Six weeks since I ceased as a cat shelter volunteer, but my decade and a year of memories will linger on for another ten years or more.

The first year of volunteering, 2002, is crystal sharp in my mind as if it were yesterday; while my last few shifts at the shelter already seem those of another life, so quickly do we move on.

Summer 2002 was all about Cleo and Jess. Black and white beauties, sisters who were souls apart. Jess a character of claws, lovely cat but would let you know if not happy! Cleo a gentle soul, loving nothing more than to roll over on the floor to be petted.

Six months in the shelter, seven or eight years young but old enough to put off shelter visitors. Eventually collars were donned and Cleo and Jess were given access to the great outdoors. They were fortunate in that their two pens were separate to the others; so their own front door opened and did not close. Cleo stayed close to home but Jess disappeared for days on the moor, causing some consternation among her cat carers!

Eventually they were both – separately – homed. Cleo especially still has a soft place in my heart, she was just my kind of cat.