When We Were Kittens. David Greagg

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ me. Appreciate the fact that you're getting an amazingly good deal in this house.

      So I had a bit of a wash and looked at her again. I thought you said we cats should always expect the best? When I said that she looked away for a while.

      Look, you need to be more grateful, she said. You haven't purred at him for days now. He must be wondering what he's done wrong. It's what you do, Dougal. So why don't you do it?

      I had another wash and had a little think. It has been days, hasn't it? All I've done lately is accept food, walks, grooming and all that. I have been, in truth, a Bad Cat. So I purred all over him and he scritched my head beautifully and we all felt better, and Belladonna went back to sleep.

      9

      Another cold, wet day, but it got better in the evening. We went for a short walk up the road and back and the most amazing thing happened. Outside Red Cat One's house we saw what I thought was him, on a leash, tied up outside his house! We couldn't believe it. It was dark, but he looked very sad and sorry for himself.

      Shadow went and touched noses with him and came back to me looking thoughtful. You know what? she told me. I know it's Red Cat One's house but it isn't him.

      I stared at her and then at the poor cat, still tied up to a post in the middle of one of those little garden things we have along our road. Then who is it? I asked.

      Red Cat Two, she said. Look at him. His markings are different and he's bigger.

      Well, I didn't see how that could possibly be true. Red Cat Two is completely crazy. Look for yourself, she said, and sat down by the side of the road to consider the situation. Then I went up to him and he looked at me, but he didn't move. I sniffed at him and he sniffed back, but all the fight had gone out of him.

      

I asked if there was anything we could do and he just said, Get me out of this! And then he turned away.

      I looked up at Man and you could see he wasn't sure what to do either, but he bent over to stroke him. Red Cat Two shrank away at first, but then he let Man caress his fur, which he'd never let anyone do before. Suddenly Man went home at a fast walk. We didn't know what to do so we followed him.

      Do you think Man will let him go? I asked. Shadow said she hoped not. She's still scared of him.

      Man went into the house and came back with a bowl of water and a plate of food. We followed him back to Red Cat Two who was still there all tied up. Man put the bowl and the dish down in the garden next to him and this time he let Man stroke his fur properly. He wouldn't eat or drink, but I could see him calming down. I could see his point. If he was going to be tied up at least he was going to get food and water.

      So we went on our way and finished our walk in peace. When we settled down on our bed Shadow came and curled up with me.

      I didn't like seeing Red Cat Two tied up, she said. Even though he is a menace. People shouldn't tie cats up! What if other people started doing that?

      That was a very bad thought. But I told her that our humans would never do that. They're kind and gentle and you saw how concerned Man was about Red Cat Two. I did admit that I was wondering who did that to him and why.

      Shadow had a bit of a think and then said, Look this happened outside Red Cat One's house. You know what a kind and gentle cat he is, and what a bully Red Cat Two is. Maybe Two invaded Red Cat One's home and the humans there said, Right that's it! I've had enough of you; we're going to make sure you don't do this again. I'll tie you up and that'll teach you.

      

I think you're right, I said. Man seemed angry though. I think he was shocked that anybody would do that for any reason.

      Do you think Man will let him go in the morning? she asked me. I told her I hoped so, and then we went to sleep.

      9

      As soon as it got light I went up the road by myself to see if he was still there. He wasn't. The food was all eaten, a little of the water was gone, but there was no cat to be seen and the leash wasn't there either. Man got up earlier than he usually does and went down to have a look. He brought back the bowl and dish and that made me think Man was going to let him go, but it looked like whoever had tied him up had done it. This seemed fair. I know he's an awful cat but nobody should be tied up for more than a little while. I would think it had been a long, cold, miserable night and with any luck he'd be a better cat for it.

      10

      Man cleaned out the pond where the birds like to play in the fountain. I could see why. The birds hadn't been around lately because it was full of smelly old leaves. We watched him dip big plastic buckets into the pond, take out the bad water and put it all over the garden. Then he carried buckets of fresh water and he filled it up again. I could hear the birds talking about it. I think they were pleased. They certainly came out to play later on in the clean water.

      11

      Our yard smells different today. It seems the plants really like it when Man put the smelly water on them, because everything was standing up taller than usual today.

      My sister hid in the purple flowers and pounced on me when I wasn't looking.

      12

      Today was almost hot, so I went onto the roof and had a long sleep. My sister played in the big tree and annoyed the birds for a while. I kept an ear open to see if anything bad was going to happen, but it sounded OK. The birds said some rude things to Shadow but she doesn't care. She just looks at them and says WHAT??? And then they give up.

      13

      Cold and wet again today. I didn't think we'd get a walk but Man took us up the road and back. Any further and my sister's paws would get too cold. Earlier we played Chasey up and down the house. We felt like we were kittens again.

      14

      Shadow has found a new interest in life. Every time one of our humans takes off their clothes and gets into the bath, she sits on the chair and watches them with wide eyes.

      When I asked why, she said, It's really interesting. I can't believe they do this and I just can't stop watching.

      I can't believe they do it either but I think it's a bit rude to watch them while they do it. I pointed out that it's not polite to watch another cat washing, because washing is Time Out. The same applies to our humans.

      Washing? she said. Is that what they're doing?

      I can't think why else they'd do it. When did you ever see a human washing like we do? I asked her. It's probably because there's Too Much Human to wash with their tongue like a sensible person, so they have to fill our bath with water and get in. So I leave them to their privacy. I'm sure they prefer it that way.

      Shadow won't agree on that one. She's way too fascinated with baths; and what humans do in them.

      15

      Today СКАЧАТЬ