Summer 2024 was an absolute triumph for the spreadsheet. Over these two months, the mission brought in an incredibly strong 36 cats, thanks to some clever new strategies, a trip to see some literal giants, and a highly lucrative event in Surrey.
June 2024: The Gentle Giants
June started off with a lovely local encounter at the lovely Tessier Gardens in Torquay, where a very accommodating tabby kitty decided to grace me with its presence.
We also visited a breeder (not because we intended to, we bought something on Facebook) and had the absolute privilege of meeting 7 Maine Coons. If you’ve never met a Maine Coon, they are essentially miniature lions masquerading as house pets. Getting to pet seven of these majestic, fluffy giants in one go was a massive highlight – both for the sheer volume of fur and the excellent bump to the stats.
July 2024: The Cat Show Cheat Code
If cat cafes are a cheat code for this mission, then a cat show is an outright hack. July unlocked a brand-new strategy: attending the Esher Cat Show.
Walking into a room filled with show cats is a number-cruncher’s dream. I managed to log a staggering 25 cats (24 plus at teh show plus 1 extra special encounter randomly in the street) in a single day. These were professional, prize-winning felines, meaning the quality of the petting was just as high as the quantity.
To round out this wildly successful month, I caught up with my old friends – my brother-in-law’s cats – who are quickly becoming regulars on the blog and managed to pet another 2 of their fluffy friends. Finally, I had a fantastic neighborhood encounter at with a wonderfully fat black kitty. A chunky neighborhood cat is always a top-tier find.
The Tally So Far:
- Previous Total: 150
- June 2024: 8 cats
- July 2024: 28 cats
- New Total: 186 / 1,000
We are closing in fast on 200!