Today, I lifted the slabs in the centre of the patio, under the table where Chelsea-cat loved to sunbathe, and placed Chelsea’s ashes there.
Category: cats
Chelsea-cat (sort of) returns
I don’t intend to keep them hanging about – unlike a former flatmate, who had the ashes of both her father and her grandfather under her bed, throughout the several years we shared the flat!
RIP Chelsea cat
I posted this to Facebook last night:
chelsea
Vet-at-Home visit today. It’s possible that her kidneys are failing, and she certainly has bad arthritis, so a relieving injection that lasts for a month has been given (can be repeated if necessary). I have a supply of oral painkiller if she seems to be in severe distress. She’s nearly 17, so it’s basically old-age stuff – I sympathise!
Cost about £180, which I was happy to pay. Chelsea really isn’t up to a cat-basket trip to the surgery even at her best (and I’m not sure that I am, either). Chelsea got an extra lunch for being cooperative!
spring?
RIP “the garden cat”
I haven’t seen the ginger “garden cat” for some ten days now. They’ve been very poorly of late, coming in to sleep under the round table for the past six or seven weeks, and losing weight rapidly. I had a fortnight or so of having to put a litter-tray behind my chair, as they weren’t managing to make it outside.
On Monday (11th September) they’d fallen asleep in the litter tray, on top of a pile of poo, and barely had the strength to go out through the French window when I opened it. I haven’t seen them since … a sad end to an animal that had clearly had a rough life, and was terrified of humans (though, four years after I started feeding it regularly, it would allow me within a couple of feet at feeding time). I shall choose to remember it, as a feral creature that came to trust me, and share warm spots in my garden and house.
outdoor cat, garden bits
Three days,ago Chelsea-cat abruptly went into “summer mode”, entering the house only for food, instead of spending her time indoors. Pleasant in the sunshine, but it was down to very nearly freezing last night (+0.5C), which didn’t deter her. It does get a bit worrying when she’s not there when called for breakfast …
Elsewhere in the garden, the warm afternoon has encouraged the red tulips to think about opening. As always, the yellow ones will be about a week later. And later, deceived by the warm afternoon, the Worcester Black Pear started to open its blossoms in the deepening dusk this evening though the forecast has a risk of frost.

Ouchies
I have an extremely dodgy knee at the moment, so have spent the day with my legs propped up on the stool and taking regular painkillers (compression bandage due for delivery tomorrow). Chelsea-cat thinks this is great, as it gives her a warm lap to sit on! Me, not quite so impressed, but not feeling capable of out-stubborning her.
cat logic
new stool
I bought myself a rather nice antique footstool, which arrived a couple of days ago. However, I can’t use it for its intended purpose, as it was promptly commandeered by Chelsea-cat as the winter replacement for her summertime snoozing spot on the patio table. Still, she’s better there than occupying the back of my chair, which she’s done in previous years.