Maitland is one of the best natured cats we have ever had the pleasure to live with us. She is now almost two but it seems just yesterday that we chose her from the local RSPCA in Newcastle, NSW.

We had not had a cat for a few years and Helena and myself decided something was "missing" from the household. We have four grown up children - all living away - and our previous pets had all since passed on and these included dogs, cats and birds. Hence the "need" for a new pet!

We called the RSPCA on a Saturday morning and were told they had 12 kittens available but were advised to visit soon as "they go quick at weekends". We arrived at the shelter 45 minutes later with our cat box to find just three kittens left! A tabby female was what we preferred and one of the three kittens fitted the bill perfectly as long as it was a female. The assistant had to almost climb in the cage to get her out as the kitten was so nervous she crouched at the back out of reach - which is probably why nobody else had chosen her that morning. The kitten was a female and had already been desexed, wormed etc by the RSPCA and was ours for around $70, plus another $50 later on for "top up" injections etc. Her "record" showed she was a little stray around three months old who had been found at the New South Wales town of Maitland - hence we gave her that name much to the disgust of our neighbours' children who believed she should have been called "Tiddles" or something similar. We have now compromised by allowing Maitland to be called Maity by relatives and close friends!

Maitland is still very nervous with strangers but a lovely friendly cat with us and people who know her well. Surprisingly she adores one of our friends Hans who totally ignores her because he is not a cat person!

She eats far too much and from being a skinny little underfed kitten when we got her - that vet was concerned about her small size - she is now quite chumpy and full of energy. She gets on well with next door's desexed tomcat Timmy and it is a delight to see them chasing each other around the yard.

At night we keep Maitland indoors but give her freedom of the house. She sleeps in a variety of different places - from the foot of our bed to under the kitchen table and is never a bother during the night.

Friendly and playful without a hint of nastiness. One minor oddity though: Maitland never purrs out loud. You have to put your fingers lightly on her throat area to feel the purring vibration. However she does snore! Other than that we have the purrfect pet ...

Copyright © Paul Regan
May 1, 2003