I thought I had better say something about the cats this year as it's nearly gone.

But first something from 2011.

We went away for about 6 weeks and when we came back the kitties were not being at all friendly to us. Perhaps they didn't like us going away - perhaps they had forgotten us. Michou was the one who was friendly first and it has taken Mau a long time to get reused to me. She is fond of males but me being the only female in the home - human that is - she doesn't take to me.

So what has happened in the break? Well  Mau and Michou have been neutered. They were taken to the vet's separately. It took ages for their fur to grow back but there was no trouble at all with the ops. Before that Mau had been getting a bit edgy - perhaps she was getting hormones surging through her. Michou didn't have any of this. I think she was the runt of the litter. She is definitely smaller than Mau.

They had been revaccinated and wormed and defleaed. I haven't given them any more worm stuff or flea stuff since - it being very expensive.

The last trip to the vet's was accompanied by lots of miaowing, not quite so bad on the way home. Out of the two Mau is more nervous. Neither cats like being picked up and try to escape quite quickly - especially Michou. But Michou will purr far more and comes to see me in the morning for a wake up and a stroke. I wake up and she gets stroked.

Mau is getting more friendly towards me now and does not always scarper when I give her some fuss. She was even purring when I stroked her tummy today. She had taken herself up to the bedroom and was comfortably lying there.

I can't upload any photos at the moment as I have backed up the computer and took out most of my files as I am going to buy a new computer when the computer room has been decorated.

So what is cat life like now? Well the cats spend most of the day outside. Neither likes the rain but if they are caught in it they seem to stay put and come home later. I have a bit of an idea where they go to - there are some trees at the end of the cul-de-sac and I think they go there. There is also a sort of garden along the path in front of the house and I have seen Mau there.

Mau is the heavier cat and she is not as agile as Michou. She seems to eat more but lately Michou has been increasing her food intake and has become a bit less skinny.