Brian is a Skiathos street cat. I don't like to call him our pet as there's definitely still more than a little bit of 'feral' in him. He is his own little independent being and we have been lucky enough for him to have chosen to live with us and look after him (on his terms of course).

It was 7 years ago now in town we noticed a scruffy old cat had given birth to a litter under a palette in the lane. I started leaving food out for the mum as she was feral I thought she could do with a little bit of help while dealing with them all.

I was well aware when we left that they would all have probably moved on by the time we returned the next year. And most of them had.

Come the next visit the two tabby brothers still seemed to be around and seemed inseparable there was also a female which the mother had during a litter the year before, we named her Nunch. Much like her mother she seemed to constantly be giving birth and always in our courtyard! As the twins were still there we named them after two of Jons mates Phil & Brian and left some food out for them and little Nunch and her kittens while we were there.

The first time we saw Brian & Phil with Mum.

We enjoyed their company and they were constant entertainment. Brian was always so sweet with Nunch's many litters and always got involved with the care taking of the new ones. And so the time to go came around again and we had no idea who would still be around when we returned.

The next visit rolled round and the courtyard was very much emptier. There was no sign of Nunch or her kittens but within 5 minutes of the cases going down there he was... Brian, looking at us as if to say 'that was a long stay that time, where have you been?' but no sign of Phil? He was on his own. We were spending more time in Skiathos that year so we got quite attached to him always being around, especially Jon as Brian would be involved in everything he did and became his shadow. Of course at this stage we were still very much 'well as long as he stays outside'. Oh how naive we were!

He always earned his keep with keeping away all of the 'horribles' as I call them as well as all the other cats as he slowly claimed the house, courtyard and surrounding area as his own.

Then after a couple of months of the three of us living in bliss I heard some crying first thing in the morning. I looked out of the bedroom window to see that a kitten had fallen off of the roof of the building in the adjoining lane onto a platform above a front door and was in the blazing sun crying. I dispatched Jon to rescue the little mite up a ladder and then we waited with the kitten in the lane for the mother to come back? We waited... and waited... and nothing despite all the cries. Jon and Brian both looked at me with a stern 'NO' expression so I contacted the wonderful Skiathos Cat Welfare Association to alert them that I had a kitten in need. I was told that they had an outbreak of cat flu at that time so it would be very unwise to expose such a small cat to all of the others so could we look after it for a bit? And so the family was formed...

We all fell in love with the idiot as we first called her. Now know as Gizmo.

This is the time that Brian really came into his own. He turned into the most loving cat parent to her. It was unbelievable, we think she was only about 4 weeks old so we made sure we fed and cared for her but Brain taught her all the cat 'stuff' and babysat her on numerous occasions when she ventured outside.

They became extremely close ending up with Brian being allowed in the house to sleep with her (roll of eyes!) but then covid came and we were all locked in! I don't know how we would have managed without them. Having the distraction of animals to look after and the entertainment they give you is priceless. Brian especially, he is such a 'gent' and constantly talks to you and wants cuddles and makes everyone that meets him fall in love with him.

My little Greek family portrait

Now at 7 years old we have all made a move to the country. We had to take him of course but we were so worried he might try to return to the town but we had to try to keep the little family together. Luckily it was freezing when we arrived so they had no interest in going out for a while and we are all now settled and Brian and Gizmo now have all the space in the world, lots of things to 'kill', a cat flap to come and go as they please and as many tickles as they can cope with!

Brian played the long game with us, always being there, slowly gaining trust, helping us with the transition of being here and adopting Gizmo. He still prefers to spend most of his time outside sometimes not coming in for weeks but I hear the cat flap go at night as he comes in and checks on us all as he patrols around.

Brian Facts:

Age: 7 (2023)

Weight: Mind your own (chunky)

Paws: Massive.

Family: Annoying other female cat (Gizmo), one human (Mum) that cooks and one human (Dad) that tickles.

Jobs: Protector of all, land owner and caretaker, hunter of all that moves, security guard for dads pub, and apparently the most handsome boy in the world!

Likes: Chicken, Tickles & belly rubs.

Hates: Crowds, no one being at home.