A Cat’s Tale

My first memory is of being in a wicker basket with my mommy and my brother and sister. After a few weeks, we were big enough to get out and play and to explore the world around us. Mom was always there to watch over us, but every day, some humans would pick us up and talk to us. I never understood their language, but they were always nice to us, and they fed us ground-up food that was even better than Mom’s milk!

We spent hours each day wrestling, playing with little balls, and lounging in the warm sunshine. When we got ready for a nap, we’d climb back into our basket and snuggle up on our cozy blanky. When we were hungry, we’d get a drink from Mom or eat some of our kitty food. Life was good!

Then one day, some strange humans came to see us. They held all of us but seemed to like my sister best. In fact, they took her away, and I never saw her again. I missed her, but I still had my brother, and he was a lot more fun to wrestle with, anyway.

A couple of days later, some more humans I’d never seen before came to visit. They had a little girl with them, and she really liked me. She took me away from my family to live with her. She called my Fluffy, which sounded really girly to me.

At first, I was very scared and sad. I cried all night that first night, but the little girl held me and stroked my fur, and spoke to me in a soft, soothing voice. She played with me a lot and fed me yummy food. I even slept with her in her big soft bed. After a few weeks, I felt right at home with my new human family. Upon discovering that I was a boy, the girl changed my name to Tuffy. Now that was more like it! Life was good again.

After a couple of years, I grew to love the girl. She was so sweet to me. We played together all the time. Sometimes she’d dress me in her dolls’ clothes, which I didn’t particularly enjoy, but I endured it. She’d even take me for strolls around the neighborhood in her doll carriage, which I kinda liked, even though I felt a little silly wearing a flowered dress and a baby bonnet.

One day the little girl left. She was gone a long time – much too long for a trip to the food store or to go to school. Where could she be? I was worried about her. I slept alone for nights in our big bed.

Then she came home. I was so happy to see her! She smelled different, though. It was a smell like the one I sniff when the big human cleans the floor or the bathroom. I didn’t mind. My girl was home again, and that was all that mattered. But things were different. She stayed in bed all the time, and I stayed right there with her. She didn’t play with me anymore, but every once in a while, she’d talk to me and rub my head.

One morning I woke up, and she was gone. Where’d she go this time? A lot of strangers visited our house, and after a day or two, even more humans came, all dressed up. And they had lots of food, too. Some of them offered me tidbits, but I wasn’t hungry. I couldn’t believe my girl wasn’t here. She loved parties! I couldn’t imagine what could keep her away.

After a few days, people stopped coming to our house. The house was quieter than I’d ever heard it, and the big humans didn’t pay me much attention. They still put food and water in my bowls, but they never tried to play with me or hold me.

I’m still waiting for my little girl to come home to me. Her room is all ready for her return. Now the man and woman hold me sometimes, but they look at me sort of funny. And sometimes when I sit in their laps, they stroke my fur absent-mindedly while they stare off into space. I guess they’re worried about the girl, too. I think they love her as much as I do.

I spend most of my time here on the bed, among the stuffed animals and dolls. Every time the front door opens, I run to the living room expectantly, hoping it’s my girl coming back to us. When she does finally come home, I want her to find me here, waiting patiently.