We had a cat called Smokey when I was a pre-schooler (grey and white, quel surprise).
I remember her, but not very well. Mum said she was a shoulder sitter, and singled me out specifically. Given her druthers she'd ride round on my shoulder all day.
I do not remember that at all
I do remember seeing her frozen corpse when she was hit by a car on the Elmhurst Road. One of our neighbours brought us the sad, sorry, stiff little thing.
She was only 15 months.