Goodbye Piccolo

I said "Hello Piccolo" when I came round the corner to bring in the washing and saw him lying as he sometimes does, stretched out for a tickle from the approaching human housemate.

But he didn't respond: didn't flick his tail or ears or lift his head in greeting or roll over expectantly.

After a typical morning of purry chat, short visit to the garden, return for breakfast, snooze on Dad's bed till a midday snack, it seems an attempt to catch a bird may have been too much for his 13 years.

We are all sad at this sudden loss and the empty house. My parents especially.