Dexter

Thursday, 20 October 2011 12:21

We have a new cat! He is quite a character. I watched him chase a cat out or our garden the other day, all the way to the end and then across three shed roofs. Very impressive until on the way back he jumped off the wall and fell into the pond!

When Sue started work at Q.A. she met loads of people. One of the people she met plans to emigrate to Australia at Christmas and needed to find a home for two cats. Well we claimed one of them - a completely black cat that is slightly over-weight.

We changed his name to Dexter because we like the name (and the series) and thought it sounded near to Beckett. Beckett was so-called because of the couple who previously owned him and their affinity to Samuel Beckett, the novelist and playwright. That didn't mean much to us and he doesn't seem to respond to any name you call him anyway, so we changed it.

We got him just after the builders started to remove the back of the house and rebuild our kitchen. Not ideal. This meant that not only did he have to stay in - normal for any new cat - but he had to stay in a bedroom upstairs because the builders left the doors open all day every day.

Cats can't really be owned. Well, they can if you don't let them out, but eventually cats have to go out. Anyway, at first Dexter was difficult to have around. He was clearly pining for his old home and wasn't overly responsive to either me or Sue. He would go for our feet when we walked past, as if he thought we were going to kick him or something. He also bit Sue a couple of times. He got a bollocking every time this happened I hasten to add. You have to show them what's right and wrong even if they aren't going to stick around.

Anyway, this seems to have ceased now. Of course, the building is complete and the house is quieter again so he is more relaxed. He's also been here a while now. The picture in this story is taken in the new conservatory, it was taken with my phone but the flash caught him full on in the eyes, what a shot!

We let him out after about six weeks or so and he disappeared for ages. We naturally thought that he wasn't coming back but he did after a few hours. As he was now going out I thought I'd get him to the vet for chipping and get him vaccinated up-to-date.

Getting him in the cat box proved to be a difficult thing and I think both he and I are scarred after the event. We had to wait in the waiting room - full of dogs - for ages, him in a wire cage fully on display. You think he'd be silent wouldn't you? Oh no, he was meowing constantly!

Once he was done at the vets, I got a cat flap to fit in the new back door. I got one of the types that read the cats chip and only allow that cat in. This will prevent us feeding all the neighbourhood cats as we had with Janis. He is also insured so that when he gets into fights our bills wont be too high!

I've got really attached to Dexter. He is clawing the furniture, but that was inevitable. If you don't want your furniture ruined, don't get a cat. I have made him a scratching post thingy and I think he is using it. But whenever I go into the room he stops and I haven't yet figured out what it is he is scratching.

He sleeps on our bed with us. If you turn onto your back he will sit on your chest and purr, loudly. If you lie on your side, he comes along and nudges you. If you ignore it, he licks whatever extremity he can find! I keep meaning to shut him out but... well, I can't. Oh, and he squeeks! He purrs mostly but he also squeeks.

It's great when I come home and there's someone in. Sue comes in later than me, and she has training nights and stuff. Dexter is great company, even if he's out for an hour or two, I know he'll be in soon.

It's great to have him around. I hope he stays.