i left for work at 6.30am yesterday and i have noticed Lexie had been sick again or so i thought it was her (she has IBS), so woke the OH up to clean it up and check on everyone. he checked on every one and abit later let them out. then he thought he wasn't sure if he had even seen Man Cat so he started calling him and nothing. he turned the house upside down and then he checked the sofa where the sick had been and there was our darling boy, lying underneath it. Man Cat used to lie under there if he was upset about something or if he needed abit of peace as the other cats didn't bother him there, and it wasn't anything unusual. OH thought he was asleep as his eyes were shut but he noticed Man Cat wasn't quite himself so went to get water, talking to him the whole time. when OH got back, Man Cat was gone. and his eyes were open so i know he knew OH was there. OH is as shocked as me, we never suspected anything was wrong as the night before Man Cat sat on my lap for a while as always and then he got on the in front of the TV for a nap as always and then i went to bed. OH says Man Cat seemed normal to him to. it seems the sick may have belonged to Man Cat even though we still don't know for sure, and Man Cat looked like himself when i took him to the vets so we have no idea what happened and that's what makes it all worse. he was elderly so maybe his heart gave out my mum thinks, i know he was struggling with arthritis in his back legs and some days he could barely walk but the vets gave him a clean bill of health. he hasn't really been the same since Penny died though, he loved her to bits and when she went he became quite clingy towards me- as did Lucie and the 2 of them used to fight to sit on my knee! Lucie seems upset that she has me all to herself like she wanted as i think the play fighting was abit of bonding between her and Man Cat- they often groomed each other and of course she was penny's shadow, followed her everywhere so i'm hoping Lucie bounces back to her old self really soon. we are waiting to hear if a post mortem was possible and the results of it. i'm numb with shock today, it feels unreal and i keep expecting him to come over the fence like he used to. he was a stray, living in our garden for months and months until he moved in to the kennel outside and then into our house and hearts. he was such a special cat that it felt as if i had had him my whole life, and now i can't even bear to think of him gone forever. i just keep asking why him. atleast he is back with Penny now