Why do people hate cats ? I just dont understand. They are intelligent, loving and above all have a fantastic sense of self preservation which I canot help but admire. It can however land them in some scrapes.

I had just bought my first house and as a self confessed cat lover rushed straight out to get a rescue cat, a little black and white moggy lady I called millie. Over the next few months I noticed another black and white cat loitering around. He was clearly homeless but I didnt really want to commit to a second cat. He never came very near but you would see him sitting over the road just watching...(and it transpires)..waiting.

I went on holiday. My parents and inlaws were coming in daily to feed the cat. One day my mum was at the house but Millie wasnt there. She called and a black and white cat came running in to the house. She stroked the cat who she believed was Millie and then noticed something looked a bit wrong with the cats eye. It seemed closed over. she panicked and called the inlaws who duly popped round and they too freaked out and bundled the cat off to the vets for further investigation. The vet was confused. The eye injury appeared old and longstanding. My mum (somewhat peeved) assured the vet that when she had last fed the cat the day before it had two perfectly good working eyes. The vet agreed then on that basis the cat should be sedated for further obsevervation. As the family were about to go out the room the vet was confirming details to his assistant. "A black and white male cat...ETC". But Millie was female. The penny dropped. This was not my cat. The vet said he hadnt laughed so much in ages and let them off a bill. I came home to this tale and yes youve guessed it ...a second cat, the imposter, looky likey that had been casing my joint from over the road. I went on to have that cat (who we named one eye) for 18 years. He was the loveliest pet I ever had but he and millie never really hit it off.

But thats why I love cats. They never miss an opportunity. And they bring you a lot of love and laughs