Thea.
Nickname: Thea-kin.
Description: Stocky shorthaired tabby.
How she came to live with us: Living in the secluded hills of Rollystone we had room for many pets. Already there were three dogs, three horses and two ducks. One day my stepfather came home and was looking all around the house. "What is it?" asked my mother. "Can you hear that sound? A squeaking, a meeping, a tiny little meow." He looked all about, then in surprise began patting at his jacket. And what should he find in its pocket, but a wee kitten. Fresh from the pet shop and needing a name, we called her Thea, and a more brilliant mouser you could not ask for.
New to the cat owning business we let her have one litter, hardening ourselves we kept only two of the five kittens. There was a black girl called Lucy and a black and white tabby called Florence. Thea was an excellent mother cat, bringing them prey animals and instructing them in the hunt.
Florence fell from a tree and broke her back, but Lucy stayed to be a companion.
Thea's great delight was to walk up and down the keys of the piano making her own cat tunes. And she has so far been the only cat I've known who likes to curl up under the bed sheets to sleep with you. It is a very special feeling to have that kind of trust from your pet.
She moved with us to Golden Bay, were hunting got expanded from rabbits and mice to snakes as well. She looked after Ptolomy when he was a kit, and when he was older delighted in nimbly flitting along narrow fence tops that he could only imagine climbing, just to tease him.
The next arrival was Starjumper, a female that she allowed to stay, and together they hunted the moonlight nights.
Relocating to Rudds Gully she sunned often in the sand patch, and lurked in the hay shed. She liked to play with Dee the kelpie cross and would spend ages batting at the white tip of her tail. Her favorite game was 'off side' (or 'always be on the wrong side of the door and make them open it for you until they lose it and go insane.')
Thea was killed by a feral Tom. She is buried on the property, under a tree. We miss her.
RIP