The above is my actual cat, Castiel, who in 2023 will turn 10 years old. He is also known as our ‘fuzzy wuzzy boo-boo, sometimes just fuzzy boo, and ‘oi cat!’

He is, for the most part, a good boy. He does not tend to cause us grief, or be destructive, and he is quite amiable to cuddles and being stroked. He is absolutely a mummy’s boy, and prefers my wife’s company over anyone else’s, though sometimes, he will sit on my lap, if no other option presents itself. Also, whoever has the softest, fluffiest blanket tends to be favoured. On other occasions (usually during the day), Castiel will remove himself from people completely, disappearing upstairs to sleep, and only reappearing around what he deems to be lunchtime. As a result, he is more affectionate in the evenings.

Sometimes, he will sit on the bookcase outside the bedrooms, and gently put his face into ours, or attempt to rub his face against ours. He is quite trusting too, as he will sit facing away from us, turning his back so to speak, not fearing an attack. Indeed, the very fact that he will fall asleep on any of us is a sign of deep trust.

Castiel is not a cat person, despite being a cat. He did briefly live with our old cat, Trinity (who is still sorely missed). Their relationship was very much a case of the old matriarch tolerating no crap from the youthful interloper, though occasionally, Trinity would give Castiel a bath. They were never buddies, but they tolerated each other, and sometimes sat together. Since Trinity’s passing, Castiel has never really appreciated other cats. He does not like them showing up near the house, and has sometimes come back into the house showing signs of scrapping (a few scratches here and there). Nor is he impressed by the foxes that sometimes lurk in the area, though to be fair, I don’t know any cat that likes foxes.

Overall, Castiel is quite chilled. He doesn’t have many sources of stress, aside from the urgent, desperate problem of an empty food bowl. I often say that Castiel’s favourite food is lots, because he does have an appetite on him! However, he can be picky from time to time, and will sometimes go off something he’s eaten for months.

In the end, Castiel’s a good cat. He’s a quiet cat, save for the odd occasion where, if he’s in the house during the night, he will mewl loudly to go out, often at stupid o’clock. During the summer, he is content to sit on top of the shed and sunbathe, and he is quite happy to stay out all night. He is quite loving, in his own way, and it’s hard to imagine the house without him.