It’s official, Sooty is not Tina, and not even a ‘she’, as I previously thought given his size and lack of display of other tomcat characteristics!  He is a very nice little pussycat, with the biggest saucer eyes, shiny black coat, very quiet, and just looking for pats and attention. 

Sooty turned up just before winter, obviously very ill with with ‘flu manifested by a massively snotty nose a hoarse cough, and, at the time, no voice.  I fed her/him, set out dry food and fresh water, and of course she/he came back.  I called her/him ‘Snotty’ for quite a while, then thought that this was a bit mean, and temporarily called her/him ‘Tina’ in admiration of Tina Turner who had just passed away.

Eventually, the health improved, the voice came back, and after gingerly establishing hands on contact, found a little creature really hanging out for connection.

So finally today, after resolving to do this for many weeks prior, I enticed Sooty into the pet carrier, and took her/him to the wonderful Dr Deb at Riverbend Verterinary Clinic.

We finally ascertained, that despite his smallish size and lack of other masculine traits, Sooty is in fact a boy (!), and around about 2 years of age, according to Dr Deb.

So today, as I write, he is with Dr Deb who is carrying out a feline aids test, so we can decide whether or not to go ahead with a vaccination cycle.  He will also be de-sexed and microchipped.  If he has FIV, he will need to be housed with a carer who understands that he cannot be in contact with other cats.  I will get medication to clean up his snotty nose, as even though he is much better now, and has a cute meow, he still has the nasal infection.

So just waiting for the phone call re the aids test…