All About Betty

Betty, aka Miss Betty, or Her Royal Stroppiness, came storming into my life at the beginning of May this year.

I was in the kitchen when I thought I saw a kitten in my garden.  Then two more. Being of an age where "readers" have become something I wear, not listen to, I got my glasses and squinted out into the evening gloom.

This is what I saw...

A week later they were back again...

According to neighbours, Mum-cat had belonged to people who lived a couple of streets away, but they had moved away and left her behind.

At that time, I had no idea that they probably stole away under cover of darkness, purposefully not telling Betty where they were going.  It was probably the kindest decision they could have made for themselves.

But I was an unwitting fool.  Totally unaware of the force of nature that is Bonkers Betty.

I saw a teeny, tiny black cat with three teeny, tiny kittens.  Oh, the naivety.

At this time, Betty had apparently been living in my shed for a couple of years. Two thoughts went through my head when I found this out.

1. I'd be rubbish on Crimewatch.

2. How had she survived through the winters?

Each day, I put food out for mum and her kittens.

With the help of the RSPCA and a local animal welfare charity, homes were found for all three kittens.

No-one wanted Mum.

Perhaps they had met her before, or her reputation had preceded her on the cat-lovers' grapevine.  I was blissfully unaware.

So now I have an extra cat.

A Betty.

Here she is...

She is small, feisty, chatty, thinks woolly blankets are the best invention ever, and loves pink.

Kind of like me, but in miniature.

P.S. For more info about Betty's journey from "homeless single parent" to "ridiculously adored queen of all she surveys" take a peek at her About Betty page.  The link is at the top of her blog.