kitty-watch

sweet little black stray....and the new pink bowl i bought her

i have, of late, become rather fond of a little stray black cat that has been turning up in the garden.  i have been feeding her on and off and watched her belly grow as i soon realised she is having kittens.

she gets a little box, lined with some old clothes

which then gets moved into the summerhouse...and another lodger moves in!

 i've progressed from just feeding, to making up a wee box for her to lie in under the summerhouse awning, to moving the box into the summerhouse....and tonight she actually came indoors and let me stroke her.

a bit of rain outside brings her into the flat and, against all reason, she takes up residence under the rocker (ouch!)

 i am totally being suckered in - she is so sweet and tiny and i secretly can't wait for the kittens to arrive (hopefully in the box provided!).  once they are born i will find homes and might even keep one (and mum) and will have to tackle deworming, the fleas and getting her spayed.  being a die hard dog lover this is causing some difficult feelings - i never saw myself as, or wanted to be, a cat-lady (i am quite allergic - but this doesn't stop me wanting to stroke any friendly cat i meet!) - but i just think our friendship is meant to be.  this brilliant illustration by Lizzy Smith sums it up perfectly: