I'm picking up Ian's habits....

......for homing the local waifs and strays!

I had a stray cat wander into our shop yesterday afternoon when I had the place to myself! I was busy, in a world of my own, daydreaming away as I priced up Chrimbo Cards and I saw a movement below my counter. Thinking it was Josh, one of our paperlads who is always hanging around, I leant over the counter to go 'Boo!'' at him.....only to be met by a sweet lil' tabby staring back up at me! He came around to my side for a cuddle and then meandered off to explore the rest of the shop The post office side closes at 12.30pm and it's always much quieter in the afternoons on a Saturday....it's when I catch up with jobs Anyway, a couple of guys came in and told me that he'd been hanging around a local pub on the other side of the town centre earlier in the week. Then the woman who works in the shop next door told me that he'd been in THEIR shop all day on Thursday and had even had a sleep on one of the display beds on the 2nd floor She said he'd been hanging around for a couple of weeks. I was in two minds whether to put him back outside or whether to take him home but then a customer, who was cuddling him, said he might get run over on the busy road outside And it WAS busy last night with it being halloween So I sent Neil a text message - ''stray cat wandered into shop...shall I bring him home?''

I've already put a notice in our shop window and tomorrow will also let the pet shop and RSPCA charity shop know where he is - just in case somebody HAS lost him. On Tuesday (I finish at 1pm then) I'll take him along to the vet to see if he's microchipped and also put a notice on their board.

Neil has already christened him Thomas and I'm thinking ''Noooo, don't get attached to him in case he DOES belong to somebody!!!'' It wouldn't be SO bd to keep him if he IS a stray, would it? But I AM going to do my best to find his owners......I'd never forgive myself if he was a much-loved pet and some wee bairn was upset at losing him

Hi Gilly,

The fact he's so people friendly suggests he's someones cat, so hopefully your poster/notifying others about him will work. Here's hoping he's soon back at home, even if that means disappointment for you

Oh, and it's not a habit with me, more a calling

Ian

Yes, I DO think he's someone's cat so fingers crossed they see my posters.....he's a sweet little thing so he MUST have a proper home somewhere He's currently chasing a cork around the living room

Yes, you definitely have a calling when it comes to cats Ian (((HUGS)))

He looks so fit and healthy and as Ian says, so friendly I would be inclined to think he belongs to someone too.

Well I still have my lodger And he's eating me out of house and home!!! How can such a small boy put so much grub away?

Took him to the vet today and *surprise surprise* he's not chipped I left a poster with a pic of him on it on their notice board and have also informed the RSPCA shop, the police and the local pet shop. Tomorrow I'll drop posters off at Morrisons and Sainsburys and see if the 24-hour garage want one too. I've got a pic of him behind my till too at work and whenever one of my regular customers comes in I'm asking them if they recognise the cat

Can't think of anything else that I could do....any ideas? At least we have 'permission' of a sort from the woman who was in the RSPCA shop to keep him in our home. Otherwise they would probably just take him to their rescue shelter in Ponteland If he DOES belong to someone in Alnwick then at least they won't have so far to travel to pick him up

Neil, needless to say, thinks he's absolutely fantastic because he sleeps on the bed with him during the day.....I have to keep reminding him that we CAN NOT keep him if he's somebody's pet

You could inform the CP centre too, they have a national data base where all the info on lost/found cats are stored, if his owners ask them about him, they will have it on file.

He is gorgeous Gilly,
He looks like my MIL's kittie.
Hope he manages to find his home, maybe a child is looking for him. I would give it a while to see if someone comes forward for him as he looks in good condition to be a stray, maybe he got out by mistake.

Good idea about CP Kath - I'll give Liz a call in a mo - she's the woman we got Merlin & Tabitha off.

Thomas can stay as long as needs be.....he's no bother at all (though I'd forgotten about the joys of litter thrown all over the kitchen floor ) and he's been a lot more playful today Neil absolutely loves him as he snuggles up next to him on the bed and purrs his head off but he's accepted that if his owner does turn up he WILL have to hand him over

If Thomas does find his owners then I suppose the two whippet pups will take his mind off things and stop him missing a cat too much.....or else he'll want another one