G u d ~ m o r n i n g! ...(the cute-kitty way)
»-(¯`v´¯)-» PaRi-n-$hûßù
Whiskers on Kittens
deep in the Swiss countryside... the kind of place where the cows have big bells around their necks and all the houses have pretty shutters and window boxes stuffed with bushy, fire-coloured chrysanthemums. We were going to visit a lady who breeds Ragdolls, the kind of cat that I (after painstaking internet research) have decided will be the absolutely perfect breed for me... The thing is, the cats i grew up with were running wild, bird and mouse-hunting cats, who loved to be outside in the garden as much as they liked to curl up on our laps, or bask in a patch of sun. I knew from having these cats that you cannot really have a normal cat in such a small apartment.
Anyway, these ragdolls are a cat that has been bred to be so friendly and affectionate that they end up by not being able to go outside, because they lack the instincts to defend themselves against dogs and other cats. They also supposedly got their name because of their tendency to go all floppy when you pick them up. And they are the most dog-like of all cats, liking to play and able to be taught how to fetch... Also, and very importantly, these cats are very beautiful, with fluffy fur and big blue eyes.
We met the breeder woman and spent some time admiring all the lovely ragdolls that she has (it seemed to be about 10, and no smell of cat at all in the house which I thought was pretty amazing). We then met two of the teeniest tiny little month-old kittens, and very excitingly, we reserved one of them to pick up. The breeder is going to email us pictures of the two kittens so that we can choose which one we want once they have developed the markings on their bodies (all ragdolls are born white to begin with).
I spent the journey home in the car dreaming up names, mostly connected to cooking or food ingredients... Wondering whether I dare call her Martha? Nigella just isn't right for a cat somehow... I also started thinking about all the cute little toys I could make for her, and imagining a cute little cat bed made up with a bright woollen Cath Kidston blanket.
Dreams of a cosy cat snoozing on my lap
