We would like, on this page, to introduce you to one or two of the South Ribble cats. Often these are as featured on our newsletter cover.

MINNIE MOUSE

By Joanne Stewart

Minnie is a beautiful shorthaired tortie girl – obviously! As far as Sandra McHugo understands she will be one year old around the middle of October 2003. (Sandra is now owned by Minnie.) 

Minnie has only attended a few shows, but did exceptionally well at our own SRPCC event back last February, when she won the Casper Challenge. (For those of you who haven’t don’t know this is a class we “borrowed” from the West Riding. All the cats entered are drawn at random and go head to head, with, ultimately, one overall winner. If you like it is like another version of Best in Show.) 

Minnie was born near Rhyl in North Wales, to a white cat whose owner allowed her to have a litter every year! (Happily she has now been neutered, although it is doubtful that all her offspring have been too.) Initially she found a home, along with her litter sister.  

However, as all readers will understand, kittens will be kittens. They race up and down the stairs, scratch wallpaper and furniture, demand food and cuddles as and when they feel like it, and are totally and unquestionably adorable. Unfortunately for Minnie her “owner” placed more emphasis on the stairs, wallpaper etc. than on the kisses, dribbles and love. So, she needed another home.

In comes Sandra. After a coffee with the “owner” responsibility for Minnie and her sister are handed over and the two little darlings are taken away in a car belonging to Sandra’s friend. On the way home the two new slaves had a long conversation about names, and, still at this point thinking that the cat carriers contained one girl and one boy, it seemed easy! As Minnie squeaked all the way home the mouse theme had to be explored. So that is how Minnie Mouse and Mickey Mouse were named. (Of course, on further exploration Mickey was really a Michaela – but hey, so what!) 

Minnie settled into her new home in about 10 seconds, and soon became best friends with Chaz – a big soft lump of black and white who is now very sadly deceased. To date she has been unfazed by moving home and, of course, the sad loss of her friend Chaz. She is still totally adorable and now has a new friend to chase and clean. 

Hopefully we will all get to see her again at the SRPCC show next February. She may even bring her new brother with her to show the ropes to.  (That should give all us moggie people a bit of competition!)  

She sends her love and Christmas greetings to all SRPCC cats and their slaves.