At home: Tiger's pride returns....

Tiger has been home alone for over a week now. I say alone, but actually he has shared his territory with our other animals, which I like to think he goes round and checks them when I'm away.

Tiger hates being left alone. He gets twitchy when he sees the bags being packed. Tiger knows what the clothes in the case means. He has a list left on the side, to help his carer and my good friend Jayne negotiate the 'feed this, water that' routine.

Tiger likes Jayne, and he's getting to like Murphy, her Jackapoodle better these days. Jayne is a pride member in his eyes, she's bringing food into the house. He rubs himself around her legs as she opens the front door. He's actually scent marking her, that means to him, she's part of his territory. Thats a compliment in his eyes.

I woke to the heavy weight of Tiger asleep on my chest, purring loudly. I would like to believe that he is sooooo happy to have his pride back together but I read that cats purr at our sleepy faces to motivate us to fill the feeding bowl. He rubs himself extactically over the bed, re marking, signing his family back into his pride.

I realise as I walk downstairs he is actually showing off the live gift at the bottom step. My vet tells me, that your cat is trying to teach you how to feed yourself. He is giving you live prey to learn to kill. This is a compliment, apparently. I load the little critters up into the well used, live prey box. I thank Tiger for his gift and return his offering alive to the backfield. Tiger seems a little baffled that I don't keep it, but its quickly forgotten with a spoonful of meat in his bowl. He's trading meat for meat, I decide.

I love cats, you don't own a cat, they own you....x