They've spent the last 4 weeks in a Cats Protection pen and before that they were 2 of 14 cats taken on by a lady when her elderly friend died. The lady realised that 14 cats is probably a few too many and they've gradually been re homed via C.P over the last few months. They are incredibly timid hence the hiding under the table. We've turned the dining room into a space for them to get used to being in a house again and to get to know us.
These are not the first cats we've had here as three came "Free" with the house when we moved in in 1992. One was elderly and but the other two were only a year old so they lived with us for several years until Cooper, who was a gorgeous ginger boy, was the last to go maybe 8 or 9 years ago. Because by then we had a dog we decided not to replace the cats, but Lucy, our lovely intelligent Border Collie Cross, had to be put to sleep over 3 years ago and since then we've been pet-less.
We decided on no more dogs but it's taken us all this time to do anything about getting some cats. I've been waiting for 2 that are used to each other and about the same age since I went to the C.P Homing Fair in the Autumn. These little girls haven't been mistreated but are not accustomed to any attention. They will let me pick them up and seem to like being stroked but I think it will be a while before they start purring or playing.
Back to the CS bargain - I didn't even know about scratching posts until we went to see Polly and Mabel in their pen, our previous cats always sharpened their claws on the back of any handy chair or settee! Him Outside said he could make something but when we saw this yesterday for £4 he said by the time he'd have found a post, stuck a bit of carpet on and screwed in to a base, it would be simpler and as cheap to buy this one. So we did, along with cat food and cat litter. Everything else has been made/found here. An old cushion pad in an old pillowcase in a cardboard box makes a bed, an old plastic drawer which I've previously used for standing flower pots in has become a litter tray. A cotton reel and a small ball for when they start to play, an empty window sill so they can jump up to look out. Some old dishes and plates for food and water and they are sorted. I wonder how long it will be before they lose their shyness?
Other news today; We have a lovely sunny day here but a blustery cold wind. A load of washing dried really well. Him Outside has been getting the frame for the campsite gents loos fixed outside onto it's concrete base and then covered in felt. I thought I would start weeding the flower garden out the front of the house but every weed came up with a huge clod of sticky mud so I gave up on that job and just cleaned up some dead stuff from the the strawberry bed and from the cabbages. I then spent the rest of the day popping in and out of the dining room.
Well done to the Scottish guys for their Silver Medal in the Curling, the Canadians were really on form.
A lovely lot of books from the library van- photo tomorrow.
