Cleo Hosker

Cleo:
Cleo was taken in to my home as a stray: One day my dad went in to the kitchen and caught her eating from my other cats bowl.... We had the door open as it was a warm evening. We'd never seen her around before, she had beautiful markings, black, white and ginger, and she had a pure white fluffy chest (we called it her bib) and white paws (we called them her socks) you could tell a mile off she was pregnant! but as soon as we walked in she ran off out of the house. We thought that was it until days later we were in the living room and she popped up on the window ledge! She used to do the ballerina leg (stretch her back leg out like a ballerina) we let her in and kept feeding her as she was pregnant. and from that day on she never left us!... For years, we used to call her "Mother cat" as she just kept having kittens and we didnt have an official name for her!.... She used to go round to my nan's house too every thursday for chicken... she was a clever cat she knew when shoppiing day was!... nana decided to call her cleo and so did we!... She didn't take to my dad at the start, but over the years she became a real daddy's girl. Around 8pm every night she would wake up, run down stairs, and sit infront of the door... she knew this was the time daddy came home from work! As soon as he walked in she'd meow, and when he sat down she'd jump on him and cuddle up to him n fall asleep!! She was such a lovable cat! she posed for all my pictures, smiled, and looked amazingly cute!... As she got older, she became weak, and whenever she coughed, she'd collapse and have trouble breathing, I'd calm her down by stroking her then she'd be fine! The morning of 13th November 07 was the worst day ever! Cleo was laying at the stop of the stairs (she normally sleeps with me on my bed but this evening the bedroom door was shut as we slept so she slept on the landing).... i called her and normally she would move, but not a flinch!.... i dreaded touching her, fearing the worst, and she was cold! My dad cuddled her for ages its the 1st time i saw him cry ever! she was a real spoilt daddys girl! When he handed her to me for one last hold i couldn't let go! I couldn't bare the thought of her being buried outside in the cold! So that morning i held her in a nice warm blanket and cuddled her in the car... i paid to get her cremated and to have her ashes back in a nice pine urn with her name carved on a gold plate on top! She now lays on the fireplace in the living room with her family in her home where she belongs! We never forget her we always say hello to her when we come in... especially dad! We have her collar placed on top and still have her bowls and mats! I know some people may say its just a pet, but she was part of my family and has been for 14 years.... she will always be a part of us, and i love her so much - im glad i took pictures of her, so i can always look back at her!!!!.... christmas this year will be weird, she used to have a xmas treat to some nice warm chicken when we sat down for lunch! ut at least she will still be there with us rather than outside under the ground!! ..... mISS yOU baBy R.I.P LoVe fRoM YoUr fAmIlY AnD SuTtY XxX