Habemus cattum!

This deserves its own entry.  We have been subject to a long campaign to get a cat, we went to look at some RSPCA cats, but at the time - about 2 months ago, we felt £70 was more than we could afford - so we shelved it.  But the boys did not forget, there was some mention of kittens, and then it was forgotten.  Then last week Ned said there was a single kitten, it was found to be black, male, 10 weeks old and housetrained (not neutered or flu-injected, de-fleaed or wormed) but generally available.  So I agreed and we went and got it.

It is a very intrepid kitten, currently fighting with my mp3 headphones... we have called it Bernard.  This was my idea and I have no idea why, but I didn't think much of other ideas (Withnail, Ginzberg (Ned) and Hannibal (Finn) )  I was dubious about Claude (Mark's suggestion).  Bernard seems to suit him somehow.   He is a very wild and active creature, with intolerably sharp claws.  Last night he slept between us in the bed.  He is so tiny we were both terrified of rolling onto him, but our bed is so large there is no danger of that.

It is surprisingly nice to have a kitten - we are all talking to each other.  Ahmed, our student from the UAE, likes him too.  But in the first day or two Bernard was very needy and squeaky - missing his mother and his larger cat family at Marianna's house, so I spent a lot of time just holding him cuddled against my chest, while he stretched out his paws cheerfully and snoozed.  He seems to have settled in now - but it was funny having to look after him like that, I remember that feeling one has with babies, they go to sleep on you, but then you can't put them down because they'll wake up so you sit, semi-paralysed, maybe with a free hand, maybe not.   Bernard of course is so small that his rear end fits neatly into one hand.

A charity has sent us a syringe - and he is batting it around the floor.  The boys took photos and put him up on Facebook almost at once.  I hope he'll flourish.  Mark has never had a kitten before - neither have the boys - and I had forgotten what fun they are.