My favourite (of many cats over the years) has just died recently. Gutted! 18 years old and was still living life to the full until the last day. Arrived unannounced one day as a tiny feral kitten, bold as brass and continued on that way- into everything. Had a really strong bond with that one.
Funny how you really bond with a few cats. One was 'Tumtum'. She arrived as a feral kitten and was a feisty aggressive cat whom I could not even pick up without her trying to scratch and bite. Once I coaxed her in to the house, she didn't leave the confines of the house for 6 months even though she was free to come and go.
Once I gained her trust, she was a star. She would wait for me to come home after work.
Sadly died prematurely.
Jack adopted us aged approx. 3. I knew his owner. She took in 2 kittens and Jack was having none of it. I once watched him attack them when they were following him. He was extra feisty and very aggressive. Hated dogs. He came in one day with tooth marks on his head and blood all over him. I rushed him to the vet and the vet stitched him up. Vet said that as dogs shake their prey, Jack was lucky not to have a broken neck. After that, he would chase dogs. I didn't really take to Jack at first. Just felt like he needed a home.
Once I got him out of the town and out here in the sticks, he became the most laid back, soft soul one could imagine. I think taking him out of that urban environment with it's saturation of dogs and cats in my locale made the massive difference.
Just shows you how environment shapes an animal.
Jack used to follow me everywhere in the garden. No matter what I was doing, he wanted to watch. All through lockdown and the car restoration, he would come to me and I would make him a makeshift bed. Even when hammering and grinding and god knows what, he wouldn't budge. Bold as brass. Absolutely fearless. I will miss him eternally.