Fantas .... Tick !!

Caught the first one of these .. on Austin this morning - wasn't attached, just passing through! Think he must have discovered the sheep in the field opposite. Being the time of year it is and the kind of company he now keeps (see last post) I suspect he's caught all kinds of things. OK OK scrub all that. I've since discovered that it probably wasn't a tick but a small beetle! Well that's a relief, at least Frontline is working.

Of course administering the flea and tick deterrent is a hit and miss affair when you are confronted by an affronted cat. The upside of this is at least I am unlikely to have any creepy crawlies, jumping, or biting things living long and prospering on my person. He is funny though. Once the stuff is applied he looks like a greasy punk with his fur spiked up on his neck, and then he almost does himself a mischief trying to lick it off. If he unfortunately manages to get some in his mouth, his face creases up so he resembles a wizened old lady sucking on a lemon.

His new pal the Tabby, we've discovered, is "entire". So it is amazing they get on really, but Austin is older and has the more impressive set of whiskers! Between them, they have devised a cunning plan so that the tabby (who we’ve called Tigger) can get into the house. Having tried every other way to gain entrance (including all the windows) they were finally successful (momentarily)!

It goes like this. Austin meows plaintively and scratches on the door. I glance out the window and see him sitting looking innocent and solitary on the path. I open the door. Austin stays absolutely still and just smiles sweetly, Tigger shoots out from behind the hebe and is in with his paws under the table before I can complete my gasp of shock/horror. Austin strolls in looking smug. Both miscreants are then unceremoniously dispatched from whence they came, only to try again at another door.