Robbo, the winking cat.

Cats, what to write about cats – hmmmm, I don’t like them, but they like me. There is an old saying about cats – Cats choose us we don’t choose them. 

I have a cat, I never wanted a cat, but I purchased one, how could I not purchase him it was a bloody set up. 

So here I an sitting at the vet’s 8 years ago with my old dog who was dying, we were there for more tests on his tumour.  This particular vet practice was where a lot of university students went to do practicals during their course. We are in the waiting room, just me and old Sam and a big Perspex cage in the corner full of kittens that had been de-sexed and were now for sale. There were lots of the little buggers rolling around and playing with balls and toys. Right up the top of the cage was a hammock and in it was a black and white kitten, all by himself, half sleeping half watching. I looked at him thinking he was a bit of a loner and he winked back. Yes he shut one eye and left the other open – it was a wink. 

I asked the lady on the counter, “Hey can cats wink?”

“no, their eyes don’t work independently”, she replied.

Oh well, must have been dust in its eye then, I’ll just go about my business here. One more look before our turn in with the vet, bloody hell it winked at me again. I started looking for a TV show and hidden cameras. The vet called old Sam in and I forgot about that winking cat soon enough.

The next day we are back at the vet’s again for results. I’m waiting in the dressing room and although some of the kittens had been sold there was still a few and one little black and white one up the top of the cage still in the hammock where I’d seen it yesterday. I looked across at it – oh my God – it winked at me again. 

I asked the lady on the counter, “hey can cats wink?” 

“No, I told you yesterday, their eyes don’t work independently like that”. 

So, I’m being set up for some candid camera thingy, for sure. Oh well the results are in and the vet is calling, nothing to see here and old Sam is not well. The diagnosis is not good, maybe a year at most even when they operate, and I love my dogs so the operation it was. 

I’m back at the vets again, 2 days later now to get Sam, there are only 2 cats left.  There is a little one tearing around the floor rolling with his toys and a black and white one up the top half asleep in the hammock. That strange cat from the days before, will I look at it, no, yes, oh why not. Sure, enough the bloody cat winked at me. I barely opened my mouth to the receptionist before she corrected me again. Ahhhhhh where was the TV crew. 

In with the vet I go, get the run down of Sam’s future and medication and then back to the waiting room for the final account to be made up. Only one kitten left now that black and white one up the top. Probably no one noticed it sleeping up in the hammock. Ok one last look at the thing ------- oh no, it did it again, a full-on wink. 

“Mr Clark your account is ready”, the receptionist called. 

“No, it’s not”, I replied, “please add that last kitten to the account”.

That is how I have a cat. I took him home and he was a confident little fellow. I had a fish pond out the back and he sat on the side then unafraid of the water he dipped his front leg in and half his head and promptly ate all the goldfish. I named him Robson Green after the extreme fishing show. 

For those lucky few that have met Robbo they know he never gets picked up unless you want open wounds in reprisal.  He doesn’t much like people at all really preferring to go and hide when there are visitors. He has only ever sat on 2 people, one we didn't know at the time was drying of cancer and the other one has a mental disability. He is still a funny cat; head butts the dogs and seems to talk to all the other animals unafraid and keeps the shed clean of mice and rats that would eat the stock feed. 

And yes – HE STILL WINKS.   Robo chose me I dint choose him.