Mr Gerald Mills lives in the Northern town of Sheffield, Yorkshire U.K. He has owned many pets during his lifetime but two have been extra special. This is his extraordinary story:

Some years ago I was working in a factory in Sheffield when I noticed a little black kitten that was lost and on its own. The poor thing was covered in dirt and oil from the factory floor where it had been living. In truth I thought it would not live long as it was so weak when I found it. But I took it home and gave it some warm milk and a tiny bit of fish I had in the fridge. Then I placed it in an old shoe box with some clean dusters to keep it warm.The next morning the little kitten was still alive and looking at me as though I were its best friend. Well I suppose I was in a way. So I fed it some more milk and the cat purred so softly, I was really taken with it and gave it a name. I called the cat  Tiger, because it had stripes and was obviously a brave kitten.

I already owned a dog called Suzy and soon Tiger and she were real pals. It was fun to watch them playing together. They were like that for many years, Tiger and Suzy side by side sitting in front of our coal fire, best of friends.

Years passed by so swiftly, it hardly seemed any time at all since I first found that kitten. Tiger and Suzy had grown old together and now, as God would have it, they both became ill at the same time. I tried to nurse them, but it was time and rather than see them suffering I took both Tiger and Suzy to the veterinary surgeon. I held them in my arms as he helped them to pass over into the spirit world.

It was some two years later that I noticed something strange at the foot of my bed. I was almost asleep when I first felt it, a kind of snuggly thing pressing against my feet. Immediately I thought of Tiger, she would often fall asleep on my bed and snuggle up near the foot of my bed. Looking down towards where I felt the pressure on my feet I saw, to my amazement, a cat, it was the spirit of Tiger come back from beyond to comfort me.  As I stared in wonder at the 'ghost' of Tiger I heard a strange but familiar sound coming from downstairs. It sounded just like the barking of a dog. As I listened I recognised the bark as being that of my old friend Suzy. She to had returned to wish me well and let me know that in the future, when it is my turn to walk forwards into the world of spirit my pets will be there to welcome me. They were together still, Suzy and Tiger, alive and well in their spirit bodies.

Since that day I have grown to understand that animals have souls the same as we have and that in the world beyond they will be there waiting to greet us just as they did here on earth when they walked by our side in friendship.