For those of you that may not know, Tatty first came indoors on 5th November 2006, and spent the night under the dining room table with our Gizzy. When he returned a couple of weeks later, we kept him indoors and took him to the vet to check for a microchip. He didn’t have one, he was unneutered, somewhere between 4 to 9 years old, and my vet thought that he was also suffering from flu. Cats Protection kindly agreed to help with neutering, and when this was carried out he was found to be FIV positive.
At first, I think that everyone (especially the vets) thought that Tatty was wild, because to get him in a carrying basket, you needed to be wearing thick gardening gloves, and I will never forget the look on Jim’s face and Tatty’s language, the first time that this was tried. Tatty was bouncing off the glass of the French windows at a height of about 6 foot, which was above Jim’s head. He was just so scared.
Tatty never liked going to the vet and was the only one of ours who had 2 red warnings on his records (one for being FIV+, and one with a caution for his behaviour), and whenever I had to make an appointment for him, I only had to tell them that I wanted to make an appointment for Tatty, and I never had to tell them who I was. At the mention of his name, they immediately knew who we were. I just wish they could have known him like we did.
It took several months of very slow and careful integration, but after about 6 months when he calmed down considerably, he was not just part of the family but at the head of our furry gang, just as if he had always been, once everyone had got past the shock of finding a Tatty nose in their side fur having a good long sniff.
I always felt that if our Chloe had ever had a kitten then it would have been Tatty based on looks and character alone.
He taught me that as long as you have the time and the patience not to rush things, and you can reach a stage where all the furry members of your family will at least tolerate each other, then there is no reason why FIV positive and negative kitties can’t live together.
He fell in love with the duvet on our bed. When I came back home work, he would come down to the landing halfway down the stairs, and give me a welcome home “Mrrrraaaoow”. He would follow me up to the bedroom, and jump on the bed to supervise me getting changed out of my work clothes. If any clothes were put on the bed, then they would have to be prodded, especially sweatshirts.
If I knelt down by the side of the bed, he would come right over and give me a furry headbutt in the face. He would always accept head kisses willingly with a big purr. In fact he turned into the purriest (?) kitty ever, and I used to tell him that I would have to hire him out to give Purr Bunny lessons to earn his keep. He had come so far, and I always told him how proud I was of him. I can’t believe that all this is now gone.
He would always wait at the top of the stairs every night, when I went up to bed, and we would go through the same ritual again as I got ready for bed. When I got into bed, Suki would be on my pillow, and Tatty would be between our feet. Now only Suki and Tommy join us at night.
I know that you could always see the whites of his eyes and they may always have been a bit gunky(?), but I always thought he was beautiful, his character always shone through though. I wish I had more pictures of him. I seem to keep saying it over and over again, but I was so proud of him - he had come so far. It seems so unfair after he had suffered such a hard life, that it should have been taken away too soon.
Tatty was a truly wonderful and special boy, and has left our hearts in tatters now he is gone. I remember when he pushed his head up into Jim’s hand for the very first stroke, when he played for the first time, and when I heard the first purr that once started seemed to go on for the rest of his life. I just had to see him and he made me feel glad to be alive. He brought us so much joy, and we will never forget him. I will always love you Tats, Tattykins, my Purr Bunny.
Sorry to have rambled on for so long.
None of his photos seem to do him justice, but here’s a few anyway
Tatty wearing his smiley whiskers
Tatty on his duvet that he loved
Tatty Playing
Tatty out in the garden
