Post #154 - Rescue Cats: Simon Augustus

Finally, in this never ending mini-series concerning my feline adventures, we come to our latest incumbent: the large beautiful tabby cat whom we named Simon.  After the disaster that was Tabitha I still yearned after owning another cat, especially after Tilly's sad demise last summer.  So, in August 2018 we contacted the rescue centre and sought a cat.

I've pictured Simon above as he was when living in his pen, and named 'Cat' by his original owners (how original!) as you can see, he's a bit of a stripy stunner.  Totally gorgeous if truth be told.  At 18 months, he was a juvenile, but not a kitten and exactly what we wanted.    His backstory was that he'd been brought up in a busy crowded bustling rented family home, which was being sold and the tenants, Simon's owners, weren't permitted by the landlord to keep pets in their new accommodation.  This is an all too common tale.

Simon was very nervous of people and when we took him home, he immediately hid in the understairs cupboard and then later, under my bed.  He did, however, come up onto the bed when I was alone with him and playfully 'butt' my hand, purring like crazy and being a complete and utter sweetie.  I hadn't owned a male/gib (meaning neutered) cat since I lived with my parents and quite frankly, they're a bit nicer than their female counterparts - all of my molly cats have flirted with Mr and Master Logic and have been a bit disdainful of me.

Once he was let out in the garden, Simon started disappearing; we once walked around the block three times, knocking on people's doors, trying to locate him.  He eventually returned and was found crying in a neighbour's garden.  Initially Sophie bullied him because she's an extremely territorial cat, but once he'd built up his bulk and strength, he soon retaliated and then the problems began - they fought constantly.  We asked the Vet's advice and she suggested purchasing a a plug-in 'Feliway' diffuser to enable the cats to bond over a pleasant feline pheromone.  We tried it for two weeks or so and it didn't work, it was always Simon vs Sophie - meow, crash, thump.  He also hated my son, Master Logic, which kind of defeats the object of a family pet!

It's now six months on and things haven't improved - although it's currently January and freezing outside, Simon rarely comes into the house.  He eats and then goes on his rounds, ruling the neighbourhood with an iron paw, but, joking aside, this isn't a great status quo for any of us - human or feline.  We think that Simon may have bengal heritage and like Tabitha before him, that kind of gene mix doesn't make for a particularly suitable pet.

*Update*

He was returned on Sunday, 20th January.  The lady from the cat rescue centre told us that his previous owners had adopted him as a stray - hence his wanderlust-type behaviour.  I wish we had been told all of this because it would have made me question his suitability as a family pet.