The Gentle Giant

There is already a very special bond between Pip and our cat, Flokati. It started early in the pregnancy when Flokati first discovered my bump. I thought he simply enjoyed the fact that there was a "built-in pillow" for him when he lay on my lap. Now, I believe I was wrong. He always positions himself in such a way that he can have his head on my bump and purrs. As soon as the purring starts the kicking stops. Flokati will squeeze himself into the smallest spaces to be close to my bump and I often wake up with him lying on top of me purring like mad. This isn't very comfortable as he is a very big cat (and, to be honest, rather fat).

However, this isn't the first time he has displayed his love for babies. Before he came to us he belonged to our neighbours in Switzerland. Alexandra and Roel had a lovely baby daughter called Tiziana and Flokati was her babysitter. The tiniest noise from the baby and he would go running to her and just sit next to her purring. Sadly, Tiziana was allergic to him and developed terrible eczema. As I had fallen in love with him the first time I saw him, he came to us on the 17. Mai two years ago. Coincidence? The 17. Mai is our due date!

I've told Joe to record Flokati's purring so that we can calm the baby down once she's born. I'm very sure that she will remember that sound and, hopefully, it will send her off to sleep.