As expected, the depths of the British winter proved to be a formidable adversary for the mission. With the temperatures dropping and the weather turning miserable, the local feline population made the entirely sensible decision to stay indoors by their radiators.
The Great Winter Drought (December & January)
For two consecutive months – December 2024 and January 2025 – the tracker registered an absolute zero. Not a single cat was petted. It was the longest dry spell in the history of the mission, a stark reminder that this grand endeavour requires patience and a willingness to brave the elements (or, more accurately, wait for the cats to stop hiding from the rain).
It was still an eventful time though as we decided to retire Sparkles from kittens duties and her her spayed. Unfortunately though she got an infection and had to be rushed to the emergency vets. Expensive! But she’s worth it. Check out her fabulous body suit.
February 2025: Breaking the Curse and Hitting 300!
Thankfully, February arrived to break the curse. Realising that relying on chance encounters in the freezing cold was a terrible strategy, I reverted to the classics: pubs and cafés.
First, I headed back to Bristol for another visit to the legendary cat pub, the Bag of Nails. Having a good pint with a couple of resident bar cats was exactly what was needed to get the numbers moving again. Two new cats successfully logged!
To properly smash through the winter slump, I then made a return trip to the capital. The Java Whiskers Kitten Lounge in Marylebone, London delivered an incredible 8 kittens to the tally. Surrounding yourself with kittens is the ultimate antidote to the winter blues and a highly efficient way to hit a major milestone.
The Tally So Far:
- Previous Total: 294
- Dec 2024 & Jan 2025: 0 cats
- February 2025: 10 cats
- New Total: 304 / 1,000
We have officially crossed the 300-cat milestone! With nearly 30% of the journey complete, the spring thaw cannot come soon enough.