Mrs Dolittle

 I didn't want a cat. I didn't mind them but they weren't my favourite animal to have as a pet. I preferred dogs. Yet somehow I ended up with two that have proved to be my greatest companions.

My late mother loved cats, she loved all animals. A female Doctor Dolittle. She understood animals far better than she did humans. A large part of her life was spent as an adopted mum, nurse, doctor or rescuer of an impressive variety of animals. She had an affinity and communication skills with creatures be they furred, feathered or scaled. From Kangaroos to emus. Cocktails and thorny devils. She rescued them all!

The garden of her last home was lined on all sides by giant conference trees and home or shelter to an amazing number of birds and other creatures. The most common birds were sparrows, blackbirds, robins, bluetits, goldfinch and collared doves. The trees were in access of 20 feet making them perfect nesting places. 

Mum also had three cats. Puck - Named after the mischievous fairy in Shakespeare's ' A Midsummer Night's Dream'. Puck was an impressively big heavy and beautiful gray shorthair cat. He had a distinctly aloft regal attitude and temperament. HE decided who and when anyone could touch him or lift him. It was a huge honour to be accepted as a friend by Puck.

Ching - a ginger tabby, whose full name was I Ching. It was an ancient Philosophical Chinese Culture said to have been written by a mythological king Fu Xi in the third Millennium BC.  Said to have been a teacher of the ancient systems of cosmetology, philosophy and divination. Sadly our Ching has Epilepsy, and watching the poor boy have fits was heartbreaking, He had such a gentle nature. Despite treatment, he died following a severe fit. 

Blaze was a beautiful British short- hair. Black with a touch of white on his chest. He had a magnificent warm, friendly nature and an inquisitive nature that constantly got him into trouble. He loved to explore and ended up trapped for days on end in garages and sheds all over the place. we were forced to launch several frantic searches and appeals for help finding him. He also loved cheese, He could detect the smell of cheese from a good distance. He taught himself to open the fridge door. locate the cheese and gobble the lot.

As well as feeding the birds and the three cats, Mum and Dad also had a dog. An apricot poodle who could do a variety of tricks, including all the usual dog ones and playing dead, counting etc. His name was 'Peppe'. That dog - had its own human dinner plate. his OWN CHINA cup for tea and a separate own for water. He'd tap the table with his paw to indicate he wanted tea. Mum would make it for him, or instruct one of us to do so. 

Peppe has STEAK from the butcher for dinner and only the leanest of other meats too. Again he had his own distinctive CHINA plates.

If Peppe was sitting on a chair we were not allowed to move him. He'd snap if we tried. He was always perfectly groomed and pampered. He and the cats generally got on well, but now and then Puck would give him a swipe of an outstretched paw in passing, sending Peppe running to Mum whimpering. I swear I saw Puck grin.

We had a family of hedgehogs in the garden. A mum dad and little ones. Mum and Dad created a giant hedgehog house at the back of the garden. In part built from garden waste with wooden tunnels and pipes running into a safely constructed area in the middle of the hill. They could and did stay safe and happy all year round. Mum often fed them cat food or cat biscuits as well as other meats. 

Incredibly Mum also had a family of red squirrels living happily in the garden - Everyone knows they are a protected species and have been for a long time, so to have them living in the trees was a huge privilege. The local river and woods were only a few hundred yards away so they were in a secure location. Mum fed them a diet of dried and fresh fruits and berries and always had a huge collection of various nuts. She'd leave the food outside on a specially raised table for them. Over time they began to recognise her and trust her in a way they wouldn't do to any of us.

She'd sit inside by the open window making soft encouraging sounds to them and holding nuts out. I still remember the day she called me excitedly and told me to go down to visit her. I kept back from the open window and watched while Mum made her usual noses and held out a few nuts. I watched in amazement as a beautiful squirrel approached the window, stood still then rapidly climbed the frame and took the nuts from my mother's open hand.

It was the start of a fantastic relationship. To save identity issues Mum called the squirrels Dusty 1 2  3 and 4 etc. For some reason, she assumed Dusty 1 was male. Eventually, he'd climb inside the window sit and sit on her still hand while stuffing his cheeks with nuts. Or he'd actually tap on the window to let her know he was there then wait for her to pick the nuts up.

Incredible as it sounds the three cats and Peppe ignored all the other wildlife and the wildlife ignored them in return. Looking back. Although her behaviour as a mother was greatly flawed her ability to connect with other creatures was exceptional. That she loved them and they in return trusted and depended on her was pretty remarkable. Sometimes when thinking of my mum I only recall the rejection and the negatives. Yet, it takes a specific type of human to understand and communicate with a vast range of other creatures. If there is an afterlife then I'm sure my mother's happy place will be sitting amid a group of adoring creatures.