The Long Journey Home

I almost turned round and took Scribble back within 10 minutes of driving away from the farm. My sister had come with me and we had them both snuggled in a blanket in a box in the back of the car. But Scribble was crying. And crying. And crying. So my sister picked him up and he laid on his back while she tickled him and stroked him and he purred. But she felt sorry for Fudge on her own in the back, all quiet and scared, so she swapped them over. And Scribble cried and cried and cried. I did discuss with my sister the wisdom of having a cry baby cat, and wondered if we should take him back and swap him. But I couldn't change my mind now, I'd have always regretted it if I had.

Scribble continued to be a cry baby. He cried to be fed, he cried to be cuddled, he cried just for the sake of it. I loved him totally, and yet was constantly infuriated by him. He was possibly the most needy cat I had ever met! But at the same time he was the love of my life. I could pick him up and hold him in my arms like a baby and he would lie there purring his head off. He slept on my bed, curled up in my arms. He was more loyal than any man could have been.

Fudge was a totally different creature. She was shy and always bottom of the ranking when other cats were around. She never particularly needed me, but was happy enough to be cuddled if I wanted to. I love her very much, but she is an independent little creature. She is a calm, serene cat who has never scratched or bitten and rarely cries or fights. She is a terrific mouser - I've had rats, birds and a bat left for me so far as well as multitudes of live and dead mice.

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I keep telling myself it’s the thought that counts.

Scribble and Fudge

I have always had a thing about grey cats. Not sure why, but from being young at home I always longed for a grey cat. We had every colour you can imagine over the years, and loved them all, but I still looked longingly at pictures of these beautiful grey creatures.

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When I finally got my own place and a job that was close enough to home to make it possible, the first thing I did was to start looking for the grey kitten (or two) I had always wanted. After a long fruitless search I finally spotted an advert in the admag, someone on a farm in Chesterfield had a whole litter of grey kittens. My wheels hardly touched the road and I was there within the hour!

The most beautiful kittens I've ever seen were waiting for me - 2 long haired and 2 short haired. I was sorely tempted to take them all, but felt that two was enough, (if I'd known then that my house would be constantly full of cats within two years, I'd have taken them all in a heartbeat). I looked them in the eyes and picked one of each. I didn't actually know how to sex kittens at that point, so took the farmer's word that the long haired was female and the short haired male. Scribble and Fudge. The beginning of a love affair!!