Milky Bar* and Malteser*, two cats who live locally and claim ownership of our garden, have competition. There’s a new kid on the the block. Caramel has arrived on the scene, oozing cheeky charm and kittenish cuteness. He first appeared just before Christmas, watchful, tentative, a stranger in a strange land, hoping for the best but plainly fearing the worst.
Since the start of the New Year he’s been coming more often, and is gaining in confidence. Our garden is a bit chaotic (I lack both talent and enthusiasm in the gardening department!) so there’s plenty for him to investigate, plenty of adventures to be had. Transfixed, we’ve watched the intrepid explorer through the window, anxious to do nothing that might alarm him.
Everything’s a game to Caramel. He’ll be strolling nonchalantly through the garden and then suddenly go crazy, stalking inanimate objects, pouncing on windblown leaves and swatting invisible insects. One time, for no obvious reason, he attacked the withered stem of a pondside plant. After grappling with it for a while he succeeded in breaking the stem free. Then he daintily picked it up between his teeth and proudly walked off in the direction of his own house, clearly keen to present this hard-won trophy to his bemused owners.
We probably shouldn’t do it, but we’re in the habit of treating Milky Bar and Malteser to snacks when they visit. Milky Bar is quite a fussy eater these days, but will happily down a couple of mouthfuls of freshly cooked chicken. Malteser, on the other hand, has no such reservations, and is hopelessly in love with Pawsome Pockets, “chicken, turkey and duck crunchy pillow treats with a soft centre.”
Caramel is also developing a taste for Pawsome Pockets. The first time I opened the door to throw some out to him his instinct was to run. Good! Some people do unspeakably cruel things to cats, and it’s important that he works out who he can trust. But he soon decided that I’m one of the good guys, and was keen to investigate the little treats I tossed in his direction. Sniff, sniff, sniff! Crunch! Crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch! And then stared at me with his mad kitten eyes and gave me THAT LOOK, the look that says “Keep ’em coming, I’m a growing kitten don’t you know!“ So I kept on tossing them out, and Caramel carried on wolfing them down.
Last week there was a major breakthrough in our relationship. With a bit of encouragement Caramel plucked up the courage to approach me and stand at my feet. I knelt down and offered to hand-feed him his daily dose of Pawsome Pockets. He snatched them from me and gulped them down, hardly bothering to chew at all. And then he approached even closer, clearly inviting me to stroke his back and fondle his ears. I did my duty, and the little ginger guy looked suitably pleased with himself, almost as pleased as me!
Milky Bar is doing his best to ignore the irritating teenager
Already I can see Caramel is growing up. Soon he’ll be putting his kittenish ways behind him, but his prospects for the future look good. Milky Bar* and Malteser* will look after him – we think they all live in the same household. He appears at ease in their company, and they tolerate him in the way that adult humans put up with irritating but basically likeable teenagers. And when he needs to fill his belly with Pawsome Pockets or have his ears fondled, he knows just where to come!
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
*The Milky Bar and Malteser story
Milky Bar and Malteser have featured many times in this blog. You can read about Milky Bar here, here and here. Malteser’s story is told here, here and here. Just click on the links to find out more about this fantastic feline pair.
Now I'm 64 
Such gorgeous cats! And such characters too. I miss ours still so much, but two of our new neighbours have wonderful feline friends I can say hello to.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I’m sorry for your loss (I get it, I really do), but am pleased that the company of your neighbours’ cats is bringing you some comfort.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s so considerate of your four-legged visitors to provide you with the opportunity to feel better by feeding them copious treats and scratching their ears. Feline therapy is just what you seem to need to lift your spirits. 😸
LikeLiked by 2 people
I got out of bed at 6:40am today to make us a cup of tea, and by 8.00am had completed three separate feline therapy sessions! It’s a tough life, but I guess I’ll manage 🙂
LikeLiked by 3 people
That sounds sooo taxing. I hope you can maintain that level of stress. 😸
LikeLiked by 1 person
Taking it one day – and one purr – at a time! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s purrfect!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh my, Caramel is a charming fellow indeed! And having extra furry friends visit your garden must certainly be a nice welcome. The look on Milky Bar’s face is priceless 🙂
All our best to you and Mrs P 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Hi Takami, I knew you’d be impressed by Caramel! Milk Bar sends you and your family his best wishes! 😺
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ginger cats are my favorites! Love those orange cats. I also love how kind you are to neighboring cats and how you welcome them to your garden.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Garfield was my favourite ginger cat. I used to be a big fan, and still have Garfield memorabilia scattered around the house. Mrs P says she doesn’t like ginger cats (calls them “ginger ninjas”) but Caramel has won her over!
LikeLiked by 1 person
The two of you were made for each other.
LikeLiked by 2 people
It was love at first purr!
LikeLike
Cat visitors are clearly bringing joy to your day and Caramel is a beauty. My two present cats are black and white but my childhood cats were sweet ginger ninjas! 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
When I was a kid we had a Siamese (mum and dad got him cheap because he wasn’t cat-show quality, whatever that means!) but the next door neighbours’ cat was a big ginger lad called Candy. Oh, happy days!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad to know Caramel in 2024 and saw the faces of Milky Bar and Malteser too. They all are gorgeous, beautiful looking with interesting characters😻🎉
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes, each is gorgeous, and each has his own distinct personality. Caramel is getting bolder by the day, such a lovely little guy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Aw such purrfect cat visitors! I have my own little black cat called Slinky Malinki, already her name when she came here, I kept it as she is named after a storybook cat. And well, what a name! She doesn’t really care to go outside though, so she isn’t visiting the neighbours. My neighbour has two housecats I see sitting in his window called Zelda and Remy , they are beauties too.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Just looked up Slinky Malinki and learned that the picturebook character was a buddy of the dog Hairy Maclary. I’m guessing your Slinky and the wonderful Hugo must also be pals, or at the very least can tolerate one another’s company?
LikeLiked by 1 person
You write lovingly about these visiting felines. I love all animals, but there is something so uniquely wonderful and quirky and peaceful about cats. We have two in residence, Mouse who’s family didn’t take good care of him, and Tessa, found as a seven-week-old stow away in my husband’s Tesla. She has a perfectly split face, and holier-than-thou personality. We adore them.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes, cats are very special animals, oozing with personality. Well done to Tessa, for cunningly stowing away in a car that would take her to a new home where she would be loved.
LikeLiked by 1 person
We’ve often wondered about that, and all agree she picked the right car. I can see her out the window now rolling on the warm pavement. It’s an unseasonably warm day!
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a handsome little guy. I’m glad to hear he’s got a home and isn’t a stray.
Here in the States most people keep their cats indoors, and as I live in a busy, high traffic suburb just north of New York City, allowing my cat Buddy outside on his own is unthinkable. There’s just way too much traffic and I don’t trust people to be kind to cats.
Fortunately I have a balcony that allows the little guy to get some sun and enjoy the outside without being in danger.
Anyway, well done on earning the trust of handsome Mr. Caramel, and I hope all three of your feline visitors remain in good health and keep you on their list of acceptable human servants.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Here in the UK, if you live at the heart of a city or big town the choice is also between an indoor cat and no cat. Where we live the housing density is lower and there’s a lot less traffic so, although it’s not without risk, most cat owners let their feline friends roam.
Our personal circumstances don’t allow us to have a cat of our own so I’m really grateful for the neighbours’ cats, who give us plenty of feline affection (but only if we do our duty, and attend to their dietary and other requirements on demand!).
LikeLiked by 2 people
I was militantly against allowing cats outside, and I still am for 90% of circumstances, but one of my readers is from the UK and without a doubt loves his cats. He lets them roam in the vicinity of his house and a handful of neighbor houses, which I know he would not do if he wasn’t sure it was safe.
Likewise some people in rural areas of the US don’t have much to worry about. Here in the NYC suburbs even if the traffic wasn’t a problem, we’ve got coyotes who will absolutely go after cats and small dogs, so it’s a no under any circumstances.
I’m glad you get to get your cat fix in even if you can’t have your own.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Luckily we don’t have coyotes. We do have red foxes of course, but they’re no match for a cat.
LikeLike