September 16th – I was being watched at Catshill Junction.
My observer was reluctant to make himself known.
The small, black and white cat, barely out of kitten hood, was studying me closely from over the narrows. I was clearly not to be trusted. Monitoring the neighbourhood is a very grave task.
I look forward to making his acquaintance again.
August 9th – The day ended much better than it started. Still feeling sad, but the rain had stopped, the sun had come out and all around me things were trying to make me smile.
The chocolate lab enjoying the wind flapping his ears in traffic in Walsall town centre; the kitten dozing on the bins in The Butts; the coos actually came to see me at Jockey Meadows and a chance encounter with normally snooty eyebrow cat at Catshill Junction all made me feel a bit better.
When stuff’s bad and life feels grim, sometimes the best thing to do is keep riding and enjoy the small things life shows you.
May 23rd – With warmer weather, during the warm hours, the urban cat population revert ro their languid, lazy norms, finding shady, peaceful spots to doze and watch the world go by – at least until it’s cooler, when they tend to be more active.
Coming through central Walsall in the afternoon, this young overseer of the neighbourhood was en repose on top of the wheeliebins in a shady front garden, and clearly enjoying the cool vantage point.
Seeing such characters emerge is one of the best things about summer…
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.
January 17th – I had an appointment at the hospital, and rode through Walsall Town Centre to get a brew beforehand as I was early. Riding up the canal Town Arm towards the hospital, I realised I was being watched.
That little cat’s face. So innocent, yet clearly such a little terror. My heart melted.
October 3rd – Spinning through north Walsall on the way home, I was held up by this little thing peering up the road. Tiny, but with enough cute for several litters of kittens, she was apparently waiting for her owner who she’d spotted up the road.
The joy at the reunited pals, separated by a day at work, was beautiful and infectious.
A gorgeous little young cat, brimming with charm and life.
July 6th – Also in Sutton Park, this tiny young rabbit would have fitted on the palm of my hand. Tiny, but quite happy to tolerate me at a distance if I didn’t move suddenly or do anything daft.
Bunny positively posed for me, and seemed very young, but it looked healthy and well fed.
I was just getting a bit closer when the spell was broken by a passing dog…
August 18th – He was only a kitten, really; a sharp eyed, keen whiskered black and white mog exploring his world. This is where I saw the smokey grey pedigree chap a few weeks ago, just on the far side of the canal at Barrow Close in Walsall Wood.
Puss didn’t seem bothered about me, and was initially hunting something in the water. Foiled, he took a drink instead.
A lovely lad with a smudge-black nose and a remarkably long tail. Oh, to be an inquisitive young cat in summertime…
July 14th – Returning from the Our Big Gig event in Walsall Arboretum late afternoon, I’d had enough of the traffic and heat and headed for the Goscote Valley cycleway, for a traffic-free, shady alternative. There seemed to be a fair few cats about, who in the way cats do, studiously ignored me, or hid. Loved the little black kitten near Pelsall, although Mr. Whitepaws, at Harden, seemed every bit the cat-about-town.
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