LULU Age 16. From rescue centre in the UK along with her brother Archie, Lulu has always been a nervous cat. She is a loner and spends all day lying in the sun on the terrace or the roof. At bedtime she comes belting in just before lights out, and spends the night snoozing in the crook of my arm.

TOBY Age 14. A housewarming ‘gift’ from a friend when I moved to Morocco, Toby is our superhero. Or at least he thinks he is…….

TARA Aged 9. Born on the street in Morocco, I picked Tara up as a baby. Shes an adorable drama queen who is doing her best to do as shes told, but its very hard!

MAYA Aged 7. I was supposed to be fostering Maya, but couldn’t resist keeping her. She had a horrible start to life being found with a dislocated shoulder and fractured leg, but is now a cheeky monkey who everyone loves to cuddle.

DEARLY DEPARTED

ARCHIE had to be put to sleep beginning of 2014. Lulu’s brother, he was an enormous scaredy cat until he had cat flu about five years ago, and it sent him deaf. After that he became calm and tranquil and loved nothing better than stretching out over two dining chairs and snoozing the day away.

ALLEYCAT had an accident with a car in November 2013 and sadly didn’t make it. As the name suggests she was a feral cat but with the air of a princess. She decided to sneak in one night and have two kittens under my spare bed. I was so guilty for unwittingly locking her away from her babies, I ended up letting them all stay. I was determined not to love Alley, but she sneaked into my heart and stayed for 8 years.

MINNIE. Alley’s daughter and Junior’s sister, was with us for 3 years. She was a loner and only came in for food and a cuddle. One day she just didn’t come home. I have a dream that she adopted someone and is living the high life on a silk pillow, eating chicken.

JUNIOR Aged 8 Was born under my spare bed when the aptly named Alleycat decided to adopt us. He was a bit of a terror and very, very vocal. Sadly he went out one morning last year and was not seen again.