Real stories · The cat we were never allowed

The Cat We Were Never Allowed

There is now a large black cat on my sofa, and Winnie — our dog, and the reason we were never allowed one — hasn't raised a single objection. That's because this cat is a blanket, and it's the cosiest thing in the house.

I've wanted a cat for forty years. Malcolm is against (allergies, allegedly), Winnie would have opinions, and so the matter has been permanently adjourned. Then I saw the Lunavyn — a soft flannel blanket with a beautiful black cat looking out of it, painted so well that visitors do a small double-take — and I decided the household could finally accommodate a cat of the two-dimensional kind.

It's from York Boutique, a British label I order from often, and the quality surprised me. The flannel is thick-feeling but light, with a lovely fluffy touch on both sides — which is why it's properly warm for evening telly without that heavy, hot feeling some throws have. And the cat himself (we've named him Inky) is sharp and lifelike, not cartoonish.

It's become the house's most contested object. I have it for the evening film; Malcolm claims it for the armchair and his crossword 'because it's the warmest one we own' — this from the man with the alleged allergy. It washes easily and comes out just as soft, and the print has stayed sharp.

Forty years of asking for a cat — and the one that finally moved in needs no feeding at all.

And of course my head went straight to Christmas. My friend Sandra has a real black cat, Tibbs, who this blanket resembles to an almost suspicious degree — so hers is already wrapped. It arrives looking gift-ready, comes in five sizes from a lap throw to a proper bed-sized one, and starts at £19.95 (half the listed £40) because York Boutique sell direct. For a cat lover, it's the easiest present of the year.

Five sizes, from 70×100cm up to 150×200cm, from £19.95. If somebody in your life has always wanted a cat — or has one they'd like immortalised on the sofa — here it is.