Heart melting! Yet I would never choose to have cats. I respect what they are, but my main experience of them is they live their own lives and you are only in it if they have a use for you. My aunt's cat would snuggle on your lap for fuss and a sleep, then suddenly turn on you and claw you when she was ready to leave. My grandmother's Tom cat used to turn up now and again to have his fur unmatted, then be off prowling and fighting again. Then my parents took a stray in one time, who only ever came to us for excitement trips to the vet. As an adult I have encountered a few nice cats, but I think my part experiences have put me off them.

Here in Australia we get feral cats that you don't want to go near. They can get huge and are pretty solid built creatures. I once tried to rescue a kitten off the highway and got teeth sunk into me for my troubles. Feral cats also kill a lot of small native animals here so cats as a whole aren't always looked upon favourably and some people will kill ones that are roaming. For that reason I feel that owners should keep them on their property, for the cat's sake and for the wildlife's sake.