Copper - The Accidental Smallholder

Posted: Saturday 30 December, 2006

by Rosemary at 12:50pm in Cats Comments closed

Regular visitors will know that our old tortie cat, Copper, was diagnosed with kidney failure a few months ago. She's now on medication and a special diet and has taken on a new lease of life.

She is such a character. She and Felix get along fine except today he patted her bottom from behind, with his paw. That's like "goosing" your granny. Boy, did he get a telling off!

She's a very vocal cat and calls to you from her room to come and play. To let you understand, when we got Homer, we needed to keep him in an enclosed space so he lived in the guest bedroom. When we got Copper, she kind of moved in with him and it's now Copper's room. I expect it will always be Copper's room, even after she's long gone.

It's very nice. There are two windows - the east facing one has a specially made window cushion so Madam can catch the early morning sun in comfort. There is a very squashy armchair and two bean bags on the double bed, which extends the choice of sleeping and resting opportunities. She also has her heated sheepskin pad for cold days. Often, she lies on the bed, watching out the door and calls to us. If we respond, she wriggles around on her back, calling, until she gets a tummy tickle. She's a bit of a tart!

Copper also has her own ensuite facilities - at least, her litter tray is in the shower room. Her food and water is on a place mat by the door. All of this is secured by a toddler gate, allowing access for cats but excluding greedy dogs.

Not that Copper restricts herself to her room. At the moment, she's on Dan's chair in the study, helping me type this. Another favourite spot is on the south facing living room windowsill, on which she has a window cushion and a sheepskin. Horrors, sometimes she has to share this with Cassius! Of an evening, she's usually watching TV on someone's chest. If she's being stroked and wants me to stop, she will quite firmly move my hand with her paw and hold it out of the way.

Yesterday, she was on one of the dining room chairs, which have slatted backs. When Dan went to move her (he had been sitting there, but had moved momentarily), she wrapped her front paws round the chair backs and hung on like a limpet. Eventually, Dan gave up the unequal struggle and got another chair.

Cats, eh, who'd have them...