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It’s funny how age ... and weight creep up on you. I belonged to an old lady who doted on me. I was spoiled but wasn’t allowed outside to get my paws wet as I was very precious to her. She’s adopted me from the Cat’s Protection after I was abandoned by my previous owner having had kittens and I was very loved.

As I was adopted by my old lady in November, I was renamed Poppy, after the Poppy Appeal. Previously the Cat’s Protection had called me ‘Queenie’ as I had arrived with my kittens. I had been so grateful to them for taking me in and finding me a new home.

Then my old lady died suddenly. So, this is how I arrived at Tom Cat Towers. I was about 12 years old and discovered a new lease of life as I now had an enclosed garden to mooch round. I also had access to kibbles, loads of them and my waistline expanded and expanded. My new housemate, Reggie could not believe how many kibbles I could hoover up. I was awesome in the greed department!

Sadly, the grams packed on and I started to struggle to haul myself up the trees to patrol my new territory. I developed double chins and treble tummies. I had a new nickname, The Porky Tortie!!

Then I fell in love head over heels with Reggie, but by then I was obese, so I very firmly took myself in paw. I went on a diet, lost weight, glammed myself up and now snuggle up with Reggie. My vet was sooo impressed with me at my last weigh in when we had a chit chat about how well I had done for ‘an old lady’.

However, it is quite clear, that after nearly five years at Tom Cat Towers, I really am now slowing down. My bones are getting creaky, and I snooze a lot more. In fact, I snooze most of the day away, and I tend to amble down the garden instead of galloping down eagerly to the hedgerow to hunt mice.

I’m also getting rather hard of hearing, and this is my problem. Gabion, the young whippersnapper who also lives with us, spends all day winding me up by sneaking up and sniffing the end of my tail. He calls this trick Sneaky-Sniffs, as he knows that this really, and I mean, really, annoys me. So much so that I turn on him with a snarl then try and clout him which he finds hysterically funny. He now has a new trick.

As part of becoming a grand old dame, I am sleeping more and more, and my sleep is heavier and heavier. In fact, whilst I am having my old lady naps, and I’m totally zonked out, he now slithers up to me and will, very slyly, put out his paw and tap me on the head. When I wake up, quite bewildered, Gabes is of course two rooms away.

But he now has taken this game to new heights. When I am completely out of it, dreaming of my more youthful exploits, he very slowly cuddles up and lies on top of me. He thinks he looks cute, and the human believes that Gabion is actually ‘caring’ for me in my dotage.

I have no idea he’s there till I open one eye, then before I can raise my paw to slap him, he’s gone!

Poppy @ Tom Cat Towers