It’s all very well to have a quartet of cats in the house. Our felines are brilliant with keeping down wee unwanted rodents, warming up the bed, taking walks with us and generally being good company.

However, there are certain occasions when they can become a real nuisance. I am not talking about cat litter or of some of their progeny to scratch one somewhat badly. Rather I am referring to at least one of our cats to fail in respecting some of the petite wild life around us as they should (but can’t because they are not programmed that way). Archie, our only tom, who loves to find his way around our house even climbing to the highest kitchen cabinets…

was noisily scuffling around under our bed when Sandra noticed he had grabbed a sweet little greenfinch and was playing with it ignoring all the other toys at his disposal like balls with bells and tunnels.

Fortunately Sandra saved the little feathered songster in time from the hideous claws of Archie and Mr Greenfinch was permitted to live another day, we truly hope…