Tommy’s Kitten

Tommy wanted a cat very much. His big brother had goats and his sisters had rabbits, but Tommy had always wanted a cat. Grandma Beth had a cat that sat in her lap and purred. Tommy loved the sound of purring and Grandma said that cats were easy to take care of. “Can’t I have a cat?” Tommy asked his parents. “A little kitty won’t eat much food and I will take good care of it.”

But Mom and Dad said, no, they had enough pets. “Hold the rabbits,” Mom suggested.

But the rabbits didn’t purr, and Tommy didn’t like how they scratched. Instead he sat in the swing and wished for a cat that would sit in his lap and purr. And maybe, on very special occasions, they would go on fishing trips together. Dad had promised to take him fishing—and cats like fish, after all.

Then Tommy’s birthday came. He was turning seven and there were balloons and games and a fishing pole. But best of all was the box on his bed that said, “Love me and I will love you.” Tommy was still reading the message when the box began to wobble and a little voice inside said, “mew!” In the next moment the lid was off and Tommy was staring at a little black and white kitten with golden eyes.

“Oh, a kitty! Is it for me?” he cried. And at that moment the kitty jumped up and scrambled onto the bed.

“Yes,” said Mom with a laugh. “How about setting up a box for her on the porch?”

Tommy reached out his hand and the kitty sniffed it. The next moment she had tumbled to the floor and was batting at the fishing line.

“She’s ready to join you on a fishing trip, I guess,” Dad chuckled. “But first let’s show her the back yard.”

Tommy carried her to the porch, and sat down to watch her explore her new home.

“I didn’t know kittens were so playful,” Tommy told Mom when he came in. “My kitty chases everything—even her own tail!” he laughed. “I think I’ll call her ‘Chase.’ ”

Tommy soon found out that the kitty liked her name quite well. Except it wasn’t always so fun.

“Mom,” he complained the next afternoon. “Chase is being very naughty. Every time I want to hold her, she runs away and hides. And when I tried to pick her up, she scratched me.” Tommy looked at the red marks on his arm and sighed. “I wish she would curl up and purr like Grandma Beth’s cat.”

“She’s only little and full of energy,” Mom encouraged him. “Be patient and make friends with her.”

All that week Tommy tried to be patient with her, but the little kitten didn’t like to sit still, and only wanted to be petted for a moment. In fact, she didn’t seem to like people at all—unless it was to pounce on someone’s feet or attack their legs. Soon Tommy’s sisters were afraid to go in the back yard, and even his big brother began to complain.

“You need to make that kitty behave!” he said. “I’d get a water bottle and spray her so she won’t jump on people.” He rubbed the back of his pant legs. “Her claws are sharp!”

Tommy sat on the porch steps and felt sad. Why wasn’t Chase friendly? He watched as she scampered across the grass and crouched in some fallen leaves. Her tail twitched, and suddenly she leaped high in the air and came down rolling. Tommy had to smile. “You are cute, you silly little thing. If only you would curl up in my lap and purr. Come kitty, kitty!” But she only tipped her head at him and stared with her golden eyes. When he walked toward her, she jumped up and ran over to the tree. She was part way up the trunk when Tommy pulled her off. But instead of laying in his arms, the kitten bit his hand and sunk her claws into his shirt. “Ow!” Tommy yelped, dropping her to the ground. “No, Chase! Stop it!” The tears came to his eyes as he watched her scamper away.

“Chase isn’t nice at all,” Tommy told Mom that evening. “I don’t know how to make her friendly and no one likes her.”

Mom was quiet a moment. “I know Chase hasn’t been the cat you wished for, but do you want to make her a good cat?”

“How?” asked Tommy.

“Chase is a wild and selfish kitten right now,” Mom replied. “But if you get mad when she is naughty, she will be frightened of you. You must work to win her trust.” Mom smiled. “If you take time to love her, she will learn to love you.”

Tommy thought about it as he went to sleep. How could he be Chase’s friend when she was so naughty? If he squirted her with water, she would be frightened. But if he gave her something she liked, maybe…. By the time he fell asleep, Tommy had an idea.

The next morning Tommy went outside with a cup of milk. Chase liked milk. He poured a little into a dish and called her name. No kitten appeared. Tommy walked around the corner of the house, and suddenly he felt claws in his pant legs. He was about ready to kick when he remembered what Mom had said. He stood very still and looked down at the kitten. When he moved his arm, she bounced off into the grass. “Come, Chase,” Tommy said quietly. “I have a treat for you.” She turned her head. He wanted to pick her up, but instead he walked to the porch. Chase followed him. As soon as she saw the milk, she began drinking hungrily. Tommy stroked her fur slowly. She arched her back and waved her tail in the air. But when he tried to pick her up, Chase growled. “Silly cat. I’m not going to take your food,” Tommy said, petting her again. Chase liked that. But how could he teach her that sitting on his lap was nice, too?

It was that very evening that Tommy’s opportunity came. Except you would’ve thought it was a nightmare instead. As Tommy’s family was finishing dinner, sudden loud barking came from the back yard.

“It’s a big mean dog by the rabbit cages!” Tommy’s sister called from the window. “Hurry, Dad! It might bite them!”

Tommy hurried to follow Dad and his brother outside, but the next sound he heard almost made his hair stand up. A yowling scream followed by excited yelps could be only one thing. “My kitty!” Tommy yelled, as he dashed out the door.

But Chase was nowhere to be seen. The big dog jumped over the fence when Dad yelled at it, but the yard was empty. Tommy hunted and called until it was too dark to see.

“She got frightened and is hiding somewhere,” Mom tried to comfort him. “Wait awhile and she’ll probably come.”

But Tommy could only think of that terrible scream. He knew his poor kitty needed him. “I’ll sit on the porch with a flashlight and listen for her,” he decided.

The yard was dark with shadowy shapes of bushes and trees, but Tommy only thought of Chase. Had the dog hurt her? Would she ever come back? “Here, kitty, kitty!” he called softly. Far away a dog barked. Tommy shivered. But he wouldn’t give up. “Chase, kitty. Here, kitty!” Then he heard it. A faint “mew” from out in the darkness. Tommy jumped up and called again. The “mew” was louder now, coming from the tree. “Here, Chase, kitty!” Tommy called, following her cries. As he slowly swung the flashlight back and forth in the tree branches, two golden eyes shown down at him.

“Mew, mew!” cried Chase.

It wasn’t long before Dad was helping him set up a ladder and Tommy’s hands were around his kitten. “Poor Chase! Are you scared?” Tommy said, lifting her gently.

She clung to his jacket as he brought her down, and he stroked her back. “I’m so glad you are all right!”

The next morning Chase was waiting for her milk. “Mew, mew!” she called, when she saw Tommy.

He smiled at her. “Come, Chase,” he said, patting his knee. He held the dish of milk in his lap and Chase climbed up. It hurt a little bit, but he didn’t mind. It was worth it to have his kitten on his lap. He softly stroked her back as she drank her milk.

When the dish was empty, Tommy brought out the treat he’d saved for last. A piece of smoked fish. Chase sniffed it all over and then bit off a corner. Soon the fish was gone, and she licked Tommy’s fingers again and again. “You sure liked that!” Tommy said. Her tongue felt scratchy, but it was so cute and pink that he smiled. “Someday soon we’ll go fishing together.”

Chase closed her eyes and began pressing her little paws into his legs. Her claws felt prickly through his pants, but Tommy didn’t complain. After all, she was only a little kitten. Instead he rubbed her head and whispered, “I love you, my own little kitty.”

Then something wonderful began to happen. Chase began to purr. It was a little, squeaky purr, but it sounded wonderful to Tommy’s ears. “So you love me now, do you?” he laughed softly. “I think we’re going to be good friends, after all!”