I continue to work in the therapy room with Karen. She is busy, and caring for Pops takes almost all her remaining time. Oliver complains that Tony’s attention is on his grandfather now, instead of him.
Curiosity takes me to the back of the house. Cautiously, I peek round the open door. The frail, old man is in bed. At first, he is unaware of me. Then uncertainly, he gropes for his glasses.
‘I see someone at the door,’ he says, in a kind voice.
I wonder about this old man, who Tony believes dislikes cats. Taking a risk, I step hesitantly into the room. I can run away if he shouts at me.
‘Come and say hello to me,’ he murmurs. ‘I have a dog, and my friend is looking after him while I’m here. I haven’t owned a cat since I was a child. His name was Cocoa and I adored him.’
He manages to push himself up on the pillows. His shaking hand pats the cover on his bed for me to join him. I jump onto the bed.
‘Oh, you are a beauty, and with such knowing eyes. We are going to have a lovely time together while I’m here.’
His wrinkled face is kind. He is Tony’s grandfather, but a sensitive, empathic man, and nothing like his grandson. I feel a connection with this old man and want to be near him. My paw touches his hand and he smiles.
‘You are a special cat, aren’t you?’
He strokes my head and whispers kind words to me. After our brief encounter, I know that I will love him.
His unsteady hand adjusts his glasses. ‘Will you let me look at your name tag on your collar?’ He asks.
I bend forward for him.
‘So, you’re Bella. A perfect name for a beautiful ginger cat,’ he says.
‘It’s a strange thing Bella, but I have this feeling...and I’m old enough to trust my feelings. It is a feeling that you understand what I am saying, and the way I feel. Stranger still, I can sense what you feel – that you like and trust me. The same thing happened with my cat Cocoa, bless him. He crossed the rainbow bridge so many years ago.’ The old man makes himself more comfortable. ‘I think we were meant to meet, Bella. I don’t believe in coincidences.’
How can Tony have a grandfather with such a deep connection to cats, and with me in particular, while Tony tolerates me for Karen’s sake? I wonder if Pops will connect with Oliver?
The old man talks and I listen. He tells me how he fell in the dark during the power outage. He was severely bruised and sore, but fortunate not to have broken any bones.
He goes on to talk about his mother, father, and sisters, and how they all lived on the family farm together, when he and Cocoa were young. There were sheep, four dogs, seven horses and six cats, but Cocoa was his own cat. He smiles as he relates that the other animals were scared of Cocoa, who could be vicious if threatened. Cocoa had the run of the farm, and he delighted in jumping on the woollen backs of the sheep. In winter, Cocoa and the other cats slept with the sheep to keep warm. He laughs loudly, as he describes how his cat behaved like a dog, herding stray lambs back to their mothers.
Suddenly he is quiet, and tears fill his eyes. He wipes them away quickly. ‘The worst thing that happened in my life was the terrible fire on the farm.’ More tears flow. ‘My son and daughter-in-law were burned alive on their farm while I was away enjoying myself – my first holiday in years. It was irresponsible of me. I should’ve realised the strain the farm was causing my children.’ He sighs deeply. ‘At least Tony was at school at the time, and saved from the fire.’ He tries to control his tears but in vain. ‘He’s like a son to me and I love him deeply, and Karen too, but I carry enormous guilt, and I grieve the senseless loss of my children.’
I nestle closer, understanding his pain and sadness.
‘You understand Bella...I know that,’ He says, as he pats my head.
When Tony comes home after work, he sees me on his grandfather’s bed and is astounded. ‘I didn’t know that you liked cats, Pops.’
The old man smiles. ‘You don’t know everything about me Tony. Bella is staying with me, unless Karen needs her,’ his grandfather says emphatically.
‘Of course, if you want her here,’ Tony says, sounding surprised.
I am busy and don’t have as much sleep as usual between my job in the therapy room and being with Pops, but I enjoy being needed. Oliver watches me and learns. He is a smart and highly sensitive cat. I sense that he wants to follow in my paw steps.
After my work with Karen, I find Oliver on the old man’s bed.
‘This little beauty has a kind nature,’ Pops says.
I join Oliver on the bed, and the old man smiles happily.
‘Now I have both of you with me. How lucky can an old man be?’
Later, when Pops leaves his bed to hobble around the house, Little Blue Eyes follows him. I am happy to watch how gentle he is with the old man. I leave them together. When Pops returns to bed, Oliver curls up next to him.
‘I’m feeling much stronger, so I’m going home tomorrow,’ he says to me.
Cat Alert! I give him a long look.
‘Yes, Bella, I know you think I should stay here for a few more days, but I miss my home. I promise to visit you, special one, and sweet Oliver too.’ He stops to gather his strength before continuing. ‘Please look after Karen and Tony. I hope that they will have a child soon. It’s selfish of me, but I long for a grandchild before I die.’
After a session of energetic chasing each other and wrestling, Oliver says he wants to ask me something important. ‘How can I learn to be a Therapy Cat like you?’
‘You can’t learn to be one. You have to like Humans, and be tolerant of their strangeness – and you have to want to help them, especially the young ones. They are different to us in so many ways. A Therapy Cat may even need to help other animals who are sick – horses for example.
‘But, do you think I could be any good at it one day?’ He asks. ‘I would like to be able to help the way you do. It is a special job, and important.’
‘It’s about having an easy-going temperament, generosity and empathy, Oliver. Either you have it, or you don’t. You can’t learn it. If you have the temperament, you can learn some added ways of helping.
He seems unsatisfied by my answer and moves towards the warmest heat vent.
I was being kind. Oliver is clever, and he is turning into a good friend. He’s also becoming more handsome every day. I look at his silky coat, slender graceful body and his finely chiselled features, and realise once again that he is nothing like me. I think of his long slender tail that swishes when he is bored – and, that he is often bored. He is sensitive to his own needs, and to Tony’s needs, but I wonder if he is tolerant and caring enough to help all sad and sick Humans. I’m not sure if he has the qualities of a Therapy Cat?
Mia is here to see Karen with her mother. She hasn’t visited me for a while, and I notice a change in her. She is even taller since I saw her last. Her step is confident and her eyes are smiling.
‘Karen, we came today to tell you that I am well now. We wanted to thank you for all your help. I’m not afraid of the school bullies now.’
‘Mia couldn’t have done it without your help, Karen,’ her mother says.
And thank you, too, darling Bella.’ Mia says, nodding in my direction.
‘I think Mitzi, the cat belonging to the man next door has helped Mia too. She can’t have her own cat due to her dad’s allergy, but he allows her to play with Mitzi whenever she likes.’
‘I am pleased to see you looking so well, Mia, and that you have Mitzi to play with now,’ Karen says.
Mia tells Karen that her teacher is a piano player, and that a week ago, her teacher accompanied her on the piano, while she played popular tunes for her classmates on the violin. The children knew the songs, and joined in clapping and singing. It was a huge success and everyone had fun.
I can tell by Karen’s smile how pleased she is with Mia’s recovery.
Mia talks on happily about her new school friends.
Then she asks, ‘Where is Olive
r, your beautiful Siamese kitten? I saw him last time I was here.’
Karen leaves and returns quickly carrying Oliver.
‘He’s absolutely adorable. Come to me, Oliver,’ Mia calls, but Oliver does not go to her. He hides behind the chair. When she calls him again, he pokes his head out, but refuses to approach her. He is unhappy about going to this strange child.
Now I am certain he will not be a Therapy Cat, even if he would like to be one. He slips out of the room, and I hear him running towards the heat vent.
‘Oliver is shy. Don’t be upset that he won’t come to you,’ Karen says soothingly.
I go to Mia for a hug, while Mia’s mother talks to Karen for a while longer.
Mia wipes away a few tears when she cuddles me for the last time.
‘I will miss you lots, Bella,’ she whispers.
I will miss her too.
Oliver refuses to talk about the way he acted with Mia. He is ashamed, and pretends it didn’t happen.
One morning he says, ‘I guess I’m not suited to being a Therapy Cat. I am not comfortable with Humans I haven’t met before.’
‘Being a Therapy Cat is not for every cat, Oliver. Don’t let it bother you,’ I say.
But he is bothered, and a little jealous. He is not walking as proudly as usual. He wants to feel special too.
Pops visits late this afternoon. He says he is well now, but he misses Karen and Tony. He gives me a sidelong glance to tell me that he misses me too.
Karen invites him to stay for dinner. Instead going to the television room before dinner to talk to Tony, he finds me.
‘Bella, I’ve been lonely this week. I thought of you, and wished you could’ve been with me.’
He sits in a comfortable chair and I jump onto his lap. He strokes me and I nestle close and purr.
‘I wish you lived with me, Bella. You understand, even more than my dog, Rusty. I pretend to be tough, but since my fall, I’m afraid that I will be unable to care for myself – that I’ll be a burden to Tony and Karen. I’m doing my best to keep fit, eat well and exercise. It’s all I can do.’
I keep purring, and place my paws around his neck to tell him that I care about him.
Later, while Karen, Tony and Pops have dinner, I hear them talking about Oliver.
Pops says, ‘Oliver is an incredibly handsome cat. There’s a cat show in this area in three weeks. I think Oliver has a good chance of winning. It’s worthwhile, the top three cats win prizes of free food for a year and there are rosettes too.’
Tony laughs. ‘Why not, if you do all the preparation for the show.’
Could Oliver win a ribbon and a prize? It will be interesting.
‘If you want to enter him into the show, Pops, you had better start working on him soon. There’s a huge amount of preparation – shampooing, combing his fur and the rest,’ Karen reminds him. ‘I put Samantha on show once and she won a special mention, but what a lot of work!’
The next day, Pops arrives with a basket filled with cat shampoo, conditioner, towels, combs, brushes, and nail clippers. He borrows Karen’s hair dryer and is ready to start Oliver’s beauty treatment. Oliver knows nothing about the old man’s intentions, as he sniffs the bottles and combs. When he hears the water running in the laundry trough, he remembers the bath Karen gave him after he had run away, and tries to hide. Pops finds him and the beautifying of Oliver begins.
Top of Pops’ list is claw clipping. It is Oliver’s first experience of having his claws clipped. He is a young cat with fine, long, sharp claws that badly need a trim. Oliver squirms complaining loudly, but in vain. Pops holds him firmly, as he clips the tips of Oliver’s claws. Oliver is indignant. Next, Pops brushes Oliver’s coat vigorously and then combs away all the dead hairs. Oliver enjoys that part.
He has forgotten the water in the laundry tub, and just as well. Pops adds a bubbling cat shampoo to the warm water. Then he puts Oliver into the trough and there are loud meows. The final rinse and conditioner to make his fur glossy is too much for Oliver. His resistance reaches high notes. Out he comes, wet, bedraggled, and shivering. Pops part dries him in a soft towel, and then with Karen’s hair dryer. Once dry, his fur is soft and glistening, but he is miserable. For enduring the lengthy beauty ritual, Pops treats Oliver to tuna with shrimp. He gives me some too.
I wonder if there will be another shampoo and brush ordeal before the competition.
Karen and Tony are thrilled when they see Oliver looking stunning. Karen picks him up and cuddles him.
Tony kisses Oliver’s head. ‘I’m sure you will win a prize. After all, who could resist you?’
Bored Cats! I turn away from all the fuss about Oliver, and enjoy the warmth of the heating instead.
A mother and her five-year-old, only child, Sophie, enter the therapy room. Sophie is friendly with dark hair and eyes as blue as Oliver’s. The mother talks a lot, and fast. She is concerned that Sophie has an imaginary friend.
‘Sophie expects me to make meals for her pretend friend, help her to dress and wash her hair in the shower,’ she explains. ‘When Sophie is naughty, she blames her little pretend friend for it. Surely at five, she should be growing up and finding real friends. It doesn’t seem right.’
What in Catland is an imaginary friend? Well, I guess I play with a pretend friend too. Before Oliver arrived I was lonely and played with a white pretend cat who visited me every day. She’s gone now that I play with Oliver.
‘My special friend’s name is Charlotte...Lottie. Mum doesn’t like her, but she’s my friend. I like her, and I’m not letting her go. I asked Lottie if I can talk to you, Karen, and to the kitty about her, and she says it’s okay.’
‘I would like to know about Lottie. I’m sure Bella would like to know about her too,’ Karen says.
‘Lottie is pretty and a little older than me. She knows lots of things, and helps me to feel better if I’m scared at night. We play games together with fairies, we paint and dance. It’s fun!’
Karen turns to Sophie. ‘Lottie sounds special and a very important friend to you, but is she real?’
Sophie laughs. ‘She’s my best friend, but of course she’s not real. She lives in my head.’
‘Will she ever grow out of having this little friend?’ Sophie’s mother asks.
‘Don’t be concerned,’ Karen tells Sophie’s mother. ‘Many young children have imaginary friends that help them with real things that scare or worry them. Their pretend friends usually stay a while, until they are no longer needed. As Sophie grows older, you can help her by involving her in enjoyable real experiences with other children, and by being there for her. When she builds up confidence and has other friends, her pretend friend will leave.’
‘Maybe it would help if I asked some of the mothers to visit with their children. It would be an opportunity to play together,’ Sophie’s mother says.
‘An excellent idea...and perhaps consider a pet for Sophie as well. Dogs and cats are real friends too.’
‘I wish I could have a kitten,’ Sophie says.
‘Okay Sophie, I’ll talk to your dad about a kitten for you.’
‘If you are still worried about Sophie come and see me again,’ Karen says.
Sophie and her mother are both smiling when they leave.
After seeing Sophie and her mother, Karen puts her head on her desk and rests for a few minutes.
‘That’s it for the day, my treasure,’ she says.
I sit on Karen’s lap, and as we relax, I feel loved inside. I am about to fall asleep, when I sniff her. She smells slightly different today, neither sour nor sweet. I move closer to sniff her again. What is causing her to smell strange? I cannot recall her ever smelling like this before.
Cat Alert! The following day when I sit on her lap, I am aware once more of the unusual smell of her body. I place my head on her tummy, and sense almost undetectable vibrations. I am certain now. She has a tiny, human kitten growing inside her, but perhaps she is not aware of it yet. I place my paws
on the new life inside her and lick her tummy. Then I look at her, and purr.
‘What are you up to Bella?’ She says with a laugh. ‘You are acting very strangely today. What are you trying to tell me?’
I purr loudly for her.
The day of the cat show arrives. Oliver is subjected to another wash and dry, as well as a last comb with a touch of jell rubbed into his coat. His tail is flicking at a fast rate to register his utter displeasure.
Pops smiles broadly. ‘You look like a Prince of a Cat, Oliver. Be confident, I’m sure you’ll win an award.’
Proud Cats! Oliver looks incredibly handsome. I’m thrilled for him and hope he wins. But, all this emphasis on superficiality is not my thing. It’s the cat inside – Catness that counts most for me. However, I want him to be a Happy Cat, and he hasn’t been as contented as usual lately. If this competition works for him, it will be a positive thing.
The day passes slowly for me, as I wonder if he has won any awards. At last, they return from the show. Pops is smiling broadly, and Oliver is ecstatic with a purr reaching high decibels. Proudly, Pops shows off Oliver’s rosette. He won second prize for the best neutered cat on show.
‘He was the most handsome by far. He should’ve won first prize, but the judges have their reasons, I guess,’ the old man says.
Tony is thrilled. ‘Second place is wonderful, and it calls for a celebratory drink all round.’ He gives Oliver’s tummy a rub. ‘What a beauty you are!’ He says lovingly.
He brings out a large bottle of clear, yellow liquid and glasses. We cats are given sliced beef treats from a packet.
Then Oliver sits on Tony’s lap and is petted lavishly. Later, Tony takes Oliver’s winning rosette and places it amongst the family photographs.
‘It’s a great win and his rosette should be in an important place,’ he says to Karen.
She smiles and nods. ‘I think we should donate the year’s cat food Oliver won to Cat Rescue, so that other cats who have been rescued can benefit like Oliver and Bella have,’she says.
Bella Page 15
