Pets

We currrently have two cats, Blackie who is 12 and Sammy who is 11. They both came from the kennels where we take our pets when we go on holiday.

Blackie had been born there and spent the first 6 months of his life in one of the pens. He doesn't really understand what being a cat is all about. The first time we took him outside he was frightened by the wind and ran back indoors. He has no idea about hunting and the only thing he has ever caught and brought in for us is a worm. The first time he tackled the small apple tree in the garden he ran along the ground, up the trunk and then he came to a branch. Instead of managing to get on top of the branch he continued commando style along the underside of the branch, hanging on by his claws until he reached the end. Having nowhere else to go he hung there for a while then fell off!! It took him a while to work out that it was better if he went along the top of the branches, although he still looks very unsteady.

Sammy had been abandoned as a kitten and was then found and taken to the kennels. He is quite able to look after himself and often brings us presents of mice and birds. Probably his greatest achievement was to bring in a racing pigeon!

Pets from the Past

This is a cat I had when I was at college in 1973. My then girlfriend and I had two cats from a rescue centre, and they were called Napoleon and Eric. Eric died within the first year, possibly having been hit by a car, but Napoleon lived until he was 17. I got him back from my girlfriend when I moved to Staffordshire in 1978 and he stayed with me until we had to have him put to sleep in 1990. He was a very big friendly cat with front teeth like a sabre toothed tiger.

The DAY Family