A Tale of Two Cats

By Diane Eaton

One-year-old Bingo is extremely happy when the Browns adopt him and take him to their farm. Hed been at the shelter a long time. But when Buddy, a small kitten from Virginia, joins the family, he finds himself in charge of the new animal. Its not exactly what Bingo had in mind.

Despite their similar appearance, the two cats are as different as black and white. Bingos idea of an idyllic life is to sleep on sun spots. He loves to help his dad drive the car. Buddy wants to get outside and see the world. He loves the garden and enjoys smelling flowers and meeting all the strange animals that visit there. The two mismatched cats set off on adventures that sometimes get them into trouble and other times are heartwarming experiences.

When two of the neighborhood kids meet the cats, it doesnt take long before the whole neighborhood bonds together. Bingo and Buddy are included in just about everything that happens, including trick or treating on Halloween.

This book for young readers shares a story of two cats, their antics, and the lessons to be learned.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Archway Publishing
• Release date: Oct 30, 2017
• ISBN: 9781480850156

Diane Eaton

I'm Diane Eaton, and I wrote the book 'A Tale of Two Cats' while I was getting better from a foot surgery. When the doctor said I had to stay in bed with my foot raised over my heart for a whole month, I asked, "What should I do for a whole month?" He jokingly replied, "I don't know, maybe write a book!"So, I grabbed a notepad and a pencil, and I started writing. I filled many pages with stories during my recovery. I put those pages in a drawer and forgot about them for a year.One day, I was cleaning out the drawer, and I found those pages. I decided to read them, and to my surprise, I liked what I had written. That's when I decided to turn those pages into the book 'A Tale of Two Cats' that you can read today.

Book preview

1

A NEW HOME

S pring had come and the days were getting longer. The leaves had started to bud on the trees and the grass was turning green. A large black- and - white cat sat in a cage at the animal shelter. He couldn’t help wondering what was going to happen to him.

He had been there for a long time. Many families had come to the shelter looking for pets. They wanted a puppy or a kitten but no one wanted him. He was lonesome and tired of being in a cage. He wanted a home and a family to love him.

This particular day he had reached an all-time low. As he sat there in the cage tears trickled down his cheeks. He couldn’t help feeling sorry for himself.

Just then he heard voices. It must be someone looking for a pet he thought. He quickly washed his face and dried it with his paws.

What kind of a pet are you looking for Mr. and Mrs. Brown? asked the lady from the shelter.

We’re looking for a kitten.

The lady took three kittens out of a cage and set them on the floor. The tiny kittens chased each other around in circles and tumbled across the floor.

The black-and-white cat sat there but no one looked at him. Finally he reached out of the cage. He tapped the man on the shoulder and said, Meow.

Mr. Brown turned and looked at the cat, Hi there fella, then he turned back to watch the kittens play.

I think I like the kitten that’s chasing its tail, said Mrs. Brown. Then she asked Mr. Brown which one he liked best.

The black-and-white cat cried out again: Meow, meow.

This time Mrs. Brown went over to the cage. Hello there, she said. You’re a pretty boy.

The cat reached out of the cage and put his paw on her face. The tears started running down his cheeks again. Somehow he felt that this would be his last chance to find a home.

Mrs. Brown turned to the lady from the shelter. Why is this cat so unhappy? she asked.

He has been here for more than two months and we haven’t found him a home. Two months is a long time for a cat to be in a cage. He’s a nice cat but we can’t keep him much longer. If someone doesn’t come along soon and adopt him, he will be put to sleep.

Mrs. Brown felt sorry for him. He was a pretty black cat with a white bib and four white paws. How old is he? asked Mrs. Brown.

We think he is at least a year old, said the shelter lady. As she was talking she took him out of his cage and set him on the floor.

The cat rolled over put his paws in the air and started to purr. Then he got up and rubbed against Mr. Brown’s leg. It was soon decided that the black-and-white cat had finally found the home he so desperately wanted.

The next thing he knew he was riding along in the car. He was sitting in his new mother’s lap and looking out the window. He watched the buildings and the trees go by wondering what his new home would be like.

Suddenly his new mother cried out, Did you see that sign? It said Bingo on Friday nights. I think Bingo would be the perfect name for our cat. She looked at the black-and-white cat sitting in her lap, gave him a hug and said, Your name is going to be Bingo from now on.

It seemed like they drove for a long time but Bingo didn’t mind. He liked riding in the car. He thought it might be fun to help drive the car. He climbed slowly over into his new father’s lap. Then he decided he would be able to see more if he stood on his hind legs and put his paws on the steering wheel. This is great he said to himself.

They drove out into the country. They passed a farm with a red tractor in the yard. They saw horses, cows and sheep grazing in the fields.

It wasn’t long before his new mother said, We’re almost home. They turned down a road with fields on both sides. The next thing Bingo saw was a driveway with a large white house and a two-car garage. The garage door was open and Bingo spotted a red lawn mower and a wheelbarrow. Bingo made a mental note to pay a visit to the garage to sit on the lawn mower and probably sit in the wheelbarrow too.

The house was surrounded by fields, lots of stone walls and very big trees. Just beyond the house the field gently sloped down to a wooded area. Then the field turned left and went up a hill. He noticed a small pond at the point where the field turned to the left. He could hardly wait to go exploring. Bingo knew he was going to be happy living in the country with his new mother and father.

Welcome to your new home Bingo, said Mrs. Brown.

2

BINGO SETTLES INTO HIS NEW HOME

B ingo’s mother opened the car door. Come on Bingo let me show you around.

They walked up five stairs to a flagstone patio and across the patio into a large room called a summer kitchen. The next door on the left opened into a very big kitchen with a fireplace and a large bay window that looked out over the driveway.

I’ll bet you’re hungry. I’m going to set your bowl of water and your cat food beside the refrigerator. After you eat you can look around the house. The downstairs has a kitchen, dining room, living room, den and a bathroom. And the upstairs has four bedrooms and two bathrooms. If you have any questions let me know and I will answer them, she said.

Bingo had a drink of water but he was too excited to eat anything. He wanted to look around his new home.

He checked out the dining room and noticed that it had a big fireplace. Then he turned to the right and found himself in a wide hallway with stairs going up to the second floor. He crossed the hallway into the living room turned right again and found the den. He looked right and then he looked left. That was when he noticed another room that was as long as the living room and den put together.

Just then his mother came to see how he was doing. Oh! I forgot to tell you about that room. It’s called a sun porch and I’m sure it will be one of your favorite places to take a nap.

Bingo walked into the sun porch. He jumped up on a couch and looked out the window.

The house was completely surrounded by fields of green grass. In the middle of the field directly in front of him was a vegetable garden. Bingo looked across the field and saw a very large tree. It had to be the biggest tree that he had ever seen. He noticed there were birds in the tree and small animals scurrying around. He would have to check that out later.

He jumped off the couch and headed across the den toward the hall. To his surprise, he found another set of stairs going up to the second floor. This time he started up the stairs. When he got almost to the top he reached a landing. He looked over the landing and saw that the stairs went down the other side. He didn’t want to go down the stairs so he turned right and went up two more stairs to the second floor. He checked out all four bedrooms and the two bathrooms.

He was starting to feel sleepy. He went back downstairs and into the den. There was a big window with a soft-looking long window seat. Bingo jumped up on the window seat and looked out the window. He could see that big tree again. There seemed to be a lot going on over there. He could hardly wait to go outside and look around. But for now he needed to take a catnap.

He curled up and started to think about the ride home and how he helped his dad drive the car. Then his thoughts went to the red lawn mower, the wheelbarrow and his wonderful new home. Before he knew it he fell asleep and started dreaming about what a wonderful day it had been.

He must have slept a long time because when he awoke it was starting to get dark. He jumped off the window seat and headed for the kitchen. When he got there he found his mother washing the dishes. By now Bingo was getting hungry.

Hi, she said. It looks like you had a nice long catnap. Your supper is in your bowl. After you eat supper we can all watch television together in the den.

That sounded pretty good to Bingo. He was going to have supper and spend the evening with his new mother and father. How lucky could a cat get? After supper he went into the den and jumped up on the window seat. While his parents were watching television Bingo decided to work out a perfect schedule. He would sleep late in the mornings, have breakfast, take a catnap, maybe have a little snack, play outside for a while, take another catnap, eat lunch, play inside, maybe take another catnap, have dinner and spend quality time with his mom and dad. Life couldn’t get much better.

Tomorrow he would go outside and look around. Maybe he would check out the lawn mower and the wheelbarrow. Or maybe he would go across the field to see what was going on at the big tree. He was so excited thinking about all the wonderful things he was going to do tomorrow, the next day and the next day.

The last thing he remembered was his mother giving him a hug and telling him she loved him. Then she said good night.

3

BINGO GETS A SURPRISE

T he next morning Bingo awoke to the birds singing and the smell of breakfast cooking in the kitchen. He decided to take a bath. He wanted his parents to know that he was a very clean cat. He washed his face and paws and then headed for the kitchen.

He was thinking about taking a trip to the big tree. Little did he know he was about to have a change of plans.

I’m glad to see you are up, said his mother. We have to go to the airport this morning. My sister who lives in Virginia has a kitten that needs a home. We thought he would be great company for you. We’ll be leaving as soon as we’re done with breakfast.

Bingo walked into the kitchen thinking about the kitten. He wasn’t sure he liked that idea. Things were just perfect the way they were. The only good thing he could see about it was that he was going to ride