Cats.

Cait Sith.  Gaelic for Fairy Cat.  He was a small skittery kitten when we got him from the Cat Protection League.  Together with 

Minerva McGonagall.  His foster sister.  

I have had cats since I became a property owner in my early twenties.  (Ah those were the days.)

Sith is the last one.  

Sith grew and grew and could hardly be described as fairy no longer.  A huge cat.  Then one day we went to Aberdeen Uni zoology department for an RSPB lecture.  There in a glass cage, stuffed, was our Sith.

The Kellas cat is described as being twenty-four to thirty-six inches (61 to 91 cm) long, with powerful and long hind legs and a tail that can grow to be around twelve inches (30 cm) long; its weight can range from five to fifteen pounds (2.3 to 6.8 kg)  Wikepedia.

Even the measurements fitted.  Apparently the Kellas Cat is from a Scottish wildcat and a domesticated hybrid.

Our Sith however is a total wimp.  Minerva was the boss.

I wont bore you with tales or pictures of the cats who have gone before.  

The reason for our wee spinney

is under some of them - is a cat.  Dead of course.  We have always planted a tree over them. This can cause problems on selling the house. 
"Oh if you are thinking of remodelling the garden, under that bush/tree is....."

It became even more of an embarrassment when my children kept guinea pigs when they were small and a whole walled bed was virtually full of them and other small rodents......

But we have kept up the tradition.

Sith is not joining them yet.  Vets this morning in some trepidation, he is 14 now.  Ear infection and upper respiratory causing the sneezing.  Although it was a problem listening to his chest as he would not stop purring.

76 quid lighter he ate all his tea and is now snoring - without sneezing - on the bed.