Everybody Loves Amy

By Paula Evans

Mama swears that she will never own another cat again. When her daughter, Nancy, tells her of a litter of kittens in need of a home, Mama stands firmbut still starts doing all the things a responsible cat owner does when a new cat is about to arrive. She is adamant, however, that she doesnt want another cat.

Then she meets Amy, a scraggly little black kitten with shining blue eyes.

Like all pet owners, Nancy has a ton of adorable stories about her precious feline family member. In Everybody Loves Amy, Paula Evans invites you into the heartwarming and semi-autobiographical story of a scruffy little kitten. Mama wants it known that in her house, Amy is in charge and Amy knows it. She even lets others take the blame for her misadventures. Nancy and Amy have a strange relationship, more of an uneasy truce.

As they cope with lifes adventures, can their truce become a bond?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Abbott Press
• Release date: Aug 20, 2013
• ISBN: 9781458210210

Paula Evans

Paula Evans, author of The Isle of Iona, was born in Gary, Indiana, named for Elbert Gary of judiciary fame (with apologies to Meredith Willson). She has accepted her fate as a lifelong Hoosier and “Region Rat.

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CONTENTS

AMY FINDS A HOME

AMY GETS A NAME

AMY GOES OUTSIDE

AMY GROWS A TAIL

AMY’S FIRST CHRISTMAS

AMY DISAPPEARS

AMY RETURNS

AMY TAKES OVER

AMY’S BIG LOSS

AMY GETS A NEW HOME

AMY FINDS A HOME

The family of kittens was facing a deadline. They needed to be adopted. The human family which owned them was moving and if they weren’t adopted, they would have to go to a shelter. They were nearly six weeks old now and ready for a new home.

It had been a long time since Mama had a cat. She swore she would never get another one because she was too old. But she loved cats. The only pets she had ever owned were cats. Her sister and brother liked dogs, but she was a cat person.

When it came time to remodel the laundry room, Mama decided she wanted a strong, steel door to replace the lightweight one that led to the back yard.

She wanted this because if she ever got another cat (which she swore she would never do), she could put the litter box back there and leave the door open between the kitchen and laundry room. With a strong, steel door, with a deadbolt lock, it would be harder for someone to break-in.

If she ever got another cat.

But time went by and Mama’s daughter, Nancy, told Mama that a co-worker knew of a family that had new kittens.

I don’t want a cat, Mama said.

I know, but they’re free, Nancy replied.

They’re not free. Once you add up the shots, and the vet bills and the food, cats aren’t free. And besides, Mama continued, the next cat we get will only eat dry cat food. No more messing with canned food. It will get a bowl of dry and if it doesn’t like it, it can starve.

But since we’re not getting a cat, it doesn’t matter, Nancy reminded her.

Mama thought. That’s right.

A few more days went by. Mama had to borrow Nancy’s car to run some errands. When Mama arrived to pick Nancy up at the end of the work day, Nancy noticed that there was a large bottle of cleaner on the front seat. What’s that for? Nancy asked.

To clean the old litter box.

For what?

Just in case we get a cat.

So you want a cat, Nancy said.

No, but just in case, the old litter box has been in storage for three years now. It needs to be cleaned. The whole house needs to be cleaned.

But the day came when Mama would get her cat. She met Nancy and Nancy’s friend, Carol, at work. Carol knew the family with the kittens. Carol couldn’t get over how adorable the kittens were. One is so tiny that she sat in the palm of my hand and fell asleep, Carol said.

They drove to the family’s home. Carol, Nancy and Mama talked to the owner.

Inside a small room were the mother cat and five kittens. Another cat was also there,