Albert Whiskers' Anniversary.

Hello Friends,
Well, I am so behind with everything, including my blog, as our wonderful camping trip to Norfolk was unfortunately followed for me by a fortnight of the most vile flu. It seems most odd that as someone who hadn't had flu for 30 years, I should then get it two years running, despite having a flu jab. Bah!! 

Now, I have many cat-loving friends & couldn't let Albert Whiskers' anniversary pass unmarked. 28th June was one whole year since Gotcha Day. Remember that early blog post about him escaping from his cat carry-basket just 0.7 miles from the Cat Rescue, attacking Steve & freaking out all the way home? Can hardly believe it's a whole year since we drove home wondering why we always seem to adopt the weirdest cat on offer. Albert Whiskers had been a street cat. He was un-neutered & in a poor state when he was handed in to the Rescue. He'd clearly had some nasty fight injuries to his face, which had received no veterinary attention. Even a year later, the fur has not properly regrown beneath his ear, & his eye is still slightly closed as a result of a nasty untreated cat bite abcess. Minus his 'family jewels' & with his own humans, a house, big garden, good food & plenty of strokes, he has blossomed into a genuinely lovely cat albeit wilful & attention-seeking. He is also the most absolutely bone-idle cat we've ever owned. I've put together a selection of photos which give a good flavour of how Albert Whiskers likes to spend his time. Don't think I am doing him an injustice. I searched our photo files long & hard for some action shots. These were pretty much the most energetic I was able to come up with..........

Well, justice is very important here at The People & Cats Republic, so before publishing this catalogue of indolence, I thought it only fair to see what Albert Whiskers is doing at this moment. In fairness, he could have been out watching for frogs, chasing other cats, indulging in a little ornithology, guarding the leek bed, frolicking in our wild patch, climbing the pear tree or any number of other busy feline activities................................ Umm, nope!

BUSTED AGAIN! And taking into account the close proximity of the catnip tub, I'm assuming he is somewhat 'herbally assisted'.
Oh well, it beats life on the streets of Eastwood. I'm sure he thinks it was even worth losing his man-cat assets to gain such a life of luxury.
If you are thinking of adopting a cat, do please give these older ex-street cats a thought. They make fab pets, given the chance & tend to get overlooked at the Rescues in favour of kittens. With his beaten up face, Albert Whiskers wouldn't win any beauty contests, but he's funny, affectionate & characterful & we've really enjoyed sharing our home with him over the last year. He's got some odd habits.....particularly nibbling people's tights, which is part of his attention-seeking behaviour, & some annoying ones, such as licking all the jelly off his chunks then refusing to eat them because they've gone dry. He's onto a loser with this one.......we have a zero food waste policy here which also applies to cats, so this might yet be a habit he decides to give up as a bad job. So there we are....a whole year of living with Albert Whiskers. We haven't regretted adopting him for a single minute, so let's hear it for rescue cats & the many cat rescuers nationwide who give their time to rehabilitating street cats to start them off on a new life.
Till next time,
C x