Here at Glencoe B&B we love animals! We have a staff member who has been very vocal about having our monthly blog be all about him. I have finally given in. This month, you will get to meet Howard Kitt E Cat or, as he is known, ‘The Boss.’
Back in Brisbane, we were considering getting another cat after we lost Archie suddenly. We weren’t sure whether to get a pure breed or another rescue. The Cat Cuddle Café was run by a cat-rescue group to help fund the rescue…and I often went there for a coffee and to play with the cats. We saw Howard on their website, and it was love at first sight – so we went to see if he was the right cat for us to adopt. Needless to say, Howard came home with us. He only spent one day at the café before we adopted him. His background stated he was from a litter of a lady’s pet cat; the lady was homeless and living a car. The cat rescue took the litter and also desexed the lady’s cat free of charge so no more unwanted kittens. The rescue gives litters names from a theme. This litter was named after the characters in The Big Bang Theory. Howard got his name because he was the runt of the litter. He is still not a big cat even though the vet calls him fat – 6.5kg but he has a HUGE personality.
Howard has taken well to the country life; once a city cat but now a farm cat. Everyone always comments on how soft and clean his fur is. However, they haven’t seen him after going down a rabbit hole in the rain. You don’t know where the mud ends, and the cat starts. He loves climbing the trees or sleeping in the haystack. You may find him lying across the front step if its sunny. We call that the cat trap because you have to stop and pat him. At the moment, while it’s still cold, you’ll likely find him in front of the fire usually upside down so you can tickle his tummy.
Howard ‘The Boss’ has many jobs at Glencoe B&B near Cradle Mountain. He is very busy. First, his main job is concierge. He meets and greets our guests – if he is in the yard, he will come over and say hello. In the mornings he goes out before breakfast, does a walk around to check on everything and later he comes with me when I feed everyone to make sure everything is done. He will also come into the garden, but this is not always helpful as he likes to roll in the dirt when I’m trying to plant things. Howard does get his nose out of joint when Slim the dog comes, as Slim cramps his style. Slim follows him everywhere. He does boss Slim around and teases him through the fence though. Howard comes when he’s called and I think acts more like a dog a lot of the time. Howard does inspections on the rooms to ensure the cleaning is up to standard, but sometimes he forgets to wipe his paws. We had the bed incident in 2020. He was found in a guest room in the middle of the bed cleaning himself with a halo of red dirt around him. To this day I cannot get those sheets clean. We also had the couch scratching incident, so he isn’t suppose to go to the guest part of the house unless supervised. Of course, he sneaks down there, often found asleep on his favourite couch. He is very vocal and will tell you what he wants and when he’s not happy with things. He likes cuddles and wants you to go to bed with him so he can lay on you. Howard is very good at pest control. He is a good mouse, rat and rabbit catcher – unfortunately, he often brings them in alive. His record for one day is a mouse and 4 rabbits. He catches birds but he never hurts the birds; he just holds them in his mouth. If I don’t stop him before he comes into the house, I have birds flying around I have to catch and put them outside. But Howard is scared of the chickens and won’t go near them. Howard is the ultimate photo bomber – we had a wedding party stay at Glencoe and they took photos in the garden. Howard managed to get into most photos.
Howard is friendly and loves pats and getting brushed. He likes a pedicure to keep his nails in check and has the loudest purr that doesn’t stop. At night, he sleeps on me and he snores. He’ll only eat one type of biscuit and demands only the best gourmet food; fish only please. He forgets to wipe his paws when he comes in, likes chasing butterflies, sits in the herb garden…then blames the chickens for the damage, he’s a great mouser, refuses to use his litter tray and will demand to be let out no matter what the time, he tells us he works hard but can often be found asleep in the sun or somewhere comfortable, and probably should have been named Sheldon as he has his spots and makes you move if you’re in them. Howard has the ability to look at you with big eyes so you forgive him for everything but also has a look when he is displeased that makes you want to give him anything. He’s a very special boy!
You can meet him when you come and stay at Glencoe – we love animals, all kinds, big and small. You can even bring your own pet.
The Boss would like you to share this! (who is 
