Part one
For humans being able to talk to their own kind can be for the birds. But when us cats try to talk to you humans; it is like we are on different sides of the kitty-verse. Suppose one day two cats say a prayer the makes talking to humans easy.
My name is Mr. Wuffles though I prefer to be called Wufflepuff or Ziggy like my moms’ prefers. I am an elegant tuxedo cat that lives in a castle with two loving parents and one annoying big sister; an orange tabby called Gingerfay or Gin Gin according to Pops’ word. Like all cats in the world, I have a routine that most of you humans say is adorable.
My routine consists of nipping and warning my Pops’ to feed me in the morning or I break this ugly kangaroo he has on this perch I climb on. After breakfast and keep Pops’ company when he uses his litter box; I hop on the bed and make biscuits on Mom before I take a nap with her. When the parents leave for something called work, I play a game of tag with Gin Gin, watch the birds, take a bath and take about a hundred naps. Eventually before or sometimes after the sun sets the parents come home and they feed, play, and snuggle with us before their bedtime. Now, listen I love the routine as much as any cat would; but I believe there is more if Gin Gin and I can just be able to just talk to them. Maybe I can fully understand why Pops’ doesn’t let me out like he used too.
One day after a nice game of tag and wrestle Gin Gin and I talk to each other about an idea I have been scratching around. I ask Gin Gin, “Hey Sis, I think it’s time our voices get really heard for once. Don’t you agree?” She cleans her paws as she replies, “I think our voices can’t get any louder. Between my calls to Papa and you banging around everything; our parents understand us perfectly.” I shake my tail a little at her and ask, “Yes, but we and especially me need more conversation for entertainment. Don’t you wish to tell Moms’ about all the lizards you kill in summer?” She peeks outside the window of the big living room for a second before asking, “That would be nice bros’, but how can this happen?” I stretch a little before she follows me to the bedroom and reply, “Well we should do this thing called praying. When Moms’ and Pops’ pray to this God they always talk about; good things seem to come to them.” Gin Gin hops on the bed before me and after a moment she asks, “If I do this with you, will you promise to calm down on bothering Papa so early in the morning?” I roll my eyes as I hop to the bed and rub her fur to make my promise.
Part Two
Gin Gin then asks, “So how do we do this prayer thingy?” I answer, “Well, like Moms’ and Pops’ we lay down and ask God to help us and promise to go on long walks with Him and take Him with us.” She curls up and as she closes her eyes she says, “Okay that sounds like fun.” We spend some time praying before dozing off into our warm nap. I cannot explain what happens next; but I feel like something has been added to my voice. I hear the door unlock and can smell Pops’ coming into the castle, both Gin Gin and I rush to the door to greet Pops’. I ask my usual question, “Hey Pops’ how you doin’ buds?” At first Pops’ just says, “Hey kids, Pops’ had a long day today;” as if he didn’t hear me. But when Gin Gin does her ‘feed me please’ routine and says, “Papa, can you feed us please?” Pops’ starts saying, “Yes sweet girl, I’ll feed- “He stops in his paws and turns to us in surprise.
Pops’ is a giant for a human so for him to go to his knees to look closely at us is very serious. But this time unlike the usual annoyed face; when he thinks I am doing something wrong. He is really shocked and full of stars in his eyes, so to speak. He cocks his head to one side and says, “okay, just so I am not nuts or mishearing, Wufflepuff, say something.” I chuckle and say, “you’re funny Pops’, now please feed us.” Before Gin Gin can start her routine again, he picks us up and hugs us and does those feet things he calls dancing. I am getting dizzy from the wild movement, thankfully before I get sick Gin Gin gets Pops’ to calm down a little by saying, “Papa, please slow down and feed us.” He gently puts us down and rushes to get our dinner.
After dinner and before Pops’ can ask us anything, Moms’ comes through the door and says, “Hi kids, Moms’ home.” I finish chomping on some kibble and ask, “Hey babes, can you tell Pops’ not to crazy dance with us again?” She starts to say, “Aww, Wuffy you know your dad lights up when he sees you- “Like Pops’; Moms’ face lights up with her prettiest smileand sqeaks in sheer joy and picks me up like those human babies and gives me kisses. She looks at Pops’ and he says while shaking his head, “I don’t know how, I just found out myself, this is a Godly gift no matter how small it may seem.” Moms’ lovey dovey kisses. “Careful Moms’ I just ate babes,” I say. Moms’ takes me over to the couch and sets me down next to her and says to all of us, “Sometimes, God gives us gifts that are surprising and amazing at the same time; this gift we’ll cherish hopefully even after Jesus takes home.”
The four of us go into a conversation long into the night I talk about the naps I take and how hunger wake me up so fast. “Pops’, even if you feed us at a later time, I will keep waking you at the same time, because I can just tell when you close to waking up,” I say. I bunt Pops’ hand as he asks, “I get it son, but could you please not bite me to wake me up?” I ask, “How do you propose I wake you up Pops’? Jump dance on you like that orange fat cat in the cartoons?” He smiles and asks, “Gin Gin used to watch him on the tv while you were sleeping,” I answer. Pops’ looks at Gin Gin who’s been sitting on Pops’ lap like a goof ball and she happily says, “It’s true Papa, we enjoy the shows you and mama play, except the news and weather, it’s boring.”
Pops’ laughs and says to me, “Okay son, you can wake me up any way except biting me or knocking stuff down and we will make a deal.” To make Moms’ and Pops’ happy I bunt Pops’ hand to make our deal official. Moms’ smiled at us and asked, “It’s nice when my boys get along so well, isn’t it?” I move to plop on Moms’ lap and say to her, “This gift has its benefits Moms’; if I can just convince you both to let me outside again.” Moms’ says in her sympathetic tone, “That would require a longer conversation son.” “But Moms’ now that I can talk like you, I promise to be careful, I’ll only explore the neighbors with Gin Gin just a tiny bit,” I plead while I make my kitty eyes as big as possible. Pops’ sternly says, “Mr. Wuffles, you can be a very curious cat and a bit naughty. The last thing you need is temptation.
I try a different approach and ask, “What if you try Moms’ idea of the harness and leash one more time; maybe Gin Gin could take walks with me?” Gin Gin’s head perks up and says, “Papa, that might not be a bad idea, we could see this park that you run past in spring.” Pops’ laughs and says, “If we do this then you two will need to be taught to stay on the harnesses and not break away from me.” “I promise I won’t break away from you, Papa,” Gin Gin says while bunting Pops’ hand. I move where Pops’ is sitting, I put my paw on his shoulder and say, “I promise to you and Moms’; Pops’ that I will learn to work with that harness and I am sorry for getting into past trouble.” I can tell Pops’ is struggling but before I start to talk; Moms’ pets his head like she always does to calm him down. “My schmoop, Wufflepuff needs this; you know he is going nuts all cooped up here and it could be beneficial to you both to bond together,” she explains. Then she looks at me and says, “Son, we both love you, so if you break your promise, you’ll break our hearts.” Pops’ looks at us and says, “It is time to put your promise to the test.”
Part Three
In a couple of days, the four of us searched for good harnesses that are comfy enough; and strong leashes to give us fur babies play. Pops’ new approach to training us is not too bad. He learns to leave the harnesses and leashes out so we are used to seeing them. Next, he has us wearing the things in the castle; it feels clunky at first since we can’t reach parts of our fur when wearing them. Eventually, we both get used to it. We both ask Pops’ if we can make these things flashier, he promises to work on them in time. For now, my harness is almost like a tuxedo in its own right probably Moms’ idea; while Gin Gin’s is pink and girly. The next week we are in the harnesses with the leashes attached he is trying to teach us how to walk with them. Despite Gin Gin lying around on occasion, we come through in fine style.
A month after our kitty prayer, spring is in the air and the final test is about to go down. The folks and us kitties are in the park ready to give this leash test an honest shot. Pops’ has Gin Gin in his arms while Moms’ has me in her paws. They set us down, put the leashes on our harnesses and it is time to try the walk. Pops’ has the leashes in hand and points us in the direction of the park entrance. We both make a slow walk into the cool grass. I have not felt grass for ages; I stop for a moment and pop my claws into the ground while it doesn’t feel nearly as good as Pops’ grass at home, but it is not too bad.
In a moment I look at Pops’ and ask, “You up for a run buds’?” He smiles and nods in a full yes. The three of us run together almost in sync like those goofy sled dogs up north; I have seen them on tv. We run for about a few minutes and the gear as Pops’ calls it; doesn’t even feel cumbersome anymore. Moms’ walks with us after we slow down and she is just beaming with joy. “I got to admit, I didn’t think it could be done. But it has and I am so proud of all three of you,” she says. I say, “This feels great to run around outdoors again.” Gin Gin says, “I love this, Papa; I feel pretty cool being this far from home.”
A month later the harnesses are efficient; I feel a lot stronger, faster, and sharper than when I was cooped at home. The two of us are going back and forth to the park with Pops’. Gin Gin and I experience all sorts of sights, sounds, and smells we have not experienced at home. The concrete and asphalt are not much fun walking on and Pops’ carries us home when we are exhausted. It’s the park that makes the walk through the hard stuff worthwhile. The grass feels so good, the mulch at the playground as pops’ calls it is funny as Gin Gin and I paw it. The sandbox is very unusual but fun to roll around in; though Pops’ hates it I get Gin Gin and I roll around in that box. The trees are fantastic to scratch and rub against. Overall, I think the prayer we made to Pops’ God has worked well for all of us.
Part four
One day in the fall, Pops’ has taken us out for our walk and we are exploring the grass; when something catches our attention that stops us dead in our tracks. My tail moves down flat and I smell a bad smoke in the air. Meanwhile Gin Gin makes a low growl that Pops’ hears. He kneels down and asks, “Trouble is near, isn’t it?” I look to him and say, “Fire is near and not a barbeque.” Pops’ gets serious and says, “Show me, fur babies.” We all make a run for the source of the smell and in a few minutes, we come to the source and see a car accident near the main road. An SUV has flipped over and an ambulance has overturned to its side. We can see a fire in the ambulance has started and any moment the two wrecks will burn. Pops’ pulls his phone out of his pocket and calls for help.
Meanwhile Pops’ drops our leashes to call for help; Gin Gin and I run to the vehicles to see who is hurt. Gin Gin shouts, “I see a little boy and mom in the SUV!” I search the ambulance but shout, “I can’t see anything in the ambulance; to much smoke!” We shout at the same time, “Pops’, people hurt in the SUV!” Without hesitating Pops’ shouts, “Stay away from the ambulance fur babies; I’ll see if I can get that family out!” He crawls to the SUV and I can just barely hear him telling the mom to stay calm. He pulls out his pocketknife and, in a moment, he pulls the mom out of the wreck. I move into the SUV and see the little boy scared and crying; I just know Pops’ won’t be able to keep him calm but I think I can so I slip past the broken pieces of the SUV and brush the arms of the boy and he stops crying right away. I say to him, “I am a friend, my Pops’ will help you out, please stay calm.” He looks at me like he understands what I am saying. He nods and in no time Pops’ and I get the boy out of the wreck.
Gin Gin shouts, “I see the fire truck and an ambulance coming!” Pops’ commands, “Come to me babies quickly so you don’t get hurt.” We both get to Pops’ as a fireman comes to us. A tall man in a grey fur patch on his face and a fireman’s jacket, asks Pops’, “What has happened here sir?” Pops’ replies, the crashed SUV has been cleared of people; but the ambulance doors won’t open and they are getting hotter.” The fireman says, “You and your hero cats stay back, we’ll take over from here.” I climb onto Pop’s shoulder and tell him, “We should away, that ambulance is going to go soon.” The three of us go to move the family to the new ambulance just as the firemen slowly open the ambulance. We are amazed the people in the crashed ambulance are recovered without being hurt too bad; and the firemen put the fire out.
It’s not long before we are called heroes, after what happened. The three of us are in the local paper as “Pyro Man and Cats”. Moms’ is so proud of us she makes Pops’ his favorite meal and we get top of the line tuna fish. Moms’ and Pops’ God has really made us into something special and it is something that none of us will ever forget.
The End