Sunday 15 December 2013

'Cat'.

    The year draws to a close. An unforgettable year, too often for the wrong reasons. Two spells in hospital, plus a new knee. Non too successful at the moment but we live in hope. Plus I'm booked in for further investigation in the Royal at Derby. When a specialist says to you, 'That's interesting, you have a hole in your brain' you become somewhat apprehensive. To further remind us of our mortality and so as not to feel left out  Paulette had a stent fitted this year. Just as the year was destined to end on a less than high note 'cat' has appeared 'on the scene' to brighten our lives.
    My wife and daughter were chatting on the street, as ladies do one evening about ten days ago when 'cat' appeared. When I say 'cat' appeared; I mean 'cat' literally leapt into my daughter's arms. He (she?) is a small, tabby cat, in good condition, young, I imagine around a year old. (I have no real way of knowing.) It proceeded to follow my wife up the street, into the house; my wife fed it and there it stayed! For the past few days it has slept on the bed, had breakfast and off it goes, we know not where. Only to reappear at the back door at dusk or thereabouts as if it has lived here all its life! We have advertised its presence widely including on local radio with no positive success.We have taken it to a local vets on the off chance it is microchipped, which it is not. A strange addition to our family, temporary or otherwise.
    Before someone tells us we have approached 'cats' arrival on the scene all wrong, we know, we know! We shouldn't have had it in and shouldn't have fed it. We certainly should not, after a week, have spent good money on a litter tray, cat litter and food. (This cat has on a collar and is housetrained, suggesting it has/had a home. It has occurred to us this cat is going 'home' in the daytime and returning to us, as a holiday home in the evening.)

    We  might well be totally wrong as to the cats age and sex. I think I'm right regarding its sex but as to whether its a 'doctored' female I would have no idea. Its a problem and if it turns up in kitten, so to speak will only add to the puzzle. Any of my readers know of such things! And do we give it a name, its not our cat when alls said and done. But we can't really refer to it as 'cat', surely not!     
    My wife has taken to 'cat'. Not surprising, 'it' has been a welcome distraction. I too, grudgingly admit its presence is amusing  yet surprisingly therapeutic. (Are men allowed to be a bit soft in the head when it comes to cats?) But it is not our cat. somewhere someone might well be looking for it. The way it lays on you when you are lying down suggests it has nothing but love in its heart for humans. But where has it come from, how far and why. Strange things, cats. 
    One thing occurs to me, however fleetingly. (My wife has had the same thought.) You don't think 'cat' is a reincarnation, spirit if you like of a person who has passed away. Paulette's mother, or my mother for instance? I don't profess to believe in such things! But I swear its giving me some funny looks at times!

9 comments:

Joanne Noragon said...

My father had a cat who adopted him a thousand miles from home by jumping into the car and refusing to leave. He named her Katherine, so when people called her Kitty she would be charmed, not offended.

CWMartin said...

First, "A hole in the brain"? My sister has often accused me of that, but what does that mean in real life?

Second, it's all part of the cat's "I am a mystery" persona. I think a cat might be the one creature more than man full of B.S.

Bitchy said...

I had a Cat adopt my house 20 years ago. She was a stray (I thought) but very clean and had funny ways about her. She ended up having kittens, she ran away to do so. And brought them one at a time home to us. We took them all to the vet, got all their shoots and put all of the kittens up for adoption. Our cat was named Blackie as she was a dark as coal. Blackie would NEVER go the bathroom in the house, always wanted outside even if their was snow on the ground. She was a strange cat the way she came to my house and strange cat in her manners. Loved to take showers and swim, would attack a plate of enchiladas. Brought my baby rabbits and a pet parrot a time or two. Would hop right in her pet caddie when you told it was time to go to the vet... Yep she was a different kind of cat. She was the only cat I ever had... I still think of all those memories of Blackie and what a great pet she was. But still she found my house and choose to live with us. I would not have those memories if it was not for the strange cat that came through my back door one day.
So roll with it, this cat may be the cat you never knew you had to love.

martine said...

We had a cat attach itself to us once, it just arrived on the doorstep and came in and made itself at home. He stayed a week and we asked in the village shop, in the end the owner turned up, she had been away on holiday, so he went home and never visited again.

Troy said...

Why not call it Kat, short for Katherine?

Helen Devries said...

As a young man my husband found a ginger tom haunting him as he came back from work...it would accept food, kip all night and leave when he did in the morning.
Some months later he met the ginger tom's 'day' family...a young man who worked nights...

Valerie said...

I once had a wandering cat... slept at home, ate out, the best of both worlds... grins.

You have done all you can for this cat, advertised, told the vet, you can do no more, Ken. What will be, will be., Enjoy it while you can.

Keith said...

My cat is called "Lard" because the man next always calls her "cooking fat" just before he throws a stone at her when she poops on his seed bed.

The old ones are the best!

Keith said...

Sorry, it should read "the man next door"