CatDonna's Cats

A couple days ago, I received an urgent sms from SP who is currently catsitting at my place. I forget the exact words, but basically Pip disappeared [we didn't even know when she took off]. SP searched the whole level and couldn't find her; Pip was probably hiding behind a neighbour's potted plant laughing herself silly.

Thankfully Pip tired of the game and appeared when SP, in a last-ditch attempt to get her back, started to call her name.

Some observations from this little incident that was related to me via sms:

• Pip must be getting REALLY sick of living in close quarters with Hazel and Fiver, so I hope the weaning process ends soon
• I never knew Pip actually responded to her name, all the while I thought it was just my voice she came running for
• Hey, what do you know? Maybe Pip misses me, or thought I'd run away from home and she had to look for me, like one of her babies

I miss Pip. And all the cats. But maybe Pip the most, because she's closest to me in her own strange little way.

Yesterday I took a walk round the village [yes, it's all villages and small towns here; the closest city is Hwllfordd or 'Haverford West' in English, and it's not only unpronounceable, it's a 45-minute drive away, and this is a very long parenthesis].

Past the sheep pens, the pig farms, potato fields and the estuary, when allofasudden I met the spitting image of Teddy!!! Sooo cute!!! Except he had more fur and a long tail, and honestly I didn't like the cold, snobbish glint in his eyes when he glared me off his territory. Dang Persians.

Teddy would never do that, he has the softest golden round eyes and the gentlest little personality. [The husband read this part and chipped in: 'He's not the spitting image of Teddy. Ted is much cuter and friendlier.' Amen.]

I also saw another cat with a collar and bell on; it was sitting on a second-storey window ledge enjoying the last rays of the setting sun. Its owners probably were staying in that house for the summer [we were walking past some holiday houses facing the estuary], and they were sitting in the front garden playing guitars. They looked like middle-aged hippies. The cat had the cutest look on its face, like it was thinking Yeah you can make all the noise you want my dear hippie people, I'm happy just chillin'.

So fun. :)

Summer is lovely here. The days are long: the sun rises at about 5 am and sets after 10 pm.

There's a black cat with a plush long tail that hangs around the area. I don't think he's a stray [I haven't seen a stray at all!], but we're living on his turf, and he comes round in the evenings to see we're not causing trouble.

Due to genetic differences, the cats here tend to be larger and furrier, with rounder faces and full tails. Teddy would fit in well here [except for the tail]; Boonie and Lucie would be regarded as exotic, and Pip would be mistaken for a space alien because she looks so oddly different. Ha ha ha.