"Nearly a year and a half ago life dealt me one of its biggest blows. I had been married to my wife for just over four years when she suddenly suffered a stroke, and died shortly afterward.

As a result my home became an empty and lonely place and I knew I needed to bring some life into it. I have always loved dogs but knew I wasn't ready for the responsibility so I contacted Cats Protection and pursued getting myself a kitten.

While looking for a suitable pet I was encouraged to consider getting an older cat because they're harder to re-home but would've already gone through some of its manic growing stages and be less likely to tear my home apart. This sounded reasonable to me.

I adopted Chili (formerly Smokey) when he was about nine months old and have had him for over a year now.

He has been a real blessing to me. Chili is very affectionate and enjoys going out for walks with me. He also likes to hunt, play, and lie over my shoulder as I walk about in the house. He has proven to be an excellent companion for me in this very challenging time of my life. (And, I only have a few scratches on my nice leather sofas.)

Thank you Cats Protection Orkney! God bless you!"

- Leroy Brown