Catkin was previously called Fanny Fanackerpan. Gill had kept her to breed, but decided against it, and she came to live with us in November 2001. She was neice to Holly and Willow (Stiria, her mum, was Holly and Willow's sister).

Catkin was a people rat and she prefered to spend time with us rather than with other rats. She was sometimes also known as Huff-Puff - which was her reaction to other rats coming too close to her! (This only seemed to apply to other does, she didn't seem to object to bucks!) Catkin had a very healthy life, and never needed to visit the vet. She died quite suddenly - she was slightly wheezy the day after her second birthday, and by the next afternoon she had died. My favourite memory of her is when she leapt two feet in the air to grab a spring roll from my plate - which she successfully stole and ran away with to eat.