Blackie

Book excerpt: "Deeply moving...an honest and courageous book filled with love for a very special little cat - I cried. I hope everybody reads it who has ever lost a beloved cat. It is so rare to see a man let down his guard and talk about love with such depth and sentiment". Jeffrey Masson (author of THE NINE EMOTIONAL LIVES OF CATS and DOGS NEVER LIE ABOUT LOVE) Stephen Downes never much liked cats. But one day, his sons Patrick and Ben find three kittens at the bottom of the garden. The strays soon become part of the family. Stephen falls in love with Blackie, a confident, friendly cat who keeps him company while he eats his lunch and takes naps on his study floor.But one day Blackie's tail begins to droop and he seems listless and despondent. Stephen is alarmed and wonders what could be ailing his usually robust pet.From the family vet to an eye specialist and eventually to the vet hospital in Werribee, Stephen pursues every avenue to cure Blackie's illness and keep his beloved cat alive...Deeply moving yet unsentimental, BLACKIE is a beautifully written tale about love and loss. In describing the life and death of Blackie, Stephen expresses the intense experience of loving another living thing.