It’s International Cat Day today, so maybe it’s about time I wrote about Gus.

This is Gus.

Whenever I settled down to write on the sofa in the attic, I soon heard his footsteps padding up the stairs, the little bell on his blue collar tinkling. He sat next to me in the summer. He sat on me in the winter.

Gus was my writing cat.

Gus died dreadfully in August last year. A grim night that ended with me and him visiting the 3 a.m. vets in Halifax. I’ll spare you the detail.

I can no longer write on the attic sofa. I write on my bed. Or in the kitchen.

I put Gus in my new book, Dark Arena. Here’s his short cameo role.

 

Now he’s in the book, I feel better. Here’s to Gus!

Happy International Cat Day!