Sammy survived until the ripe old age of sixteen cossetted and loved by Auntie Annie and my parents who retired and replaced Auntie Annie in her life as stay at home pets. I on the other hand was embarking into a dark period in my life and this naturally rubbed off on the animals which I loved during this time.

As soon as I moved into share accommodation my desire for an animal again became strong. I eventually succumbed and into my life came Big Cat and Little Cat; so named simply because I couldn’t come up with a name. They were 8 week old grey tabby kittens that were likely to meet an untimely demise if I hadn’t agreed to take them. Cats, I thought, were okay with shift work as they cared less about their people than their surroundings. That would have been fine had their surroundings been cat friendly.

Little cat disappeared first. To this day I hope that she just decided someone else’s home was a better bet than my derelict digs. Although saddened by her departure I didn’t see her as gone. Big Cat I did see go – under a car on the main road on my 21st birthday. There were no celebrations or parties for me that day just pure abject misery. I grieved for that kitten as though she had long  been in my life.

I refused to have another animal until I felt my life was stable. How wrong was I when I thought that time the time of settling had come?