I know this, Errant was a victim of their "Shoot anything that moves mentality"
Maybe I should gave been more specific in my post.
Errant was a stray cat I adopted. He was injured, limping, missing many teeth and part of his jaw, had a serious chest infection, fleas, worms and ear mites. Unable to hunt he was being chased from place to place by the resident cats, having to fight (often losing ) for any food left out. We think he had been scavenging bin bags. Known to be in the area for for three years he was gradually starving. Extremely nervous, it took nearly a year before he stopped hiding as soon as he saw me.
During the quiet of confinement he gradually came to trust me. Mr Slim was in UK at this time. So Errant was my only companion for some months. I protected him from the neighbours cat, who was larger and a lot fitter, with a water pistol, until she gave in and allowed him my garden as his territory.
It became clear from Errants behaviour that he had been a pet at some time in his past. Feral cats don't open doors or enjoy laps. Nor allow ear drops without protest.
When Mr Slim returned he accepted Errant and was very careful not to frighten him. Soon they were best friends.
Since Errant no longer needed to travel long distances or fight to find food he gained weight and condition. The infection required two courses of antibiotics. He stopped limping and was actually able to jump onto a chair or lap. Even to run a few steps. It was so rewarding. We watched him closely and celebrated every new achievement, almost as if he were a child growing up.
During the second confinement he came with us to UK, where we were trapped for seven months, living in a motorhome.
On returning to France, Errant was happy in his tiny territory. He had no need to roam and was nearly always beside one or other of us, wherever we were working. Loud and sudden noises didn't bother him. Drills, food processors, even the lawnmower.
However, he did need to maintain his territorial boundaries, to do this a cat walks round it usually twice a day leaving their scent in several different ways.
Errant used to walk along the outside of the front hedge on this side of the road and then come back inside the garden.
(Kiki also does this but on the other side of the road)
One day he came back limping, I thought he had been fighting. We took him to the vet two days later when his voice suddenly become a whisper. Antibiotics were ineffective. Back to the vet. This time an x-ray showed multiple pellets, one lodged right by his voicebox. The vet said it was too dangerous to operate and gave him more antibiotics.
Errant died of lead poisioning a month later.
Both MrSlim and I were heartbroken.
This was three years ago, but I still miss him.