BT

BT (Black & Tan) is a pretty, small tortoise-shell female. BT is a cool cat who has really gained a lot of confidence around humans. She is the author's favourite. BT is another cat that is close to Midge. BT likes to be by herself and may get confrontational with a whirling Dervish attack if annoyed by other cats. She has been known to disappear for up to two weeks, and it seems the hills with their abundant supply of rabbits is the reason why.

Flexi

Flexi is a small to medium brown tabby. Originally called "Squeaks" after her vocals, she was renamed due to her amazing flexibility; the wriggles and changes in body position (especially when held by a human !) Flexi is a very affectionate cat and loves to curl up in a ball beside her owner in the evenings when she's in (mostly in the winter). Flexi is known to disappear for long periods of time- even for over a month at a time. Flexi probably wanders into the hills and hunts for rabbits and rodents. She is likely to have fine tuned these hunting skills as a rapid gain in weight has been noticed recently !

Jackie

Jackie is a black with a little white, female. Jackie is a cuddly and talkative cat who lives alone in a caged off extension of her owners garage. She was previously attacked badly by a dog, and now feels secure in her 'apartment'. She enjoys a high maintenance diet, and sleeping during the summer days in an old letter box. She doesn't mind when Midge regularly climbs in and out for visits !

Karpal

Karpal is a long haired tortoise-shell and white female. She shuns contact with humans, yet is a house-cat. Quite eccentric in character, Karpal is known for funny gestures by herself, or through surprise ambushes on other cats. She particularly likes Midge. Karpal has a trademark moustache.
She enjoys bringing insects into the house- Praying Mantis' & some very unusual bugs. A Karpal is a Papua New Guinean tree squirrel.

Leonard

The "King" of the cats Leonard is the wandering Tom that pops in regularly for rations when doing the rounds. Leonard is a very large grey tabby & for having such an imposing physique, he surprisingly has a high-pitched & persistent meow. Leonard is very territitorial and can be
very aggressive towards the other un-neutered males in the area. Stanley is not so sure about Leonard (picture).
Update: Leonard died in late 2010.

Meg

Meg is a relatively new addition to the household. Meg is a young, small sandy tabby with a nice nature around humans. Her owner likes her very much, and as she has gained in confidence she spends an increasing amount of time curled up in a ball on the couch beside her master. Meg remains somewhat hesitant around the other cats- particularly other females like Molly. (Update: It's unfortunate news that Meg has not been seen for 4 or 5 months - 22/6/10.

Midge

Midge is the Unifier. As a kitten he arrrived at the door as nothing but a bag of bones. Obviously abandoned by his mother at too young an age, Midge immediately looked for surrogate parents, but was repeatedly rejected until well nurtured by his human owner. Midge the adult, is really the most popular cat among the cats and has good relations with virtually every cat -bar Mother
Christmas. Midge is famous for the great friendship he had with the late Sprocket. Lately, Midge has cunningly found a way of climbing in and out of the caged apartment of his girlfriend Jackie for 1) food 2) friendship 3) To annoy his human owner.

Mimi

Mimi is an import from Christchurch and one of the oldest cats. Mimi is a beautiful white and grey long haired cat. She lives in a separate part of the house as she dislikes the other cats. Mimi likes the quiet, inactive life as well as delicious food and as a result she's somewhat plump. Mimi is a one- cat per family cat, and will respond to a good brushing with a strong purr. She resembles a Blofeld cat from the early James Bond films.

Moddy

Moddy is a nice natured, black male cat. He is quiet and keeps to himself. It is not known where Moddy ventures to during the day, but he can often be found on the couch in the evenings, rolled
up in a ball. He loves to be stroked. Moddy is often very determined to clean up the dregs from Rosie's meal, and will wait patiently for the door to open for his chance of getting some tasty morsels.

Molly

Molly is a young, lithe, grey tabby. She is Simba's daughter. For quite a while her owners called her Zoggy (thinking she was a male). Molly was a very cute kitten with pluggy paws. Molly now is very much a house cat who loves to quickly steal other cats' tid bits of more special food. Molly is a very fast runner.

Mother Christmas

Mother Christmas; This tabby and white female, once or twice a mother, is not always around. Lately she has been lazing a bit on the couch. MC gets her name from her big white beard. Previously she was called Socks because of her long white stockings - There's a festive theme allround. MC is a loner that likes humans but despises other cats and kittens almost universally.
Characteristic behaviour includes hissing and swearing at other cats, loud munching noises when eating, and slow motion creeping when on alert and looking to leave the house.
Mother Christmas was run over by a car in mid 2011.

Nippy

Nippy: The sandy tabby hunter. Nippy has big eyes. With her short legs and big rump, Nippy is an ace hunter. In the past she was known to disappear for days and come back all soaked - Perhaps from rat hunting in the river. She is also renowned for her bunny catches from the hills. Nippy was given her name after being so flash when food was in close vicinity. Nippy has a temperament of slight envy of other cats getting attention, but doesn't chase the other cats.
Update: late 2011 - Nippy is probably away in the hills chasing bunnies for good.

Rosie

Rosie is a thick-set brown tabby, and really the Queen of the house cats. Rosie has developed a very fussy appetite, and will basically only eat tuna based meals, and in private. Rosie often likes to assert her authority over the other cats with bull like charges, as well as displays with her claws dug into the carpet. Rosie has not been known to hunt, and is purely a house cat.

Sadie

Sadie is a dark grey tabby. Sadie is a bit of a scaredy cat. She is probably the most affected cat from the rampages of mother Simba. Her owners didn't see her for a while, and during her few months away she had lost her barrel shape to become quite svelte. Sadie is a lovely kitty that would enjoy the house if there weren't other cats ! She probably spends her nights on the section- under a bush or in a shed.

Simba

Mother Simba is a small black cat. For the past two summers she has been an incredibly diligent mother to a total of five kittens. Simba gives plenty of vocal encouragement to her young. She lives in one of the old sheds, and is slightly shy around humans. She gets particularly protective, and aggressive towards the other cats when her young offspring are venturing out. Look Out !
Photo: Simba on the right, with her kittens Molly (centre) and Ziggy (left).

Simbu

Simbu is jet black with a slightly pointy, fox-like face. Simbu is known for her loud and prolonged meows- especially when she's stroked. She was originally called Simbu 1, because of a similar sister (now named Simba). Simbu is a province in Papua New Guinea. This house & garden cat has a fondness for finding skinks in the tussock and rocky garden. Simbu tolerates the other cats, and likes to be by herself.

Smudge

Smudge is a very small grey tabby, and mother. A prolific kitten maker, that has done incredibly well with such a diminutive frame. Her offspring seem to grow up quickly and like their independence like Mum. Smudge doesn't live in the house and she has her suspicions about her human owners- only coming close when food is being dealt. She's quick to that tucker !
The photo is of a pregnant Smudge.

Stanley

The sandy tabby turned up as a youngster. He became a troubled teenager and was often quarrelsome. Stanley has a powerful purr. He likes his food, and is now demonstrating a more settled nature, although he doesn't like the new kittens much.

Tabitha

Tabitha comes around for meals twice a day. She is an older cat that has been a mother in the past. Tabitha was named for having a tabby and white coat (which she keeps in immaculate condition). She lives on the section somewhere, perhaps in one of the sheds- which would be ideal when it is cold in the winter.
Like Mother Christmas she undoubtedly likes her own company best.
Update: Tabitha died in the winter - 2011.