Our Claudia died this afternoon, we are still reeling in shock and grief. We kept her so safe, you see, because she'd used up all her 9 lives and more.

We watched her being born 6 years ago, we held her in our hands when she was only hours old, we taught her how to lap, to eat solids, to love humans and when we moved abroad, to France, she came with us along with our 2 dogs and her FurMummy (Phoebe).

When we lived in London, England she hated the noise and the traffic & chose to live in a closet most of the time, so when we came to this farm, deep in the middle of the French countryside she discovered a whole new life of exciting smells and adventures. A cat-dream come true.

Last January she was shot by hunters, but she managed to drag herself home with two broken legs despite snow, ice and sub-zero temperatures. I like to think she heard us each day and night calling and calling for her for hours and hours. I like to think this gave her the strength to keep trying to get back to her Mummies. After 10 days we found her in a pitiful state in one of our outbuildings. She purred with pleasure when she saw us, despite her pain she just kept on loving and nuzzling us all the way to the vets.

Our vet performed miracles, putting two pins in her back legs, he warned us she would never wak properly again but that she could live a good life as a house cat. After this we protected her so carefully, never leaving a door or a window open, giving her bundles of love to make up for the fact she couldn't go out, waitress service for food and water and milk. After months of recuperation she learned to walk and even to jump again.

She slept between us in bed at nights, received special cuddles every day. Never was a cat so spoiled, so loved, so protected. Every day was a bonus - we had come so close to losing her.

But............we help the local animal refuge here by occasionaly fostering animals whilst they are found new permanent homes. Two weeks ago we fostered an aged, placid labrador - it was our way of helping animals, of saying thank you to the pleasure and love animals have given us.

This afternoon, the labrador killed our beloved Claudia. The attack took seconds, was completely unprovoked, there was no warning, no growling, it just happened for no reason. Within seconds my partner had intervened but it was too late. Claudia died, cuddled in my arms, minutes later.

This was a cat who was all heart and spirit, all soul and love.She'd had had nothing but love throughout her whole life, so it is hard, so very hard to accept that she died in such a brutal fashion.

This evening I am in shock, denial, disbelief. I dread trying to sleep tonight but most of all I dread the coming of the morning and facing the first day of my life without Claudia. I wish I was already at the Bridge with her.