Our Best Friends?

Dear Simon,

When I was a child, we had a number of pets. I also remember with affection my aunt’s dogs. She always had spaniels and it is hard to picture her without one. Her dogs always welcomed us children, followed us around, wanting to play games or be taken for a walk.

When I married, there were the usual pleas for a pet from the children. Eventually, we gave way to these pleas and graduated from goldfish to a budgerigar, a rabbit, guinea pigs and, finally, a cat. They had their own personalities and became part of the family.

My brother and sister both have pets. My brother walks his dog round the local green spaces and talks to other dog owners he meets there; my sister has cats from the rescue centre. One of her cats sulked when she had to go into hospital for a few days (it felt it had been abandoned we assumed).

My son doesn’t have any pets. My daughter’s cat shadows her from 30 yards behind when she walks to the local shops. And when she’s finished, shadows her back home again. Sweet don’t you think? My daughter’s adult children have pets. My grandson has a playful sausage dog, and my granddaughter has two cats, one black, one white. I enclose a photo of me with the white Ragdoll cat. He seems to like me though as I’m not an animal lover nowadays, I’m blowed if I know why.