Poor little Kat was unwell last night. Not sure why, but we think it's probably because she bolts her food sometimes, particularly the dry bits (we give her a wet/dry mix), and then has problems digesting the unchewed lumps - I know, because I had the delight of cleaning it off the carpet. Half an hour later, she was complaining she was staaaaaaaaaaaaaarving - but I didn't want to repeat the cycle. Aha! I thought. I have a book on cooking for cats (yes, yes, mock all you like). There's a recipe in there that would suit.

Sure enough, there was: the 'white mix' for upset tummies. 50g of boiled rice, one hardboiled egg, mashed together with a dessertspoon of cottage cheese and a dessertspoon of plain, live yoghurt. Kat loves cheese, I said to myself. And she goes crazy for yoghurt - she will, in fact, climb up onto my lap and try to pull the spoon with which I am eating right out of my hand. That'll be perfect.

You can already see where this is going, can't you?

We didn't have the last two ingredients, but I popped down to the shop to get them because I am a soft touch. I boiled the rice and the egg, mashed them together with the cottage cheese and yoghurt. Kat hung around my feet, clearly understanding that there was Something For Her in all this noise and smell. I put it in her bowl. Offered it to Kat.

Of course she wouldn't touch it. Wouldn't even go near it, in fact. She backed away and gave me a hurt, betrayed look every time I tried to persuade her to try it. "What is this pale, lumpy crap? Why are you trying to make me eat it? WHY DO YOU WANT TO POISON ME?"

I left it out for her, but she didn't go near it all evening, preferring to go hungry. Nor would she try just the cottage cheese, and even seemed to feel that a spoonful of yoghurt on its own had been tainted by association (at least for a while). Just before bedtime, I gave her a little bit of her normal wet food, which she kept down with no problems. Oh well. At least she's okay.

Next time, I'll try the chicken soup recipe. She'll love that, right?

Right...?