JASPER AND MIMI
Contrary Cats

A number of years ago, my partner Anne and I moved to a corner of South West France along with out family of Birmans and our rescued Welsh moggy. We were very happy here and as our Birmans moved onto Feline Heaven they were replaced with new kittens who played in the many acres of lush French farmland that surround our home.

Unfortunately Anne died two years ago and although I am fortunate in having many wonderful memories I would be a very lonely man without the companionship of my remaining birmans. Being with them gives a routine to my days, they are my constant companions. They present me with small gifts caught in the local wood, they remind me of mealtimes and they share my afternoon TV watching doze. I would be lost without them but very occasionally I wonder just who is in charge.

I was awaked by a plaintive meow. I opened my eyes to a still dark room, illuminated by the bedside clock telling me that it was a quite unacceptable 5 am. Trying to orientate my scattered wits I was urged on by another more insistent and more plaintive meow.

This was not an ‘I’ve caught a mouse, does anyone want it?’ kind of meow, nor an ‘I’m hungry can I have some food please' meow; it was an ‘I’m having a problem and need your help’ kind of meow. In my befuddled sleepy state, I ignored these niceties and peering into the half dark roo., I saw Jasper (my tabby point Birman) patiently sitting at the side of the bed. He doesn’t normally need any encouragement to get on the bed but I didn’t think about that. I instinctively patted the bed and said ‘Come on’.

This he did landing on my chest which was covered only by a thin sheet. (It was April and the weather in my area of the South of France had been beautiful for weeks.) He was AB SO LUTE LY soaking wet, as if he had just come out of the pond, and as always not very clean from walking through the long grass in the meadow. I should add that Jasper has always been a peculiar cat and seems to take a perverse delight in walking and sitting in the rain.

I was galvanised into  unaccustomed action and would have leapt out of bed in a single bound if my ‘single bounding’ actions had not long since fallen by the way side as my 89th birthday fast approached. Instead I cautiously but steadfastly staggered to the corner window where my ‘getting up in the night walking stick’ resided. And then clad in my modest M and S y fronts, I made my faltering way down the upstairs hall to the bathroom, closely followed by Jasper duly anticipating assistance.

Getting into the bathroom I quickly closed the door to prevent an escape attempt. I picked up an enormous towel and wrapping Jasper in its cosy folds. I proceeded to give him a rough and very thorough towelling, trying to get him as dry as possible. He accepted this as a routine and normal treatment given his circumstances and duly followed me back to the bedroom and climbed into bed to take up his usual place on my shoulder as though nothing had happened.

I was now of course fully awake, and lay relaxed and warm soothed by the muted motor bike purr coming from Jasper straight into my left ear. I lay waiting for enough light to suffuse the room and tempt me into getting up.

I was startled into life by a short serious hiss from Jasper. Looking up I saw him staring belligerently at Mi Mi, his tortie point sister. I need to explain that our Birmans barely tolerate each other although their dislike does not extend to blows just audible warnings.

Mi Mi was sitting by the bed waiting for an opportunity to get on without upsetting Jasper. A word from me and Jasper crossed to the far side of the bed leaving the field for his sister. .Mi Mi took one leap and landed on my chest. She was AB SO LUTE LY soaking wet and much colder than Jasper had been .

I was mortified at falling for the same situation twice in such a short time,  and was reluctant to go all the way through the same procedure again. After serious consideration, I gave in to genuine idleness and the excuse of extreme age and left events to sort themselves out as they would have done had I not been present.

Jasper returned to occupy the space from my armpit to my hips, dry warm and gently purring, and Mi Mi took her place between my legs from crotch to ankles, cold wet and purring loudly. Time they say is a great healer. The cold gradually became warmer and the wet became dryer until comfort and short memories returned everything back to pleasant normality.

Eventually both the cats got up and went downstairs. I waited a while to assert a modicum of authority and then followed in order to give them breakfast.

My first job always on going down stairs is to open the front door, this time I was confronted by two AB SO LUTE LY soaked cats sitting in the rain, cold, wet  looking up at me and meowing plaintively .

Why I thought do I bother!

Owner Ken Hunter