Meet the family - Toby

Toby.

 This is Toby, the oldest of the animals and the hardest to photograph. He doesn't see the point in standing around or posing and looking cute! He's the most independent and individual cat I have ever had the pleasure of sharing my life with.

 He was born in June of 1999, his mother was living wild in the countryside of Kirkby in Cumbria, but she came each morning to the patio of an elderly lady who threw out bread for the birds, she ate just enough to satisfy her hunger and then disappeared. The lady got used to the cat visiting and was very disappointed when after a few weeks she stopped coming. Just as she was accepting that she would never see the cat again she got a lovely surprise! Pulling back the patio door curtains one morning she saw the mother cat sat on the patio with 3 tiny kittens sat in a row next to her waiting for the bread. She carefully threw out some little bits and a saucerful of milk and the little family dined in style.

 The local cat protection league was informed and a friend of mine organised for the cats to be captured, this went to plan and the mother cat after weaning her kittens was spayed and released back to the garden where she lived out her days very happily. My friend kept the ginger kitten (Jade) for herself and asked me if I would take the others, and that is how I acquired Toby and Tess.

  Looking after 2 feral kittens is the hardest thing I have ever done, they make the most vicious noises and hate humans instinctively, but the joy you get when the connection between you is finally made is wonderful. Toby turned to me one night after his sister had gone missing, he was heartbroken and saw me as his only comfort and from that moment a bond was formed. He trusts me and that is magical.

  Dining 'al fresco', when we lived in Ulverston. After 2 years Tess found herself a new home with a lonely, elderly lady (how could I refuse), and Toby has travelled the country with me, living in Askam, Barrow in Furness, Reading, Ulverston and now Oxfordshire.

  Toby's place.

 Toby has decided since the move that he will not live in the house if we are mad enough to let a dog live in it too. So now this is his domain, he has chosen to live in the barn. He comes home twice a day for meals, says hello........... if he wants to, and ignores us if he doesn't.

Toby walking me home.

He seems healthy and happy so who am I to complain. I visit him in 'his place' at least once a day. Sometimes he follows me to the door of the house and then turns and goes back to his patch, sometimes I find Archie playing there with him when I visit, so he is not lonely. I think I miss him more than he misses me.

The master of all he surveys.

Sue xx