Davenham: A Love Story: Henry

This is Henry.

His full title is:

Mr. Henry Davenham MGP (Most Gorgeous Puss) & First Ship's Cat.

Henry came to us through Barbara and Leni, saviours and protectors of numberless strays and feral felines and he is named in memory of Barbara's own gentlemanly and adorable Henry.

Mr Henry Davenham MGP has been with us for nearly two months. He IS "Us" now although I think he might see things a little differently - that WE are HIS, as in, "I have them right under my big furry paws". And those paws are BIG.

When I say "came to us" I mean that Henry arrived in our lives in the same manner that everything to do with Davenham seems to happen, with uncanny meant-to-be-ness, as a wonderful gift.

That we wanted to start a family had never been in question. Our hesitation was over the when. "It's not the right time", we would sigh, like hoping-to-be -parents, ever postponing the Zen Now until the advent of this hypothetical, ideal future.

But, just like children, happenstance delivers them to you, choosing the rightness, regardless. And, other than in the thermonuclear heat of argument, parents generally don't say they regret having had them.

Thus it was with Henry.

Life on the streets, it is clear from his torn ear and the scar across his nose, had been rough. (Henry and Chris - who has installed Davenham's beautiful portholes - struck up an instant rapport as, not a month before, Chris' cutting disc had kicked back and given him one too in almost exactly the same place). Any emotional scars we hope, will heal with Time and an abundance of Love.

The Most Gorgeous Puss commutes with us between his London and River residences but has been confined to quarters since his arrival in order for us all to learn each other. He is my first feline although I am certainly not his first human but the Captain is well versed in the ways of The Cat and is guiding me through the tricky semaphore of tail waving and the nuances of yowling.

He says, the Captain, that Henry is more eccentric than any puss he has known.

Bonkers. And SUCH a joy! He is playful, clever and demanding, with the appetite of a horse and a repertoire of vocals that leaves us in no doubt about his requirements.

Last weekend Mr Henry Davenham, MGP &First Ship's Cat, finally took up office and began the serious businesses of surveying his territory, carrying out a brief, but intense rat patrol and identifying the best locations in which to sun himself.

Some insubordination was noted: Pet Duty, although one of his priorities as stated in the job spec, was decidedly poorly carried out. In all the fun and excitement of liberation Mummy & Daddy (the Captain and I) did not receive sufficient affection nor the quantity & quality of trills and chirrups that our ranks demand. The MGP has been reprimanded. Things will have to improve.

It has also been explained to him that hunting trophies, half alive or unresuscitatably dead, are NOT to be brought home. Please. Or regurgitated a la Tintin who brought back a rigid rabbit and ate it, fur and all, only to disgorge it later. If possible. I do hope he has understood. Meaningful looks were exchanged although I suppose they may have meant very different things...