Charlie (left) and Brian loved to cuddle up together

CHARLTON (Charlie for short)

Charlie was brought into the vets in my first job by the RSPCA. He was a beautiful, biscuit-coloured kitten. He was found on some wasteland at about 8 weeks old with a badly fractured leg. His leg was beyond repair and had to be amputated. The first time he met my parents he got scared and wedged himself under the kitchen units. These were duly dismantled by my dad and he was extracted amidst some fairly blue language. To be honest meeting my mum has this effect on a lot of people!

He was always incredibly vocal and never shut up! He was a really beautiful cat and got around as well as any other cat. He was named after Charlton Athletic FC. After moving to York and at the age of thirteen he sadly became the first of my five animals to die. He was known by everyone in the village, loved to badger every passer-by and especially loved getting fuss from the school children as they made their way home.

It was this sociable habit that finally made him pay the ultimate price when he ran to see some children and was hit by a car. I was pregnant with my first baby at the time and I'm devastated that she never got to meet him. I think they would have been firm friends and would have shared a love of making noise and mischief!

PAN AND BADGER

Pan and Badger are collie-crosses and came from a farm in Devon. Their mum was a working collie and their dad has never been identified! Pan was named after a dog in a book Joe read as a child. Badger was a fat little puppy and waddled like a badger, hence the name.

Pan getting inquisitive.

Pan is a laid-back individual who is bothered by nothing as long he is fed regularly. He lives for his stomach and will devotedly love anyone as long as they’ve got food. He definitely knows how to look cute when it suits him and does a brilliant Elvis impression if you scratch a certain place on his cheek.

Badger also interested.

Badger carries the weight of the world on his shoulders and seems to be surgically attached to my side wherever I go. He hates thunder and has a strong dislike of small children because the first one he met traumatised him for life!

Pan gets a taste of the good life.

His passion in life is running and sometimes just runs because he just can’t help himself. His ears are like handlebars and he’s always slightly open-mouthed which makes him look mildly gormless all the time.

They are both intelligent, obedient, beautiful and are the most important things in my life. No matter what mood I’m in or what is going on in my life, just watching them will always make me smile.

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