Monkeyshines

Sadly, after 15-odd years and lots of sitting on laps, Binky Mackenzie has died. Upon reflecting on our time together I realised that I have spent more time living with him than any human apart from my mum (Ghengis and Fluff come ahead of him in cat terms). In his later years, in retirement in north Essex, he did lots of sleeping; but I like to remember him in his glory years, when you could lie in bed, thump your hand on the duvet, and hear his paws thudering along as he ran to jump up and sit on your chest.

Binky came to live with Mrs. Monkeyshines and I in the pre-Little-Monkey era, so has been a constant in his young life. I enjoyed watching them together; Binky was mostly oblivious, but the Little Monkey was always very kind, and enjoyed giving him “a nice gentle stroke” and listening to him purring. I don’t know how much he’ll remember about Binky, but perhaps the seed of cat-personhood has been planted…