How many Mudcats have cats!?

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 16 Dec 18 - 11:53 AM

SmokeyPokey has a very wide range of sounds, and can almost talk!
When he's very cross and we're not taking enough notice, he bellows at the top of his voice (BBRRRRRR WAAAAAHHHHHH! BRRRRR WAAAAAAAAH!) It's ear-splitting and one is compelled to attend to him.

When it's a 'pitiful' request, he just opens his mouth and howls, but not quite so loudly as the cross one.

He sometimes pokes me with his paw (hence SmokeyPokey) and says, "Ah-oo wah? Ah-oo-wah?"

If Sam the Skull is in the vicinity
he does a sort of chattering sound, "rrrrudder rrruddder rrruddder!"

But we still love his very best trick. When you ask him what he'd like for Christmas, he always replies, "Laptop!"
(I actually reckons he thinks 'Christmas' is another word for 'chicken'!)

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Jack Campin
Date: 16 Dec 18 - 10:45 AM

My British shorthair Muriel (because she was grey) spent the first half of her life as a flat cat, on tenement top floors. All that time she never purred or meowed, and the main noise she made was a very realistic quack when birds flew past outside. It was as if she hoped it would be a lure.

Within weeks of moving to a cottage with a garden, where she could go outside, she learned to purr. Kept up the quacking all her life though.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Charmion
Date: 16 Dec 18 - 09:24 AM

Thanks, Eliza; that’s so kind. I turned the first corner yesterday, from dreadfully ill to convalescing, so the drugs are doing their job. Now, if only I could stop hacking so we could all get some sleep!

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 16 Dec 18 - 09:24 AM

Lost track and not sure what I’m repeating here any more but...

Another thought with what may start off as a cat’s meow is that I think their voices develop as they age and are perhaps influenced by us trying to imitate their sound back to them. Of the more extreme examples I can think of, Mewan became a definite (and repeated) “Eek Eek”. Starboard (and Oedipus to a lesser extent) “Wee-Oww”.

Although not that old when he died, Worthy was probably the most effective at letting you know (intensity of meow combined with facial expressions) how urgent he considered his request/demand was. You’d know eg. I need the toilet NOW.

Very short time with Furball but he was unusual in that he used quite a variety of Prrrt/Chirrup sounds. I had the feeling they were all supposed to convey different meanings but I never got beyond that with him.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 15 Dec 18 - 05:40 PM

By the way Charmion, I see on another thread that you're not very well.
It must be horrid to have bronchitis and to be bored and feeling poorly.
I do hope you get better very soon.

'Oi hoop yer corf goos away roit kwik, and dew yew keep a-troshing mawther!"

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 15 Dec 18 - 05:35 PM

Oh my goodness Charmion, that was extremely brave of you! And what a little Madam, leading everyone such a dance! Typical Siamese behaviour.

I was on the phone to my sister up in Scotland this evening. She was proudly telling me that this morning she'd managed to put up her enormous 6ft real Christmas tree and decorated it. Then, in mid-conversation she suddenly bellowed, "Mela! No! No! Get down you naughty girl!"
Of course, her cat was halfway up the tree trying to dislodge a nice red bauble.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Charmion
Date: 15 Dec 18 - 04:42 PM

I never met a Siamese who was not qualified to yowl for his (or her) country.

I once had a black moggy with obvious Siamese ancestry who climbed onto the roof of a three-storey house a block away from home, and failed to figure out how to get down by herself. Instead, she stood on the eavestrough cover and sounded off, achieving such volume that I heard her from my front porch -- as did the rest of the neighbourhood, of course.

I hied myself toward the unearthly racket and found the residents standing in the driveway, looking up and talking about calling the fire brigade. One of the neighbours offered a step-ladder, and we took it up to the top of the fire escape. As he held the ladder, I climbed onto the very top (hanging onto the bargeboards and in fear of my life) and wheedled and coaxed until the damnable cat came over to investigate. I grabbed her, but could not climb down safely while holding her. So I passed her to the kind man who owned the step-ladder, and as I began to edge back to terra firma the cat broke loose and took off.

When I got home (after a full slate of apologies), she was sitting on the porch rail as if nothing had happened.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 15 Dec 18 - 04:11 PM

My sister had a cat called Geordie who grew very old and started to howl in the middle of the night while standing in her bath. He wanted her to turn the cold tap on a little so that he could drink running water. She obliged of course.
I've had a few British shorthair cats over the years (both pedigree and moggy) and not one ever yowled, although they nearly all lived to a good age.
Siamese however...

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 15 Dec 18 - 03:25 PM

I think kittens will meow to their mothers but after that, the meow only continues to have a use if the cat is to communicate with humans.

I think a cat that didn't experience interaction with humans at a reasonably early age is unlikely to develop this communication.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 15 Dec 18 - 11:11 AM

You're right Charmion. This yowling is always cat-to-human, never cat-to-cat. It must have evolved over the centuries so that domestic animals can communicate their wants and needs to us.

Our other cat, Murphy, is sadly deteriorating and is now quite weak. We put a lovely soft new cat bed right in front of the radiator, behind the TV table. Every morning he has only one desire - to get to that warm corner and get into that bed.

When I go into the kitchen at 6am, he manages quite a loud yowl, meaning, "Oh please let me out of here so I can sink into that soft warm bed!" The rest of the time he makes no noise at all.

Sam the Skull (Spirit) doesn't yowl (he's not a Siamese) but has a pathetic little 'mew'. I know I shouldn't but I usually pop a plate of something out on the front step for him.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Charmion
Date: 15 Dec 18 - 09:37 AM

At five years old, our cats are still relatively young, but both of them occasionally tune up with an apparently random yowl. It seems to happen most often when the yowler is separated from the rest of the household, and I have decided that these howls are demands for reassurance, or guidance to the nearest human.

Our cats don't meow at each other, only to us. They certainly communicate with each other, but not with the full-voiced MEE-IAOU that means "Do this thing for me right now", such as delivering the five o'clock treat, or the meeker mew that means "If you don't mind, I would like to exercise this privilege that you have extended to me in the past", such as drinking from the kitchen tap. Those vocalizations seem to be reserved for use with humans.

With each other, Watson and Isobel are largely silent, although they play together (sometimes quite violently) and spend hours snoozing together, often with Watson's arms wrapped around Isobel's neck. It has occurred to me that they might be conversing telepathically.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 15 Dec 18 - 04:05 AM

SmokeyPokey has started doing what most elderly cats do, which is random yowling.

He yowls when he first sees me in the morning. ("Where the hell have you been eh?")

He yowls when he reckons it's time for a snack, even though he's just been fed. ("I'm starving to death here you idiot. Fetch food at ONCE!")

He yowls when we get ready to go out. ("Now where the hell are you two off to? Come back at once, I shall die here alone if you leave me!")

He yowls when he wants to join us on the bed in the early morning. ("Let me in there THIS MINUTE! Don't hog that lovely cosy duvet all to yourselves you pigs!")

And embarrassingly, he yowls when he's just used the litter tray. ("Tah dah! I've just done a superbly stinky poo for you to deal with! And I may have missed the litter tray slightly. Heh heh!")

My poor husband has taken to telling him "Eh boh dah!" which is F*** off! in Malinke. Luckily I don't think SmokeyPokey understands Malinke.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Stanron
Date: 15 Dec 18 - 03:32 AM

I love this thread. I don't have cats but I have had, in the past, the pleasure of their company. There is an honesty in cat's behaviour that I find indisputable. Please keep your stories coming.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: keberoxu
Date: 14 Dec 18 - 06:42 PM

it's been almost a week
and nobody talking about their cats.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: keberoxu
Date: 12 Dec 18 - 02:59 PM

Don't lose your pussy cats.
Missed you yesterday.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 08 Dec 18 - 06:49 PM

Yep, Sen, it seems a while since we've had a day where it hasn't rained at some point, etc. If it's any consolation, I was on the phone to a sister in law in N W Wales this morning. Apparently they have been having pretty much the same weather.

---
Donuel, I think cats and musical noises cropped up a couple of months ago. Briefly though Furball's reaction to my playing single note melody (Madame Bonaparte IIRC) on guitar was quite odd. Oedipuss was bothered by whistling sounds. I could get a little reaction from Mewan if I tried to mimic a "Mew-an" call on mandolin or higher guitar notes. I can't think of any others.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 08 Dec 18 - 06:31 PM

I hope PussPuss is okay too Jon. It's been so windy, wet and chilly here in Norfolk hasn't it?

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: keberoxu
Date: 08 Dec 18 - 06:26 PM

What the cats made of my piano playing,
back in the day, did not get my attention.

As related elsewhere, however,
my singing -- if I made the mistake of singing while seated --
made the cat run over, jump on me, and shove one paw
into -- not against, into -- my mouth to shut me up.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Donuel
Date: 08 Dec 18 - 05:01 PM

Since everyone's a critic,
What does your cat think of your musicianship?
The old cat like it but the young cats run away.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 08 Dec 18 - 10:32 AM

PussPuss has not been seen in a week. I didn’t expect to see him on the first day of absence as it tipped it down all day and he will skip the odd day like that but I would have expected to have seen him by now. I hope he’s OK – he probably is – he’s most likely just moved on again for his own reasons.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 05 Dec 18 - 01:31 PM

Cor Charmion, I bet he looks magnificent dressed like that!
Husband likes Buchanan tartan (very colourful) but I'm not a Buchanan so he can't have that.
I have a fantasy of arriving in Adjame for Eid (the people always wear their most beautiful African costumes for that) with both of us dressed in Highland outfits. But his kilt wouldn't be acceptable because men's legs must be covered. Ditto for me. Also, we'd be dripping with sweat (I always am anyway over there) and compared to their gorgeous materials which really zing, our tartans would be a bit dull to be honest.
Talking of cats' names (which we were originally) I do like the Macavity (the cat who was never there)
As I write, Spirit (Sam the Skull) is beside me in the sitting room wolfing down a plate of food and a small saucer of milk. He's soaking wet as he's been sitting on our doorstep for hours. Our two are completely ignoring him, so no growls or spits.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Charmion
Date: 05 Dec 18 - 10:18 AM

I think that would be cool beyond words, Eliza.

My Welsh husband dresses up in his Thomas of Wales kilt at the drop of an occasion, even at the height of summer. The tartan is a scarlet and green check that stops people in the street to point and take his picture. He wears it with a fancy beaver sporran and a Sherrifmuir jacket with dragons embroidered on the epaulets. He looks totally luscious. In contrast, when he is figged out so brilliantly, I normally wear black with a big rope of pearls. (They're freshwater but they look as good as the heirloom kind.)

The wearing of all this splendour always comes with a moment of reflection on the scorn and ridicule his rock-ribbed kin, especially of the older generation, would pour on his head if they could see him now. The Welsh have a bitter streak of tall-poppyism to them -- kinda sad, if you ask me.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 05 Dec 18 - 04:26 AM

Oh my word! That's extremely interesting! He's enchanted with the idea now.
There's a shop in Norwich which hires out wedding outfits for men, and one can buy them too. He bought a lovely suit there for his Citizenship ceremony. They do kilts in any tartan, and sporrans, sgian dhub, lacy jabots and so on.
My tartan, Clan Mackay, is a lovely dark green, blue and black. He'd look very nice in that.
Imagine him arriving in Abidjan off the plane and coming through the gate of his family compound in Adjame in full Highland regalia!!!
They'd faint with shock. (So would he, it's about 40 degrees there and he'd have heat stroke)

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Jack Campin
Date: 04 Dec 18 - 07:26 PM

I used to know an extremely black Jamaican whose surname was Douglas - a lot of slavemasters came from southwest Scotland and gave their name to their slaves, much as clan chiefs used to do back home.

The Douglases had two subclans. My friend couldn't tell me if he was a Black Black Douglas or a Black Red Douglas.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Charmion
Date: 04 Dec 18 - 06:56 PM

Not the first ever, Eliza. The Black Watch of Canada is a Primary Reserve regiment based in Montreal, which has substantial communities of francophone African immigrants from such garden spots as Rwanda, Burundi and Côte d'Ivoire, and is the centre of Canada's large Haitian community. When I last saw the pipes and drums of the Black Watch at the Glengarry Highland Games (in Maxville, Ontario), a good quarter of the band was a lot blacker than their tartan.

That's how we roll in these parts.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 03 Dec 18 - 02:05 PM

Hahaa Jack! I might try that. The head of Clan Mackay is a Lord of the same name as me. I could certainly get my husband to take it, but it would sit a bit oddly with his first name, which is a Muslim one.
I've been trying for ages to get him to try on a kilt, but to no avail.
He'd be the first ever Celtic African!

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Jack Campin
Date: 03 Dec 18 - 01:48 PM

Do some husbands actually take their new wife's surname?

This happened fairly often among the Scottish aristocracy, where adopting your wife's surname could be a condition for acquiring her wealth.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: keberoxu
Date: 03 Dec 18 - 01:25 PM

The cat-tree disclosure reminds me of the catlovers who
redesigned their home interiors to provide
catwalks, near the ceiling, for their resident cats.

The man of the house, who did a lot of the heavy lifting, remarked:
"Cats like to look down on people."

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: keberoxu
Date: 30 Nov 18 - 01:44 PM

Brava, Charmion! Thank you!

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Charmion
Date: 30 Nov 18 - 11:19 AM

The Naming Of Cats by T. S. Eliot

The Naming of Cats is a difficult matter,
It isn't just one of your holiday games;
You may think at first I'm as mad as a hatter
When I tell you, a cat must have THREE DIFFERENT NAMES.
First of all, there's the name that the family use daily,
Such as Peter, Augustus, Alonzo or James,
Such as Victor or Jonathan, George or Bill Bailey --
All of them sensible everyday names.
There are fancier names if you think they sound sweeter,
Some for the gentlemen, some for the dames:
Such as Plato, Admetus, Electra, Demeter --
But all of them sensible everyday names.
But I tell you, a cat needs a name that's particular,
A name that's peculiar, and more dignified,
Else how can he keep up his tail perpendicular,
Or spread out his whiskers, or cherish his pride?
Of names of this kind, I can give you a quorum,
Such as Munkustrap, Quaxo, or Coricopat,
Such as Bombalurina, or else Jellylorum --
Names that never belong to more than one cat.
But above and beyond there's still one name left over,
And that is the name that you never will guess;
The name that no human research can discover --
But THE CAT HIMSELF KNOWS, and will never confess.
When you notice a cat in profound meditation,
The reason, I tell you, is always the same:
His mind is engaged in a rapt contemplation
Of the thought, of the thought, of the thought of his name:
His ineffable effable
Effanineffable
Deep and inscrutable singular Name.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: keberoxu
Date: 30 Nov 18 - 11:12 AM

I can't recall it from memory now,
but what the previous post called to mind is
the T. S. Eliot practical-cat poem about a cat thinking about the thought of a thought of a name.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: DMcG
Date: 27 Nov 18 - 04:16 PM

Do some husbands actually take their new wife's surname? 

I know one: he had a severe stammer and you may know that, because your name is often the first thing you say to strangers, a lot of stammerers find their own name hard to say. So he took her name to jettison that history.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 27 Nov 18 - 03:47 AM

Ah what a dear little cat DMcG!

Do some husbands actually take their new wife's surname? I know one or two young married couples where they have each kept their own name, and their children have double-barrelled surnames.
I didn't take my husband's name - people would only respond with a puzzled look and "Can you spell that please?"

I do wish I could be more creative with cats' names. I'm hopeless at coming up with anything interesting, and the poor things have been lumbered with Snowy, Blackie, Smokey etc. I don't suppose they mind though.
Donuel, I've never had a cat tree, it sounds like a good idea, especially for kittens and young cats. All our Siamese cats have gaily used the curtains, the furniture, and of course trees in the garden for climbing and gymnastics.
Sadly nowadays, our two don't even want to go outside at all. They can barely struggle up onto the sofa they're so old and decrepit.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: DMcG
Date: 27 Nov 18 - 02:06 AM

Ada Lovelace, as she appeared in the UK periodical "The Lady".

Pete was not entirely pleased to be listed with my daughter's surname, rather than his own. Maybe he got a little insight into what changing a surname on marriage can feel like! :)

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: DMcG
Date: 26 Nov 18 - 01:14 PM

Cross referencing to the 'Scientists on GBP50 note thread: my daughter's cat is called Ada Lovelace.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Donuel
Date: 26 Nov 18 - 12:31 PM

We got cat tree last week and are delighted to see the cats use it, sometimes all at once.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 26 Nov 18 - 07:37 AM

That's great, Raggy!

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 26 Nov 18 - 07:37 AM

He's got an open door here if he ever wanted it Sen... But yep as said before, he is a true feral and (not that I think we've had dealings with another like that) is quite different to say a Furball or BDYA's findling that show some ability or desire to at least communicate in some way (other than hisses) with us.

(No problems re the fire.)

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Raggytash
Date: 26 Nov 18 - 07:32 AM

I'm pleased to report that Mickey has settled down a great deal.

He was always a "special needs" cat. Very, very nervous, hated being picked up, refused to sit next to you and was generally not a person puss.

In the past week and a bit he has averaged 5-6 pouches of food a day plus cat biscuits plus treats plus bits of chicken and smoked salmon.

He "talked" incessantly for 5 days but has quietened down a bit now. He still makes his presence felt in the early hours of the morning though, ensuring we are awake when he comes in.

At present he is curled up next to the radiator with a full tum as both my wife and I fed him when we got up.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 26 Nov 18 - 07:17 AM

He does sound quite feral Jon. But it's very kind of you to keep offering food, especially as the weather is now cold and wet.

(By the way, when I was moaning about wood burners on another thread, I wasn't implying that YOU burn rubbish and pollute the air, I was having a whinge about all our neighbours round here, who don't use proper wood or dry it out correctly. We actually loved our open log fire in our last house, and all five cats would stretch out on the rug in front of the grate. We only burned well-seasoned and dried-out logs (stacked under our carport) Our chimney only smoked a tiny bit when we lit the fire with kindling.)

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 26 Nov 18 - 06:01 AM

Had a repeat performance of PussPuss on the bunker last night. This time with Pip spotting him. Same old "scaredy cat" mode when spotted, followed by the "you can't see me" approach to get to the food when put down. I guess he must think he's going to be in trouble for going there.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 25 Nov 18 - 12:55 PM

Bee, I owe you an apology. I've just been looking up Himlalayan cats, and they're Persian crossed with Siamese, so they don't have the 'pug' faces of pure longhair Persian ones.
They also have the blue eyes of Siamese cats.
Sadly they are not recognised as a breed by the GCCF for showing.

I'd get any male cat neutered, because unfortunately not only do they roam and fight, but their wee stinks.

Sam the Skull ('Spirit') has been a naughty boy again. We got home from shopping and all the neighbours came over to tell us there'd been one hell of a fracas in our front garden. The savage wee beast had had an awful ding-dong with someone's black cat (ours were safe indoors) and the girl next door had seen him off with a broom.

He's apparently 16 years old. But still full of aggression towards other moggies!

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 25 Nov 18 - 11:25 AM

This image is a fair likeness of "my" mystery cat. He has the "doll" face (head the shape of most cats), not the "Peke" face with squashed in features. He has white "socks" on a couple of feet which I imagine is a disqualifying trait for breeding stock.

If he stays around here, he's definitely getting neutered, purebred or not. I've already given vets enough money to patch up cats who've been in fights.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 25 Nov 18 - 05:48 AM

That's a good point Jon. An entire pedigree cat is valuable for stud purposes.
The breeders of Siamese kittens I encountered always had a 'stud suite' and kept their tom indoors. Entire males tend to roam quite a large territory looking for nookie, and also they pick fights and get torn ears and so on.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 25 Nov 18 - 04:58 AM

(Sorry Sen. I missed you had already mentioned the microchip...)

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 25 Nov 18 - 04:45 AM

If he really is someone's pedigree cat, perhaps for breeding, I'd not see his owners (if any) being too chuffed about castration! (mind you, they should be more careful).

Another thing you can do (and we did with Furball) is to scan (or have someone scan) the cat for a microchip.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 25 Nov 18 - 04:28 AM

Goodness me Bee, a pedigree cat of that breed (we call them 'Persian' here) is very valuable. Someone must have paid a lot of money for him. Here it costs about £700 at least for a Persian kitten, and that would just be what's known as 'pet quality' (not sufficiently perfect for Cat Shows).
I wonder if he's been micro-chipped?

I can't imagine how anyone could be so blooming cruel as to abandon an unwanted cat far from home, it's a wicked thing to do isn't it?

It's so tricky knowing what to do with food-begging cats. Are they someone's pet? Are they lost and starving? Are they just trying it on?
I reckon your idea of attaching a note to a collar is favourite. If there's no response, off come his nuts!

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 24 Nov 18 - 09:26 PM

I'm not sure if I have a cat or not. A lovely seal-point Himalayan tom has been hanging around the house on a part-time basis, mostly at night. I started leaving food out for him and, after overcoming his initial shyness, he's become quite affectionate and loves to be petted and played with. He has definitely been someone's pet, not a feral. He may have been abandoned. (We live on a country road where a lot of thoughtless fools drop off unwanted pets.) But he may belong to a neighbor and just doesn't like to stay home. I suppose I should buy him a collar and attach a note with my phone number on it. If I don't hear back, I can assume he's abandoned and then go through the formal adoption process. (A trip to the vet for shots and neutering.) If he does belong to a neighbor, I guess he gets to keep his balls. I'm not neutering someone else's cat

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Senoufou
Date: 24 Nov 18 - 01:10 PM

Aw Jon, poor little thing. There was a bit of a frost a few nights ago here in Norfolk wasn't there? Puss-Puss is probably longing for a bit of warmth (just like Solo) but is too feral to dare to approach you.
It's so distressing.

Spirit (Sam the Skull) was on 'The Bench' at 6am this morning and nearly threw himself through the window glass to get to me when I opened the curtains of the sitting room. He has quite a feeble little miaow, but he tries to do it louder.

When I opened the front door he shot in like a torpedo. But I put the dish of spare grub on the front step. I'm a bit wary of encouraging him too much to come into the house. He has a home after all, and I don't want to get on the wrong side of his owners, they're very nice people.

Subject: RE: How many Mudcats have cats!?
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 24 Nov 18 - 12:13 PM

A couple of odd experiences with PussPuss over the past week.

He took a half hearted swipe at Pip. He’d been a bit bolder with her and Pip managed to hold a bit of chicken near his face. It’s not clear whether his move was a defensive (“no closer”), a nervous attempt to knock the meat out of her hand or a sort of “get a move on and go away, you silly old fool, so I can eat in peace”.

He was on the wood bunker outside my window last night. It had been an odd day where we’d had an oak tree lopped which did change his usual feeding area (but he was back waiting closer to there this evening) so maybe that affected him but he was still unusually close to the house. He went into very nervous mode though when I (who had not seen him until he moved after I opened the porch door) went outside and he did one sort of “run away” to be called back, kept away from me when I put the food out and did a round about “belly crawl” and “out of sight” route of getting to it after I returned to the house.

I don’t know… once in a while lately, I can feel he would like the house type environment but after a bit over 4 years of “knowing him” on and off and him being a wild adult at that point, it remains difficult to imagine he’d ever really start to trust or want to make friends.