Hilli & Kit

[Di.Poppitt]

A neighbours cat had her kittens in our barn, when she decided to move her family she left one behind. Our little Hillie was still a very young dog, she has always loved every other dog together with people, so when she spotted a tiny little kitten, which we had started to feed, she carried it in her mouth out of the paddock and into the garden where Brian was sitting and dropped her at his feet. They would lie in the sun together and Kit, as we named her would come to fimd us in the gatrden. Eventually mother cat came calling and took Kit away with her. Over the years we have watched Kit as she has grown and had more kittens, then last year our neighbour was in hospital and I fed his cats, they are all farm cats and have always lived out, I hate to call them ferral but in fact I guess they are. Eventually Jack died and we were left with Kit, and her sister Ringo who went to live in a stable yard next to us and Kit's two kittens who we called Blackie and Sooty, they are both black. We have tried to get them all to the vet toget them spayed or neutered, we succeeded with Ringo and one of Kit's kittens, but Kit and Sooty are having none of it. They are living in our stable, with a nice bed of hay and an old fleece of mine. They are getting used to us and they are waiting for us when we feed them, Blackie miaows as soon as he sees Brian or Steve.

I've beeen sorting out photo's tonight and found this of Hillie amd Kit.

 

[Charlie]

What a lovely story Di., and I love the picture of Hillie and Kit. Hillie looks a little bemused don't you think?

 

[G G Jean]

That is a lovely story Di and I hope you are able to trap the two Blackie and Sooty to enable to have them spayed or neutered?. Couldn't imagine our dog being as kindly as your Hillie?. Jean.

 

[Wendy]

A lovely story Di, it must be so nice to live in the country and watch the antics of the animals. The photo is lovely as well.

 

[jennyann]

Hello Di: Great story about Hillie and the cats. The photo says a lot. Ferral cats are difficult to deal with I know. We had one
years ago we got from the RSPCA. We didn't know she was ferral but we soon found out. She would sit outside in the
pouring rain and get very wet. My Mom's workmate's garden backed on to Handsworth Park and were visited by ferral cats some years ago. She and her husband fed them
but couldn't get close to them. Eventually, the cat they named Bullet brought a tiny ginger kitten in his mouth over the
garden fence. My Mother took the kitten home and called him Tiger. The most beautiful long haired cat. He spent most of
his time under the bed when he wasn't out in the rain loving it. I tried to tame him when on a prolonged visit and succeeded to a degree.

 

[Di.Poppitt]

I think Hillie was hoping Kit would play, Charlie.

She was the most beautiful kitten and so sweet, she was covered in ticks which is the price ferral animals have to pay for their freedom, I sat outside with her and got rid of them. She has a kink in her tail which is how we've always managed to keep a watch for her because there have been a few tortoishells over the years. Jack had 30 cats at one time, and was very much of the old school, cats were left to breed to get rid of the vermin on the farm. We are thnkful we have got it down to three.

They are all beginning to trust us Jennyann, Steve was in the middle of feeding Kit when it suddenly started to pour with rain, they both ran for the garage and Kit got in first.