Thank you to everyone who is supporting me; I am overwhelmed by your goodwill encouragement and practical assistance!

Just as I was waiting for my pension to arrive so I could buy more cat food and wondering how unsustainable my situation here is with caring for all these animals I find myself with support. This means the world to me and of course the animals (chiefly cats at the moment) that routinely come by for meals or are being fostered by me right now.

The current cast of characters includes what I have come to call my 'inner circle' of 3 cats - Chryssoula, Theo and Cleo. All 3 were found their way to me alone from I'm not sure where but they appeared on my doorstep and have made a home with me.

There is a large 'middle ring' of cats, frequently with their kittens that base themselves in and around my garden which rely on me for food and relative safety. Queenie, whose 3 kittens (now grown cats) from last year are amongst this group as well as 3 tabbies - one that has lost an eye, one with a damaged leg which I've called Skipper another that seems to have managed to stay in one piece. Then there's a multicoloured patched cat with her kittens - I think there's 3 of them altogether. Also regulars are 2 ginger males, one a mature cat the other not long out of kittenhood.

Then there are the interlopers... those that come by for a feed but tend to wander more widely and I don't necessarily see them everyday but as the bad weather sets in and the tourists leave they become more needy such as Myklepuss, Matthau (because he is a grumpy old man and scares the others).

And then there are those I am actively fostering. 2 beautiful white and ginger kittens from Queenie's litter this year that have become quite tame and attached despite the fact she raised them until they were weaned. They are about 3 months old I expect and have called them Bubble and Squeak; I am hoping to find them forever homes; they would make wonderful companions. Lastly there are 2 very young tabby kittens that someone abandoned at my home anonymously. They are between 4 and 6 weeks of age as estimated by the vet and have latched onto me as though their life depends on it - I guess it does.... I have no idea what their gender is but I am inclined to call them Edmund and Hillary because of their love of climbing... there is no way I can sit without them scaling my legs and getting up onto me...

Honestly I think I've lost count of the cats and kittens I am supporting but it's probably better that way. For now I know I need to go get another 20kg sack of cat food and some tinned food for those with less teeth and the younger ones to get some condition on them. I am so grateful that I can go do this knowing I am being backed up by people who care as I do about animals in need :-)