Some heartbreaking news......

This is the most difficult post I've written and I'm in tears before I've even started.

On Monday night, my last night in London, I had a text from Bea to tell me that Simba and Tyke had both died while I was in London. Only earlier that afternoon I'd been telling my cousin about them, showing her photos, looking forward to seeing their little faces again and laughing at their silly antics. When I read the text I burst into tears and carried on crying late into the night. I cried all the way home on the plane and I'm sat here crying now - I'm feeling just a little bit heartbroken.

They'd had flu before I left for London. I'd taken them to the vet's to get inoculated and she took one look, said they had flu and gave them injections and flu medicine. They couldn't get inoculated until they were better again so it was the first thing I was going to do on my return to Ibiza. I gave them the medicine for a week, mixed in with some greek yoghurt and honey and watched them return to health. Little Red also had flu and so she got medicine too. She'd had symptoms for a while and now I'm kicking myself for not bringing her to the vet's earlier. I didn't bring her at all. Now I wish I had as the kittens had caught flu from her. But I didn't think we'd be able to use any "house" money for vet's bills and I wasn't in a position to pay for treatment for a cat that isn't mine. Stupidly I'd hoped she'd get better herself, as Bea always said "they're countryside cats, they don't need too much looking after" - how wrong she was.

When I left for London, they'd just finished their medicine and as you can see from the last photos I took, they were looking pretty healthy. I was going to take them for jabs as soon as I got back and had put aside the money for vet's bills so that I knew I had that. But apparently mid-week one of the kittens stopped eating and later started vomiting. He was found dead the next morning on one of the chairs. A few days later the same thing happened again and the second kitten was found dead in the front garden. My gorgeous little kittens are now buried in the garden, under an almond tree. I think they'd like that, they always liked climbing the almond trees.

When I got back last night, I found Little Red sitting alone on a chair on the front porch. She started purring when I stroked her. I found myself wondering if she was missing her babies like I was. She seemed very quiet and subdued. Normally when she sees me, she's all perky and calling out for food. This morning she didn't eat the dry cat food put out for all the cats. I thought she might prefer some Whiskas mixed with the dried food as she'd got used to eating that with the kittens. She wasn't interested in that either. Little Red walked away and then started calling for the babies with the special miaow she kept for them. Normally they'd come running when they heard it but not anymore. It was heartbreaking to see and hear. She looked a bit wobbly on her feet and walked into the next field and lay down. I went to see her, to see if she was okay.

I had to go out but came back as quickly as possible to take Little Red to the vet's. I haven't been able to find her, even though I spent ages calling for her. I think she may have held on for as long as possible but has now gone away to die in peace. When I was going through the garden calling out for her, Baggy joined me miaowing too, looking for his little family. He must be wondering where they've all gone.

I still can't believe they've gone. I know they were only kittens but I loved them and they gave me so much back. The last couple of months, when I'd been struggling with being in Ibiza and missing everyone in London, Simba and Tyke had been the entertaining pair who could be counted on to put a massive smile on my face with their antics. They were both cheeky little things, creating their own entertainment at all times. Unlike kittens who are cute and docile and spend most of their time lying around or sleeping, this pair were lively, naughty, adventurous rascals!

Simba and Tyke - thank you for all the wonderful times in your very short life. For participating in the sunset walks, for getting excited as soon as you saw me, for hurtling in my direction whenever I called out your names. You were both very special, very adorable and very much loved by me and Little Red and Uncle Baggy. I hope the place you find yourselves now is lots of fun, with plenty of trees to climb, butterflies to chase, shadows to pounce on and cool places to sleep when the sun's too hot. I hope you have fields to run around in and bales of hay to hide in. I wish I'd been there when you got ill again but sometimes things like this happen. I hope you enjoyed your short time here and had fun with me.

Simba and Tyke - RIP