Pushing your luck I think Mrs! But if the tadpoles are happy. Why not get rid of the cat and your problems are over?

Yes I really think we ought to keep to discussing green buildings for tadpoles rather than their food. If the correct built environment is created for them, they will be able to feed themselves and the cat won't be able to reach them. Dragonfly larvae and great diving beetles eat tadpoles.

http://www.itsnoteasybeinggreen.org/forum/ may be the forum for you, ludite.

I rather suspected the tadpoles of cannibalism - hence the lettuce. I hoped they might only be victims of more usual predation (newts) if I fed them so they didn't need to turn on one another.

The cat has no interest in the tadpoles for the moment because he's too busy slaughtering bunnies. He's so snuggly on the sofa you would have no idea he was a murderer.

Thanks biffvernon. I have attempted to join the other forum and have to wait 24 hrs for the confirmation

Update. Most of the tadpoles appear to have turned into tiny froglets - there's not such a massive piranha swarm round the Whiskas any more. Strange how the froglets are so much smaller than the tadpoles, I'm not sure how I can expect them to eat the snails when the snails are so much bigger. Presumably now they are mobile out of water my job's done?

The cat is in hospital for tests. He's tested negative for diabetes. He's having his teeth descaled. He killed a pigeon last week so he can't be that unwell but I wish I knew how he'd managed to eat his head off and still lose a third of his body weight in a year (18 lbs to 12 lbs).

they were flakes - only because i had them

They were trying to get a urine sample out of him - don't know whether he cooperated or not.

Yes, I know. Our problem is that he's a rescue cat so we can't 'gauge' how much longer we should expect him to be 'good' for. A girlfriend has a former cat of mine whose birth date I know (pedigree Persian) and Glasnost was 20 in May!

Perestroika was 13 /14 when he died. (Same breeder, different litter). So we've been thinking Glasnost has been on borrowed time since.

Never easy. My cousin went to bits when she had her old hunter put down last year. She’d turned into an old woman over night (Lab pulled her over chasing a pheasant, broke her hip, rampant osteoporosis diagnosed, no longer able to manage stairs, decision made to sell up ‘equestrian property’ while the going was still reasonably good / still had the energy to clear the loft and move to a bungalow on a bus route ... ) Captain Oates was 28 and she’d had him since he was 6. Completion day looming and every day she’d hobble out to the paddock and every day he’d be there wanting his nose bag ... I’m sure there are many who would be grateful for a knock on the head, in a field with the sun on your back, the dew still wet on the grass and the birds singing.

At the moment I'm kicking myself that I've had my healthy (but thin) cat carved up. He's just recovering from surgery to discover what the lumps are in his abdomen. Turns out his kidneys are congenitally fused. I think I shall just have to pay attention to what rubbish I'm feeding him as it's clearly not acceptable – he has a right to be picky. (Hubby being cynical is saying that vets aren't fluffy at all - they're out to make money like everybody else).

I'm also kicking myself why, when I'm so discerning about my dinners, I've never paid much attention to the crap I'm feeding the cat. The amount of packaging for one thing is horrendous. He always gets his jollop if we happen ever to be eating fish or meat but I can see I need to do better or has anyone ever tried to make an obligate carnivore vegetarian?

Moses killed a pigeon last week and he used to be an inveterate bunny murderer – my thought is, is there a readily accessible source of vermin to be had (pre-killed but edible and not too nasty for the squeamish)? I know I could do the cod cheeks and offal route but everyone is supposed to be clamouring for tripe and pigs trotters these days so it would be a waste on a cat.

Moses came pre-named (as a rescue) and Captain Oates had nothing to do with me. Great huge horse, massive heart and personality. He had a try out for the police but they rejected him because he was too soft - couldn't be made to tromp on people.

My dad's habit. We also had a Staffy called Scud (which was a terrific name for that dog - fizzled out youngish) and would you like to guess when we acquired Tet?

Exactly. I do the same with equipment round the office. We're getting a new photocopier tomorrow which I am naming Hamilton. Tiger and Venus are still in use. Linford and Damon are hopefully still doing duty in Africa (recycled via ComputerAid).

My grand mother always wanted a grandaughter called Penelope - my dad refused, but thought calling the dog Penny was a good compromise

When Penny passed away, her replacement was tu'pence.

Moses reclining ...

That the cat that s'posed to be ill???

Looks in fine form to me!! Love marmalade cats!! hope he's recovering. would love to post pics of ours, but first, I don't know how, and second, even though you have got this in the right CATegory, (and I do love a good chat) why are we talking about cats on a building forum??

Luv ya anyway mrswhitecat. . . . . . .

p.s. should I post a disclaimer?

If he lives to 28 I'll call him Methusaleh.

Update : Whiskas now turned into grass snake. I was wondering where all the froglets had got to and now I know!