The Cat

Flash Fiction

The Cat

“The cat wanted to go out. He kept meowing and walking back and forth to the back door. Ting, was always an indoor cat.

As I sat, computer in my lap, wishing I knew how to use a computer better… the cat meowing over and over was making me crazy. I was already irritated, as I always am using the computer, Ting was pushing the small remainder of my patience.

“You can’t go out!” I yelled. “You’re an indoor cat!” As if he knew English… But he understood. I could see it I his eyes, and he was not happy with me.

Realizing there must be something out there he wanted to get, I finally got up to look. Through the window I could see the porch, the stone steps, my shoes… I wondered where they were… then suddenly, another cat!

I’d never seen this cat before; it looked dirty and knotty in spots here and there. Definitely a stray. As it noticed me at the window, it jumped up onto the sill outside, and started meowing loudly. As if it knew me! As if it was telling me to let it in! And, Ting also started yelling!

Well! Confused, but fascinated, I did let the other cat in. She (as it turned out) jumped down and walked right over to Ting and they immediately rubbed back and forth with each other. It was as if they already knew each other!

So, I took the new cat to the vets, got her shots and a bath and then I brought her home, to Ting! They’ve been together since.

“Susan, I was only gone three days…” Alex said, “now we have two cats?”

Well! I told him before we got married, I loved cats… he just didn’t understand what that meant…