The Shopkeeper was Adopted

On my day off I was visited by a Ginger cat, he sat on the wall by my house watching, intrigued I went over and stroked him he was a very friendly cat. Leaving him I returned to the kitchen filled a saucer with milk and carried it over to the ginger cat who still sat on the wall watching me. He lapped the milk greedily, he seemed to be very hungry. In cat language the saucer of milk was a invitation, I did not want any more cats we had two already and they were arched enemies, to have another cat I would need to call on the united nation to mediate in preventing world war three. My maternal instincts came to the foe as I could not see the poor creature starve, the cat followed me I closed the door in his face. Closing the door in his face made me feel heartless, yet the other two cats would not like to have another cat in their Queendom, Queendom because the other cats were females I was in quite a dilemma.

Back to work I thought long and hard about the cat my usual lunch time call to my husband I mentioned the cat, my husband said the cat was now on the window ledge trying to get in. That night my husband and I discussed the cat I liked the cat and so did he, none of the neighbours seemed to know anything about him, we decided to keep him I said he must be neutered, sorry this sounds cruel especially to all you male readers but Tom cats very deliberately produce a perfume that is not to my taste. We called the veterinaries and arranged the next night to have him done. The ginger Tom was very obliging unaware of his fate. The vet asked me his name I quickly said Thomas and told the Vet how we came to acquire him, his age I did not know He was a big cat but looked quite young, she thought about 9 months. The Veterinary said they'd do all the things vets do checked him over, worm him and of course neuter him he would have to stay in over night night.

The next day we fetched him home a very sleepy cat he lay on my sofa the other cats kept a respectful distance. Recovering from his ordeal he did not appear to be bothered or aware of their hissing and growling just glad to have a home. Thomas has very much made himself at home, the other two collectively wage war against him, tolerating each other more, in their intolerance against Thomas, Thomas ignore's them.

Thomas in the Garden                     

I have wrote a little poem about Thomas

Ginger Thomas

(one day he adopted us and decided to stay)

His plaintive cry, oh how I did sigh,
As he sat on the wall and looked in.
He licked his paw and washed his face,
Then with care he continued to preen.


He screwed up his face and gave a yawn,
Arched his long back in an angular Stretch,
Then precariously he lay on top of the wall
To languidly enjoy a very fine rest.


I opened the door with such gentle care
So not to wake him from his deep sleep
I smiled and gazed up but the cat was not there!
As this flash of bright ginger past me did streak


Now in the kitchen he looked up and stared,
A stare, that dismissed my kindness as fuss,
A stare, to remind me this cat must be fed
A stare, that demanded do not neglect puss.


Judith Owston.