My feline salt and pepper set died a couple of years ago aged about 18.

The black one went first, and for two days the white one went crazy. A few weeks later she got taken out by a dog fight, or maybe a possum - no marks on her at all. Maybe her heart gave out in the excitement.

A while ago Squeak arrived from a friend. A total blackie, she almost never miaows, but speaks constantly to me in squeaks, growls, barks, and other weird cat language. She rouses at me from time to time, and sometimes just calls to me to see where I am, not always wanting to join me, just to make sure she is not alone. She often is on the foot of the bed in the morning, and when I stir, I get greeted with a noise like a dog's yap.

She also like me, prefers to eat seafood - just inhales it of the bowl, compared to other types of cat food. She also loves her milk, and thoroughly enjoys raw chicken wings, leaving only a ting stump of the knob of bone.

She is just a mongrel, but according to a cat expert friend of mine, seems to have a lot of Oriental in her, especially the beautiful face and front legs.