It’s been a long time ago now, but I will never forget the time H & H gave me away. Now why would they do that? I thought I was important in this house. I thought I was QUEEN. I thought they loved me. After all, I was the first cat they got after Susu died. Of course, I had to bring along my son. Nobody else wanted him, and he was only three weeks old; so H & H got two cats for the price of one--nothing. And no extra work either! I fed the kitten; I cleaned the kitten; I taught the kitten to use the litter box. The kitten was no extra trouble. (They named the kitten, Ernie. He grew to be about twice as big as me.)
Back to why they gave me away. One of our cats at that time died--Blondie… She had been sickly ever since we got her. I told the folks that, but who am I? Who listens to a cat? Okay, so Blondie was an okay cat. I didn't mind her, even though my son, Ernie, hated her. But back to my story. H & H had six cats at the time (before Blondie died, that is). One of the cats, Koko, didn't really fit in with all the rest of us, although she was a friendly cat--a beautiful Himalayan seal-point. I thought she was okay, but Ernie and Casper--the boys--hated her. Whenever they got the chance, they really beat her up. Although Blondie was the smallest cat in the house, about a half the size of Koko, she was forever sticking up for her. They were great buddies, cousins, actually, who had lived in the same home before they came to live here.
But now with Blondie gone, there was no one to look after Koko; so they decided to give her away, for her own protection. They knew of a man who really wanted a cat, so that's where Koko went. It worked out fine; but the man felt she needed a companion, since he was away at work all day. (More details in another story.)
For some unknown reason, Helen came up with the idea that I would make a good pal for Koko. What a hair-brained idea! But the next thing I knew they were stuffing me into a cat carrier—prison, I called it—t o be taken—where, I did not know. Three times I broke out of that "prison" and ran under the bed. But they were determined, and eventually they caught me. Off I went in a noisy conveyance, to a strange place. I was terrified!
After the noisy thing I was in stopped, the man carried me in my prison to a brightly lit room. He opened up the prison door. Too frightened to move, I remained where I was. NOTHING was going to get me to come out of that prison into the strange smelling room of the new place.
Suddenly, I heard a purr and a meow. I opened my eyes, and there was Koko in the prison with me. I felt just a little bit less frightened. Koko's voice was soothing. She talked to me for a while, licking me, and trying to coax me out into the room. She told me that it would feel strange for just a couple of days. Now that she was used to it, it was really a great place. I was annoyed. How could she have already forgotten how happy all six of us cats had been at H & H's place? All she wanted was for me to come out and explore this wonderful new place. Why there was even a fireplace where I could stretch out and luxuriate in the warmth! Well, forget it, Koko, I am not coming out.
Finally, when I could stand it no longer, I snuck out of the prison. The man showed me where the litter box was. The man had a soothing voice, and despite the fact that Koko had been singing his praises, I wasn't buying any of it. I would hold my ground. He'd get so sick of me he would phone Helen up and tell her to come and get me. Just wait and see.
A week passed. I stayed glued to one place in the house, in the man's closet, on top of his neatly arranged shoes. It was terribly uncomfortable, but the only time I ventured off that spot was at night when he was asleep. Then I would slink out, go to the litter box, get a drink of water and a tiny bit of food, just enough to keep me from starving. Then back I would go to the shoes.
I heard the man talking to Koko. I heard Koko talking back. I know the man couldn’t understand her, but I did. I heard her telling the man that I was very unhappy, and that made her sad. I heard her telling him that he should phone Helen up and ask her if she would take me back. I heard the man talking on the phone. I hoped it was to Helen. It was, but what I heard made me very upset. I heard him say that he didn't want to give up on me yet. He said, "Let's give Queenie a few more days. I think she will adjust. It has been only a week."
Okay! That was it! I would have to do something that I have never done before, something that would definitely change the man’s mind, something that would make him want to take me back…I messed all over his shoes, and then I threw up…That did it! I heard the man's distressed voice as he talked to--I was sure it was Helen. The next thing I knew he was reaching for me to put me back into that horrible wire prison. I protested, but not as hard as I did when I was coming here.
I mewed a quick "good bye" to Koko. And then I was swinging along beside the man, in my prison, to go to that noisy vehicle again. I hated the ride, but it wasn't long. Next thing I knew I was at the front door of my old home. The doorbell rang. I heard Duffy bark. (Duffy has since died. Their present dog is Rocky) I heard footsteps—And then I heard the excited voice of Helen, as she opened the door. Oh, what a relief! She sounded like she was happy I was back.
Helen carried the prison back to the bedroom and opened the door. I was out of there like a shot. Up onto my favorite shelf, above the closet, I flew. My son, Ernie, was already there. Oh did he give me the kisses! And I kissed him, too. For the next few minutes we told each other how much we had hated being apart. He told me he had gone around the house for days, looking for me. He told me even though Casper and he were pals, it wasn’t the same without me. He scolded me for going away. Then it was my turn to tell him that it had not been my choice to go away. I was forcibly taken away.
Now the next few days were glorious. I was really treated royally, like a QUEEN should be treated. I had H & H bowing and scraping, telling me how much they had missed me; Ernie kept telling me how glad he was to see me back. I was even tolerant of Casper, whom I actually can’t stand; and I was kind to Baby, stepping around her when she bumps into me. (She can’t help it. She can’t see.)
It’s a long time now since this happened, but it will always stay in my mind. Every once in awhile, as I sit on top of the computer, I roll my head around, acting as cute as I know how. I want to make sure my humans realize just how happy I am, living with them. And my cuteness works. Even now I hear H & H telling each other that they will never give me away again. I even heard them saying what a mistake it was to have given me away in the first place. And it was!
2005 Update from Helen: Things change. Pets die. And sad to say, our Queenie, with her son, Ernie, are no longer with us, but they will always be remembered, and Queenie will always be the Queen. No other cat will be able to take her place. No, we did not give Queenie away. There is a "time to live and a time to die," and it was Queenie and Ernie's time to die.
© Helen Dowd.