Cat-astrophe - Melva Zimmer (ap literature book list TXT) 📗

The car drove away, but the door was still up. I crossed the driveway, and carefully went into the garage. Just then, a lady came out into the garage. I meowed, not to loud, so she would know I was there.

"Where did you come from?" she said. She bent down to stroke my back. "No collar, but your awfully clean. You must be lost!"

She stood up, and went back inside the house. She came back out, and had a peice of bacon in her hand wich she let me smell.

"My favorite! Bacon!" I thought.

Then she coaxed me to the sidewalk outside the garage, and the layed the peice of meat down for me. But while I chewed away at the treat, she started her car, and the big door came down with a bang. I felt a little better, but somehow I knew I wasn't going to be wanted here.

I wondered cautiously down the street, where a group of children were. Like my other family, they were waiting for a school bus. I use to watch my children outside the big window at my home, waiting for the bus.

The little girls petted me as I wound myself around their legs, but the boys kicked at me, and one boy threw his hat at me! I ran into the yard as the big yellow bus gathered them all up. I crouched under a bush in the yard, and went to sleep.

The sun was warmer now, and I carefully krept up to a front porch. I waited, then jumped up into a chair. It had a cushion, almost like my cushion at home, and I fell asleep in the sun there. I woke to find a little girl standing by the chair, and she reached out to touch me.

"Don't touch that cat!" a lady screamed, "Scat! Get out of here!", as she scooped up the little girl.

I leaped out of the chair, and down the stairs as quickly as I could.

I was hungry again, and very thirsty, and I think I heared a dog barking.

I need to hide until I see where the dog is. I thought; So I slipped under a thick bush in another yard.

I waited. All of a sudden, I see the woman who gave me bacon this morning.

I raced across the street, and when she stepped out of her car, I meowed loud this time, and did my best to rub against her legs.

"You again?" she said as she reached down to stroke me. "Alright, come in and let me see what I can feed you."

I shot through that door so fast, before she changed her mind. I looked around the room, a kitchen; there was no dog, and no feed pans. That meant no pets may be living here.

Maybe I could stay, I could be their cat! I thought to myself.

The lady gave me a bowl of milk, and nothing had ever tasted so good! I ate another peice of that wonderful bacon, and then set about, washing my face.

The lady suddenly picked me up, and exclaimed, "You've been declawed! You really are someone's pet. Where did you come from?"

I did my best purring, and rubbed my head against her, and wondered why having no claws was such a suprise to her. Not that it mattered, I think she just might start liking me, and I can stay here.

But no, she picked me up, and set me down carefully on the back porch. It was cold, but at least I was inside a little. There was a window ledge that I could sit on, and look inside as the lady went about the house.

A man came home, and stared at me, as I stretched up nicely so he could see how handsome of a cat I was. He tapped the window, and I watched the two of them talk, and I knew they were talking about me.

It was getting dark again, and I was hoping they wouldn't put me out alone. But no! the lady brought warm milk this time, and she folded a big, soft peice of blanket in a chair.

Am I staying? I wondered.

The next morning, I had left over eggs, and little bits of sausage. The lady also left the porch door ajar. I knew that meant I should go outside when I needed to. I had to be good, so they would know I would be no trouble.

A few days passed, I ate, I slept, I went to the bathroom outside. I think they were looking for my owner. Then, a long time later, it seemed a grandmother came to the kitchen door, and let me in.

"What a pretty fellow!" she said. "I think I might take you home with me today. I can't imagine where you have come from, but we've asked everywhere, and no one has claimed you."

I purred, and caressed her legs. The grandmother scooped me up, and we were soon at another kitchen; her kitchen. I saw a litterbox, there were toys, a water bowl, and a feed pan. I was in cat Heaven!

"You will be my new friend!", she told me. "You see, I had another, lovely cat, but he was very old and he's gone now. I've missed him very much!"

It was fine with me, and explained why the cushion was a little worn, and the litterbox and pans had always been there. But, not to matter, I had a home again, and was not alone. I was not hungry!

I still don't know why I couldn't stay with my other family; I still miss them. But not to worry, for grandmother lost her friend, and I lost my family, but look at us! We have found each other. And now, I'm curling up, on that worn cushion, for a cat nap.

Organized by Andrea Welsh.

Publication Date: 02-16-2015

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