I know, Ron. That's what makes me feel even worse about it really. He (rather than she in this case, incidentally) obviously now regards me as a Great King Cat who has to be given offerings. I've a horrible feeling it will now be the first of many.

My daughter, who seems to know about these things, tells me that it's no good trying to train a cat by getting cross with it for delivering mice. They immediately think that you are cross because it isn't a large enough gift and so go off to find you something bigger. This can soon escalate until they end up dragging small badgers in if you are not careful.

Instead you apparently have to thank them graciously in the sort of way a dominant cat would if it wished to indicate that it was grateful but that was enough for now, thanks. So that's what I tried to do though I must say it took me to the limit of my mime skills. (I'm just beginning to wonder if she was having me on actually and this belongs to the gullibility thread along with the chicken soup layer in apple pie.) 

Perhaps in the morning a cat person here might be able to offer advice on how to nip this in the bud.     

No, no, tinners. Clean as a whistle. I think you will find that in the wacky world that is the R3Ok message board, all these elements have a logical and justified place in the narrative.   No 'funny custard' was involved on this occasion.

I heard once that what cats are doing when they bring in mice and other furry or feathered friends is trying to help out with the food stocks. They want to be helpful, and since they can't nip down to Tescos for a pint of milk and a pork pie (er, for example), they hunt, gather and deliver. So they're expecting to be thanked. Perhaps the solution is to make sure there's TONS of food in the house all the time. 

Maybe you just provided for the house so well that they didn't feel the need to bring more food in, Mary.

Gosh, thank you for your advice both cat and dog people.

I'd love to meet cuddly Dudley, Milly, but I wasn't really thinking of that sort of solution to the Next Door Cat question . I'm quite fond of him really, and I know it is what cats do, I just wish he hadn't added me to his murderous present distribution list. I've run up little "Not In My Name, Thank You" placards at cats' eye level for the front and back doors and will see if that works.

Do you know, martle, I wonder if that is the answer. He does come in and take up residence from time to time but, despite mewing entreaties for food that would melt anyone's heart, I always refuse because that's what his owners told me to do (well, nearly always refuse, but please don't tell anyone that). Maybe it is a sarcastic complaint about the lack of room service?

Oh, mouse update. It had vanished this morning from where I left it last night. I suppose that means it either recovered and left, in which case I'm glad I didn't put it out of its misery, or it was found again and...I don't think I'll think about that.

None of my cats have ever dragged in any gruesome tokens of appreciation. They only ever bring in leaves, which they then proceed to chase, wrestle to the ground and then shred to bits. Of course there was the time that Bagel attempted to drag a whole trout through the cat flap. Width wise. Trout too big to pass through cat flap, cat gets stuck and swears appallingly. I strongly suspect that said fish was for his personal consumption and not destined for my plate!  I imagine there were howls of outrage from a kitchen nearby when the deed was discovered

George, actually Cuddly Dudley Dude would probably be no use at all as he was brought up with a cat and as a result doesn't chase them.  He can't understand why all the others don't want to play.

That same cat - Levi - was the one I went to feed every day when they were on holiday and bizarrely at the age of 15 having never brought anything into his owners, he brought me a starling on my second visit.  Me a bird lover too!!!!
 

I like other people's cats although I don't go out of my way to stroke them, I usually find they end up asleep on my lap when I go to visit.  I'd never have one myself, nor encourage one in my garden.  A lady came round the other Sunday with a flier - she'd lost "Angel".  Well that "Angel" was an absolute "Devil" and I'm quite relieved that he's not around here any more.  She was absolutely distraught though, so I promised I'd search everywhere.  I even looked in the little space behind the summerhouse - but no luck.  Sad but there it is.

I discovered that Levi loved fresh chopped shrimps and fresh cream mixed with his milk.  I gave him lots of treats and whenever he sees me now he makes a beeline for me and purrs more loudly than I've ever heard a cat purr before.  He dashes up to my car when I arrive and the family are quite bemused.  I daren't tell them why because I'll end up with him as well as Cuddly Dudley if I'm not careful.