I haven't been posting for the last couple of weeks through a variety of reasons, but I just wanted to let you all know that Sir William-fatboy is working his magic from Rainbow Bridge.

On Monday morning, around 10:00AM, a small boy knocked at my front door. I was greeted with "..'ere, you're the one what has them ginger cats ain't yew - my mum's found one what's half starved in ower shed, and my dad ses that it gotta go, an' I wondered if it wuz one of yours what got lost?"

Well, even though I knew exactly where my guys were as they are only ever supervised if outside, I had to go and look... I gave the lad a lift home in the car (it was pouring with rain and he lived about 4 streets away) and went into his house and had a look at the cat. On a chair, curled up, was a flea bitten, scruffy half starved mangy looking ginger mess which was so thin I could count every bone in its almost hairless body. I was told it had (quote) "the shits" and that *it* had been found in *the shed* which had last been open 3 weeks ago, and *it* had to go or the husband would go mad and chuck *it* in the rain. With that, I said to the lady that I worked for cats protection, and I would take it *off her hands* so that her husband wouldn't go mad. The boys parting shot to me, was "we've called it Biscuit, on account of it's ginger, like..."

I went straight to the vet, and got Biscuit checked out and it transpires *she* is in reasonable health, albeit 1/2 of her proper body weight and malnourished. She needs a full dental, and has a UTI, but is exceptionally affectionate, and is starting to feel better about herself on account of the fact she has been de-fleaed, de-wormed, her dodgy stomach has gone and she has a few square meals inside her. She will be going to a CPL member tomorrow for fostering as I don't currently have much time to devote to getting her fully fit, much as I would dearly love to.

This morning, I went back to the house where she was found as a stray to get all the relevant CPL paperwork signed so that Biscuit was officially in the care of the CPL. Do you know what was said to me by the lady?

"I knew I could trust you to do the right thing, because I have seen your wonderful big ginger and white cat in your window as I walk past to work every day, and he always looks so happy to be in such a nice home".

It seems Sir William touched lives I didn't even know about.

Copyright © Helen Miles
October 19, 2000