We have a visitor this weekend–she came last weekend too and will probably be with us next weekend as well.
That might seem like pushing your luck as a house guest….
Since she doesn’t have any choice in the matter, “pushing your luck” doesn’t come into it!
The “she” in question is, of course, the adorable mite of a kitten featured in a recent post.
A calico–mixed fawn and black–with a black smudge on her lower lip that suggests she’s been sucking on a lump of coal.
She’s grown a little since last week.
Here she is taking a siesta on an exceptionally hot afternoon.
Her name is Fleur, though the French call a cat with this coloring an isabelle. I haven’t found out why.
We are in love!
Sadly for us though, she belongs to Flo, our oldest French friend and neighbor.
Flo drives to the Mediterranean at the weekends to help her husband selling fishing tackle on the coast.
Two hours in a hot car–not good for kittens–so we have a weekend guest.
Fleur is feisty, always curious, with intelligent eyes asking questions–and hoppity-hop.
She crouches and jumps–does the cat sideways rush and plays tomboy with our youngest cat, Midnight.
He’s delighted to shed–for a moment–the “Junior” tag.
They race across the courtyard, then tumble together, all squeals.
“Gently now–she’s just a kitten!”
Such fun to hide behind a flower pot, swishing your tail, waiting for Midnight.
This weekend though she’s out of luck.
Midnight–poor lad–is ill and not up for japes. He’s been curled up on a chair for a couple of days.
Must be something he ate–a lizard, perhaps*.
Fleur had a quieter time this trip.
Just as well, it’s getting hot again after a few days respite–rain even.
Ben was pleased–he’s finding her playfulness irksome–and absents himself at the end of the garden.
Flo knows we’re hooked and helped the parting last weekend with a suggestion.
“We’ll let Fleur have one litter of kittens and you shall have first choice.”
On verra dans un an….[We’ll see in a year….]
Meantime we look forward to Fridays.
By the way, today is International Cat Day! (No kidding!)
*Since I wrote this Midnight paid a visit to the vet and was treated for a high temperature. Youngster that he is, he has bounced back. Fleur is delighted.
Robin Ellis 
She is absolutely adorable. xx
Our calico is Miss Bunbury and our black tuxedo is Bela..he has a white mustache!
We love your cat stories and enjoy the recipies! Thank you, Robin!
Thanks, Gretchen.
Adorable kitties. Well, I didn’t know it was international cat day, so I glad you told us all!!!!
Irresistible pussycat, irresistible blog. I like the photos. Lucky cat to have such a comfortable place to live in with loving human beings; I have to go away in September for 10 days and my daughter will come for hour-long visits each day and plays with my two cats, but it’s not the same thing. One of Eliot’s poems is on the calico cat. I suppose you know Lessing’s On Cats: if not, if you can get past the opening chapter (which insists we remember the history of great casual cruelty towards cats), it’s superb. Magnificent cats.
We lost one of our old rescue cats last Friday..reading about Fleur has cheered me up. Young animals and their sheer zest for life have a lovely effect..
Sorry Julie, to hear about your loss. We’ve lost rescue cats too and felt their absence keenly.
I just adore your wonderful cat photographs and commentary, a real pleasure.
As I just lost my husband on Monday, I enjoyed meeting Fleur.
Smiling again. Love your stories.
I’m so sorry for your loss, Virginia.
I wonder if the name “Isabelle” is related to another French name for a calico – “chatte d’Espagne” – (Spanish cat – usually female) and Queen Isabella, as in Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain.
I wondered about the famous Isabella too.
Oh Robin she is so beautiful, sorry to hear Midnight is poorly. I have a new kitten, black as night with green eyes, we have called her Luna. Like Fleur she is very feisty and really beats up our Russian Blue, Sasha. He is nearly 4 years old and definitely does not appreciate the attention from Luna.
Wow, she is GORGEOUS! And I thought you had a new “drop off” at the house! Your description of Fleur’s antics made me think of our Tootsie, who was RACING through the house last night from room to room, and up & down the couch. (He’s not a kitten, anymore; just don’t tell him!) You scared me for a minute about Midnight–skipped down to the post-script–glad he’s fine. What caused the fever, do they know? As always, love your posts! Cheers & hugs!
Fleur is a charmer. My husband and I love cats as well. We have Spice, a tortoiseshell, and Shadow, a Maine Coon. Our calico cat, Cali (not a very original name, I’m afraid), passed away a couple of years ago. We still miss her, but our vet does not. She was a real terror in his office!
Robin, My dad had a calico kitty like this. She had long whiskers and double paws, and was a great mouser & whatever else she could find in the fields.
Thank you for the nice updates to your family.
I always enjoy when you share your cat stories. Fleur sounds very much like my current youngest kitty Zelda (solid white) she is nine (rescued from a cemetery and nursed from near death as a kitten) but acts very much as a kitten still. Shhh, we won’t tell her she is technically a “senior citizen” if you don’t. 🙂 We have have/had 2 calicoes over the years. Our first we dubbed “Mistletoe” which suited her loving spirit perfectly and the the current calico is Lady Galadriel.
Fleur is just so beautiful. I had a calico some years back and named her Olivia and she was mostly white . Now I have a ginger who will be 12 next month . Enjoy her while you can.
Wonderful! Our cats in the Vendee are envious of the amazing wicker igloo. I could solve my family Christmas presents with buying these….
Meredith writing: Anne, thanks for commenting on the wicker igloo! I bought it yesterday at a stall with African stuff at the Lautrec Garlic Festival. It is meant to be used to carry hens and chicks. Had a feeling that the cats would love it.
Or our own…
My cats just assume that EVERY day is International Cat Day.
Virginia, you have my deepest sympathies for your loss. I’m glad little Fleur could brighten your day a bit.
Robin,your posts and recipes are always a delight,and we all are pleased to enjoy them.
Even though my husband and I are really dog people(brother and sister Yorkshire Terriers,aged 11,our total joy!) Fleur,this enchantress, has absolutely captured our hearts!
Thank you for sharing her with us.
Also glad to hear that Midnight has recovered!
Lovely post, Robin! I have an 18-pound red tabby who answers to Baby. Do you read any of the Alexander McCall Smith’s novels? Your charming writings also makes me wish I inhabited the world you describe!
She is a cutie pie. I had a similar looking cat, named Esme. She could see “invisible” cats and played with them. It was astonishing to watch.
Longish but funny for International Cat Day
She’s beautiful and so glad the boys like her too. You have an amazing view from the patio a wonderful place to sit dink a glass of wine & admire the scenery
I entertain a clowder of semi feral kitties in my back yard. Our calico there is Lemme, as in “lemme in lemme in”….. which I do…
Amazing that Fleur will stay with you and not strike out for home.
I love your cat stories. Keep the, coming!
She’s too young to strike out for home–which is a mile away–plus, she likes it here, especially when Midnight will play with her.
How adorable! Thanks for sharing!!
What a sweetie!! Hope you will someday have one of her kittens!!🌻
Sent from my iPhone Barbara Boling
>
What adorable cats – we have two males ginger cats Toby who we adopted from Cats Protection and Harvey who found us earlier in the year and has settled in really well – they are a joy and loved by all of us.
Meredith writing: Our eldest cat (17) is Pippa, a ginger female (rare!). She has survived her son and daughter–we once had THREE gingers. Love them! Very affectionate cats.
My mother’s new cat who came to live with her last September is a female ginger, Molly. We have had a string of ginger pusses over the years. We find them affectionate with a wonderful temperament. Curious that my Jimmy who chose me and decided to move in is……a ginger tom!!! I should have guessed he’s be staying!
What a sweet story. I’m fairly new to your site, as I only discovered you recently with the release of Poldark in the US, but I love your site, the blogs, the recipes…just everything. Thanks for all the work you put into it.
Appreciate it, Anne–thank you.
Ross, I know this post is about your adorable “weekend” visitor. Fleur, but i have finally watched the last two episodes of the new “Poldark”. It paled in comparison to the original. I tried to have an open mind, really i did, but it was like reading an abridged version of a book. So many parts of this wonderful story were not included. You will always be the quintessential Ross Poldark and your Poldark series will always be the standard that others can try and attain, but never will achieve. Thank you!
Thank you, Andie.
Yes I wholeheartedly agree , Andie. The new ” Poldark ” series , although enjoyable , is not a patch on the original.
This comment is about the cat I don’t have. She lives next door, well the people who own her live next door but since the first time I looked after her, when her owners went on holiday, she decided she would live between the two houses.
She is a beautiful black and white dainty young lady called Kit. Mews loudly when she wants to be let in and sits persistently on the fence and stares into the sitting room window if she feels she is being ignored. She frequently visits us during the night, negotiating the fence, on to the roof of our ground floor extension and in through the open window. Then she chooses her bed for the rest of the night. I have the joy of a cat and none of the expense !!
I have read that dogs have owners and cats have staff. Well in Kit’s case that’s just about right. Ah well, as they say in the USA ” I serve at the pleasure of the cat next door” …………….or something like that.
Lovely story and very lovely cat. Thanks again Robin
Ros
Today is International Cat Day? I’ll have to spread the word! Fleur is a darling and so is Midnight! Hope you get that kitten Flo promised, eventually! btw, I plan on making the Aubergine recipe again tonight, that you posted recently. Got to have my alternative pizza fix 🙂
So sweet.
Oh,….just to let you know, I finally ordered your second cookbook. Looking forward to it!
Thank you, Sheila–hope you enjoy it.
I do, very much!
What a doll!! Cutest kitten ever!
Hi, Robin and Meredith. What a cutie and I love her name. Is it silly of me to be jealous of a kitty? 🙂
O, what a lovely pussycat !
Meredith Robin what a lovely puss cat, they always know where there will be a welcome, she is a playmate for Midnight and Ben didn’t. you have another cat too? Please to here thAt Midnight is on the mend.
My sister in law as just got herself another kitten it’s a Persian blue what ever thAt means he is to replace the one that died a couple of months ago that was called fairytail this one is grey striped and they have. called him Messe after the footballer who Lynn has a passion for sad girl.
She is beautiful and I wonder that you can return her but that is what foster families must do. Thank you for sharing the weekend guest
What a doll! I’ve become a cat lover just in the last 6 or 7 years since I took in Tabby Cat, a stray. Lost him to FIV three summers ago. Last November I took in Domino, aka Kitty Girl, who is a female and much more ‘verbal’ than Tabby,
a boy, was. She is black and white, hence her name. In June took her in to be spayed and when they shaved her tummy they found the scar and checked-she had a micro chip. I googled the number, found the company, they called the phone number in their records and it was no longer in service. So I did the paperwork for change of ownership. So now my information is connected to her chip and she is officially mine. 🙂
I really enjoyed the new Poldark and am looking forward to season 2 next summer but your Poldark, Robin, will always be my favorite.
Hope you and Meredith and all of your kitties have a great rest of the summer.
Maureen Harney
Thanks, Maureen.
Sweet!
Gorgeous little visitor cats always know where the best places are…….
She’s absolutely adorable. Can understand how you have quickly become smitten. It was like that with my Jimmy. One week ‘keeping an eye on him’ and I had totally fallen for him. Gradually he made it clear he liked living here too so when the neighbours moved and could not take him to a flat, everyone recognised he had made his choice…12 years on I am glad to say he is still with me. Beautiful photos and an enjoyable post. Thank you.
Just remembered the name of your other puss Beau isn’t it Robin?
Beau by name and by nature.
What a beautiful little cat!
Thank you Robin for your lovely stories and recipes It lifts the day when I see a post from you!
Thank you, Fran.
I loved your cat blog on Fleur and Midnight. I have several cats: Pippin, Misty, Maxie, Spooky and Gaia. Pippin is my youngest and she is persona non grata with the older cats of late especially Misty. Her zeal doesn’t amuse them right now.
I look forward to more stories on Fleur, too. I hope Midnight is doing well.
That bottle of chilled rose standing by the gorgeous water melon salad looks so inviting – and it’s called Robin!
Fleur and Midnight – Too Cute! I really enjoyed reading it! In fact, I passed it along to a few of my friends!
What an adorable little lady. I am looking forward to the time when I can have a kitty again (schedule and several other things forbid it now). I have even chosen a name already: Hamish. I hope the poor kitty lives up to it!
By the way, sir, your leek-and-risotto dish in your cookbook was a huge hit with friends who have had to restructure their diets. Kudos to you!