I can hardly believe I am writing this.
10 years ago, our cat had a litter of 2 kittens and I watched the first one being born. We called him Casper and he turned into the biggest most loving black and white moggy you could wish to meet. He adored Trev and would do tricks for him. We moved house 3 times and he always settled really quickly. Wasn't at all fazed when we got Muffin ( a little male cat ) and even put up with the dogs coming along.
He was never too impressed with Josie as he found her a bit too over enthusiastic.
His mum (Jingles) has always suffered with exzema so when Casper had sore ears, we assumed it was exzema too and treated him with the same creams.
Next time we took him to the vet, it turned out he had skin cancer on both ears (the tips of his ears were white) and he had to have them amputated.
After that we called him Fearless Earless cos he looked so strange with his funny little ears, but it didn't change his personality one bit.
Magpies, pigeons, even seagulls were never safe in our garden!
He put his mind to being the best mouse catcher in the area, and boy did he live up to that as well.
This morning, Trev was in the back garden dealing with a bird one of the cats had left on the back doorstep, and Dominic was getting ready for school. Trev called me - and there was Casper, dead on the grass.
It turned out he had jumped up onto the fence (like he always did and then he would make his way to the back door along the fence so the dogs couldn't annoy him - and have his breakfast) when he fell backwards, yowled once and was still. Trev thought he had hurt his back or something - but he was dead.
We think it must have been a heart attack or similar - so quick and painless for him but a real shock for us. Josie just went over and stood by him (she would normally jump on him trying to get him to play with her) and she obviously knew he was never going to play with her again.
We have taken him to the vet because there is no way we could bury him here - and they are going to cremate him for us.
I can't believe he has gone - luckily Dominic got off to school without realising what had happened, so we will tell him when he gets home.
My eyes are leaking as I type this - we have called and called Jingles (his mum) to come for breakfast and she has not appeared yet. Not sure if that means something has also happened to her or if she knows and is staying away.
Run free at the bridge my little Casper cat - Scruffy and Meg will be so pleased to see you, not to mention my mum (you were always her favourite of our 3 cats cos you were such a character!)
