Today is a sad day, we (Rob, myself and my friends) said goodbye to Mr Mittens (aka Mitzy, previously Dr Kitty Mittens)
Sadly he took ill on the 2nd May, and although we had 3 nights in A&E where we thought he'd recovered, when he was back out bounding in the sun and cuddling, he took a bad turn on Thursday evening after not eating. We were left with a heart breaking decision to let him go, but we were allowed 1 last night together.

My first memory of him is when I received a phone call from my friend in Madrid. If I wanted an abandoned kitten. Although I had Meg a mature cat, I really wanted the opportunity to have a kitten so of course I said yes! As soon as I got back from my work trip I collected him from some random house in Bootle. I remember collecting him, the door was opened, my carrier hastily taken from me and the door closed on me. Then the door opened a few minutes later with the tiniest little kitten inside. This was the beginning of my near 8 year relationship with my beautiful boy...

From the first days he lived with me, he was a cheeky little tinker and this cheeky nature he never grew out of. He was once found drinking my coffee from my desk! As a cat he was always clingy, never far from myside, or my house mate, when I was home. He gained the nickname "captain thud" because he would always jump off whatever and bound down the stairs whenever he heard Will or I in the house. It was frequent to hear a little pitter patter and then a jump on to your lap. He was always very much a lap cat! But as a lap cat he was my rock, he was (nearly) always there when I was was sick, lonely, stressed with work and he (and Meg) got me through my late 20s and into my 30s.
He would always come to bed, in the early days he would just join in the morning, as soon as the sun rose he would charge into the bedroom and demand attention, but he gave as much got. It would always fill my mornings with joy seeing his little tux and whiskers. He would often fall asleep on my chest as you can see, he just loved to cuddle. 

Sadly due to work constraints I made to move out for most of the week when he was 3, but my friend Will loved and cared for him as my own. Sadly getting to a point in a project I couldn't afford to stay where I was alone and my best career prospect took me to the far side of the country. I was paid well and it was only to be temporary-ish. I visited home as many weekends as I could, at least twice a month, to see both Meg and Mittens. I really wanted to move them but it was a 3 hour drive and my flat couldn't take pets. This crushed my heart, not getting to stay with them, but I was mentally in a bad place, but thats another story, well 3! But this allowed me to keep a roof over their furr, the cat food and give them a warm radiator.

After 4 years of living away from my precious little furr babies, I bought a new permanent house for where I worked. Mittens eventually moved-in in May 2020. He quickly found his place, on my lap and in the bed, and was always giving me kisses. We had a fantastic year together!
I was working from home due to the COVID-19 situation, so I got to spend time with him EVERY DAY, it was amazing! He would join me at work, at the dining room table, he would give me cuddles after a hard day.
Every evening he would jump into the bed at bedtime and lie between us in bed. Just because he liked being centre of attention. I'd frequently find him in the bed, playing what became known to be "undercover kitty".

Work has been so much better with Mr Mitzy, he would always join me on the odd teams call, he would interview graduates with me and would often fall asleep on the blanket in what became me home office. He would always want a lap to join Rob or I watching TV, we watched so much lockdown TV together.

After spending a few heart breaking (and expensive) nights in hospital, we thought we had broken through and he would be back home. But after only 1 night at home things turned back worse and we had to begin palliative care. The vet we met offered us a precious 18 hours with Mittens before we had to finally say goodbye. We were able to spend the last few minutes with my special little boy, he jumped into my lap for the last time, curled up and began to purr loudly. We knew he was at peace! We let him enjoy a few minutes of undivided attention before we left us. He fell fast asleep, just as he'd been doing for nearly 8 years in my arms, for the last time.

Mr Mitzy along with Meg, made my life complete, and things just aren't going to be the same again! He always had kisses for me, he was always judgemental but would always listen to what I wanted to say, and he would always want to sit on my lap!
I'd like to think he got the best nearly 8 year a cat could ever want.
Although Meg is still with me, she is a bit older and has some health issues.
He could ever be replaced, and I don't know if I could ever begin the love with a kitten again...

Both Rob and myself, along with Will who cared for him for years are heartbroken. My bed will be emptier tonight...
His memory will live on here and in his personal iCloud album, and forever in my heart, and the hearts of all my friends me met!