Cat story

CBC and I have both longed for a cat for ages.  I, because I grew up with multiple cats. He, because he was never allowed one and always wanted one.  But, we both work long hours and go away a lot and so we have not got one. 

But, for the past 10 days or so, CBC has noticed a black and white cat lurking by the Acanthus and Seedum, sleeping under it most mornings.  CBC named it Sleepy Cat and kept trying to photograph it and he tried to go near it but it seemed to be scared.  Every day, he would stare out the window at sleepy cat and it would dash away when he went out.

Then came Sunday morning.  CBC saw sleepy cat and was really worried about it so he went downstairs, found my best melanine plate and went and put a tin of tuna on a plate.
The cat ran away but when he was back inside, we spied it through the window and it tried to nonchalantly edge towards the Tuna which it then bolted down.
CBC tried to go outside to collect the plate. He said it ran away but meweed like it was saying thank you.  He was sad that he couldn't stroke the cat. 

I decided to go and pick any raspberries in the garden, empty the compost and trim back a few things. As I did it, I suddenly noticed the cat poking its head out the bamboo watching me as I worked.  Eventually, it began mewing at me. I mewed back at it and got onto my haunches.
It mewed for a while and then edged towards my hand. As I tried to stroke it, it bolted away again.
Finally, third time lucky, I stretched my hand out and held it towards the cat and she rubbed against it and round my legs.
And that was it! Friendly rubbing and stroking. CBC was banging away on the piano and didn't see what was going on.  Finally, I looked up to see him staring incredulously towards me and the cat.

He edged closer. The cat backed towards my legs.  CBC took some photos as the cat stared at him.  Finally, I walked the cat towards him and she gave him the same treatment.

CBC went to sit in the swing seat and I encouraged her over to him.

As you can see, she overcame her inhibitions a bit!

 She followed me inside and settled on the sofa with CBC.  She drank several saucers of milk.  When we went out to lunch, we had to put her outside. We felt most guilty as she mewed plaintively by the window.

Returning from lunch later, I went outside to do some more gardening in the rain.  Cat, who we'd alternatively nicknamed Popper (after famous Cellist) and Ptolomew (also a cellist), was back under the Seedum.  We let her into the house again but she made herself a spectacular pest- you know in the way a baby cries and you're not sure what's wrong.  Well, like that!

Eventually, we thought we'd better put her outside which we did after we'd given her a bowl of Go Cat (bought when out for lunch).
It was awful as she meowed loudly for at least an hour.  We asked our next door neighbour if they knew who she belonged to but they didn't know. Although lacking a collar, she seems in good condition. Not fat but not bony.

The next morning, she was in the garden under the Acanthus. As I stood at our top window, she saw me and ran towards me.  We put some food out for her and milk.

That evening, it was absolutely tipping it down with rain and I was fretting about her whilst at work. I turned my phone on as I left work to find messages from CBC saying that he'd heard mewing as he got home but it seemed the neighbour had opened the door and let the cat into their house.  We felt most bereft esp as CBC had phoned a vet to see if he could bring her in to find out if she is chipped to find her owner.

Tuesday morning, she was back by the Bamboo and so we put food out but we didn't return home till late and she was nowhere to be seen.
This evening, I came home to find her and CBC ensconced on the sofa. Most cosily.  The pair of us have spent time with the cat on our lap or under our feet.  Not sure what to do as it is now Midnight and CBC has crept up to bed and left me with the cat who is stretched out by my feet. We don't have a litter tray so I am not sure about leaving her downstairs whilst we sleep just in case she pees somewhere. I feel dead guilty at the thought of booting her out for the night. 

WHAT DO I DO??????