In 2006, a chance encounter outside a supermarket in Bahrain led to a 16-year companionship with a cat named Benny. Found with his brother Buster, Benny was trying to climb into shopping bags to reach food. Their owner, an advertising creative director, took them in, beginning a journey that would see the cats travel to Kenya, Qatar, back to Bahrain, and finally to Manchester.
Benny was known for his unusual love of water. Unlike most cats, he would paddle in the bath as it filled, occasionally sticking his head under the tap. He also enjoyed sitting on the edge of the tub and sliding in after his owner finished. A deeply affectionate cat, he would nestle in the crook of his owner's arm whenever they lay on the couch.
As indoor cats, Benny and Buster had a small patch of grass grown in a plant pot. Benny treated it as his private lawn, sitting on it contentedly. Before dinner, he would lie on his back with paws in the air, a sign of utter contentment. His owner described never seeing a cat look happier.
In 2021, Benny was diagnosed with inoperable cancer and given six months to live. However, with pampering, he survived another three years, growing thinner but still enjoying life, even managing occasional baths. Eventually, his owner realised Benny had had enough. Saying goodbye at the vet was the hardest thing they had ever done, leaving them crying in the car park for an hour. Benny is remembered every time a bath is run.
