Charlie the Kitten Who Saved a Life

‘Yes, but it’s got even worse lately. It’s Caroline I’m most worried about. She seems so unhappy, a lot of the time. I know Julian and Laura are worried about her too. You don’t think she’s got that horrible illness again, do you, Ollie?’

‘I certainly hope not. It was so good to see her getting better, I’d hate to think of her being ill again. Is that what Julian and Laura think, then?’

‘They seem to, yes. Julian took her somewhere today to see a consultant, and he looked very worried when they came back. I wish I knew what I could do to make her better.’

‘It’s really hard to know how to help humans, sometimes,’ Oliver said seriously. And he should know. As you’re all aware, he’s famous for having helped everyone in the whole village, back before I was born. ‘You need to listen carefully to their conversations and try to pick up clues.’

‘All they do is argue, these days,’ I said sadly. ‘And a lot of the rows are about the holiday.’

‘Oh yes, you told me about that. It means they’re going away somewhere, right? And have they decided yet what’s happening to you? Not the cattery, I hope?’ he added with a shudder.

‘No. They say they’re taking me with them. I’m a bit nervous about it, though, as I don’t really understand where we’re going, or why. Nobody seems to be looking forward to it. But at least I’ll be with Caroline. I’m sure she’ll look after me. I only wish I could make her happy.’

‘Try taking a nice fat mouse back for her tonight?’ Oliver suggested.

‘Laura would go mad. She keeps telling me off about things like that. She seems to think they’re dirty.’

‘Yes, it’s odd how humans aren’t always pleased with our gifts. But surely Caroline would be grateful, at least?’

‘I could try it,’ I said doubtfully. ‘But I think she might just prefer a cuddle, to be honest.’

‘That’s the best thing,’ Ollie agreed. ‘Humans always like cuddling us. They think they’re doing it for our sakes, but of course, it’s really the other way around. They’re very needy creatures, you know, Charlie. Very fragile, emotionally. It’s a good thing we cats are so well-balanced or we’d never be able to cope with them.’

I said goodbye to Ollie at the gates of my house and went wearily in to bed, our conversation still playing on my mind. After such a late night, I’d have appreciated a lie-in in the morning, but it wasn’t to be. Julian and Laura were up, dressed, and rushing around the house like cats being chased by foxes. They were folding clothes, picking up things and putting them in bags, calling to Caroline to get herself ready. I felt quite left out of it all, and was rather grumpy about having had to remind them three times about my breakfast. Then I noticed they’d left one suitcase open in their bedroom, with some nice soft clothes of Laura’s right on top. Well, it was as good a place as any to settle down for a nap and try to catch up on my sleep. I made a nice little nest for myself in a soft cardigan and pulled a dress over the top of me, and was just dozing off when Julian marched into the room again calling out to Laura:

‘Is this case finished? Can I close it up now?’, before slinging the lid of the suitcase down on top of me.

‘Help! Let me out!’ I meowed in panic – and the lid was opened again and the dress lifted off me.

‘Charlie!’ Julian said, and I wasn’t sure from his tone of voice whether he was cross or amused. ‘What on earth are you doing in there?’ He lifted me out onto the floor, just as Laura came into the room behind him. ‘Charlie was having a nap in the suitcase!’ he told her.

‘Well, I hope he hasn’t creased my new dress,’ she said.

I noticed Julian having a quick look at the dress, frowning and glancing at me before he closed the lid in a hurry and fastened up the case.

‘I’m sure it’ll be fine,’ he said. And then, to my absolute horror, he went outside to the garage and came back in with the dreaded Carrying Basket.

‘But I thought you said I wasn’t going to the cattery!’ I yelled.

They’d lied! How could they do this to me? I made a dash for the cat flap but even more horror – it was locked! There was no escape!

‘Sorry, Charlie,’ Laura said, picking me up and giving me a stroke. ‘But you’ll have to spend the journey in your basket. It’ll be fine. There you go.’

I tried to struggle, kicking my legs out so I couldn’t fit through the opening, but Laura pushed me in and clipped the metal door shut.

I cried mournfully as she carried me outside in the basket and loaded me into the car. I was put on the floor, just under where baby Jessica was sitting in her funny little seat. From the gaps in the top of my basket I could just see her back paws in their little pink socks. Caroline got into the other side of the back seat and bent down to talk to me.

‘Shush, Charlie, you’re all right, don’t cry. We’re going on a long journey so perhaps you’ll have a little sleep.’