a cat could wish for. We chased each other and she kept crying when we wrestled and I didn't understand what was wrong. We're supposed to do this, I told her. What's wrong with you?
The man came in and lay on the bed for a while and we chased each other all around and over him. Whenever Shadow and I were wrestling I found he put his long paw between the two of us and I had to fight her around his paw. Later I realised that he was protecting her belly so that I couldn't scratch her and mess up her stitches. At the time I just thought he was playing too and that was fine by me.
Late at night he came and pulled back the cloth things and got into the bed and turned the light out. Shadow looked at me and asked, What do we do now?
I wasn't sure. I didn't know if we were allowed to cuddle up to him or not, but I was pretty sure that if we wanted to sleep on the bed we'd have to stake our claim right away. So we did. I climbed up onto the bottom corner of the bed and Shadow cuddled up to where his back paws were. Soon we were all asleep and it was wonderful. We were safe in our new home and our humans clearly loved us and I was so happy I couldn't stop purring all night.
20
There was one bad moment during the night when I woke up and saw the human's back paws suddenly kick out and down, and poor little Shadow got pushed off the bed and onto the floor! She cried and it must have been very painful with her stitches and everything. He kicked me! she said. Why?
The human was awake immediately and he picked her up off the floor and cuddled her. I think it was an accident, I told her. You know sometimes you kick me in your sleep? No I don't, she said, and I told her she did but she was asleep the whole time and didn't know she was doing it and I think that's what the human was doing. He really seems sorry and you should forgive him. So she licked his nose and he kissed her and stroked me and we all went back to sleep.
Our human didn't wake up until very late and by the time he got out of bed we'd eaten every crumb in our bowls and I was really hungry.
But the human keeps a big packet of wet food in our room and he gave us lots as well as lots of munchies.
And guess what: Shadow ate her wet food really quickly and started to eat mine. Again! And I just looked sadly at my disappearing food and the human picked her up and hugged her so I could finish my breakfast in peace. We spent a long and wonderful day exploring every detail of our room. There are so many places to hide it's just brilliant!
And the food kept on coming, and she kept stealing mine and the human kept standing in the way and trying to head her off. He doesn't hurt her but he keeps putting his back paws between her and my bowl. I just wish he'd pick her up while I'm eating. It's the only way to stop her stealing my food.
And then he lay on the bed and we wrestled and he put his paw between us so I didn't hurt her too much. Sometimes he blows on my nose to tell me I'm being too rough. And I stop for a bit but then I forget and start wrestling with her again. I know she's smaller than me but I'm a growing boy and she will just have to learn to get stronger I think.
21
Played, ate and slept the day away. It was a good day. Our humans still love us and nobody got hurt, except Shadow when I was too rough with her. Man kept putting his paw between us when I forgot.
I now think of our humans as Man and Woman, as distinct from just any other men and women. Because they are ours, and because they are kind to us and don't hurt us and we love them.
And we get to curl up with Man and sleep. Shadow likes to snuggle in close but I like to keep my distance a bit. The thing about the far corner of the bed is that his back paws won't kick me over there even if he is having a bad dream. But every time he wakes up he runs his paws over my fur and tells me what a Good Cat I am.
I had an awful dream myself in the middle of the night. I dreamt I was back in my cage and I woke up howling. Man didn't wake up but Shadow came and washed my face. She may be a food-thief but she has a kind heart. She doesn't really speak Cat yet but there are things I am going to have to explain when she does learn. If she learns!
I think she wants to explore outside our room but I tell her it's too early. Man wants to make sure we feel that this really is our home. He'll let us out of our room soon. I tried to explain this but I don't think she got it. Meanwhile we explored more of the room.
Shadow is good at climbing. There is this big wooden thing where Man keeps all his clothes and she managed to climb on top of it. I can't get there because I'm too big and heavy to climb up there. I think she likes having one place where I can't find her.
I REALLY think we are safe now. Man won't take us back to our cage, surely? If he does I don't know what I will do. Probably just lie on the floor of the cage and cry again. But I don't think he will, so I don't think we have to worry.
22
Man was away a lot today and kept coming in with big packages. We tried to play with them, but I don't think they were for us. Then he'd go out again and get more packages. I really don't know what's happening today, but Shadow and I played a lot anyway and we spent a lot of time on the Cat Castle. She likes to hide inside the crinkly bit and lie very still and when I put my head in the other end she jumps at me and we fight inside the tunnel. It's great!
Man actually opened the door for a little while to let us see out. He had this big wire thing in the way so we couldn't get out, but we had a long look at the next room. Shadow was more sensible than I thought she'd be. She didn't hurl herself at the wire and try to escape or anything silly like that.
The next room was really exciting to look at. It's got the same weird floors as our room but there is a huge bed there and lots of pillows and soft things. And there are big tall things filled with what looks like paper. Shadow sat next to me and sniffed at the wire and I told her not to worry. They'll let us out tomorrow and we can explore the new room.
Then Woman came and spoke softly to us while we were looking and I think she was telling us we were being Good Cats. The other new thing today was that Man put somebody really big and furry on our bed. Shadow looked at it and went all tense like it was a Fierce Animal, but I told her not to worry. It's got four paws and a big black nose and two brown eyes and there's something droopy about its mouth. And it doesn't have a lot to say, so I think it's a teddy bear.
What's a teddy bear? she asked. My old humans had one, I told her. This one was pretty old and had bits of her fur missing, but she was a really big teddy and I thought she was great. Man really does love us, I told Shadow. See, he probably thinks we miss our mums, so he's given us this big furry bear to cuddle. Yes, but is it alive? she wanted to know. What do you think? I said. It smells of human! she said. And I said, Yes, you're right. Can't you tell it smells of Man?
Yes, all right, I believe you, she said. But what are we supposed to do with it? I don't know about you, I said, but I'm going to snuggle it. I've been through a lot since I last saw my mum and I want to pretend I'm back with Mum again. So Shadow watched me while I kneaded the teddy's fur with my claws and suckled at her. She came a bit closer and wanted to know if she could do it too. I was going to tell her to find her own bear, but there really was enough bear for both of us. So we both cuddled Teddy and felt better about life.
Then Man came into the room and scared us by pointing a little silver box at us, which made a bright flash of light. He keeps doing this occasionally and I've got used to it, but I wish he wouldn't.
23
I
