My Gang of Thieves.

Rainclouds over Exmoor.

Yep, it's still raining. The wood across the road worked and even though we had 20mm of rain in the night the drive is still intact. They have been putting out weather warnings again on the radio saying we may get a month's worth of rain in the next 2 days. Radio4 announced the other day that we've had the gloomiest August since weather records began.

Let me introduce you to my gang of thieves.

They like boxes.

This is Birthday, the boss cat. About 4 years ago he left home to live in the fields and is away for weeks at a time. He is definitely not staying with any of the neighbours but comes home in excellent condition with rabbit shaped bulges. When he does come home he is the cuddliest of cats and likes to lie upside down in your lap or draped across your shoulder whilst purring very loudly.

Smudge is at the bottom of the pecking order but is very clever at opening cupboards to steal food. He was even able to open the last fridge we had.

These are the 'kittens', and yes Patch is twice the size of his sister Elwen. This is partly because he is a greedy guzzler but also their mother is a very tiny cat. Elwen looks sweet and gorgeous but swears mightily at the other cats and woe betide any dog that enters the house. She soon shows them who is boss.

The ginger cat is Squeeky aka Mrs Wrong Side of the Door, because that's where she always is. and yes, she does squeek, constantly.

And why are they featuring today? They've always been ready to steal any food left out but I thought I knew what my cats liked to eat, (Patch is very fond of cucumber and mushrooms and will steal them from the deepest cupboards) , but this morning I was flabbergasted. I left my bowl of cereal on the counter, without milk, and went out of the kitchen for a few moments. When I returned 2 guilty faces looked at me from the food counter, a forbidden place, and when I looked they had eaten most of the sultanas off my dry oats. How odd. Their normal food is dry cat food, which is pretty cheap when bought in bulk, and lots of the local rodents. That's what I say to Pete when he comments on the number of cats in the house.