I'm Floot - the Blue-Eyed Cat

Hi, my name is Floot (or Flute if you want to be posh) and I live in Panagia village on the island of Thassos in Northern Greece.

My Mam and Dad moved here 7 years ago with their English Cat Billy, to see if they could make a living selling Dad’s paintings.

They had already semi-adopted my Mam, Freddie (or Freda as she is sometimes called) not long after they got here, along with her 4 sisters, Noman, Ollie, Titch and Tubs. Mam gave them all unisex/male names hoping some of them would be male but unfortunately they all turned out to be female. I’ll tell you their stories another time. I think Billy fell in love with our Mam and that’s why they were taken in. Again that’s another tale.

Anyway I was born in March 2009, can’t tell you the exact date as Mam hid me and my 2 brothers, Toot & Scoot (get it: Floot, Toot & Scoot?) At the same time my cousins Sollie and Tilly were born. I decided that even though we weren’t allowed in the house, I was going to break the rules and ‘horror of horrors’ steal Billy’s food. He didn’t complain so I got away with it; in fact, Mam and Dad thought it was quite amusing! That’s how I started to worm my way into Dad’s affections!

After 18 months Dad decided they would stay and open a gallery where he could sell his paintings. It is 5 minutes away from where we live. Don’t know why, maybe devilment which I am renowned for, but one day when I was about 3 months old I decided I’d wander along there, it is on the busy main road through the village. Every morning since then in the tourist season that’s where you will find me.

Dad had already decided to call his gallery ‘The Blue Eyed Cat Gallery’ and as I’m sure you know most kittens are born with blue eyes so I became his ‘muse’. I hang out there from May until the end of September trying to entice tourists in to buy stuff including Mam’s ‘Blue Eyed Cat’ jewellery or just to stroke me! Mind, by the end of the season sometimes I hide in the back as I get tired of all the affection, sometimes I even take the day off without telling the ‘parents’!!!

People back come every year to see me from all over – Romania, Turkey, USA, Germany, Italy and, of course, Great Britain. Some even bring me pressies but I usually have to share them with my housemates, Missi, Sara, Pete, Freda and Jack. I do all the work and they get some of the rewards! Hmph! Any way I’ll tell you their stories another time.

Well, unfortunately, it’s time to close the gallery now so Mam and Dad can relax then off to bed, after our 8 hour day. I’m off to patrol my territory before going home to see if I can claim my favourite sleeping spot on the sofa.

Night All. See you soon.

Floot

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