Poppy's famous

The Real Poppy Jose

Yes, you guessed it - feisty Miss Poppy in The Ghost at the Point  is actually a real person (sorry cat). And she's even feistier in real life than she is in the book! We're all a bit scared of her at times, especially her pal Toggie the Tibetan Terrier (right). But apart from the occasional bite! and scratch! to put us in our place, she's very affectionate, very beautiful and a complete character. 

She was a year old rescue cat extraordinaire who had had all her kittens taken away from her, one by one :(  She literally stuck her scrawny(then), scarred (then) paw out of her death row cage, cried 'Miaooow!' and grabbed me! We hadn't even noticed her until then. 'Hmm ... ' I said. 'Oh well, guess we'll have to have a cuddle ... ' And that was it - love at first purr - she's ruled the house ever since!

Click here to see (this one was shot when Toggie was a puppy) just what I mean ...