When we first moved here a dozen years ago we were surprised one winter day to see a tabby cat sunning itself in a small opening on the south side of the barn. We did not have a barn cat, at that point we did not have animals other than our dog. We wondered how many generations of barn cats had tucked themselves into this opening to absorb the warmth. Three and a half years ago our neighbors had kittens and gave us a beautiful pair of cats for the barn. We live on a busy road (well a busy road for Tunbridge) so we were uncertain how long they would survive before being hit.
The kittens were not going to be named because they were barn cats, not pets, and we knew we could lose them to traffic. We began calling them Thing1 and Thing2 as they were almost a matched set. When we took them to be spayed/neutered the female officially became Thing1 and the male Thing2. T1 and T2 were not your average barn cats, they were longer haired, petite and friendly.
Two years ago T2 was hit and instantly killed by a car. We were home at the time. T1 became the solo barn kitty, still as friendly but now simply known as T or Sweet T. Her nose was slightly bent out of shape this winter when a little black kitten who was my shadow as I did chores arrived in the barn. T tolerated Shadow and put him in his place with a swift swipe of the paw.
This spring T disappeared for a few days and I thought for sure she was gone. Then she reappeared seeking to be swooped up for a cuddle. Now T has been gone for about 10 days. I've checked the third floor a few times to see if she is back and sleeping safely away from the dogs but her spot is empty.
My Sweet T has returned. She was gone for close to a month but came home, meowed to be picked up and cuddled. I have no idea where she was but she is back. I'm not sure if she used one or more of her nine lives when she was gone but I am sure she is now cuddled into her spot on the third floor.
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