Life as a Cat

By Richard Bott

Only cats know what it's like to be a cat--each of us with our own personality. A cat's life can be complicated and sometimes even dangerous. In cat society, dogs and wild critters are not the only dangers we fear. There is another that is more treacherous than any animal, and that is human beings. Humans tend to be either our friends or our mortal enemies. We can become a much-loved house cat or be part of a one-way ride out of town to be dumped on the side of the road. Our fate lies with luck and the ability to survive. Thank goodness for nine lives. Fortunately, we have human friends who really do care for all cats. The Lady is one of those humans who would do almost anything to assist a cat in need. Those cats that live with the Lady are the cream of the crop. By telling their stories, as only a cat can, will the true meaning of a cat's life be discovered?

Every story needs a hero. Cat stories are no different. There is one of the Lady's cats that is much loved by all the neighborhood cats. When there is any trouble that involves the neighborhood cat population, you will find this thick-furred brown tomcat always in the thick of things. Although not a superhero, he uses his nine lives well.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fulton Books, Inc.
• Release date: Feb 15, 2023
• ISBN: 9781639858514

Book preview

Table of Contents

Title

Copyright

Chapter 1: Cat Chase

Chapter 2: Strange Male Cat in the House

Chapter 3: Veterinarian Visit

Chapter 4: Sassy's Secret

Chapter 5: Calico's Turn

Chapter 6: Blacky's Story

Chapter 7: Missy's Nonblinking Stare

Chapter 8: Muffin, the Elder Cat

Chapter 9: The Lady's Sanctuary House for Cats

Chapter 10: Tommy's Story

Chapter 11: Freddy's Story

Chapter 12: Tommy's Been Hurt/Cat Revenge

Chapter 13: Tommy's Return

About the Author

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Life as a Cat

Richard Bott

Copyright © 2023 Richard Bott

All rights reserved

First Edition

Fulton Books

Meadville, PA

Published by Fulton Books 2023

ISBN 978-1-63985-850-7 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-63985-851-4 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Chapter 1

Cat Chase

All are quiet. They're resting. Blacky is spread out by the bathroom door. With his exceptionally large, muscular body, he looks like a trophy rug in miniature. He's all black except for a speck of white under his chin. The Lady says she found Blacky roaming the streets on the eastside of town. Like most of us, he was down to skin and bone. He must have known what living with family was like because when the Lady opened her car door, Blacky jumped right in and hasn't wanted to leave ever again.

Missy is on the fireplace mantle. I'll bet she went there to spy on us. She is the quiet one, always staring at us like she knows a secret but won't tell anyone. Of all the cats in the house, I smell fear coming from Missy, the strongest. Spooky. We don't bother her, and she doesn't bother us.

Calico is on the couch. She is the closest to my age but a few years older as she would tell you. Her fur has at least four major color patches running through it with the biggest being orange. She has black patches, brown patches, and a burgundy color mixed with all the other colors. Calico really stands out. She simply adores humans. She acts like she couldn't get enough attention from them. She's probably dreaming that one will sit near her so she can cuddle up on their lap to be stroked while she purrs her pleasure.

Sassy's on the table. She doesn't trust anyone. The Lady says that it took some time before Sassy decided that it was safe to be inside with us. The Lady thinks that Sassy was abused by her previous human. It makes sense if you watch her for a little bit. She flinches and runs away when a human comes close. There is a story that is going around that Sassy was shot by the BB boys on both back legs. You really couldn't tell as Sassy walks without a limp, but sometimes you see her licking one upper leg and then the other. This licking was not a grooming-type lick. She hurt at those spots. The only people whom Sassy doesn't growl or spit at is the Lady and her daughter, Miss Brenda. Probably because they talk to Sassy in a very calming and loving manner, and they are the ones who feed Sassy. That cat sure loves to eat.

Tommy was prancing by the front door, meowing three times, very loud, for one of the humans to let him outside. We all learned that the out-of-doors was exclusively Tommy's domain. He had come in for his food and now wanted to go back outside. He had territory to guard. He protected all the animals that live in our neighborhood. Tommy never had to be caught or made to come in. One evening, the Lady opened her front door, and there was Tommy rubbing his body on the Lady's legs meowing his request for food. After he was fed, he wanted to go back outside. Very rare does Tommy stay in the house for long.

Then there's the oldest cat, Muffin. You usually can find her in the Lady's bedroom sprawled out on the bottom corner of the bed. She is the oldest cat here and knows it. We all bow down to Muffin's needs. We don't know how old she is, but looking at the gray around her mouth, we figure maybe seventeen years old. She has seen it all she tells us. When she feels in a good mood, she will tell us things that happened to her or what she remembers happened before our time with the Lady. We'd all gather around just to listen to her stories and maybe even learn something that someday may be a help to each of us. She is like a living history book, and we love her.

Lastly, let me tell you about me. The Lady calls me Freddy after a baseball player she knew. She says I have the energy and strength of several Blacky's. Not sure what that means. My fur is gray and not very long. So far I think I am the youngest and smallest of the bunch. I love to wrestle and play with the other cats. I try to surprise and chase the cats just to wake them up some when it gets too quiet. Most of them tolerate my kittenish ways and crazy-type behaviors. That's what kittens do, the Lady says after one of my running fits through the kitchen upending the water bowl.

Calico says that I keep her on her toes. They tell me that it was Tommy who found me and brought me to the front door of the Lady's house. But it was the Lady's daughter, Miss Brenda, who really connected to me and me to her. I love Brenda, but sometimes she really tries my patience. Like when she dresses me up and walks me all over the house in her baby stroller. It wouldn't be so bad, but she had put four small bells on the outside edges of the stroller. The other cats just laugh at me when my bells go by. Laugh all they want, but I'm the only cat who has his own bed next to Miss Brenda's bed.

I can't stand the quietness of the house. It needs one of my loud and crazy chases with screeching and terrifying furniture crashing. Today I'm itching for a play wrestle with someone. Play helps develop not only my body but also my way of thinking and how to behave as an adult cat. Since there is not another kitten in the house, I am limited to the remaining cats. I learned from the very first day here that wrestling was a great way to gain the strength needed and the agility to run, jump, climb, or whatever was necessary to survive. My favorite play activities are chase and wrestle the other cats. The thrill of the chase, the stalking, and the pouncing on my victims, are all parts of my maturing growth. I learn, for future uses, those fundamentals that all cats are born with but must learn how to use as they become adult cats.

I'm always bugging the other cats to chase me around the house. Just because I'm the youngest and the third male doesn't mean I don't get respect. Why every one of these cats jumps when I say, Jump. Well, only when they're in a playful mood. Usually they will lie where they are comfortably nodding off to sleep, ignoring that I even exist. I have learned which cats I can wrestle with and which cats will try to take my head off if I disturb them. I think I'll sneak up on Calico because she's my favorite. I love to chase her all over the house. She sure can make a lot of noise when we wrestle. She growls and hisses like she is in a real fight, but both of us never take out our claws against each other.

She bats my head with those paws which are lightning fast. When I tackle her and am wrestling around on the floor, she screams at me and pretends I am hurting her. After we are through, she begins looking for the Lady or the Lady's daughter, Miss Brenda. She meows and meows until she sees one of them, and then she pretends that I hurt her and wants some loving. Most of the time, they will pick her up and hug and kiss her pretend wounds making the wounds go away and make everything all right again. I especially know that she loves the part where they stroke her back and tickle her under the chin. Her purr of pleasure is like music to their ears and will continue nonstop as long as they keep their attention on her.

I'll just jump on the back of the couch and pretend to be resting. Then, when she turns her head, I'll pounce. I'm also learning to stalk my pray, and this gives me a chance to practice. There she is. Great! Her back is toward me. I'll just sneak up a little closer; move very slowly, with stealth, no sound; make myself a part of the couch; and hug the couch with my underside. Inch by