Mr Tubby has said goodbye...

A sad discovery this morning when I came downstairs: Mr Tubby had passed away peacefully on our living room rug during the night, right in front of the fire. He was over 18 years old when he died and had been struggling with poor health. Still, almost to his final day, he had been patrolling our street, had loudly demanded food and attention wherever he went, and, true to style, had managed to pee outside of the litter tray while pooing in it.

Towards the end of his life, his thyroid had become overactive and he had lost a lot of weight. We fed him y/d, which he loved, so we were able to spare him the daily horror of a tablet. He used to be quite a fastidious cat and was always well groomed but in his last months arthritis stopped him from cleaning himself and his fur developed several mats, which alas he would not let us comb out. The pain of arthritis was managed with liquid Loxicom and we're hopeful that his final days, which he spent inside our lovely warm living room in front of the fire, were painfree. Rest in peace under our apple tree, you noisy old codger. OH and I are toasting you with a bottle of Tikohi Sauvignon Blanc tonight, courtesy of Random's Mum and Dad.

Below, a gallery of Mr Tubby's best moments with us:

My favourite: we were trying to get him registered by the electronic cat flap.

Always waiting to be let in.

Demanding... well whatever it was us humans were having.

Mr Tubby and his famous penguin act. Particularly poignant now that he could no longer do this for himself.

Whitefooted despite the rain.

OH had been trying to lay some roofing felt. Naturally, Mr Tubby would be resting on the wrong side of the roof.

...though always with regal panache.

And impossibly cute as kitty in the basket.