Desperate Tatty Eared Tom

I heard him sneak thro' the flap last night, I recognise him coming in as the others just barge thro' while he tries to be oh so careful. I was lay on the sofa and didn't get up, I just shouted then heard him going back out but got up to check and he was sat by the doorstep.

I'd just opened a tin of food so gave him 1/2 of what was left and sat back down, but I hadn't been there long when I heard him come in again. I got up this time and he'd gone by the time I got into the kitchen, but again he was sat by the doorstep so feeling sorry for him I gave him a chicken wing, then sat down again.

10 minutes later he was back in, this time I spotted him creeping past the living room door but he went back out when he saw me. Again he was sat by the doorstep when I looked, *asking* for more food, so I gave him the rest of the tin. He must have been starving to polish off 3/4 of a tin and a chicken wing like that, tho' it must have been enough as he didn't come back in later.

'EDIT'

He's just turned up out of nowhere and was waiting for a bit of brekkie when I went looking for Bola a few minutes ago. I can't put my finger on quite what/why, but he doesn't look very well atm, tho' his appetite is fine.

Ian

He's made a couple more appearances since, one sheltering under my fir tree from the rain and later letting me know he was hungry again. I'm still getting serious back-off hisses if I get too close tho', I would have expected him to be more relaxed now as he knows he'll get food from me.

Ian

He's been around a few more times today, as much as I don't mind giving him any food my fussy lot refuse I'll have to be careful he doesn't become dependant on my feeding him.

Ian

I may have spoke too soon with the above. He was around this afternoon and hissed then paw-swiped me as I was getting the empty plate to give him a bit more, then an hour later I found him sat in the hall. With it being bonfire night I wouldn't really mind if he tries to shelter here, but I know that's just asking for trouble.

Ian

I found him in the house when I got downstairs this morning, he couldn't wait to get out when I appeared but had to as Stripey was on the other side of the flap wanting to come in. I don't know how long Tatty had been in, tho' it couldn't have been long as I was late-ish going to bed and he wasn't around then.

'EDIT'

Strangely, he's not hung about for brekkie, I expected to find him outside waiting if not sneaking in again.

Ian

I've not seen him since this morning and I doubt he's sneaked in as I've been downstairs most of the day so would most likely have seen him.

Ian

I was wrong about the above as I found him on a chair in the dining room later on, tho' I've no idea how long he'd been there. He hid under the table once spotted but came out for a bit of food and left shortly after, and I heard the flap go today as I got downstairs so he may well have sneaked back in after I'd gone to bed.

Ian

I've had a few more *secret visits* since, he's no longer terrified of me, just a bit scared, but as long as I don't make any sudden moves he'll just sit there on the chair.

Ian

I've only seen him once so far today and that was outside, tho' the plate of food I left near the chair he uses in the dining room, had gone so it seems he'd sneaked in unseen.

Ian

He turned up earlier looking even sorrier for himself than usual so I couldn't resist giving him a chicken wing. The drawback was, the thieving black tom was knocking about as well and he always manages to steal food from Tatty, so I had no real option but to shoo Tatty away once he'd picked it up. I don't suppose he'll realise I only did it to try and make sure he kept the treat to himself.

Ian

The poor lad had sneaked in last night for a nap on a chair in the dining room but was disturbed by Dexter who was spoiling for a fight, but legged it upstairs when I went to see what all the noise was about. Tatty went to the flap to go out and was followed a few seconds later by Dexter, still wanting to fight. I don't know what happened once they'd gone out, no sounds of fighting anyway, so hopefully Tatty had managed to get away. I don't know why Dexter did this as he totally ignores Tatty when they meet outside.

Ian

Could be Dexter was just defending his territory or just being a little sod. I so feel for Tatty, poor thing has it hard at times, thank god he's got you and your place to come to.

I caught him heading downstairs this afternoon Going in the dining room I don't mind, I feed him there and he's got his *fav* chair, but I don't want him just wandering around the house, not least because he's likely to run into Dexter.

Ian

I found him on *his* chair in the dining room last night, curled up with a old cat-nip toy, I went to take it off him so I could spray it with fresh cat-nip, but he wasn't letting go of it for anything I'll bet it's a long time, if ever, he's had a toy to play with.

Ian

Hmmmm, I didn't see him at all yesterday, very strange considering how often he's been calling. Equally strange was not seeing the thieving black tom either and the more I think about it, the fact that they often appear at more or less the same time *could* mean they have the same home and are let out together. That said they're never actually together so don't seem like best mates when they're here, and Tatty is always bullied away from any food I give him outside.

Ian

Still no sign of him, tho' the other black cat has shown up twice so far today. I hope I'm wrong about Tatty, but a couple of times he's seemed to have a *funny* walk like his hind legs were troubling him, yet other times he's been fine. If he does have leg/hip trouble and he can't defend himself properly, it might explain why he's bullied away from food so easily outside.

Ian

He finally turned up last night, I found him on his chair in the dining room. Amazingly he let me stroke him without hissing or growling, well, it was a one fingered rub between his ears and his attention was more on the plate of food I'd just given him.

Ian

hahaha but he still let you touch him, so that's good. I hope he doesn't have leg trouble, sheesh he needs all the luck he can get.

I'm now pretty sure his back legs are fine, he's just got a very slinky walk

Ian

No sign of him since early yesterday evening, nor the thieving black cat come to that.

Ian

He finally appeared just before I went to bed last night so I left a plate of food on the doorstep for him, tho' judging by all the hissing and spitting on the stairs/landing that woke me at 1.30am I suspect he'd come in and bumped into one of my lot. No fighting and all the noise didn't last long, but I'm surprised he's got brave enough to venture upstairs.

Ian

I'm not 100% sure, but I think he purred last night as he finally let me give him a proper head rub It was so quiet I couldn't quite make it out, but he was making some kind of noise and it definitely wasn't hissing

Ian

He came in about an hour ago but ran straight back out when he spotted me on the sofa, then sneaked back in 30 seconds later and headed for *his chair* in the dining room. I might not have been sure about hearing him purr on Wednesday night, but he definitely miaowed/asked for food today

Ian

Good sign but maybe he's not a vocal at where purring is concerned.

He's only hissed at me once over the past two days

He just trots in now and waits in the dining room till I go in and find him, tho' I caught him sneaking upstairs yesterday afternoon, he must have seen the others go and wanted to investigate.

Ian