Cheese and Cracker may have been very similar in appearance, but in character they differed. Cheese was every inch her mother (Visitor Cat)’s daughter, lively, feisty and unpredictable, and carrying the same ‘three-strokes-and-then-I’ll-scratch-you’ gene; Cracker was sensitive, highly intelligent and observant.
Considering Cheese and Cracker were twins, they did not seem particularly strongly bonded, but maybe they had an unspoken bond, one that required no overtly demonstrative gestures. Or maybe they were two individuals, brought up together but now living their independent lives, passing occasionally like ships in the night.
That being said, there were certainly more than a few times when they arrived at the feeding station at exactly the same moment, but from opposite directions. But once there, Cheese was happy to jump up and join the throng whereas Cracker preferred her special box where she dined alone, unhurried, and unbothered by the others.
Cheese was happy in the middle of the throng on top of the feeding station, here with Dawn, Checkers and Dandy Grey. None of these cats were blood relatives of Cheese’s, but their stories were all intertwined, as with all members of the Garden Family.
This was where Cracker liked to eat – on top of her special box; she would jump up and wait for her bowl to arrive, eating slowly and methodically, undistracted by the others.
This is a rare photo of Cheese and Cracker together; Cheese was waiting for treats in what used to be The Cat’s special box, while her sister finished her meal.
Maybe Cheese was enjoying being close to Cracker, but maybe that was coincidental and she was just waiting for treats as many cats did in this box after their meals.
