Many welcomes to Boy! He sounds gorgeous.

Thank you, Jools - he is rather. Some early photos here and four following.

He is adorable Noreen!

Yes - I think the 'eye make-up' helps, as well as the curly whiskers. He's outrageously pretty for a male cat, in fact - but sadly Tilly and Rosie are not impressed...

I was out-smarted by my friends' basset hound last night.

We were playing 'tug' with a furry snake, and it seemed neither of us was likely to win. So I let go and pretended I wasn't interested in the snake any more. The hound loosened his grip and I snatched the snake! Ha! Victory is mine!

The dog lost interest in the game then and turned away, but a moment later, turned suddenly, grabbed the snake and ran off.

Smart dog! Unlike the one I once saw who caught a rabbit and laid it at its human's feet - but then the rabbit, who had only been playing dead, then made good its escape...

My saluki lurcher used to do that. He was the daftest dog I ever met, he had no brakes at all and was always crashing into things at very high speed. I miss him dreadfully.

Our lurcher, Worzel, has a defective braking system too. His steering isn't too hot either..... We can only stand still and cling together when he comes hurtling straight towards us at 30 miles an hour (seems like it anyway) and hope he can pass by safely. Playing chicken with us seems to be his favourite passtime. He has wonderful doggy sense of humour!

Earlier on this thread, i said that I would not be there if and when we had to have another cat put down.

It happened on Sunday afternoon. Loki was yowling, so Andrew went out to pick him up and carry him upstairs. When he put Loki on the floor, we discovered that his back legs didn't work. So he had to go to the vet's.

Andrew came home alone.

I was too upset to cook, it being my turn to cook Sunday dinner. So we had roast lamb yesterday evening instead.

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Carpe diem, carpe noctem, carpe pecuniam et exe, celerrime.
A certain edge when she spoke of Mrs Maynard, certainly, but, after all, not everyone could love Joey.
'Life,' said Marvin, 'don't talk to me about life!'

I'm so sorry, Jennie.

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"And I'm sure there was blood in the gutter from somebody's head, or else it was the sunset in a puddle."

How sad, Jennie - sympathies to you and to Andrew. Hail and farewell, Loki.

So sorry to hear that Jennie, RIP Loki (great name )

So sorry, Jennie. Losing a much loved pet is awful.

We found Simba dead this morning. Better than having him put down I suppose, which was looming as he was 18 and wobbly. I will miss my daft orange cat who couldn't purr properly but did a very good face rub.

So sorry to hear that, but better than having to make that decision. I'm sure he will be with you in spirit for a long time - the ones we have lost always seemed to be there just out of sight...

Oh, exile, how sad - but yes, spared the final trip to the vet. Hail and farewell, Simba, and hugs to your humans.

At least he went peacefully, but hugs for your loss x.

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We really must stop eating like this ...

Minds are like parachutes - they only function when open.

http://setinthepast.wordpress.com/

So sorry exile. Eighteen years is s long time to have a good friend around....

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Cestina's dolls houses - Laterne, Laterne...

So, so sorry Exile. A terrible loss no matter the age etc. Part of your life and family.

Thank you everyone. As a matter of detail, we'd only had him 6 years - which goes to show that adopting an older cat is a long term proposition. We buried Simba next to Sammy his brother.