DIARY OF A FARM CAT
How will Cookie cope when the family go on holiday?
When it comes to going on holiday — which we don’t do a lot — I have to make sure all the animals are looked after, including Cookie.
Cookie doesn’t take a great deal of looking after as she is a pretty self-sufficient pet. However, we recently escaped to the Cotswolds for a few days and left Hayley and Neal
(who live and work on the farm) in charge. I wrote a list out for Hayley with everything to do on a day-to-day basis and when I finished, I found
I’d written two pages of A4! I think I sometimes don’t realise how much work I put into our lifestyle.
My mum used to run a cattery from home when we were small and looked after lots of cats. I don’t think a week in a cattery would suit Cookie at all. She is a true farm cat who likes to come and go as she pleases and explore to her heart’s content. Her independent streak means she fits really well with our lifestyle on the farm, but I think she would miss the social interaction too. She loves to be around us and involved in whatever we’re doing.
I vividly remember that some of the cats my mum looked after struggled with cattery life. One cat was completely black and had nine toes on each paw! Being kids, we nicknamed it the witch’s cat — that was no reflection on the owner, I hasten to add!
The first time my mum went to collect it for a week’s stay, she had to catch it and was informed that it wasn’t very friendly. Mum came back with scratches all up her arms. Every time it came for boarding with us after that, mum went to pick it up with leather welding gloves!
I am lucky to have Hayley on hand to look after Cookie and these are the instructions I left:
“Check Cookie’s food and water. She picks through the dry food for the bits she likes and so will request frequent top ups. Usually, she comes back first thing in the morning and we give her a bit of cat milk so she may sit and stare at you until you oblige! When you feed her, check behind the door as this is where she will leave the remnants of her latest kill. She also leaves bits on the porch so watch your step as you walk in!
“I have shut all the doors to the house as if she gets in you will have to search every bed and cubby hole to find her. Other than that, Cookie is happy to be left to it — do watch out for her when locking up at night as she has a tendency to spring out and make you jump!”
Needless to say, Cookie was well looked after and managed to bring home a rat and two mice. She always looks happy to see us on our return and swiftly comes to sit with us all in the lounge.Then she’ll find a quiet bed in the house.We had a lovely stay in the Cotswolds and even got to meet Jeremy Clarkson at his farm shop! I should have asked if he has a farm cat!
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She always looks happy to see us on our return.