how we got here ...

when Pete & I got together, we lived in a flat (= apartment in US-speak), and the landlord had said that we couldn't have cats.  However, just before Christmas 1997, a couple moved into the flat downstairs; being of a curious disposition, and just happening to look out of the window as they moved in (as you do), we noticed them carry a cat basket into the house.

not wishing to be nosy, we left it - oh - about four hours, before we went down and introduced ourselves and, in passing, asked them if the landlord had said that they could keep a cat. And although their answer was a tad vague, we reckoned it was enough to be going on with. 

having got the festering season out of the way, and having phoned several cat shelters (who didn't want to know, because of the extended holiday), we found ourselves heading to Wiltshire, to a breeder of Siamese and Balinese cats, just to look at some kittens.  (What's a Balinese?  We didn't know either, but the Web comes in handy at these times). Quite why we stopped at a pet store and bought a litter tray, some food bowls, a clutch of toys and (the most incriminating item) a carrying basket, who can say?

and when we arrived, that was it - we were done for. Our only problem was deciding which of two kittens to have. The breeder was very keen for us to have a pair, but you know how it is - just after C********, money was tight, and we simply couldn't afford two. Actually, we couldn't really afford one, but who needs to eat? So the breeder offered us a second cat on the basis of a post-dated cheque, which we were more than happy with. Imagine our embarrassment when we came to give her the two cheques, and there was only one left in the book. Ho hum ... thankfully, she was happy for us to put the second cheque in the post, which we did as soon as we got home.  And so Esk and Ptep arrived on 3 January 1998.

fast forward now to December 1998.  We'd moved from the flat to a house in a quiet part of a village, and we'd decided that more cats were needed. We had no idea what we wanted, and so we spent heaps of time on the Net looking at various breeds.  And one day, when Pete was at work and I wasn't, I discovered a web site about Bengals. I left it on the screen, and showed him when he got home.  "I WANT ONE", he cried.  So after a lot of phone calls, we pitched up at Pat & Colin Carpenter's gaff, where we viewed stud cats, breeding queens, and so many kittens that our heads span. We picked Iggy - he was older than we'd planned, at 17 weeks, but although we were torn between him and a snow spotted kitten, we decided on him, and brought him home on 4 December 1998.

and two weeks later, on 18 December 1998, we were back for the other one - Mustrum.

you can see a pattern emerging, can't you?

after this, who knows what happened?; In June 1999 (what took us so long?) one of us expressed the desire for another cat or two, sometime in the future, and the words "Maine" and "Coon" were uttered. So I asked Pat the Cat (from whence came the Bengals) if she knew a suitable breeder, and she recommended one in Yorkshire. Yorkshire?? For those who are ignorant of English geography, this is hundreds of miles from Somerset, where we live.

still, nothing ventured, nothing gained.  I rang the breeder, and arranged to go and see her.  And we impressed upon her that we were only interested in ONE CAT. So quite how we ordered one Maine Coon (Aliss) and one Burmilla (Zool), heaven only knows. And when we went back four weeks later to collect the one cat which had mysteriously transmogrified itself into two, Molly (a silver tabby Maine Coon, which was the one I'd wanted all along) sort of looked at us, and she wasn't sold, and so . . . well, we bought her as well.  Look, it's a simple mistake - anyone could make it. Zool was tragically killed by a car on 1st October 2003 - we miss her dreadfully - and we had Molly rehomed the same month.

so . . . we brought those three kittens home on 20 August 1999. And swore to ourselves that was that. No more cats; the house wasn't big enough, they cost too much to look after, they were all just starting to settle together.

and thus, with an inevitable inevitability, on 21 October 1999, I found myself bringing another Bengal home, in a borrowed cat basket (cos it was a bit of an impulse thing - you know how it is). And thus Pepper arrived in the household.

but that's it.  We promise. No more cats.

but Pete wants an Abyssinian. And I want a Russian Blue. And we haven't bought any cats for ages . . .

[1 January 2000]
oh dear. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. Pat & Colin offered us Pepper's sister, a snow marble girl. How could we resist? We didn't, of course (which comes as no surprise whatsoever to anybody who knows us). And as we collected her on the first day of (the last year of) the next Millennium, we decided upon a name that was suitably appropriate. So here is Shrimp.

[29 February 2000]
tragically, we lost Shrimp at the age of seven months and two days, when she'd been with us just short of two months.  You can read the very sad story on Shrimp's page.

[9th January 2001]
we'd been waiting for a black Bengal for two years, and finally our breeder managed to produce three. Sadly, two died, and when the remaining boy was ready to go, we were having some problems with Pepper and so, with great regret, we had to say that we couldn't have him. Much as we wanted him, we weren't prepared to jeopardise the welfare of any of the Tribe.

a few weeks went by, Pepper had calmed down and was happy again, and we popped over to the breeder to collect some (lots of) catfood. And the black kitten was still there. And we looked at him ... Inevitable really - we picked him up three days later, on a sale or return basis, but as I type this on 14 Jan, the household is beginning to return to what passes for normal, so I think it's going to be alright. We have named him Drumknott.

[November 2003]
on 1st October 2003, we lost our beloved Zool to a car accident. It's a tribute to her that we soon wanted another Burmilla, and - well - you can't just have one kitten, can you?

and so off to Plymouth we went, and returned with Lilith and Liessa. And that really is it. Honestly ...

line art of Death with Kittens � Paul Kidby
used with his kind permission