‘The Cat’

What was that smell? The darkness of the night seemed to make it stronger somehow; even more delicious. It was certainly a fishy smell. Could it be herring or maybe salmon? No, she knew what it was now – definitely sardine. Although she didn’t know that was what it was called, she had smelt it before, but had never tasted it. She was very curious, even though curiosity is famously risky for a cat.

She trotted briskly across the silent roadway and slipped through the bushes on the other side. The smell was definitely getting stronger; she must be getting closer. A harsh white light spilled out of a window above her and with one light-footed bound she was in the midst it. She walked along the narrow windowsill as if on a catwalk. She came to the open window where the aroma was at its most intoxicating.

The man stood with his back to her in his kitchen. He was whistling to himself as he tossed the fishes in his pan making them sizzle and smell irresistible. Then he turned around toward the sink, where he slid the small shoal of little fish from the pan onto a plate, and a bed of bread ready to receive them. The sight of the Cat, so close, took him by surprise. The Cat eyed him unblinkingly and then dropped her gaze to the fishes that lay served up between him and her.
         “Hello,” he said warmly. “Where did you come from?”
         He didn’t seem to realise it, but this was something of a foolish question. The Cat had been here all along. This was her patch. It was actually he who was new to the neighbourhood. So the real question was: Where had he come from? But the Cat was unconcerned and so decided to overlook his ignorance. What she was most interested in was the meal on his plate.
         “Would you like some?” asked the man, seeing where her hungry eyes were fixed. “I bet you would,” he answered for her.
         He cut one of the little fish in half, blew on it twice to cool it, and dropped it onto the windowsill beside her. She sniffed it. It was definitely what she had smelt from across the street. But could she trust this stranger? Of course she could, she thought, as she bit into the little slice of heaven.
         The fact that there would be dinner waiting for her at home tonight was the furthest thing from the Cat’s mind. Mmm. This fish was, without doubt the tastiest fish she had ever eaten, and tastiest of any food she knew of. She looked at the man, who had by now put a second slice of bread on top of his first and was biting into the fish meal himself.
         “Mmm,” he agreed.
         This seemed like someone she could spend time with, The Cat decided.

Licking her lips, The Cat could still taste the sardines as she pushed through her cat-flap back at home. There, in front of her on the floor, was her dinner in her bowl. She gave it a sniff. It was good food, nice food, nutritious food, and formulated especially for cats. She had always enjoyed her meals here, but now this seemed bland compared to the oily fish she had tasted across the road. She walked past the bowl without touching it. Every room in the house was warm and this evening she walked past her own basket and curled up on the second stair for a nap. She drifted off into sleep and dreamt of sardines.

The next day the Cat found herself drawn again to the house across the street. She made sure that it was around meal time, in the hope of being given more fish. This time she strode boldly in through the open doorway, intrigued by a new smell.
         “Hello, Pus,” said the man as he turned to see her.
         The Cat was a little irritated. She already had a name and it wasn’t “Pus”, but she decided to let it slide for now. What was this new smell?
         “Fancy some hot dog?” asked the man and tossed a piece of sausage onto the floor.
         This tasted, well, unusual, to the Cat – meaty, but not meaty at the same time, and quite salty. It was a new and interesting experience for the Cat but, despite reservations, she decided to like it.
         It was this, and all the other exotic and interesting foods that seemed to be on offer, that persuaded the Cat to spend more and more time at the house across the street. The man not only gave her tasty food, but didn’t worry her with those tablets and smelly drops on the back of her neck that she got at home. Most importantly, there seemed to be no threat that the man in this house would take her to see the Nasty Lady with her sharp needles and who poked around in her mouth and ears.

After a few days she stopped going home at all.

… to be continued!

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© M Day 11-Oct-2024