Bodmin struggles to accept a new addition to the house
Chris Pascoe’s Fun Tales
During rainy weather, our garden becomes more marsh than lawn.
The sun doesn’t quite make it over rooftops, so much of it becomes muddy.
I’d ask neighbours to demolish the top storeys of their houses, but that might come across as a bit selfish.
The missing lawn has recently proved a major problem for our cats.
With the exception of Bodmin, who spends half his life outdoors, the rest of the household mainly just lounge inside being fed – and I’m including people as well as cats in that assessment!
But the only route out from the catflap is across a mud-bath section of lawn.
Bodmin splashes happily across, sometimes stopping for a wash in the middle (a wash that leaves him filthier than when he started).
Spooky and Jojo are prepared to cross it under sufferance to do what they have to do in the bushes.
The problem lies with our newest addition, Tottie, just stares in horror. She refuses to move an inch, demanding the back door be opened so she can find an alternative route.
This hasn’t worked lately, with Tottie having a temporary medical condition that means that she requires trips into the garden at least three times during the night.
Whilst I’ve obviously very much enjoyed being constantly woken with a meow and headbutt, we finally realised that, after a very long absence – horror of horrors – a litter tray would need to be introduced.
This unexpected development was greeted with glee by three cats, and total confusion by Bodmin.
As regular readers may remember, before he decided we had to adopt him, Bodmin was a stray with no social skills whatsoever.
Over the years he’s gradually learned the ways of pets – becoming appreciative of strokes and learning to speak.
When I say he’s learned to speak, I haven’t taken leave of my senses (because I never
