When I was a child I remember we often had cats as pets. The only name I remember was Smudge. One of my awful memories was when my mother drowned a litter of kittens. I do not think it would be allowed today and is not something I was in favour of even then.

When my wife and I moved into our new home I was determined not have any pets in the house mainly for reasons of hygiene. However eventually, after suffering the drip drip drip of the Chinese Water Torture from my wife and children we ended up with two cats called Tiger and Tina followed later on by a stray we called blacky. Tiger lived a long time for a cat and I once purchased a picture of a cat from Smiths Stationers Shop situated on High Row, Darlington, Co Durham. The reason was the likeness. You would think Tiger had posed for it. 

Dogs came next, Toby, Topper then Coco. I am grateful for the dogs. Not only did they bring extra happiness into my life but also they helped keep me fit as it meant I was walking at least once a day, sometimes twice. Toby was a Jack Russell and Topper was a Heinz 57. My wife was persuaded to take her as another Jack Russell after Toby Died. With quite long legs I could see he was no Jack Russell but we kept him.

Coco was my last pet and she was the most clever of dogs. She had at least 15 different toys each with a different name including several balls e.g. Blue Ball, Spotty Ball and Tennis Ball, along with other toys like Raggy, Cracker, Bone, Blue Bone, Frisbee, etc.

She knew each one by name and would fetch it when you asked.

She gave and received lots of love. She died from Lung Cancer spreading to other parts of her body when she was 10 years old.

The vet said she had probably ingested some chemical from somewhere. I did not like any animal licking my mouth and had taught her to lick my nose as a kiss. I was very distraught when I had to get her put to sleep. Had I not done that she would have died a horrible choking death. Just before the vet administered the fatal injection  I knelt down and said to her "One last kiss"  and she licked my nose. Within the next minute or two she died peacefully in my arms.

She was cremated and I still have her ashes in a little decorated box in my display cabinet with flowers and photographs as a memorial around it.