved in.

I decided it was time for a change. I have been here a couple of months nearly and decided that being good is tedious. Firstly, I scratch on things, nothing too serious yet but I am just testing the water. The slaves try to dissuade me but fairly gently so I reckon I could step up a gear soon. At the moment, it is just a chair, wicker baskets and the Front door but hey, the World's a scratching post you know. Secondly, I like to get them worried so I leap about on the landing, above the stairs as if I am about to fly off into the void and drop the whole way down to the ground floor. Even more fun is to balance on the handrail surrounding the steps down into the cellar. I make sure they are watching and pretend to go all wobbly and fall. But all I do then is to grab the handrail and hang there for a while, swinging my rear end around in space. Then I climb back up and parade a bit more. Finally, I get up onto the kitchen worktops. That is quite good fun, nosing around for any bits of cheese rind that might be destined for the birds; poking my head into the sink and so on. Inevitably, that ends with me being scooped off and dumped back on the floor. Sometimes, if I get myself sorted first, I thwart the slaves' efforts and jump down. Like I said in an earlier post, everything seems to have shrunk. Except me of course, I am the same size.

Had my portrait done a few days ago ...

Fun Fun Fun

Nothing really much to report from the last few days, been teaching Jaffa about the Internet and showing her how I do my blog but she wasn't very interested as you can see ...

 

A couple of days ago, we found a great new game. We discovered a small hidey hole just the right size for me. It is under some shelves. So I go and hide in it and Jaffa pretends to find me. Then we poke at each other with our paws and send everything on the shelves above flying. It makes a brilliant noise and it doesn't take long for the slaves to put it all back ready for the next game. We also have devised a game on the setee. A slave puts the fake mouse on a string over the back of the settee then one of us tries to pull the mouse down to the floor whilst the other tries to stop it. Sorry, the slaves are useless when it comes to videos so it is sideways on ...

New Games

I was feeling a bit off colour yesterday afternoon so I had a snooze and kept one eye on the rugby. Leicester vs Toulouse it was. The match wasn't great, but the weather looked really rubbish, the Toulouse kickers missed everything and so they lost.

I am back on top form today, eating and rushing round. Jaffa seems to have found her goalkeeping skills again but I have a new game. It is to leap up and clamp firmly to the leg of a slave when they are dangling the fake mouse on a string for me to chase. It is much more fun to go for the hand end than to go for the mouse end.

We really need Rose to sort out her fixtures, she seems more interested in eating, sleeping and cuddling up to Tollie.

Five-a-side

Bizarre! I was just thinking last night that Jaffa and the others seem to have become smaller. I used to have to look up to Jaffa and the rest but now, they have come down to my level. I don'd get a cricked neck now when bumping noses. Everything in the house seems to be getting smaller too. a few weeks ago, I couldn't get onto the windowsill upstairs without some assistance (a basket full of the slaves odd removable fur). Now, it is easy because it it much closer to the floor. I had a good snooze with the slaves on their bed last night, the one with a bumpy chest fussed me a lot so I purred for ages. It's good to keep the slaves 'on-side' every now and then.

But anyway, that's all by-the-by. I am trying to get a five-a-side team together. I was hoping to sort out a proper team but, when everyone stands still so I can count them properly, we only have seven. None of us are that keen on rugby sevens so five-a-side it will be.  Tollie is too fat and limps a bit so he has agreed, very altruistically I thought, not to be one of the playing staff. He said that he would be happy to look after the half time biscuits. Rose is a bit posh so she has agreed to be the fixtures secretary and the physio - she is very good at treading so she will be good for massaging tired muscles and other injuries. Jaffa was the obvious choice for goalie, she is brilliant at catching stones, snowballs and fake mice in mid-air. Fizz wasn't keen at first, she always seems to be a bit apart from the rest. I got her on board by promising that the ball would be a walnut. I had the slaves throw her half a walnut shell and she was off. She will be on the right wing. Left wing will be Coco, she is really fast and puts in good crosses. I will be in the centre forward position as I am organising it and so it is only natural. I can direct operations better from there as well. Obviously we will all be getting stuck in with the defence but Basil has agreed to hang back to slow down any breaks so the the rest of us can get back. He is usually very laid back but every now and then, he can get quite wound up and be a real thug - perfect for a defender.

Going Mad

Wednesday 16th Jan 2013

The day started quite well, I think Coco likes me now. We had a great chase round the room and she didn't attack me, in fact, she even let me do some of the chasing. That's a real turnup for the books as she has always been the one who has hissed at me the most. Me and Jaffa then did some chasing and practice fighting as well. It's dead easy to knock her over, I just jump really fast and there is nothing she can do ablout it. Ha ha.

It was a bit cold and snowy outside so the others all decided to sleep on the slave's bed en-masse. After a bit of 'chase the fake mouse on a string' with a slave, I trundled off up and joined them.

Jaffa showed me the ropes of drinking from the shower ...

A Long Journey

I feel that I have come a long way over the past 4 weeks, from being a naiive and lost kitten in a snowdrift to the confident one that I am now. I have plenty of new friends, food, beds galore and I have learnt the noises that the food cupboards make so I don't miss out on any feeding opportunities.

I like Basil, although he was a bit poorly last week but is better now and bumps noses with me again when we pass each other.

Jaffa is great fun, but then again, she is young like me and not yet a boring olf fart who sleeps all day! Jaffa seems to like to disappear through the little window in the front door.

I haven't figured out how it works, it seems to go one way only. I did try hitting it with my paw a couple of times but when it bounced open and nearly hit me on the head I thought I would leave it alone. I have decided to watch the others (although Jaffa seems to be the only one who can open it without scratching for the slaves to come and open the big door) to figure out how it works.

People

A couple of days after New Year, loads of people suddenly appeared. Even though I am Dora the Brave, I was a little overwhelmed. But it was OK in the end, two small people played with me a lot - mainly string but a little bit of 'throw the fake mouse' plus a bit of fuss too. It was nice so I purred a lot for them.

I have yet another new bed and like to alternate between the main one with the others and my own.

New Year

The ginger one who seems to answer to the word Jaffa, has decided that she is happy to play chase now. We don't get too rugh but it is great fun tapping each other on the head and rushing up and down stairs. The slaves were missing for most of the day so we had the run of the house. Tollie got a headache because of the noise - 8 paws thundering around on the wooden floor make a very satisfying racket. Here's a picture of me taking a nap in between chases.

Between Christmas and New Year

Well, this last week has been interesting. The only one of the others who still hisses at me is Coco. Even the ginger one has bumped noses with me this week. I like her, maybe we can play chase or have a couple of fights in the New Year. We'll see.

I have a favourite new toy. The green ball. I like to kick it around because it makes a brilliant noise. It has a bit of string on it which is really convenient for carrying it across the room. I still like playing 'beat the monkey'.

I have also found a great hidey hole. Fizz and Rose told me about it. You can get behind and underneath the cooker and dishwasher if you go behind the fridge. I can have the slaves looking all over the house for me, only to pop out and sit innocently in the middle of the room as if I had been there all the time. It is also a good place to hide my toys. That confuses the slaves too. They spend ages looking under and behind things for the fake mice, the green ball and the fake mouse on a string. When they aren't looking, I bring the toys back out of hiding.

Christmas Day

Brilliant, the fire was started early today, just as well as it was a bit chilly. Basically I spent the day running around, chasing small balls of paper and my fake mice. I also am working on destroying some green string that Fizz told me came from the fake mouse that Jaffa and Coco destroyed in September. Wherever it came from, when my slaves move it around on the mat I like to chase it and grab it in my mouth. I think that tomorrow, I might just start carrying it round the room and leaving it in different places.

There is a really big container of soil upstairs now, with a few plants. It's great for digging. I don't think that it impresses my slaves when I do that.

I have noticed as well that the others seem to sleep upstairs with the slaves, I think I will investigate tonight. Meanwhile, here is a self-portrait of me, tired out after writing my blog.

Christmas Eve ...

I thought that it was about time I did something 'cute':

Business as usual

December 22nd. Carried on as usual. Mice, kicking soil around, running up and down stairs and so on. Here is a video that I really like as it makes me look HUGE!

 

I must admit, I did forget the script ... I remember it was supposed to start with a scene where I was having a wash followed by some running around but when I couldn't remember what I was supposed to do next I hid. I think it was because I was excited that Fizz had come home today and I just couldn't think straight. 

Trouble at t'Mill

Oh dear, I was in severe trouble today (21st December).

I discovered upstairs. I also found a place with some really good soil containers so I scattered the soil all over the place so that I could play with it a lot better. That didn't really go down well. When I got tired of that, I hopped onto a nice soft warm bed I found near the soil so that I didn't have so far to walk to play with it again when I got the chance ...

Now, what else did I do? Hmmm? Oh, I remember, I ripped a couple of leaves of some other plants, poked some soil out of some plant containers downstairs and did a really runny poo on the steps to the cellar. A fine day indeed!

Starting to find my feet.

Up to Dec 20th now. Fizz is still at the doctors.

I am getting to quite like the others, they are getting more used to me too. I regularly bump noses with the lads. They're cool.

I also have started to throw the fake mice around and up into the air, that is so much fun. My slaves throw them along the floor for me to chase as well. That's even better as it is less effort! I gave the monkey a really good beating and have slept on my two beds. I was a bit worried about where I would find my food when the slaves collapsed and took away my bedroom - I needn't have worried, I eat with the rest of the clan. Here is a picture of me eating with my friend Basil.

December 17th - I slept well on my new bed. I feel quite refreshed now. I feel so refreshed that I have started to beat up the Monkey ...

I can get pretty much a whole leg or an arm in my mouth if I really try and I really enjoy kicking it with my back paws.

Me and the cat who answers to the word Fizz nipped down to the doctor's this afternoon. The doc said I have some neurological damage but I feel OK. Poor Fizz had to be left down there for some tests, I hope she will be OK, I have started to bump noses with her too. It's only the tortie and the Ginger one that hiss and growl at me now.

A New Bed ...

OK, I am still a bit behind, this is about the 16th December. One week after I was rescued from the snow. My bedroom disappeared last night. I realise now that what I thought were my adoptive parents are actually nothing more than personal slaves, here to cater for my every whim. They have cleaned out my bedroom every day for the last week but last night, they folded it up and took it away. Lucky I found a new bedroom. It was a but unconfortable at first but then I thought about rearranging it. Here is a self-portrait I took once I had it sorted ...

Today was really good too because I bumped nosed with the cat that responds to the word Basil.

Playtime!

Having started to bat the little things that look like mice around and not been in trouble, I have done it a bit more today. I quite like pushing them across the floor and poking them under the things my people seem to sit on. My adopted dad has to get a stick to get them back out again. That's even more fun. I discovered today that there are containers of soil around the place - brilliant for pees and poos. I am starting to like it a lot here. I like it so much that I have decided that I will raise my tail to the others.

Here are some pictures of me. First, having a spot of lunch in my bedroom ...

Here is an action shot of me batting a fake mouse.

And here's one of me and Rose taking a siesta.

Learning fast ...

I am learning lots very fast now. Here is a picture of me doing my checking my email before doing my blog:

 

As you can see, it is a bit cold at times, so I need to wrap up well whilst doing things that don't involve rushing around.

The person that was here last week, one with round things over his eyes who called me 'Splodgeness Abounds' turned up again. I didn't need to hiss at him much this time.

I decided to throw the fake mice around a bit today, just to 'test the water' so to speak. I didn't get into trouble for that though the other cats looked a bit disdainful, snooty even, as if that sort of thing was beneath them. I will wait until they go out through the hole in the door and play with my toys when they are not looking.

I figured out that the two people who are here all of the time must have adopted me as they seem to do what my first mum did, feed and fuss me. I might just see if they will play tomorrow, I will do a few gentle test chews and kicks on their paws and see what happens.

They still put me into my bedroom at night and the others just come and go.