I woke up early this morning and decided to get on with some writing. I got to the bottom of the stairs, and thought I was seeing double.
Some years ago I bought a rather regal black cat figure for my mother, which resided on the fire surround, and seemed to watch us wherever we were in the room.
When my mother died we took the cat back to Madrid with us where he went on to star in Tales from the Garden. When we returned to Ireland he came with us, and is now inside our hall, by the front door, as a welcome to visitors. He is tucked into a corner, with just his face visible through the glass surround.
However, this morning, he had company.
When we first moved in to the house last June, and were decorating, we would leave the front door open to air the place out. One day a black cat walked in, and as we stood watching carefully, he or she, inspected the downstairs of the house, and then left again. As it left, it looked at us both as if to say ‘You’ll do’! Since then I have seen him (he is quite big and beefy) a few times, but he has run off into the bushes if I have approached him. However, from time to time I catch him checking us out. A few weeks ago I looked out of my office window to see him sitting watching me through the glass for several minutes before wandering off. He looks well fed but my guess is that he has been feral for a long time, and well able to catch his own dinner in the farmland around us.
Clearly he had caught sight of my stone cat and was checking it out, probably for gender! I slowly moved my boy around to face the window, and went off and collected my camera from the office. I returned and sat on the bottom step of the stairs and watched to see what would happen.
I took several snaps of the two of them and then decided to try my own luck with our visitor. I went and got a saucer of warm milk, opening the front door carefully, only to see him darting under the car. However, once I was back inside and had resumed my seat he crept back out, and emboldened by his new friend, finished the offering with much relish and licking of whiskers. I think it has been a long time since he had enjoyed that delicacy.
I believe black cats are lucky, and in fact I like all cats. David is allergic to them so we have not enjoyed the company of a house feline. However, over the years, a number of feral cats have seemed to find me, and in our last house in Ireland, I discovered a dying cat under a bush in my garden. He was Henry who starred in Sam, A Shaggy Dog Story, and went on to father two kittens with a young floozy who turned up in the garden one day.
Henry and Sam were great pals but the cat would never come into the house, preferring to sit on my lap in the sunshine having a brush or lying on the sunbed with me. He was completely feral and would disappear when strangers arrived and bless him, he did have a particularly pungent aroma.
Sam checking out Henry’s grooming (or lack of) habits.. ‘Mate, you need a bath’
Sam and Henry taking advantage of the Irish sunshine
The black and white Floozy and Henry’s offspring.
The Floozy would not let me touch her, but when I arrived home one day from work, I found her two kittens, who were a few weeks old at the time, on the front door mat. They both had their eyes caked shut with infection, and I looked around to find their mother under a bush watching carefully. I picked both the kittens up (with strong gardening gloves as they were spitting and scratching hellions) and with Sam overseeing the operation, I gently washed their eyes with warm, lightly salty water. I then put them back out on the mat and she collected them. This went on for a week until one day there was just one kitten who still had a minor infection. His mother and sister watched from under the bush until I put him back down again and he was collected. The next day there was no kitten for me to tend to but they would follow me around the garden at a distance as my guard of honour.
As you can see from the photograph they lived to grow into strapping and healthy cats. We lived on a couple of acres down a farm lane and there was an abundance of rats which provided them with plenty to eat. I did however supplement with scraps and also popped in some anti-parasitic herbs and worming tablets regularly. They would often leave me a gift on the doormat. Usually a very dead and large rat and I was not sure if I was supposed to cook it for them or for me!
I usually rewarded this gift with their favourite treat which was raw liver…
Anyway, I will be interested to see where my relationship with the black cat develops, but I will keep our stone cat facing outwards, and I suspect that he might be back to visit his new friend, and for a saucer of milk again tomorrow.
©images sallycronin
I enjoyed this story, Sally. Stella (our cat) was born out in the bush. My wife grabbed the mom and litter (five kittens), got the mom spayed, and bottle fed the kittens. The mom returned to the wild and the kittens all found homes.
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Fantastic story John and Stella sure got lucky with Lucy and Bailey as family too.. hugs xx
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Yes, she did. Of course she was number one when Lucy and Bailey showed up.
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This is a very sweet story, Sally 🙂
I do never feed my cats with milk, because they get diarrhea because of the lactose. Instead I have given them a mix of cream from milk production and mixed it half and half with water. This doesn’t give any problems.
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Glad you enjoyed the story Irene.. I have not experienced problems with the cats and milk although it is quite diluted. Many have been farm cats though and I know many of them help themselves at milking time. Also it can depend on the breed and also region. Glad you found the solution for yours… I am sure the cream is very rich and they enjoy the taste. hugs xx
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I have also been seeing farm cats drinking milk, but several veterinarians have told me not to feed my cats with milk, which I listen to.
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As you should Irene.. hugs xxx
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This is such a full, rich story, Sally. I thought it would end at the regal cat statue, as that in itself was a very good story. But no, there were more cats and tales in which to delight. I am stunned that a mother cat gave you her sick kittens to nurse. Fascinating!
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I found it very sweet and I was privileged that she felt sufficient trust to do so.. Henry sat on the bench outside my office and perhaps that also reassured her. Glad you enjoyed the story.. xx
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😀
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Reblogged this on Matthews' Blog and commented:
Found this quite interesting, hence the reblog.
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Thank you for sharing Matthew..
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My pleasure always, Sally.
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Kitties! I am so glad that they find you, a woman with a heart of pure raw liver! (lol) What a blessing you are to these four-legged Gods and Goddesses. ❤
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I think it might be my inner witch they sense! My mother was convinced I was one at some point and was foistered on her!!! hugs xxx
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Sounds like you may have been adopted by the black cat! My cat is a a little black one. Her owner is leaving the country so we offered to rehome her. She has settled well and seems to think she can train me to do her bidding.
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And I suspect she will Mary… they have their ways.. hugs xx
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The ferals find us as well. We have managed to trap and neuter one family (mama and three kits) but this year a new family has evaded us. Mama is very feral … and was pregnant again by the time her current lot were leaned (the father of both litters is trap-savvy as can be). The two kittens from the first litter are becoming more and more friendly; we plan to trap and neuter them as well. Thanks for sharing your story!
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Thankfully Henry was too old to father anymore and the vet reckoned he was about 12 which is a good age for a feral cat. There was a certain amount of predation by foxes in our area that seemed to keep the population down and unfortunately traffic on the main roads.
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You are a brave soul to pick them up. They are handsome cats.
We recently had six feral kittens on our back deck with the mother. A volunteer cat lover came and captured them to have them neutered and treated with immunization and ready for adoption. John wanted one but I am not a cat person. I like dogs but don’t want to have one since we travel and would have to find someone to take care of it. I had three dogs, one cat and lots of fish when my kids were young. Now we just have fish. 💕Hugs xx
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I am not sure I would want to catch the one that has adopted us.. he is a big guy and even with a trap it would be difficult. I will see what happens with him… We have not seen or heard any kittens but we have dogs each side and behind us and they are always in the gardens which would deter a mother cat from picking our garden.. We have farmland around us and there have been signs of mice and rats… if Blacky is catching those I am more than happy.. hugs xx
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LOL! Staring at the inside cat, that’s too funny! We have a paper mache cat, black and white, which the grands have all loved and played with. It’s residing in the storage unit for the time being. But wherever I put that cat in the house, I would forget, and end up talking to it or jumping when it ‘moved.’ So realistic. It also frightened our cats when they didn’t know it was in a new location. Hmmm. Seems like I could really capitalize on this..great story Sally! Hugs. Xxx
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I feel that there might be a retrieval from storage coming on. The cats I can understand Angie.. but a bit concerned you talk to it.. xxxxxx
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What a wonderful post today. I love cats, and have two of my own. I also love black cats. The one at your door, had such green eyes. I’ve been seeing a cat the past few weeks, and I’m trying to catch him. He’s been looking thinner lately. I was walking my dog, along with my sons, and this cat which is pure gray, walked up to the dogs without fear, and starting rubbing against them. They were so shocked they just stood there. I’v never seen anything like it before. Take care Sally.
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Thank you Patrick and I hope you can sweep him up.. he sounds like he may be a domesticated cat who has got lost and probably lived with dogs. He clearly knows a can person when he sees one.
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What a beautiful story Sally. It warms my heart. It grates so hard against me when people vehemently proclaim that they hate cats (as some of my coworkers have). Hugs on the wing!
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Thank you Teagan.. it made my day as you can imagine.. I think he was working up his courage to ask mine on a date…. xxxhugsx
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Lovely story Sally. I also believe black cats are lucky and nothing happens by chance. Perhaps it portends great things….
Oh is that the phone?
Hello?
Yes.
Oh…
Yes certainly. Could you just hang on a second?
Thanks very much…
Sal.. it’s Pierce. He read yer book!
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Haha…I don’t know why I don’t just send the damn thing to him! Stranger things have happened.. hugs xxxx
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You should… about 60% of it is being in the right place at the right time!
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Ah, yes, my boys loved Henry best I am afraid Sally. He was the character that intrigued them and generated so much debate and discussion. We also love cats in this house and my sister just about has a cattery of rescued cats.
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BTW, I thought black cats were unlucky but maybe that is only if they cross your path [wink].
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Not if you are a witch Robbie… and then they are very lucky….xxx
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Good to hear Robbie.. and Henry was dear to my heart too.. saved me a lot of time training Sam to be nice to cats…hugs xxx
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Reblogged this on anita dawes and jaye marie.
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A love tail.. um, tale, Sally. You have a kind heart. I grew up in a cat family and people used to drop unwanted kittens off at the end of our driveway. Our old male cat, Big Red, would go get them and carry them inside. 🙂 Great pictures of Sam in the pool and the cats in the flower pot!
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Thanks Diana.. and people say cats can be indifferent but I have always found them very responsive and canny.. hugs xxx
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Wonderful story, Sally! 🙂 xo
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Thank you Bette and so pleased you enjoyed.. hugs xx
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Cats, Men (and Apes) – once you start feeding them, you won’t get rid of them again, Sally 😄❤️
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haha.. great Chris.. and you are always welcome.. bananas always in the bowl… I was unprepared this morning but have some chicken now to give him if he comes back… xxxx
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😀
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I so enjoyed your story, Sally. Cats are much smarter than many people think, as shown by the mother cat who trusted you help her babies. She obviously knew you were a good, caring person.
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I hope so Lyn.. I think that Henry trusted me and sat on my lap for a cuddle reassured her but she was clearly desperate and knew she could not fix it. xx
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Great story Sal. That cat looks pretty darn fat, lol. Hasn’t missed too many meals. I’m also allergic to cats and besides that, they don’t like me. I’ve been corner, jumped on, lunged and hissed at by cats of friends who say, “My cat doesn’t even like people and will leave the room, don’t worry” ya right, they’ve all seen another side to their cats when I’m around, lol. 🙂 ❤
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He is obviously doing okay for food..if he is not catching it he is doing the rounds of the houses looking pitiful! I found something out about you that is new.. I did not know that cats are afraid of you… hahaha.. ♥♥
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Lol, may layers to unpeel about me Sal. Yes, I’m convinced it has something to do with a past life. ❤
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