Things They Don't Tell You When You Get Your Kitten.

Do you think that a cat owner's manual would work?

Some cats are aloof, some cats deign you an audience and our cat is constantly by our side. Aloofness isn't part of her make-up, which is rather amazing seeing that she was a feral kitten, abandoned in a forest and once she was in the cat-system ( pound ), nobody wanted to adopt her. For about three months, this precious creature was ignored.

The universe has a plan and it had her earmarked for us. From that first tentative leap onto my lap when I drove to have a look at her, she ensnared my heart and the minute Bob saw her, he was putty in her paws.

At the drop of a hat, she leaps onto my lap. Her favourite is when I talk on the phone, which makes her determined to get me off it. Be it on a landline or mobile. If I happen to look out a window, she jumps on the sill and joins me.

By now you might put on your mittens to collect your own little kitten, but let me warn you about sleeping arrangements. It took our cat three weeks to wrangle her way onto our bed. Now, she is as standard as the pillows and duvets. She has her own corner of the bed and it always is between my ankles.

Cute, you say? Well, turning onto my side proves jolly difficult as there is this warm cat which I'd hate to squash. She is of course clever as can be and if she senses my intent to turn, she at times jumps out of the way, waits a bit and then snuggles up again.

They say that cat's sleep with one eye open, but I beg to differ...cat owners do too. Our house being an old farmhouse, it has its own noisy creaks in the middle of the night and our cat jumps off to have a look. When she comes back to bed, she usually jumps up next to my pillow, puts her nose close to my face to see whether I'm awake and then meanders down to the end of the bed.

Bob was more clever than me and the first time she slept on his side of the bed, he ( obviously not on purpose ) kicked her off in his sleep and she won't risk it again. Mummy's more obliging and stays awake to ensure the princess's sleep...

Oh, psst, don't tell Apple, but our cat's not a fan of theirs: this morning she jumped up in front of my iPad and with her nose and paws pushed it away from me. Far enough so that she could lie down in all her length for a cuddle. Really.

Isn't she just too gorgeous?

She would look great on December's page of Cat Calendar...

Biggi