one breathing, trembling purr

So there is a new resident here at the Belfry.

This is Violet.



She is about six and a half months old. Yes, she bears a resemblance to a certain older resident of the Belfry. It's superficial. Fergus is ebon black, down to his shining obsidian claws, and has silvery-green eyes. Violet is more black coffee, and her eyes are more golden, with some blue near the centres. Sometimes in bright light I think I see stripes in her fur, as though she may be a melanistic tabby rather than truly black.

The Viking says he has not observed these stripes and suggests obliquely that I may be daft. He does agree with the 'black coffee' description.

We found her at the same shelter where we found Maeve and Duke. She was in a box with two littermates, both brown tabbies and both polydactyl. Violet is not polydactyl, but she has one very large dewclaw, which looks as though it was going to be two and then didn't divide all the way. Her brother seemed to be a big friendly moose of a fellow, but the Viking explained sombrely to the volunteer that 'we have a lot of boys' and really just wanted to see the girls. The volunteer nodded, pulled Violet out and handed her to me, and then pulled the other female out and handed her to the Viking.

Or rather, tried to hand her to the Viking. The kitten stiff-armed him, and he returned her to the volunteer. Little Violet, however, flopped into my arms and started to purr immediately. When I handed her to the Viking, she snuggled right up under his chin.

And just like that, we had a new cat.

She is mostly like a slinky that purrs. She makes a call like a blue jay when she wants something. She adores the dog and has been seen rubbing up against his front legs. She likes Fergus, too, even though he is less sure of her. He hissed at her this morning at breakfast, and she just walked up and head-bumped him.

(The Viking tells me that Fergus' hissing is probably for my benefit; he's seen them sharing a sunny spot and even grooming each other a little. I am not sure why, but Fergus does not seem to like for me to see him being affectionate with anyone else).

We have not yet seen her sleeping; we think she must do that under a chair during the day. Certainly she does not do it at night. We are looking forward to the time when the game of 'What Just Fell?' isn't played every evening.

Harold Monro