Twinkle: 3rd April 2010

To my dear friend Twinkle - Twinkle came into my life around 10 years ago as a passing visitor, as a lot of cats do.

I already had two other cats: Cecil, a little tabby who belonged to the neighbours across the road who spent roughly 50/50 of his time between us and them, and Dizzy, my black and white British short hair that I found very poorly at the side of the road on my way home from work one afternoon. He soon became healthy, strong and a much-loved member of the family.

Gradually Twinkle began to spend more and more time with us and my wife eventually let me put a cat flap into the garden shed for her to sleep in. As winter came my wife softened and Twinkle was allowed in the house and our home became a full 3 cat family.

A little more than a year later we decided to move house after my son was born. It was decided to leave Cecil with the neighbours, as she had been knocked over by a car six months earlier and although she had now recovered we felt it would be better to leave her with them as the new house was near to a main road. We couldn’t be sure that a 17 year old little frail tabby would take to the upheaval of moving house.

 Twinkle and Dizzy soon took to the new house and its big garden that backed on to a lot more big gardens (Heaven).

She was always the boss and Dizzy would tread very carefully around her in order not to wake or disturb her. That said on a number of occasions having been chased around the room by her, Dizzy would turn the tables and give her as good as he got.

The years rolled by and both Twinkle and Dizzy grew to maybe not love each other, but at least get along and tolerate each other.

Twinkle was a people cat and loved human company. At any party or barbecue Twinkle would sit at or under the tables waiting for a tasty morsel, while Dizzy slept upstairs in his bed or on ours. She adored a good back rub or chin scratch but went wild, rabbit kicking and biting if I or any one ever tried to tickle her tummy.

In 10 years or so of knowing her she never suffered any ailment and the only injury was a sore leg from a jump that was a bit too ambitious.

Then on Friday the 2^nd of March I came home from work at 6.00pm. Twinkle was waiting in the front garden under the conifer trees as she often did and followed me in rubbing up against my leg and letting out the little mew that signalled ‘hello’ and ‘please feed me.’ As usual she ate all her food and most of Dizzy’s as well and then both of them settled down in the living room.

At about 9.00pm she jumped on to the chair and then straight off again crouching down in a strange position. I went over to her and stroked her and a few seconds later she got back up and carried on as normal, even going back into the kitchen to eat a little more food and some cat treats.

I went to bed around 10pm and as usual a few minutes later she hopped on to the end of bed as normal and we all drifted off to sleep.

I woke around 4.50am to get ready for work and as usual I turned my alarm clock off with a click of the button on top. Normally this would be followed by the thud of Twinkle’s paws as she jumped off the bed, and headed into the bath room, waiting while I had a wash and brushed my teeth. But this time the thud didn’t come.

I immediately felt as if something was wrong so I reached down to touch her and found  a cold lifeless body, she had gone.

My dear cat had passed away in the night but for all intents and purposes it looked as though she was still peacefully asleep.

So that’s how my dear friend left us,

As a lot of cat lovers have said it was a small comfort that she died peacefully in her sleep with no pain surrounded with the people in a place that she loved. I suppose I do take a little comfort from this.

She was buried in our garden, in which she spent most of her time.

I am honoured to say that Twinkle was one of the best friends I ever had, both human and animal, and in the coming years I will always remember her and I am sure that the good times will wash over the painful experience of her untimely passing.

To my dear friend Twinkle it has been an honour and privilege sharing my life with yours. Rest now and I will see you again, and of that I am sure.

Paul Robert Ferguson (Allerton-by-Water, West Yorkshire, UK)

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