D.O.P.-T.

A few weeks ago, the neighbours who have made a cat shelter in their backyard called us aside on walkies and told us something very disturbing: a ginger cat who they thought was Monty had appeared with his tail almost severed. They managed to catch the cat and had it amputated, and since the vet found no diseases, released him (and he ran off towards our yard). But Monty duly appeared that evening with an intact tail. Suddenly yesterday afternoon, when I went out to replenish the wet food dish, I was face-to-face with a startled ginger cat, who looked the spitting image of Monty; but when he turned, had only the thin stub of a tail, 2 to 3 inches long. So there is a doppelgänger. Maybe Monty's father, or from an earlier litter? Anyway, Mystery Cat ate avidly and Monty was back with Pru an hour or two later. Including his tail.