Charlie Cat

Three years ago, almost to the day, Rhona, Harry and Nicki arrived with a tiny ginger and white kitten in their pockets – a present for me, apparently! They live in Warrington but have a home in Lefkara, here on Cyprus – and had found the little kitten in a restaurant, starving so “just knew” I’d give it a home………

The kitten was gorgeous: a tiny ginger and white bundle of attitude; an attitude deserving of a lion and strength far bigger than his paws. Naming him Charlie, he settled in quite happily with Tiffy cat, Molly dog and Alfie . Soon Charlie began to rule the household and even the arrival of the Jake monster, now 12 stones and aged 2, didn’t stop Charlie in his tracks. This is a cat in charge of his world – and Jake had to be put right. They have a few big fights but I’d put money on Charlie in many of them.

The deal I made with this feline nuisance was that I’d feed him, care for him, let him bring his friends home but I wasn’t going to get emotionally attached to him. I’ve survived too many broken hearts caused by loving animals and this little one just seemed an animal too far!

Course, I fell head over paws for him and his antics. Watching him fight everything from being poisoned accidentally by our neighbour and nearly dying, to fightlng Jake to cuddling Molly (his favourite being in the world), Charlie has crept into my heart – and those of our friends and family.

As I write, Charlie is fighting for his life in the vets, having been bitten by a very large and dangerous snake who dared to come into our garden. True to form, the cat went to protect his world but this horrible reptile was just too quick and too big – and Charlie is struggling to battle against the venom.

Being Charlie, when I found him hiding his wounded leg, he still managed to eat some fresh salmon and drink some cream before letting me lift him very gently into his cat basket and rush him to the vet. He is very, very poorly and we don’t know if he’ll fight this one but our love, thoughts and prayers are with him.

He’s a BIG cat, in every sense of the word: a very special and beautiful animal and our lives are richer for having him around……….I’ve no regrets letting him take over the household and I pray he’s back soon taking up his rightful place in this entirely disfunctional family.

Will let you know