Winter is on the way. I know because from the rafters in the run down, cobwebbed-filled concrete garage where I live. I can feel the cold creep into my bones, and my knotted, grubby ginger fur is getting knottier. When I poke my whiskers out of the hole cut into the concrete, I can see the world getting whiter and whiter.
I have pouches of cat food put by the garage for me, but I am not allowed into the house where I live, my owner won't let me in. I spend my days visiting neighbouring gardens where some humans put food out for me. When the human who lives in my house goes on holiday, (as I haven't been to a vet to be vaccinated), a lady who has three cats comes to feed me. While she is here, she grooms me - something my human doesn't do. She sits in the garden for an hour as she feeds me then combs me and we are both amazed how much fur and knots come off me, revealing the swirls and lines of ginger colours in my pelt. I love being groomed - I purr and drool with gratitude.
When I am in this lady’s garden, I always look into her house. I am amazed to see that her three cats are allowed INSIDE her house. They have treats AND toys. They also have snooozees and moglus AND they can lie on the comfy chairs. They are so lucky! In fact, all the cats who live round here are allowed into their warm houses – that is, all of them, except me.
My human is getting old and hasn’t had any holidays for a few years, so the lady hasn’t been round to look after me. My human is less able to manage the house and garden, and he doesn’t take care of me, properly now, so my knots and felts are all over, right to the tip of my ginger tail.
One morning, I ventured down from the wood rafters in the garage. The world was very white and ever so cold. No food was out for me. It was cold .... I was cold. I called for food but, as I looked into the house, it was empty. The old man had moved away, took all his furniture, and left me behind. I was so sad.
The holiday lady came round later in the day. She was very sad too and said that if she could take me she would but she had three cats, one of whom was poorly. She had recently lost her job, so she was really sorry, but she said she would help me find a human who would appreciate and love me.
She took out some scissors and cut all the big thick knots off my back, then gave me a really good groom. My purr was mega loud. I felt so much cleaner and better. She fed me some posh kibbles and cuddled me. I LOVED the attention
Christmas was coming, and she had contacted Pat Wood's Leek Home for Strays. They had a space for me, so I was bundled into a cat basket and driven away. It broke my heart and I cried pitifully all the way to where a meeting had been arranged, and here I met Nicola from the Leek Home for Strays. My howls and growls soon turned to contented purrs when she transferred me to a large cage in her van, with a soft cushion which was a luxury I'd not had before.
Later that night, I was curled up on a cushion by an oven, soaking up the warmth. What extravagance! I purred to Nicola in gratitude for being rescued. The next day I was fed, cuddled, told just how beautiful I am, a handsome ginger ring tailed tom. Then I was put up for adoption, to find me a human who would love me, spoil me, keep me warm safe and fed. Best of all, I would have my very own human that I could pour my love and purrs out to.
I have been here at Pat Wood's Leek Home for Strays for a couple of weeks now and Christmas is tomorrow. I am hoping, so badly, that there is a furrever home for me. I am a gentleman of a cat, full of love and purrs, and I hope someone will read this and find room in their heart for me. It would make my Christmas to find my very own human to love.
You can find me here, please click on the link to see me at Pat Wood's Leek Home for Strays and hopefully you will fall in love with me and come and take me home.
https://patwoodsleekhomeforstrays.com/animals-needing-adoption/
Tigger xxx
"One cat is company.
Two cats are a conspiracy.
Three cats is an attempted takeover.
Four or more cats is a complete coup!"
Shona Steele (Australia)