Hog Heaven

I've been aware for a while that someone other than my cats has been helping themselves to the cat food. I put it down to interloper cat, who is back after a long absence. Sometimes, it sounds like an animal eating as quickly as possible, and  I've gone out to see a black and white rear disappearing down the garden. Once, while Greebo was sitting on the patio step with his back to the door and had completely missed that the interloper cat had gone in and back out again!

At other times, though, it sounds more delicate. And both cats have been with me, and apparently not inclined to go see off an interloper.
The other evening, I heard the delicate rattle and crunch of cat biscuits being eaten, so went through to the utility room to see who was responsible ....

I've known there was at least one hedgehog around here since I moved in. The cats found poop in the back garden, and I've seen some in the front (it's a long way round via the park if you're a hedgehog and can't just stroll through the house, also assuming the fencing allows a way through, so probably at least one hedgehog). I've occasionally heard some snuffling and rustling. Now this one seems to have become so used to trundling into the utility room and back out again that noises in the house don't cause a rapid exit, nor do the bemused cats watching as their food is being eaten (I wish I'd been quick enough to get a photo of them too, the expressions on their faces!). Not even me, standing and watching. Satisfied, s/he (no idea which sex it is) bimbled out again, round bottom bobbing along as s/he carried on down the garden path and under the lilac tree.

So - meet Bimblebum, (good name, I think) who is now popping in every evening to raid the cats' bowls and any spilled bird food. Yes, I know I've named a wild animal for the second time in as many months. It's just a distinction for this hog here, as opposed to any others (although if two were to turn up for food, I probably wouldn't be able to tell them apart). Yes, I know, soft as butter, letting them all eat me out of house and home.

My first concern was whether the cat biscuits were okay for hedgehogs. Bimblebum seemed to be enjoying them very much and rejected the dish of soft food when I offered it, turning back to the biscuits. Luckily, I have a friend who established the Pembrokeshire Hogspital (also on Facebook). She reassured me the biscuits would be good for the teeth and suggested it might be a female feeding babies. If that's the case, the most likely location for a nest would be under the pile of privet prunings by the back fence - handily close to compost bins and heaps with their larder of slugs and snails, and there's a little path of well-flattened grass leading underneath. Alternatively, the shed, which I seldom go into because it's such a struggle with the door half off its hinges, but that gives any nesting hedgehogs, or birds, access.

A couple of nights ago, there was much rustling and snuffling, as Bimblebum went the length of the garden, down the hedgeline and up through the rough grass, then slalomed back via the evening primroses before dashing over the bare ground to the lilac. There was a lot of eating going on, and a surprising turn of speed when bimbling is too slow. I've been concentrating on the front garden, so the back has escaped from me (again), but it seems like it's hog heaven here.

Hopefully s/he's not taken up residence in the house!