Strange Little Girl

[Lilith]

'One day see a strange little girl look at you,
One day see a strange little girl feeling blue.'

The Stranglers' track was originally Emily's song, but got given to Molly, who nearly four (or is it five) years ago screamed the street down early one morning. Just settling back for a lie-in and I heard these terrible cries and went out, just as I was, in a horribly embarrassing secondhand pair of pink and white checked jimjam bottoms, to see a ginger kitten crouched on a doorstep. 'What are you doing there?' The strange little girl looked at me and, meekly, let me pick her up. She was wet and cold and miserable. I knocked on the door but no answer; I didn't know these people or even if she was theirs, so all I could think of to do was to bring her into my house and put up a 'found cat' notice in my window.

She settled in quite happily, ate a pouch of Felix, played with the fish tank a bit and then put herself to bed in the kitchen away from my other cats, Finn, Emily and Mouse.

stray little girl.jpg (71.79 KiB) Viewed 6246 times

The notice attracted a call from a knowall neighbour who claimed the kitten came from the house where I'd found her and who just wanted, basically, to badmouth the people concerned, saying they were ALWAYS chucking the kitten out to howl...first time I'd heard her. So took it all with a pinch of salt. They were her owners though; that evening they sent the eldest child round for her. When she saw the child, she growled. But my old tomcat Finn (sadly no longer with us) was sitting nearby so the growl might have been directed at him. I quite liked this child though she was cheeky, and I liked the family too; they were a bit rough and ready but much friendlier than some of my stuffier neighbours. A short while later it was, can you take her? They couldn't cope with her; she was aggressive with the children and their other cats. At first I said 'no' but then hearing her screaming late one night I went out and found her on the doorstep again, knocked on the door and said, do you still want to let her go? It was Dad who answered, and he did, even gave me a pack of Butchers and sounded very glad to be rid of her.

I'd already decided to call her Molly - don't know why; the name just came. She WAS aggressive. If anyone's read 'Ring of Bright Water' and Gavin Maxwell's account of the 'meek and fluffy' Scottish wildcat who turned into a MONSTER, this was Molly. She was meek and quiet at first - but then she showed her true colours - WOW. Emily and Mouse detested her but Finn loved her.

She hasn't changed. She does need careful handling - stroke the wrong ear and she'll have you. Last night I was talking to her as she lounged on top of Shahi-python's vivarium, and I stroked the wrong ear and got WALLOPED. The gore gushed. When this happens you just have to get out a kleenex and remonstrate gently with the cat. 'Huh,' said Molly, 'your ancient veins! And why haven't you got fur to deflect the blow?' And in the meantime, Mouse, my gentle black tux, was rolling about on her chair by the radiator, wanting affection...Moll watched us, jealously. I turned to tell her that she was a GOOD girl and I loved her, even if she didn't always want to be stroked, I understood.

Over the years relations with Emily and Mouse have got better; they've put her in her place, but last night she came up on the bed and purred (little motor going!) and wanted stroking, and watched Mouse jealously today when she came for a love...

Poor little mixed up kid, poor strange little girl.

Back to the subject of songs attaching themselves to cats, Emily's other song is, of course -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WaWrdwP1YH0

'And when I woke and felt you warm and near,
I kissed your honey hair with my grateful tears...'

And Tess, who was Mouse's mother, a dark tortie tux, has for her song another Stranglers' track - 'Golden Brown' - 'never a frown with Golden Brown' ...one of the sweetest cats I've ever known, lost her to a RTA almost 10 years ago, never forgotten, my Tessy Tiger.

I used to sing a folk song to Finn, the 'Sandgate Lullaby' (mangled by Cilla Black as 'Liverpool Lullaby - ugh.) 'Hold thy wail. me bonny bairn'. He KNEW that tune, but it had to be 'hold thy TAIL' - well of course.

Mouse hasn't got a tune, unless it's -

'Mousey nose and Mousey toes and little dozy Mousey.
And Finn and the Emily too, wouldn't you?'

Ooops yes I know. Embarrassing!

Maybe I should close here - this isn't so much a thread as a blog lol

But they are fascinating, all their characters, all their moods, have to love them!

[Mayday21]

Aaahhh Lilith you've just confirmed my post above. And love the pics of Molly. Poor little sod out in the weather. Vivian

[bobbys girl]

Love the photo - the intense look on her face.

My lot have plenty of nicknames, but the only song associated with any of them is ... you guessed it ... 'I wannna be .. Bobby's Girl.' And I am, so that's alright!

[MarySkater]

I like the songs, Lilith. Do the snakes have their own tunes as well?

(I bet, like me, you heartily disliked the way Disney's version of The Jungle Book turned Kaa into a villain.)

[Lilith]

Hi Mayday, hope you're ok as possible under the circumstances, seen it's your anniversary (hugs.) Yes, poor Moll. Well it's not what I would have done, putting her out, but she sure can be a pain! The night I took her the guy opened the door because he thought it was his takeaway arriving, and from the way she behaved around food I reckon she'd been a total BANDIT. She'd been well-fed but cats will be cats around even the most boring human food and I had to be stern with her and make it clear that if she got anything off my plate she had to behave first and then she'd get the food served separately, not snatching it from me. She will still attempt robbery with gbh when it comes to my fish and chips, narrowing her eyes, whopping me with a clawy paw, so I send her down (after an argument) but the little horror knows I'll put a piece of fish aside to cool, and when I put it on to the tray beside my plate, she's there. At least she's learned to wait - though it's a bit unfair to my other two, who don't beg, and so Molly gets first dibs on the titbits.

Oh lol Bobbys girl - that song! Goes through my head all the time I'm on the forum - good though, love those old 60s tracks, grew up with them, I don't think there'll ever be another decade like it, for the music, the shivery feel of hearing a song the first time. And the grownup disapproval lol.

Hey Mary I LOATHE Disney apart from the 'We are Siamese' song (and whoever put that together knew Siamese - they DO do that, I used to call it 'formation prowling') So he made Kaa into the villain??? Most unwise too since Disney is such a 'family' thing - teaching children that snakes are nasty ...words fail me. Many people are nasty and 'slimy' - never snakes.

Lol Shahi does have a song, dating from the days when he was a tiny thing who could curl upon the palm of my hand and needed help to feed and shed his skin ...all the way from Ghana; I don't know, given the amount of breeding that goes on with captive snakes, why they still have to harvest wild eggs in Ghana and import the hatchlings, but it IS a source of income for people there and in some areas they release hatchies back into the wild to augment the population. And in some enlightened areas the royal python is revered as an earth spirit (cool!) hadn't realised about this trade when I bought him but I'm glad I did.

Shahi's song is 'Oh my baby, my little Shahi baby'

From the 1948 Paul Robeson song 'My curly-headed baby'. Which is dreadfully non-pc these days But oh Paul Robeson, what a TASTY guy!

Goes into ecstasies (Shurrup Lil!)

Shahi, although no slouch when it comes to his grub these days (apart from winter when royal pythons don't always feed as it's their mating season and their minds are on errrm lower things) still needs help with his skin sometimes; the last time he just lay there and let me slide it off him - lazy little git, knows I'm his slave ...

[bobbys girl]

I'm trying to find a picture of me with a snake. It was taken a few years back, at a 'Wild West Weekend' in our village. There were a number of 'Sideshows' including one of reptiles and other 'unusual' animals. I wouldn't usually like making a show of animals like that, but it was done very well. I think there aim was to educate people and the animals came first.

I'd always wanted to hold one of these beautiful creatures, but never had the chance. OH took the photo of a delighted little girl who was very reluctant to give back the snake!

[Lilith]

Hi Bobbys girl - sorry, haven't been around for a few days. Yes, I'm never quite sure of that kind of display myself but a decent organisation will select placid snakes and take great care supervising handling - and fortunately snakes tend to see people as climbing branches lol. I think it's worse for birds of prey/mammals, unless the animal's very outgoing and used to crowds.

I'd love to see that pic if you find it

[bobbys girl]

Yes, they did seem quite responsible. They had a beautiful python but he was 'resting' when I was there.

I found the photo's. It was a village-wide festival weekend with parades and traditional crafts - wish they'd do it again!

Those turf carts use to be everywhere. You don't see so many now.

[Lilith]

Aww! That corn snake looks pretty laid back, and the bearded dragon too. I imagine they'd have to be kept warm though in between their meet and greet sessions and then just come out in the sun; although I can see summer flowers in the background, people are wearing parkas.

I do WISH I'd managed to visit Ireland; my grandparents were Dubliners but I'd have loved to go out into the country as well; have you ever read Maura Laverty's 'Never No More', with the descriptions of the food and the annual turf-cutting - a vanished past now I imagine. But still it sounds pretty good from the way you describe it

[bobbys girl]

If I remember rightly, it was July, not that cold but, well, they don't call it the 'Emerald Isle' for nothing! It cleared up nicely as the day went by.

They still have cutting rights for the turf around here. My friend and her family still make a day (or two) of it. The 'boys' cut the turf and stack it to dry - it does dry amazingly fast. Then they go out and collect it for the winter. Their house is very modern but is still warmed by a turf-fired stove.

As for the food - if you like seafood there's a lovely place on Donegal Bay.... Perhaps I'll show you sometime.

[Lilith]

Thanks, but I don't think I'd ever travel again - I'm something of a recluse, sad to say. So turf is still used as fuel? I wondered if it might have been outlawed by whatever authorities there might be. Back-breaking work but still a definite skill and resource.

By the way I've just woken up and thought of what I posted (I often do this ) and must just add that I don't have any idyllic or romantic view of 'ould Ireland' - my mother's descriptions of being a child sent to live in her grandma's Dublin tenement in the 1930s were positively 'Angela's Ashes'. It was a very poor country for a long time and a lot of people didn't get enough to eat; never mind such disasters as the Famine. And I won't even start on the politics. When I mentioned the food I was thinking of the Maura Laverty book and even then she was chiefly describing very plain fare. It's just the fascination with Ireland, being partly my roots, and a powerful place - I imagine living there you'll know what I'm getting at.

Oh and glad to see there are snakes in Ireland at last - though St Patrick never did drive them out!

[bobbys girl]

There is no 'new' turf cutting but there are still old workings that are used. Years ago the big estate around here parcelled out land to families, some areas to grow food and a patch of bog for fuel. Those rights still persist. But over the years as families grow and some move it has become a bit of a nightmare as to who owns what. This house is still known by the family name of the people who built it.

There is a facinating book called 'Feast or Famine' by a chef called Emmett McCourt. It gives a history through food of the North West of Ireland. It also has some very yummy recipes.

Back on the subject we are all here for - cats, in the town I came from in England a majority of the feral cats are tabby. Around here many are black. There are all sorts of stories about black 'Bog Cats'. A bend in the river is known as Black Cat Cove (apparently known for smuggling ) and there is a pub in town known by the same name.

[Lilith]

Hey that's interesting; there's a cat goddess known as 'Black Annis' and I once had a Siamese called Annie and discovered the Tommy Makem song, 'Gentle Annie'. So that became HER tune. Only she wasn't, she was a little tearaway! Then I learned that 'Gentle Annie' is an aspect of Black Annis, a cat spirit known I think in the North-East of England; as far as I remember, if a breeze suddenly gets up, it's the presence of Gentle Annie.

I'll dig the book out and look it up.

There must be a foundation for all these legends

[bobbys girl]

It probably goes back to the old fears and superstitions about black cats (and any black animals). Black = sinister, bah, humbug! I suppose that explains the number of feral black cats around here. Cats, in general, are not trusted here. Black cats more than most.

[Lilith]

Ohh yes, indeed. Fear of darkness, of night when the atavistic human reaction is to fear the predator. Fear of the unknown, the otherness, the occult; Witches' cats were traditionally black. But I grew up with the belief that black cats were lucky; in fact they were popular round here because of that. Names were very stereotyped in those days - along with the ubiquitous 'Tiddles', white cats got called 'Snowy', tabbies 'Stripy', gingers 'Ginger', black and white cats were named 'Whisky' (after the whisky brand) and black cats were 'Lucky', 'Sooty', or a very non-pc name I won't repeat

I haven't found that dratted book yet; this house is still in disarray after the improvements and a couple of bookshelves have disappeared from view... All the rest of them - there's a thousand or so, kid you not, are in a right jumble. I know that book's by Dr Katharine Briggs, it's called 'Nine Lives' and it's a history of cats in civilisation and also myth. Some of it's very distressing, as in the times of the persecution of Witches etc but at least the author is clearly distressed, which isn't always the case with this sort of history. I will dig it out eventually...with a little skilled archaeology...

[bobbys girl]

Ohh yes, indeed. Fear of darkness, of night when the atavistic human reaction is to fear the predator. Fear of the unknown, the otherness, the occult; Witches' cats were traditionally black. But I grew up with the belief that black cats were lucky; in fact they were popular round here because of that. Names were very stereotyped in those days - along with the ubiquitous 'Tiddles', white cats got called 'Snowy', tabbies 'Stripy', gingers 'Ginger', black and white cats were named 'Whisky' (after the whisky brand) and black cats were 'Lucky', 'Sooty', or a very non-pc name I won't repeat

I haven't found that dratted book yet; this house is still in disarray after the improvements and a couple of bookshelves have disappeared from view... All the rest of them - there's a thousand or so, kid you not, are in a right jumble. I know that book's by Dr Katharine Briggs, it's called 'Nine Lives' and it's a history of cats in civilisation and also myth. Some of it's very distressing, as in the times of the persecution of Witches etc but at least the author is clearly distressed, which isn't always the case with this sort of history. I will dig it out eventually...with a little skilled archaeology...

Somewhere (?) there is a photo of our old Collie x (black) dog squashed into and hanging over the edge of a 'Black and White' Whisky box. The black and white terriers on the box are clearly visible. We used to say Barney was sitting on the white dog or that the white dog had got out for a pxxx.

Back in the 1920's my dad had a black Whippet called the N word. He loved that dog to bits and grew into a man who would not have caused offence for anything. Different times then. BTW sister's OH's kids (by first marriage) called their Black cat Snowball.

As for other inappropriate names - well there is always Grace - otherwise known as rat bag.

[Janey]

Love the story of Strange Little Girl

And it reminds me of my little waif, who is with us now. She turned up three times (first time had been missing from her home 6 months!) and lived just at the top of the road and round the corner. To cut a long story short she was kept indoors at her previous home. She escaped again a year later and ended up with us, despite us not wanting another cat at the time, and definitely not a younger one as I only usually adopt oldies. She was lovely to start (we couldn’t understand her previous owner’s description of her temperatment) then showed her true colours once her paws were under the table. She chases a couple of my beloved ferals away if she gets the chance - we tried to find a suitable home for her but 5 years old, black, with a bit of an attitude and needing somewhere safe to hunt, sadly, and run about like a nutter proved difficult! - so we have a well worked out rota system in place to accommodate her highness. She has mellowed and we’re sure (hope ) she will continue to as she ages! As my hubby convinces me she travelled for 6 months was taken home, escaped and a year later escaped and came back twice - She chose us! and despite it all we love her dearly.

[bobbys girl]

Ooooh, I know that look! That's what we call Willow's 'Medusa' look. Turns me to stone every time!

[Janey]

Mmmm, she definitely knows what she wants, she’s never once packed her little suitcase in the two years she’s been here

[Lilith]

True, Bobbys girl, a long time ago That Word was used perfectly innocently by many people - even used to describe a shade of brown. It's just that some hateful people adopted it as a term of abuse Lol, 'Snowball' - that's worse than my Mouse, whose name began as a nickname and never left her. Though 'Mouse' seems quite a popular name for a cat.

I once met a couple who had a cat called Benson (it was during the time of the TV series about the wacky butler.) Then they got another cat. So they called him Hedges...

And there's the story of the people who had two cats called Keith and Prowse, who never left the front room armchairs. They were named after the (then) ticket agency whose slogan was: 'You want the best seats? We have them.'

Thanks Janey Loved your story about your strange little girl too - oooh what a madam! Her name's not Lola by any chance? 'What Lola wants, Lola gets', as the song has it.

I met up with one of Molly's owners a while after she came to me, and we exchanged Molly stories. I asked her what Moll's previous name had been. 'Well...' came the reply. 'All sorts of things really...'

'Ah,' I said. 'I know just what you mean...'

[Janey]

Benson and Hedges lol

No she’s not called Lola but I know exactly what you mean. Her name is Natasha, or Tasha as her first owner called her, it was his daughter’s name apparently and he lived with Tasha’s second owner and emigrated and left her and his other two cats with her. To be honest I think Tasha left home because it was very busy, 6 kids, 6 cats and various other animals and she was kept indoors because they lived on a main road and she likes all the attention and loves to go out. We did think of changing her name but she wouldn’t respond to anything other than Tasha, not even Tash

[bobbys girl]

Benson and Hedges lol

No she’s not called Lola but I know exactly what you mean. Her name is Natasha, or Tasha as her first owner called her, it was his daughter’s name apparently and he lived with Tasha’s second owner and emigrated and left her and his other two cats with her. To be honest I think Tasha left home because it was very busy, 6 kids, 6 cats and various other animals and she was kept indoors because they lived on a main road and she likes all the attention and loves to go out. We did think of changing her name but she wouldn’t respond to anything other than Tasha, not even Tash

My sister has a cat like that. She calls hin Yowlee ('cos that's what he does) but his 'given name was Elvis.

I have a friend who had a Springer Spaniel called Geri.

[Janey]

Benson and Hedges lol

No she’s not called Lola but I know exactly what you mean. Her name is Natasha, or Tasha as her first owner called her, it was his daughter’s name apparently and he lived with Tasha’s second owner and emigrated and left her and his other two cats with her. To be honest I think Tasha left home because it was very busy, 6 kids, 6 cats and various other animals and she was kept indoors because they lived on a main road and she likes all the attention and loves to go out. We did think of changing her name but she wouldn’t respond to anything other than Tasha, not even Tash

My sister has a cat like that. She calls hin Yowlee ('cos that's what he does) but his 'given name was Elvis.

I have a friend who had a Springer Spaniel called Geri.

[Lilith]

Oh Tasha sounds a good name; it has that feisty air to it. My ex swears that cats set a mark on houses and people they can trust to be a soft touch; once we were out walking and ahead of us appeared a beautiful Russian Blue (or similar.) Over fifty yards away, he saw me and rushed over - 'Meowmeowmeow!' My ex just shook his head. 'They always know...' I reckon Tasha knew where to come

I tried to call Mouse Tasmin, Taz for short, because although so timid, with her black tux colouring and slanted yellow eyes she can look quite formidable. No. I thought of Tamar, because every day she became tamer and tamer lol. No. She stayed Mouse.

Yowlee lol. Bless him. Elvis...oh nooo! I once knew of a Siamese called Wowa, because she did too. Mouse gets called Wowzy.

Geri Springer ...