Oliver and Smartie were two stray, black, tom cats, who found their way to our door, quite separately from each other during the last few years. Oliver was built like a brick shed, with muscles in places he shouldn’t even have had places. Smartie on the other hand was sleek and slim. His party piece, once he’d got to know me, was to rotate 360 degrees on his back, whilst I held his head in my cupped hand.

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1. They live here. You don’t.
2. If you don’t want their hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture (that’s why it’s called ‘fur’-niture).

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Adam said, ‘Lord, when I was in the garden, you walked with me every day, but now I don’t see you any more. I’m lonely, and it’s difficult for me to remember how much you love me.’And God said, ‘No problem! I will create a companion for you who will be with you for ever, and who will be a reflection of my love for you, so that you can remember my love even when you cannot see me. Regardless of how selfish, or childish, or unlovable you may be, this new companion will accept you as you are and will love you as I do, in spite of yourself.’

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Did you know that chocolate is poisonous to cats?

Chocolate, or more precisely cacao contains a compound called theobromine which has four different adverse effects on cats:

It is a stimulant which increases the heart rate.
It is a diuretic (increases production of urine) resulting in increased loss of body fluids.
It causes stomach upset.
It acts on the nervous system.

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There are 3 pubs in the UK called ‘The Cat and Custard Pot’, possibly derived from the habit of giving the cat the custard bowl to lick out after use. Several other signs featuring  cats started off as heraldic beasts. For example ‘The Rampant Cat’ at Burford or the ‘The Downing Arms’ in Croyden.  

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