Meet the cat clan
Following on from the previous post about Ponckle we thought it was about time to introduce you to our cat family. Anyone who knows Tim & myself will also know that we love cats! We find it very difficult to walk past any cat without saying hello. We of course have our own feline friends.
The current 'Cat Clan' as we often refer to them includes:
Timmy is a rescue cat with 3 legs who was already called 'Tim' we thought this might be confusing so he became 'Timmy'. He is the oldest of our family now since the passing of our lovely Taboo last year. He often comes into the studio but likes sunbathing on the terrace the best or at this time of year being in front of the log burner. He has a very loud 'trill' type purr. He doesn't seem to notice he only has three legs & has a very strong tail which helps his balance.
Barnaby (the chonk) loves his food. He doesn't like having his photograph taken & is not really a 'lap cat'. A little nervous despite being such a big cat! We don't feed him anymore than any of the other cats but he must be hoovering up any leftovers. He hates going to the vets & it is always a wrestle to get him in the cat carrier!
Sidney Six Diners who was a stray cat that took around 2 years to move in with us completely after having the freedom of St Ives & probably responsible for several litters of kittens. He is a glossy black colour even his whiskers & paw pads are black. He loves to sit on your lap & has a loud purr. He will still occasionally go 'walk-about' but thankfully returns safely. He has a little kink at the end of his tail which happened before he joined us. You often wonder what lives these animals have led before you meet them?
Treacle (soft paws) is the latest addition. Her main objective is to destroy every blind in the house which we hope she will grow out of soon!! She is always interested in what you are doing especially if that means she can play with pencils or brushes etc. She really has the softest nature. The others have taken to her really well although Sidney thinks she belongs to him!
There is a well know poem about cats & St Ives...
As I was going to St.Ives,
I met a man with seven wives,
Each wife had seven sacks,
Each sack had seven cats,
Each cat had seven kits:
Kits, cats, sacks, and wives,
How many were there going to St.Ives?
A version of this anonymous riddle was seen on a manuscript dating from approximately 1730. Cats were of course important in the town while it was a busy fishing port to keep the rats & mice under control.
There are still a few to be found around and about although the majority live on the outskirts of town like ours. It is rare to walk down to our gallery from home without spotting one or two in windows or gardens along the way. We give them our own names such as; 'Spag cat', 'Pushka cat' or 'Sid's kids' (lots of black cats down the road!) We also have a couple of visitors to our own garden which live locally. 'Handsome cat' real name 'Arnie' visits daily & 'Teddy' would move in if we would let him!
We would find it hard not to include cats in our lives. They bring us much enjoyment, comfort & laughter alongside the fluffy deposits around the cottage. They all have such different characters & funny little ways.
A while ago I created a little range of cat jewellery. There is a selection available at the gallery & also on the website here
We have several cat themed pieces at the gallery too such as small paintings, ceramics, textiles & greetings cards. I am sure we will continue to share our love of cats just like Ponckle did previously. We enjoy chats with visitors about their cat families too & photographs are often shared.
