http://www.yourcat.co.uk 57W
e are endlessly entertained by
the lovely Mr Tibbs. So, as it
turns out, are our neighbours.
We don’t live ‘in sight’ of any
other properties, but just beyond the
hedge of our top field are a couple
of houses containing friendly — and
thankfully tolerant — humans.
Most of us suspect our felines range
beyond our own boundaries, but
nevertheless I was surprised to hear my
neighbours recount their developing
relationship with Mr Tibbs.
Sally and James are looked after by
a mature Springer Spaniel, Ruby. Ruby
has spent most of her life cohabiting with
Lashes, a pretty tabby who lived into her
second decade. Ruby is used to cats;
she’s not used to being teased. Now,
I may be wrong, and it may simply be
that Mr Tibbs just happens to be passing
by Sally and James’s house, and that he
just happens to feel like having a good
wash at the exact moment he walks
past their French windows, and it just
happens that this is always when Ruby
just happens to be sitting on the inside,
beside the doors, unable to get out...
but I don’t buy it!
Mr Tibbs loves sheep, as we know,
but I have never seen him choose to
be proximate to a dog. Never. If a dog
happens to visit with an accompanying
human, Mr T, along with Bronwynand Pepper, always makes an
immediate and speedy exit.
So, when Sally describes Mr Tibbs’
languorous displays of feline hygiene,
in plain sight of Ruby, who becomes
increasingly animated and desperate
to ‘say hello’, I can’t help feeling that
Mr T knows exactly what he’s doing. He
knows he’s being provocative, and he
knows he’s safe. I know that I’m a bit
proud of him!
Our other neighbours, Ken and
Christine, have recently relocated here
from Kent, along with their elderly cat,
Ripple. Ripple isn’t a great fan of other
cats; she’s often intimidated by them,
and will do her best to keep a low profile.
Consequently, Ken was surprised to
report to us that Mr Tibbs has established
a friendship/understanding with Ripple,
and they have regularly been seen
hanging out together. Again, I’m rather
proud of him!
There is no photographic evidence of
these encounters, I’m afraid, but plenty
that illustrate his general sociability.
Mr T and Bronwyn are very happy toaccompany me and Gwilym (the orphan
sheep) on the occasional walk
around the smallholding.
And, as you’ve read before, he just
loves getting to know new members of
the flock. When the lambs are born in
April, their mothers are pretty vigilant,
and do not take kindly to anything
approaching their newborns. A new
mother ewe will unhesitatingly lower her
head and charge at anything that comes
too close. As the weeks pass, however,
and the lambs build in confidence and
self-reliance, their curiosity equals that of
any cat that I’ve met — and so, Mr Tibbs’
circle of friends grows ever wider. —š
THEY
CALL^ ME
Holly Carter muses on Mr T’s sociable side
and his encounters with the neighbours.
Mr Tibbs
able side
hbours.
human, Mr T, along with BronwynEnjoying a country
walk with Holly
and Gwilym.Mr T welcomes the
lambs to the fl ock.THE SMILING SHEEP
You can follow the adventures on The
Smiling Sheep smallholding at
@thesmilingsheep on Facebook. Holly
and Andrei also run a bed and breakfast
on their property — for more information,
visit http://www.smilingsheep.co.ukMr Tibbs is a small, black rescue
cat who lives on a rural mid-Devon
smallholding with two humans,
two other cats, several chickens,
and 30-something sheep.57 yc Mr T CSCC(SW).indd 57 29/09/2017 09:28