The Great Cat Caper

by Lauraine Snelling

  She then handed out the list. Since yesterday, she’d been feeling, umm, lighter. When Bill greeted her with his morning greeting, she’d responded, “I found treasure yesterday.” Bill wanted to know all about it. Funny. Bill knew all about God as treasure. Vee had shaken her head. You just never knew what Bill knew.

  The Great Cat Caper would be the best ever. She couldn’t wait to hold Buzz. While the girls were making their cat toys, she was going to get ideas from them about how to talk to Mom and Bill about adopting Buzz.

  Esther poked her copy with one scarlet fingernail. “Couldn’t we just once not have a list?”

  Vee ignored her. “You’ve got the stuff for the cat toys, Esther? We’re doing that tomorrow, right?”

  “Check. I gave my list to Frank and Sunny,” she nodded at the redhead. “And they are going around to the stores and seeing who will donate the stuff or money.” Ticking off the items, she said, “Fake feathers, yarn, catnip, beads, and straws.”

  “Straws?” Aneta asked, pausing in midlick of her banana ice cream.

  “You’ll see,” Esther said, smiling a secret smile. “Then Wednesday, we work on the cat colony shelters. My dad knows a guy who will donate two really big foam coolers.”

  “I don’t see how cats can live in a cooler that’s supposed to keep stuff cold.” Vee frowned.

  Again Esther smiled the secret smile and said, “You’ll see.”

  Sunny, who could finish an ice cream cone faster than anyone Vee knew, was pacing around their table making up a song about cats. It was pretty random.

  A body rocketed into her vacant seat. “I gotta be in your group.” It was C. P., looking desperate.

  “You can’t be in our group,” Esther said patiently and not startled by his sudden appearance. She took another lick.

  “Why not?” He pleated a napkin and pressed it to his upper lip. “See my mustache?”

  “For one thing,” Vee explained, trying not to laugh, “you’re not a girl, and for another thing, you’re not a S.A.V.E. Squad member.”

  He wiggled the mustache. “I don’t want to be part of the creepy S.A.V.E. Squad. Cheez-Whiz, guys don’t want to be in the S.A.V.E. Squad. I have to be in on the Great Cat Caper.”

  “Why?” Aneta fixed her wide-eyed gaze on him.

  “Because if I don’t find something else to do, my mom said she was going to lose her mind.”

  Sunny cocked her head. “But you play fall soccer.”

  “It’s not in the budget this year.”

  Good day for treasure. What treasure might C. P. prove to be? What treasure might he be for the cats? What on earth am I thinking? It felt right, however, so she went with it. “I say yes,” she said. “If nothing else, he can stir the organic cat treats, which are sure to be gross.”

  The other girls looked surprised but quickly added their okay.

  “I knew you would,” he said smugly then checked out Vee’s dripping cone. “You gonna eat all that?”

  Chapter 24

  Freakies & Sock ’Ems

  As soon as the girls and C. P. hit the senior center steps the next day, breathless from a race across the park—Vee won—Esther took charge. “Okay, let’s see how many toys we can make before we have to go home.”

  “How many do we have to make?” Aneta wanted to know.

  “You don’t want to know,” was Sunny’s reply. “You should see all the stuff we got.”

  Sure as there were beetles, they needed help. Vee reviewed what she had to do today: An hour and a half of making a bazillion cat toys. Then Math Man’s homework. Then regular homework. Vee just wanted to take Buzz home with his oven mitts, eat dinner with Mom and Bill, and play with Buzz until she went to bed. The math retest—and the key to whether she would get to stay in the Accelerated Learning Center—was three days away, counting today. The same morning the Helpful City Festival began. Dad was supposed to drive her to school for the test.

  Esther was the first to turn the corner into the Cat Room. “Oh!” Vee heard her say.

  “What?” Vee asked. She sniffed. No smell of mouthwash.

  By now they had all stumbled into the room and saw Cat Woman, Hermann, an enormous man, and some ladies that played pickleball at the community center.

  “We’re here to help!” one of the ladies said.

  “Hooray!” Sunny said.

  “Hermann convinced us you girls really wanted help.” Another lady unzipped her jacket and laid it neatly across the back of a chair.

  The girls looked at each other. “We put up signs. We do need help!” Esther said.

  “We signed up, but nobody contacted us.”

  Esther looked at Sunny. “Did you collect the sign-up sheets?”

  “No,” Sunny said. “I thought that was your job.”

  Oh boy. The S.A.V.E. Squad had done it again. This project had more messes in it than a Twin Terror birthday party. Vee and the girls traded glances.

  “We’re sorry!” Sunny said. “Boy, we sure are saying that a lot.”

  The ladies laughed and said it was nice to know someone else didn’t remember everything. Vee got Buzz out of his cage and sat at the edge of the group, rubbing him on the belly and listening to his buzzing. Esther was organized, Vee was glad to see. If she hadn’t been, C. P. could never have sat still long enough to get directions. As it was, he bounced up and down in his seat. Everyone got directions for the two projects.

  Feather Freakies

  List of supplies:

  Fake feathers or bits from boas (let the birds keep theirs)

  Straws

  Scissors

  Yarn

  A medium to large bead for each Freakie

  Steps:

  Select three feathers.

  Cut a straw in half.

  Tie yarn around the tops of the feathers. Knot tightly. Leave long strings of the yarn to thread through the straw. Slide a bead over the yarn to the top of the straw. Tie those two ends to a piece of yarn long enough to dangle the Feather Freaky in front of the cat without getting your fingers grabbed. Your cat will freak. Keep it out of reach or the Freakie will have a short life.

  Sock ’Ems

  List of Supplies:

  Baby socks, old or new from the dollar store

  Yarn (bet you have some leftover from the Freakies)

  Catnip (Paws ‘N’ Claws Animal Buddies sells it as a fundraiser by the bag.)

  Steps:

  Put a quarter-sized bunch of catnip in the toe of the baby sock (aren’t they so cute and little?).

  Wrap yarn tightly around the top of the sock and tie the knot there. Leave one or two long strings to diddle in front of the cat. They like it when you bump their face with it.

  Added note: You can write the cat’s name in a permanent marker on the sock before you fill it with catnip if you have more than one cat. Maybe they don’t like to share.

  By the end of their time together that afternoon, Vee knew that C. P.’s treasure was making them laugh. Her sides hurt from laughing.

  “You, young man, are a card,” one of the pickleball club ladies said. “You made my day. I can’t wait to e-mail my granddaughter and tell her I spent the afternoon making Feather Freakies for the Great Cat Caper with kids. She thinks I never do anything but watch TV and eat Jell-O with my old friends.”

  “You are so funny,” Aneta agreed, gathering the remaining feathers and neatly stowing them in a plastic bag.

  Vee collected the beads and wound up the yarn. Tickling Buzz with one of the Freakies, she saw his eyes blaze and he pounced, fighting furiously with the feather and biting the straw. She giggled. “This toy is cat tested and passes with flying colors,” she announced. Everybody clapped. She gently placed him in his cage.

  Sunny began sliding the straws in another bag.

  Esther finished counting. “We made 150 Freakies and 100 Sock ’Ems. We really sped up after C. P. said to cut all the straws and yarn first and measure out the catnip. And because we had help.” She beamed at the senior
s. The girls clapped.

  Vee slung on her backpack after casting a quick eye around the table in the Cat Room. She hated leaving Buzz. “Bye, little Buzz. Tonight, no matter what, I’ll talk to Mom and Bill. Or Bill, if Mom is working late.”

  Esther’s voice followed her out the door, along with Sunny and Aneta’s good-bye. “Remember, tomorrow we make cat colony shelters for Aneta’s and my cats!”

  Chapter 25

  The Joy of Catness

  Now Vee knew what a cat condo looked like. At least for community cats. The next day, two oversized foam coolers were taped shut and a circle cut for an entrance. Then the entire cooler was wrapped in wide, outdoor tape.

  Cat Woman walked into the parking lot as they emerged from the senior center, headed toward the bushes where Vee had met Buzz and collected a face full of scratches. “Nice job, girls!” she called.

  C. P. had insisted on carrying one by himself and had the girls whooping by staggering back and forth, trying to see over and around the shelter. Holding her end of the white shelter with Esther on the other, Vee smiled as the older woman joined them.

  “Those two shelters should be great shelters for the three that escaped and the one that got away the day we tried to trap them,” Cat Woman said.

  “I feel sad they did not want to be pets,” Aneta said as they neared the bushes.

  “We tried though. I guess that’s better than hauling them off to be put down. We learned a lot.” Esther sounded as though she were trying to make herself feel better.

  Sunny and Aneta set down their shelter so it faced the fence but left enough room for the cats to get through the circle. “And we’re still helping them. I just wanted them all to be adopted and have a great life.”

  “You’re giving them a better life than they had before,” the Cat Woman reminded them.

  After placing the shelters, Aneta straightened. “Now we make cute litter boxes.” Then her smile ran wide. “And then—”

  C. P. shot his fist in the air. “Disgusting organic cat treats!”

  Vee noticed Mom’s Honda and Bill’s truck in the parking lot as they turned to head back into the senior center. She ran to greet them, a puzzled expression crossing her face. Was something wrong?

  Frank and Nadine came out the senior center doors. “Hey, April and Bill. Thanks for coming. I know you’re both busy.”

  Panic seized Vee. She looked from Mom and her stepdad to Frank and Nadine. No way could she be in trouble. The girls were working with the old people, and they were on target for the Helpful City Festival. The mayor was happy; Mrs. Sissy was happy. Why were Mom and Bill here?

  “Let’s all go into the Cat Room,” Frank said.

  The girls, C. P., and Cat Woman had joined Vee.

  “What’s going on?” Vee heard Sunny whisper to Aneta.

  “I do not know,” Aneta whispered back.

  “We are definitely not in trouble,” Esther assured them, nudging Vee’s arm as they left the parking lot and went inside. “Are we?”

  Vee immediately went to Buzz and lifted him out of his cage. He began a most reassuring buzz against her chest where she clutched him.

  “Nope, nobody is in trouble,” Frank said. “Even though it would be fun to make you think you were.”

  “Frank,” Nadine said in a warning voice, although she was smiling. “Don’t drag this out.”

  “You’re no fun,” he grumbled then gestured to Mom, who in turn looked at Bill.

  Hello? Freaking out here.

  “Here’s the deal,” Bill said, putting his arm around Vee’s mom and smiling his wide smile. “We think Vee’s found a treasure in Buzz, and he needs to come home with us forever. Paws ‘N’ Claws has checked us out, and we’re okayed.” He pulled a worried face. “That is, Vee, if you want him.” The grin he flashed told everyone he was kidding.

  “Want him? Oh, Buzz!” Vee choked up and looked down at the big-eyed kitten with the tufty ears. The kitten that was now hers.

  Sunny grabbed Aneta and danced with her as best they could among the tables and chairs. Esther and Cat Woman clapped. “You get a Cat Kit to take home!” Sunny said.

  Mine, he’s mine. My treasure, my treasure that came out of trouble. She didn’t know how long she stood looking into the ever-changing eyes of Buzz. Time stood still. Her slide into the bushes on a beetle-y day she thought would never end. The dive into the Dumpster to save Buzz, then him peeking out at her and her knowing she’d have to save him. Her hip was feeling a lot less sore, thank you very much.

  She recalled way too many days where he thought all humans were evil and then that insane day Everything Animal turned everything upside down. Buzz’s eyes were swooping in and out of slits as he dozed. She glanced at Bill. “Good day for treasure,” she said and walked over and placed the drowsy kitten in Bill’s big hands.

  Mom leaned in close. “He’s a cutie.”

  C. P.’s voice broke up the sweet scene. “So when do we get to make the cat treats?”

  “Let me get this straight,” Mom said, rubbing her face as the three of them sat around the kitchen island for dinner. “You want me to sign a permission slip to have a lock-in sleepover at the senior center?” She took a swallow of ice water. “With old people and cats?”

  “Seniors, Mom,” Vee said. “Not old people. Really.“

  “That would be worth recording,” Bill said, helping himself to another slice of real pizza—as in not potato pizza—that Mom had brought home. She’d announced she was done working killer hours and they might as well get used to having her around more. Bill and Vee had cheered.

  Vee explained. “Cat Woman, I mean Gladys, says the senior citizens liked working with us. There are cots used for disaster preparedness that we’ll use.”

  “Makes sense.” Bill wiped his mouth with a napkin. “Your whole project has been like a disaster preparedness project.”

  The Lock-In:

  1. Decorate the Cat Room

  2. Cat Woman’s surprise

  3. Food

  4. Stay up late—sort of

  5. Breakfast

  Vee slugged him in the arm. After fortifying herself with a few bites of pizza, she delivered her strongest point for signing the permission slip. “And you guys won’t have to wake up early to take me to the senior center.”

  Bill grabbed the permission slip from his wife. “Sold.” He signed with a flourish. “Don’t get into trouble.”

  “With senior citizens?” Vee reached for her ice water. “There’s as much a chance of that as us ever seeing Flick the cat again.”

  Mom and Bill and Vee laughed, Vee the hardest.

  That evening, over beetling math homework, Vee looked at the first problem, Buzz buzzing in her lap.

  Find the next three numbers in the pattern:

  1) 320, 160, 80, 40

  2) 24, 40, 56, 72

  Pattern? Vee began to smile.

  Chapter 26

  Cute Litter Pans?

  I don’t think it’s going to happen,” C. P. said Thursday, holding up yet another attempt to make cute litter pans. He had daubed white shoe polish in dots over a litter pan he’d spray painted black. “Still looks like a painted litter pan.” The girls, C. P., and their senior helpers had been trying to come up with “cute” litter pans for more than two hours.

  “I think you’re right. A litter pan is just a litter pan. You can’t dress it up,” Esther concurred. She turned to the helpers and the Squadders. “Agreed?”

  Vee raised one of Buzz’s paws. “Buzz says yes! It’s just a litter pan.” Little Buzz had completely trapped Mom and Bill under his little velvety paw from the moment he became part of the family. Mom drank her morning coffee with him in her lap. Bill sang crazy songs to Buzz while the kitten waited for him outside the shower. Since Bill went in so early, he got out early from work and so had delivered Buzz to Vee at the senior center in Buzz’s own Squad-decorated cardboard carrier. Maybe the little kitten was getting used to it, even though he blew out of the
re each time, shook himself, and gave everyone the stink eye before washing himself.

  She pulled her notebook out of her back pocket and crossed “cute” off the list, pushing Buzz away. He thought all pens were a Feather Freakie and must be attacked. She surveyed their list.

  1. Community cat shelters

  2. Cat toys

  3. litter boxes

  4. Face paint and painters

  5. Cat Kits

  a. Bag of kitty litter

  b. Feather Freakie

  c. Sock ’Ems

  d. How to care for a cat brochure (written by Esther)

  6. Petting Palace—done

  “May I speak with you privately, Gladys?” Mrs. Sissy entered the room and motioned to the Cat Woman, whom the girls just couldn’t seem to remember to call by her real name. The two women left the room. Mrs. Sissy no longer glared at them, but she had yet to smile.

  “What’s that all about?” Sunny wondered as she packed up the painting supplies. “Can we use any of these for the face painting on Friday and Saturday?”

  “Shoe polish and spray paint?” Esther looked shocked.

  Sunny shrugged. “Oh, probably not, huh?”

  “I hope Cat Woman is not in trouble,” Aneta said, stacking the cute and uncute litter pans. They would leave the supplies in the Cat Room so the pickleball club could put the Cat Kits together tomorrow.

  Cutting it close. Vee thought of her list. The Helpful City Festival began at noon tomorrow. She would wake up early and take the retest. It would seem weird not to see Math Man anymore. A very good weird. By Monday she would know if she would get to stay in the Accelerated Learning Center or not.

  “We’re still short someone to run the Petting Palace,” she said, looking at the remaining item. “Aneta is selling the cat treats and toys. C. P. will run around telling everyone about the treats. He’s obsessed with them. Esther is helping the senior center with their computer presentations of Oakton’s history as a helpful city. Sunny is helping that retired art teacher paint cat faces on kids. I’m going to be in the Cat Room directing people to the adoption counselors. So who’s going to run the Petting Palace?”