I conducted the funeral of a friend’s mother last week.

Kay was what we Scots call a ‘douce’ lady.

She was retiring by nature, very sweet and kind, although she had a bit of a wild side too: she loved dancing to blues music and the Rolling Stones!

She spent her last couple of years in the Victoria Manor Care Home because she was suffering from dementia, and it was while she was there that her daughter Fiona came up with a rather brilliant idea. She got her an animatronic cat, that moves and twitches and purrs extraordinarily like a real, live animal.

Fiona held the cat (Named ‘Cat’ btw) as she read her tribute, and it was quite remarkable how life like it was. Its ears moved and its head and body both wriggled from time to time, so it definitely stole the show.

As Fiona said in her tribute,

“When I visited her, she often liked to talk about the dogs and cats we’d had as pets. I’d bring her photographs and she often asked if we still had a wee dog or a wee cat. 

So I found her this little chap. 
He’s what’s known as a Companion Cat. 

From the moment she saw him she adored him. He became her constant companion. She cosseted and cared for him…and of course being Mummy she fed him. The care staff and I got used to removing gravy and custard from his chin! 

But everyone knew Kay’s Cat and we all felt that he should be here today too to say goodbye to the Kay………to Mummy who showed us all so much care and love.”

When the guests were leaving the ceremony several of them talked about the effect that the cat had had on Kay. It seemed to help her remember who she was, and also to remember who they were too. Just having something to hold and to care for made so much difference.

I just thought it might be worth sharing, should you have an elderly relative who needs something to care for. If you want one, you should be able to find it here