Tag: cat

May 10th – I pottered into Brownhills for a mid-afternoon recovery ride to do so errands, and with the warm afternoon sun, everything was beautiful and felt right: the canal at Silver Street is wearing it’s summer jacket of green and blue, the boats and waterfowl were quietly busying themselves and all was right with the world for a change. 

Also busy, but probably busy doing nothing, a black and white resident of the canalside who took up a better vantage point to observe me, observing him.

The canal cats really are wonderful at the moment.

April 22nd – I headed out for an afternoon ride, still tentatively fiddling with some mechanical issues. I first called in to the Watermead swan family, to see if their clutch had hatched yet, but apparently not, but on the way, I found this longhaired hunter stalking a little mallard.

Annoyed I’d spotted him and therefore ruined his chances of a waterfowl for tea, he was hunting not 20 yards from the swan nest. Whilst puss here is no threat to the swans (or the mallard for that matter, despite the seriousness of his intent) I can’t help feeling he’ll be in for a short, painful shock if he fancies a little cygnet.

A swan peck on the head comes very sharp and swan parents don’t mess about!

April 8th – Spotted in the meadow at Waterhouses, this venerable, grumpy looking puss.

Peak District cats are a tough breed, and often look as weathered as the landscape they inhabit. This white cat was just sat, taking the air and enjoying the sun (one presumes, although the expression doesn’t give much away). I like to think it was taking stock, and looking forward to another summer of hunting, stalling territory and snoozing in the sun.

As befits any older cat, really.

April 7th – I spotted this thirsty puss on my way back to Brownhills, on the canal bank behind the building site not far from where I saw ginger last week – but closer to Silver Street than Catsill Junction this time. 

Anyone who owns a dog or cat will know that no matter what water you give them, rain and pond water will always be best, and this cat took it’s fill before studiously ignoring me and heading back to the bushes.

I love to see cats drinking like this.

April 1st – It’s the sixth anniversary of this journal today, and what better way to celebrate that than a canalside drama in photos?

Very lucky to catch this, so excuse the awful focus in the action shots. I just saw a small ginger face behind the geese and assumed it was a fox, not a particularly ambitious, small ginger cat!

I don’t know who this dashing young blade is, but it had big dreams, ad was hunting near the new builds between Catshill Junction and silver Street in Brownhills.

A lovely cat, and no geese were harmed in the making of this post!

March 30th – I spotted this grumpy looking cove behind the railings of the church on Scarborough Road in Pleck on my way home – I think the people of the church feed him. He’s actually a lovely, friendly boy but for some reason he really didn’t like the camera much at all.

Lovely to see the urban cat population waking up after winter and taking the air – especially older cats I’m familiar with, like this lad. There’s something delightful about an old cat, warming their bones in the spring sun, feeling the stirring of the season, dozing and surely dreaming of past triumphs.

So glad to see an old cat feel the warmth of another spring sun once more.

March 18th – A brief run out on a wolfish, windy afternoon had me glared at by a resident of… Catshill. 

This grey and white, somewhat scornful fellow was watching me contemptuously from the far bank of the canal, just past the Anchor pub. I’ve never seen in before, but from the small grey dot on his nose to the subtle striped tail, he’s clearly a lovely cat.

I noticed he seems to be sitting at the mouth of a fox set, too. Wonder if the resident was inside, wishing the cat would bugger off?

March 8th – I wasn’t fast enough to catch the best bit of this, but these two cats were clearly feeling the sap rising as I passed them in HillaryStreet, Place today. 

There’s what appears to be a young male, and an even younger kitten. In the instant I spotted them, they were play fighting just by the front door – but as I stopped to grab my camera, I surprised them and they separated in a flash and began to look determinedly innocent.

That kitten looks a right little bugger, if I’m honest.

Cute and funny, and lovely to see.