by Mark Murton

Directed by: Peter Collinson

Synopsis: Teenage babysitter Amanda (Susan George) arrives at the Lloyd residence to spend the evening looking after their young son, Tara (Tara Collinson), while they go out for a meal. A series of frightening occurrences in the gloomy old house soon have Amanda’s nerves on edge but the real terror begins when a man purporting to be a concerned neighbour arrives.

Kitty Cameo: Spooky, a tabby and white cat, appears early on when Helen Lloyd (Honor Blackman) escorts Amanda up to Tara’s room to meet him and is horrified to see Spooky in the cot with Tara.

She quickly shoos him away and admonishes her husband Jim (Gorge Cole) over the supposed dangers. Amanda is surprised at Mrs Lloyd’s over-reaction and acts to placate her.

And that’s it. Spooky isn’t seen again (not even for a cheap jump scare), although a cat can be heard screeching when Amanda’s boyfriend Chris (Dennis Waterman), having turned up hoping to get lucky, is sent off with a flea in his ear. As he walks away from the house the cries of a cat can be heard. Is it Spooky being killed? Spooky trying to warn him? Or some other cat altogether? We will never know.

Final Mewsings: We don’t know why Spooky didn’t reappear, perhaps he just took fright.

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