12/4/12 My Cat Bubbles

Bubbles is my gorgeous cat who we have had since she was a nine week old kitten! She is now five years old but still as kittenish as ever!

Having lost my dog the previous year, in September 2006 I finally felt ready to give my heart to a new animal. After discussions with my partner I contacted the local Cat Rescue. They had two eight week old kittens and our home would be inspected to check we were fit to be cat owners.

We raced round making all the safety provisions one might expect for the arrival of a human baby; securing loose wires, fitting child locks to cupboards! Our cat would be an indoor cat, as we lived near a railway and mainroad.

We passed the inspection with flying colours and were told about the kittens. “There’s a mad one, always charging about everywhere or there’s a quiet one. I expect you want the quiet one as you haven’t had a cat before!” My partner and I took one look at each other and both announced “We’ll have the mad one please!” We were told her name is Bubbles. She was so neglected by her first owners that she had been terribly ill at the vets  when  only a few weeks old. She made a full recovery but will always be slightly prone to the odd bout of fluey symptoms. Her tail is also shorter than most, cats as she was born in breach position and her cat mother had bitten the end in order to pull her out safely during birth.

We filled our home with cat toys, prepared the litter tray and collected our kitten. At the rescue home Bubbles looked cautiously out from behind the settee then bravely began to approach us, staring nervously with enormous saucer eyes! She was jet black with a white bit on her chest. Her fur was so long and spiky, as if she needed to grow into it! She was so tiny she fitted across the palm of one hand.

At home we showed Bubbles her litter tray. She then promptly hid behind the settee. Leaving Bubbles alone to settle in and calm down, my partner unwrapped fish and chips for our tea. Suddenly a tiny black missile shot out from the settee, climbed straight up his trousers onto the table and shoved her face straight into the plate of fish and chips!

Later that I stayed up late to help make Bubbles feel secure. in her new surroundings. By now she was curled up on my knee. The house was silent, when suddenly I heard a rumbling sound like a lawnmower! For a moment I couldn’t understand, then suddenly I realised my baby cat was purring at me for the first time!

Now, aged five she has grown into a beautiful, slender, elegant, confident cat. She loves sitting on the basin flicking tap water with her paw; showing off her climbing skills on her climbing posts or leaping into the airing cupboard to sit proudly on the clean washing!