'Is it expensive to keep a cat?' asked my friend one day. Her son had been given a kitten but as she was still out of work she was a bit concerned about another mouth to feed, however small.

When I had given her an idea of the price of vet's visits and vaccinations she was worried, but the kitten was cute and her son was smitten. However, no-one seemed to have the time to look after the poor little mite and in less than a week she was reported missing.

Missing? But she shouldn't even be allowed out till a week after her vaccinations. They asked all their neighbours if they'd seen her and hunted high and low to no avail but eventually a little face appeared at the window. She had found her way home.

That should have been enough to ensure that she was better tended but a couple of weeks later we heard that she had got out again and been involved in an accident with a car. My friend and her sons were going away for a few days so we volunteered to take care of little Misty. She arrived in a cardboard box, sitting up and looking round despite her injury. She had been taken to the vet but an operation would be too expensive so they were hoping she would get better eventually even if she had a permanent limp.

After a very short time we decided we couldn't bear to see her in such discomfort so we took her to our vet. An X-ray revealed that she had a broken pelvis and the femur was actually displaced. Poor little thing. Owner's permission or no we asked them to go ahead with the operation and we paid for it.

She needed special care afterwards as she was not allowed to run around so it was agreed that she should stay with us. At first we made a cage out of two fold up plastic boxes and kept her in our bedroom but later we saw a rabbit cage for sale at a local store. It was about four feet long, two feet wide and two feet high - just right. We bought it and installed Misty in her new 'home' in front of the fire. Every day we lifted her out for a cuddle and she would spend many hours curled up on Bear's lap.

The other cats came and sniffed her and she responded. She gradually became more mobile and the day she tried to climb out and got her head stuck in the door we thought she was ready to enjoy a bit more freedom, at least during the day.

Christmas came and went and she settled in well. Her owner came to visit occasionally and it was obvious he was impatient to have her back. Bear, on the other hand, was adamant that she should stay with us. I felt the same, but we couldn't exactly insist.

Luck was on our side when our friend found a job and therefore couldn't be at home to look after the cat. Her son wanted to take Misty to live at his father's - in Brittany - so he could see her during some holidays, but in the end he saw reason and agreed she should stay with us.

We re-named her Chloe and she is now well and truly one of the family. She has completely recovered from her injury and, although she has a slightly unusual gait, there is no sign of a limp.

She is the one who sleeps in our bed every night, while Toby and Mustard sleep on top of the covers and Parsley chooses the radiator. Pepper curls up on her favourite armchair and Holly sleeps on Whale's bed.

Six cats are enough. Let's just hope that we don't come across any more felines in need of a home and lots of TLC.