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Tuesday 15 June 2010

The Angel Blog
Tuesday 15th June 2010

It's been a very long while since I started this blog, time and events just got in the way. It happens. Move on...

I really did not want five cats...I was more than happy with the original two...but a combination of the ‘aaaah’ factor when faced with kittens and a very soft hearted husband who worried about leaving ‘the other kitten behind’ (twice!) have meant a house full of kitties.
I am not complaining mind, they provide an endless source of entertainment...and this little episode really made me laugh, although it cost me dearly!

It happened on Saturday evening, just before England’s first World Cup 2010 kickoff.
Amber had been watching a particular spot by the steps leading from my courtyard garden for most of the day, and whilst watering the plants, I noticed that Pumpkin had joined in her vigil, staring intently at some crumpled compost bags I had been meaning to dispose of.

‘Probably a mouse,’ I thought, putting the hose down and walking up the steps to where the cats were crouched. I pulled the plastic gently back, and there, whiskers a-twitching, was a young rat, about 5 inches long.

Now I know we don’t want them near us, but I cannot kill them. I find it difficult to kill anything if there is another way out (upstairs windows, doors, cat flaps, I have thrown all kinds of wildlife from these!) and I was certainly not going to send this poor creature to its maker!
Neither did I particularly want him to be caught by the cats...I have cleaned up the entrails of so many dismembered and regurgitated animals and birds (yes, I know, cats are killers, live with it or get another pet!), so I gave his tail a bit of a twitch and this sent him scurrying out from his hiding place...straight up the steps to where Amber was waiting!

Mr Rat calmly walked up to Amber...she watched him...he put his little twitchy nose right up to hers, as though they were kissing-and then, she gave a huge yowl, jumped about three feet in the air, turning herself nearly inside out in the process, and then ran as though the hounds of hell were after her! I could not believe it, but worse was to follow...

Pumpkin now walked up the steps to Mr Rat; gave him a contemptuous glance and a half hearted bat with a paw, which Mr Rat treated with disdain (a sort of ratty ‘Come on if you think you’re hard enough’) and then my big brave ginger cat, calmly strolled past him and off up the drive...with Mr Rat trotting after him!

I so wish I had had my phone, or a camera with me; there is the cat being chased by a rat!
They walked on up to the wall and then Pumpkin turned and sat down so that he could have an emergency wash (have you notice how cats do this? In the middle of playing, walking across a room, whatever...quick stop! I need a bit of a bath, now!) and Mr Rat, having caught up with him, just stood there as if deciding what to do next...

I couldn’t stand it any longer, I gave the little fellow’s tail another twitch and sent him scurrying into the big pile of bricks and roof tiles left over from our extension...at which point, from across the entire nation, I heard the mighty roar of ‘YE-E-E-SSSSSSSS!’ ...and knew I had missed England’s opening goal...bugger.

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