Presumably an unneutered tom, which would account for the smell.  And hadn’t Daphne said something about the old doctor only being interested in young people and babies and the general burgeoning of life?  So he might well be against any interfering with Nature…

From the fabulous Barabara Pym’s work   A Few Green Leaves.  She is an author who is currently being rediscovered (her books have been republished and released on kindle).  Some great articles about her include:

https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/a-nice-hobby-like-knitting-barbara-pym

and

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/23/books/review/pride-and-perseverance.html

There is also a Barbara Pym Society that meets twice a year, once in London and once in North America, keeping her work alive.  I am really enjoying working my way through her catalog of work!