Chas,
We have three cats, who all came to us from the local cat home (where my wife, having initially been a volunteer, is now chairman and all in the space of two years.)
We initially saw the mother cat and her three kittens, at the home. Due to the fact that there was no room for them on any of the wards, once they were out of quarantine, we took pity on them and took them all home. We had just lost our former cat and were looking for a new one – but hadn't really banked on taking on a whole family! (The background was that they had been found in a skip, but a phone call tipped off the home as to their whereabouts. It is thought that it may have been the former owner who phoned the home, so at least they had the decency to do that!)
Anyway, after about twelve weeks (the recommended time that kittens can be taken away from their mother) we returned two of the kittens to the cat home, and from where they have been happily re-homed. We retained the mother cat and one of her kittens. They had all had names from Disney, the mother cat was called Nala (from the Lion King), and the male kitten Baloo. We didn't particularly like Nala so we, or rather I, renamed the mother (wait for it) – Emma. Lotta had to agree though that she is a pretty cat, has a tendence to put on weight – and has a lot of 'attitude'! Baloo is still Baloo and has grown now, although he is still like a kitten in outlook!
Our third cat, Pippi (named after the Swedish book character, Pippi Longstocking, and from the fact that she is ginger tabby) came to the home from a situation where there were many cats living in bad conditions with a woman in one flat. As is usual in these situations, she didn't look after them properly and they were actually quite neglected. Anyway the authorities found out and the cats were taken away many, including Pippi, going to the cat home. She was very thin and her coat was rough and matted and she was very frightened. (The former owner is still trying to get the cats back, but there is little chance there since Pippi was given her name by the home, and they have scrubbed any records they had – in order to protect the innocent! We have also officially bought her.)
When we took her home initially the other cats, especially Emma, took great aversion to her – Baloo taking his cue from mum, rather from any real dislike. (They are now the best of friends although Baloo is still occasionally trying to 'make babies' with her, even though he hasn't now the wherewithall, and Pippi has been spayed!) After about two years Pippi is accepted, although she sometimes still has to remember her place in the pecking order (at the bottom) and is still a little wary of Emma on occasion! It took some time before she would allow us to stroke her and even now won't let us pick her up. She is very lady like in everything she does, although she does snore, which usually makes us laugh!
We treat them as indoor cats in the winter (in the flat) and outdoor in the summer (at the cottage). We'll be going out to the cottage in June for the summer (?) which they'll enjoy – Emma and Baloo will be chasing mice, Baloo will be getting stuck up trees waiting to be rescued, and Pippi will be frightened of falling leaves – to name but one! It's getting warmer now (at last) and they're getting a bit restless (aren't we all) and the flat balcony has its limitations.
I'll try and post a few pictures of which, thanks to my better half, we have a few hundred!
Sylvia, beautiful cats – and I like the picture the size it is!