27/08/2026
When I was growing up at the foot of the Mendip Hills in Chew Valley, Somerset.
I was so lucky to be surrounded by the wonderful countryside.
I walked, tracked animals, helped injured ones and burried anything dead in the garden.
I loved animals, but my mum wouldn't let me have a pet.
Mum came from a life where work and paying bills came first. I suppose she thought id get bored and she would be left to look after them.
I did catch a female budgie, I named Jennie, that flew into the garden and we got a cage and then dad built an aviary out of the old chicken shed. She was never very friendly.
One summers night when I was 10/11 i was looking out of the bedroom window and saw one of the feral cats from the countryside.
She was a tabby.
I stole my dads sandwiches for his next days lunch, (corned beef) and threw bits to the cat.
She grabbed and ran.
I did it again but she didnt run as far.
Within an hour or so, she ended up letting me pet her and she was so affectionate.
Mum told me she wasnt allowed in the house.
2 days later I let her in the house and she never wanted to leave.
She was my best friend and her name was Puss.
She had kittens and I made sure 1 stayed. She was white and tabby.
My brother called her Rat and I didnt think I could change it.
I remember at 13 or 14, I had a huge fight with my dad. He had bad mental health after being made redundant and then losing his redundancy money after someone that he'd been a garentour for, disappeared with the car leaving dad to pay.
He gave mum a hard time and I hated that.
After the fight where my mum chased me with the poker, which i found very unjust, when i was defending her.
Anyway. It was time to run away.
I put my boots cassette player with my culture club tape in a plastic bag with my red cagoule, hopped on my Raleigh grifter and set off.
It was raining and so I went to a hollow tree I used to climb and sat there for hours.
I missed my cats so much I headed home and sat in the shed with them and all the monster spiders.
As it got dark my sister came and got me and all was ok.
Puss used to run to meet me whenever I got home.
They had to go out at night. So I hid them in the divan drawer under my bed so I could pet them as I slept.
They'd wake me at 2am to be let out of the window.
Puss died when I was living in Rhodes. My mum n dad didnt tell me for 3 months, when i asked after her. She was about 18.
Rat went not too long after. She had a tumour on her mouth. Pet insurance wasnt around then.
I didnt think I had any photos of them and yesterday I found one.
Its been lovely to remember them and I was always convinced Cleo Catra was really Puss coming back to me.
