Sadface’s best friend was a black and white cat called Cyclops. They often played together. They were both young skinny kittens of about the same age.

Cyclops had his own house, constructed under a heap of branches. He would often repose nonchalantly in his den. Other times he would leap out, run down and greet me.

I couldn’t leave Cyclops out from the feeding sessions. Cyclops was a friendly kitten and he deserved his own bowl so I bought him a red one. It may be the only bowl he ever knew. Separating their bowls was a fairly futile distinction – Sadface and Cyclops would eat from each other’s bowl. The second blue bowl was originally for water. I put food into whichever two bowls came out of the bag first.

I would take the bowls, the cat food, and bottle of water in a plastic bag to their feeding ground at least once a day, and more usually twice a day. After eating they used to play for a while. Both liked being stroked. Then I would pack up the bowls, and head back to the khabgah.

Cyclops and Sadface would hang around together watching the world go by. They enjoyed wrestling, but their good nature and affection towards each other was evident.

I used to play with all the piglets, but Sadface and Cyclops were my favourites.

On the 14th of August 2016 I went their usual place. Sadface was much higher up the embankment than I had seen him before. He seemed to be looking for something. I called him and he came down, then he waited some time before eating. It seems to me he was looking for and waiting for Cyclops.

Sadface didn’t know that the evening before I had found Cyclops dead. He had a large cut from which he had lost a lost of blood. I don’t know the cause. I could see him behind this wire fence which contains a small orchard. Eventually I found a way in and buried him next to this tree.

Poor Cyclops. Gone but not forgotten.