While buying flowers...

I had to go into town after work last night. There are roadworks all over the place as the sewers are being re-lined. Glam or what? So to avoid getting stuck I took a circuitous route, but ended up getting a free (as in without charge) parking spot, something virtually unheard of these days.

It was right by the florists. And you can't not go in, it's be rude. Under the counter, in the glass display unit there's a cat bed, upon which a black and white moggy can often be seen. He wasn't there today and the owner explained he was 'out playing'. I asked her how he came to live at the shop...

He'd been bought by a young girl whose family already had two cats and a dog. Miaow-miaow, that's his name, wasn't too keen on the dog and then a baby came along. One evening he was roaming and got hit by a car on the main road. He was badly knocked up, with a broken pelvis and burst stomach. He had to stay in a crate for two months to recover, then the family just let him straight back out. And he never went back.

He decided, instead, to live in the florist's cellar. As soon as she opened up in the morning he'd run down there. She didn't feed him for three weeks, thinking he was someone else's and not wanting to poach. Then she gave in, and bought him the bed for sunbathing in the window. He used to go back out at night, until someone told her he'd been seen near the road again. Now he goes home with her for evenings and weekends, unless he won't come in at the end of the day.

The previous 'owners' know where he is and all parties are happy. He's been there over two years now. I like seeing him in there, it's not so common to see animals in shops here as it is on the continent. When we lived in Moscow there was a big black cat who lived in the restaurant down the road. He used to sit on the door mat gazing out, his eyes were deep orange and we named him Jaffa.

Any interesting animals where you live?

Comments

[Anne Donald]

You should come and live in the Borders - almost all the parking is free (and there's lots of it). There are no interesting pets around here, but of course we have lots of sheep and horses - there are more horses per head of population in the Borders than anywhere else in Britain. I can see 3 horses from where I'm sitting writing this!!

[Sue]

Have a look on facebook at " Nancy Smalltown-Cat". She lives just round the corner from me in Harpenden! ( She is launching her book this Thursday at the local pub)

[Mousy Brown]

Snap likes to go to the pub and is always allowed her own packet of pork scratchings before settling down to sleep in front of the fire... and our post office has two big dogs (bears) that are taller than me and like to rest their heads on the counter while you send any mail...I could go on, in fact when I think about it most of the shops are quite animally around here!

[Lesley]

I met someone at the paper the other week who had the most horrendous set of scratches from the top of his head, across his forehead, down his nose and across his mouth. Raised, red and ugly! I couldn't help but ask what on earth had happened - oh and he had one black eye as well! He told me he'd been sitting at a friend's house when her cat had come flying in through the cat flap, pursued by a belligerent tom. At great speed, the first cat (also a male) had leapt on to this man, climbed up him as he sat on the couch and used his (balding) head as a launching pad from which to hurl itself on to the intruding tom. The poor man didn't know what had hit him!

[Tracey Todhunter]

I pass a shop every time I go work in Knutsford that has 2 labs sunning themselves in the shop window, one has a very glam pink collar and likes to lie on her back absorbing the sun's rays.

[Dee]

Our hardware store has three huge cats that lounge all over the store. The store has opened and unopened freight piled all about and the cats have to be hoisted off if you need something. I get distracted in the paint section, usually by the fat-assed yellow cat with a head like a cannon ball. If you indulge in petting and scratching, it slobbers while purring and can be heard several aisles over...I love a good hardware store.

[colleen]

I like to see a cat in a shop. There was a very fine cat who lounged on the sofa in Fabrications in Broadway Market - http://www.fabrications-hackney.blogspot.com/ - but they have been having building work done so I'm not sure where it is now lounging. As I shall be going to the Knit and Stitch show where they are running an upcycling workshop, I will be sure to enquire now.

[Toffeeapple]

A bitter sweet story of the cat. There are no interesting pets here just boring cows and sheep and horses. I am wondering what you bought at the florist?

[Rattling On]

I'm loving the stories. We need pictures... send them to me and I'll put them in another follow-up post.

[Sarah]

I love the cat in the shop story-like a children's book! There is a cat in a very pretty French run florists and tiny cafe in Greenwich, though that is the only one I can think of round here. I love all the other stories from your commenters too!

[SmitoniusAndSonata]

There's always the matching white cats that sat like book ends in a neighbour's front window for years and years . I still miss them when I come round the corner .