Meet Bellatrix

Meet Bellatrix, a gorgeous Tortoiseshell, owned by Sam.

CAPRICORN CAT

Long legs and a bony back, ice-cool blue eyes and a foxy face, are the hallmarks of your Capricorn cat. Her parentage is a blur but probably included at least one aristo pedigree and her fur is often long and very dark grey. 

At first glance, she strikes people as a bit aloof. But anyone who knows her well will agree that this cat has a dry sense of humour. And she is very smart indeed - not in a show-off, tricksy, fetching-toys kind of way. She's canny and cunning and can solve plenty of problems, like how to escape from anywhere you may have temporarily confined her. 

She's often the kind of cat who prefers travelling on your knee or on the back seat of a car, rather than being in a box or basket she can't see out of - and luckily, she doesn't panic easily. Quiet and cautious, she usually sidesteps danger and takes evasive action early on.

Hers is the sign for a long life - a sign of how tenacious this cat is - but her owner will have to guard against teeth problems. Hard biscuits to clean the tartar off her teeth are a must, particularly as she is rather a lazy eater and prefers sloppy food to crunchy and could fall prey to gum disease in middle age.

Self-reliant, self-controlled, she has more than a measure of self-interest. But that adds to her independent charm. She makes it clear that she stays in a household because she likes its residents, not because she needs them. She does have a pompous streak, and teasing is a definite no-no. But she is, deep-down, highly affectionate. Not inherently playful, she needs companions to draw her out of herself and keep her amused if she is not to grow old mentally.

A sure-footed climber, who adores any kind of high ledge - check she doesn't follow you next time you inspect the loft - she may look quiet. But that's just because she's thinking.