We met when he was living rough — address ‘No Fixed Abode’
His hunting grounds the gardens of a shabby city road.
Hungry and unwanted, always desperate for a meal,
No food around except what he could catch or scrounge or steal.
He slept inside a plastic bowl on someone’s garage roof,
All right when it was sunny, but it wasn’t weatherproof,
So when it rained he had to look for shelter where he could,
Perhaps inside a doorway or beneath a pile of wood.
A street-wise cat — he had to be in order to survive.
He needed all his cunning just to keep himself alive.
He’d had a home at one time, now no longer wanted there,
His treatment by the human race had not been very fair.
I wondered if he’d come to me, he might not be too sure.
I called to him, he looked at me, then washed a grubby paw
Considering his options, so I gave another call,
A final lick, decision made, he jumped across the wall.
I picked him up then (fleas and all!) and stroked his tabby fur.
I think he knew his luck had changed — he soon began to purr.
I promised him a future free from hunger and from strife.
I gave him food I’d brought for him — and made a friend for life!
And so he left his city street and travelled home with me
To sample country living and a change of scenery.
Now he lives the life of Riley, thinks he’s boss of all around;
No longer of ‘No Fixed Abode’, but living now ‘All Found’.
Daphne Lanham
This beautiful poem and painting are from the book Cats And Doggerel by S.O.F.A. member Daphne Lanham. Daphne has generously donated copies of her lovely book to the SOFA fundraising campaign.
Why are we fundraising?
We want to raise funds for a 2019 London show in a gallery in Central London next year.
As you know our wonderful gallery closed this year when the owners took their well earned retirement. So for the first time in 22 years we haven’t had our annual London show. We love having the work of our members up on the walls with a gallery full of cat lovers come to enjoy the show. So we are raising funds for a show next year.
How it works
Our members have donated some lovely feline fine art to the cause. All of these are selling for less than their normal price, so you get a bargain, and all the proceeds go to the exhibition fund. Find them in our fundraising gallery.
Society Of Feline Artists 