Ida

Ida was a rescue kitten - one of a litter of four who had been saved by the RSPCA in London after their mother had been spotted carrying each kitten across a busy road to the ‘safety’ of a roundabout.

My partner and I had been desperate for a new kitten in our lives (and it had been many years since my beloved feline companion had passed away) and so I had registered with the RSPCA, had a home visit and hoped that someone would come up as kitten season was at a close. Sarah, the lovely representative, knew how important this was to us and so she kindly let us be the first to meet the litter and have first choice.

We agonised over choosing a kitten for a week, as this would be the next 18 years or so of all our lives. They were all adorable, but we wanted to make sure that the kitten would feel happy in our home and, in time, adventurous enough to go outdoors. I had been struck by the little tortoiseshell tuxedo (then named Raven); she wasn’t the most attention-seeking, but was friendly and playful, just a bit cautious. On our first visit there was a point when I looked down and she was at my foot looking up at me - I think this was ‘the moment’.

Ida came to live with us a week before Christmas. When we first brought her home she was clearly bewildered, scared and confused, but she spent the first night sleeping with us, which we saw as a good sign. After a week of her world being our bedroom, she gradually began to explore, with some cajoling, the rest of our flat. It wasn’t long before she had full confidence around her new home and is now looking forward to garden adventures in a couple of weeks.

Ida has just turned six months old and is an absolute delight. She is incredibly affectionate, cheeky and communicative, with a very sweet personality - if a paw is raised to one’s face there is never a claw. She loves being brushed and likes to sit on, or draped across, my partner’s shoulders and playing peep and pounce games with me. Her colourings are lovely and unusual with caramel and coffee colours, in addition to the standard tortie tones, and we love her salmon pink nose and extremely waggly tail. We feel very lucky to have such a gentle and mischievous in our lives!