This is Smokey, alias "Mr Puss", "Big Guy", "Big Feller", or "Top Cat". And sometimes, "Mr Puss Puss Puss Puss Puss".

Born in either 1997 or 1998, he was about eight years old when he came to his new home in the ppring of 2006. He was quite a big cat, and looked as though his portrait belonged on the top of a box of chocolates. At first, he was extremely vocal, but quietened down later (except when "asking" for food, or when I'm about to go somewhere and I'm loading up the car). We think this might have been because he had to leave his original home and ended up in a cat shelter, which in all likelihood put him under a certain amount of stress.

Although he was quite "laid back" most of the time, he later discovered his "inner kitten" and got up to all kinds of mischief on occasion. That was probably something he picked up from the other cat of the house, Fliss.

He was taken ill in November 2012. Despite treatment he suffered a crisis just before Christmas, but seemed at first to be improving, only to relapse on Monday 13 January 2013. His recovery on that occasion was short-lived, and it became clear that the time had come to let him go.

Smokey died peacefully, aged 15 years, at 10am on Friday 18 January 2013.