My Health Check

Now I wonder if you remember me telling you about my helping Percy build his nest and get food for his pregnant wife? You do? You were paying attention - thank you. Well Percy's wife has now hatched her babies - there are two boys and a girl Peter, Perry and Petronella. Percy told me to keep away and stay off night guard duty while the little ones were really little in case they saw me and got frightened. Percy is quite a sage so I did as he said besides he has a ferocious looking beak that if he fell out with you he could probably hurt you.

I decided to have a look the other morning to see if the little ones had grown enough not to be frighted. I went up to my fence bed and quietly called to Percy. He came out looking a bit tired

"What are you after then?" he asked none too pleased to see me

"I wondered how the little ones were doing. Whether I could see them yet and if they needed anything. I feel bad leaving it all to you."

"you are a rum one Cas. Most of your kind would be trying to get in here to have a feed off the little ones and there's you wanting to feed them. Yes go and fetch some worms if you can. Not too big mind; they aren't as big as us yet. I'll ask Penny if you can see them when you come back."

Cor. I was being trusted to go find food for the little ones. I had to do a good job. I jumped down to the vegetable patch and was searching around quite unaware that Barney blackbird was on the other side.

"Changes your eating habits Stumpy?" he called across the patch.

I was so surprised to hear his voice a jumped a bit which he noticed. I told him my mission and that I really wanted to do well to show Percy I could be a good nanny to his offspring. Barney was surprisingly supportive and offered to help too. he dug up three or four juicy worms and laid them out for me. I thanked him and climbed back up to Percy.

"You were quick Cas and a good selection there - well done" He took the worms from me one by one and took them inside the nest opening I could only see his rear end as he was handing them out. He turned and flicked his head beckoning me to look inside. He moved aside and I peered in - In the nest were three tiny baby pigeons trying to devour a worm each. Penny sat with them all around her a juicy work hanging from her beak. What a lovely sight.

Percy told me to get down onto the garden table as he hadn't forgotten my plaque that he was going to clean. I did as he said. He fluttered beside me and put his head in my mouth and started pecking at the back of my teeth. It tickled a bit but was quite pleasant. he work for ages and when he finally stopped I ran my tongue round my teeth and they felt like new. Wow. He was good.

I thanked him and then he said to stop still and he would clean my ears. He started picking all the long dead hairs out. I could hear better and I looked less ragged. He is my bestest ever mate now

I wonder how many cats have their own groom and dentist.