The Frightened Kitten

It was sweet and cold, and Biscuit gave a delighted little shiver. Maddy was checking her cat book and didn’t notice when Biscuit edged a little further forward, and stuck her tongue in the bowl to lap up her leftover cereal. She got in a good few mouthfuls before Maddy spotted her.

“Biscuit! You shouldn’t be eating that! Oh, Mum, look, she’s got milk all over her whiskers!”

Biscuit settled back on to Maddy’s lap, licking her whiskers happily. She liked her food better, but it was nice to have a change…

“Oh dear! I suppose a little bit won’t have done her any harm. You’d finished, hadn’t you? And yes, Donna gave us the vaccination certificate.” Mum looked in the folder she’d left on the countertop. “She had them done about three weeks ago.”

Maddy checked the book again. “Then we need to take her to the vet soon! She’s supposed to have the second vaccination three weeks after the first one. And then in another three weeks, she’ll be allowed to go outside.”

“Actually, yes, that’s what Donna’s put in this note. She said we should probably have Biscuit microchipped at the same time.”

Maddy nodded. Her book mentioned that, too. The tiny microchip went under the skin on the kitten’s neck, and it would have a special number on it, so that Biscuit could be easily identified by any vet if she got lost.

“I’ll call the vet tomorrow, Maddy. They won’t be open on a Sunday.”

Maddy nodded. “That reminds me! Can I call Kate, Mum? I have to tell her about Biscuit!”

Luckily, the vet’s had a cancelled appointment on Monday afternoon. Maddy wanted to get Biscuit’s vaccinations done as soon as possible, so that she would be able to play with her in the garden. She knew that the little cat would love it. She was so adventurous inside the house. She kept climbing things, and she loved to tunnel under Maddy’s duvet and then pop out at her.

For the trip to the vet’s, Maddy put the cat carrier next to her on the back seat, and Biscuit peered out at her worriedly. She had only been in the cat carrier once, and that was to come to Maddy’s house. Were they going back to her old home again? She did miss playing with her brothers and sisters, but Maddy was just as much fun to play with – and she didn’t jump on top of her and try to chew her ears, like her biggest ginger brother had done. Biscuit definitely preferred Maddy’s house. She let out a miserable wail as Maddy lifted the carrier out of the car – but then she realized that it wasn’t her old home they’d come to after all.

The place smelled very odd; sharp and chemical to her sensitive nose. But at the same time, it was slightly familiar. Had she been here before?

Maddy put the carrier down on the floor, and Biscuit sniffed suspiciously. There were other smells, too. A strange, strong, worrying smell. It smelled like a dog. A dog had visited her old home once, and she hadn’t liked it. She shifted nervously inside her carrier. It was coming closer!

Biscuit gave a horrified squeak as a furry face loomed up in front of her carrier. The puppy peered in curiously and nudged the wire door with his nose.

The kitten bristled, her fur standing on end and her tail fluffing up to twice its size. She hissed furiously at the dog. This was her carrier! She lashed her claws at his nose, but they scraped harmlessly down the wire.

“Barney, no!” his owner cried. “Oh, I’m so sorry, I hope he didn’t frighten your kitten.”

Maddy’s mum laughed. “Actually, I think she tried to fight back; she’s a determined little thing.”

Maddy looked anxiously into Biscuit’s carrier. “Are you all right? Sorry, Biscuit, I was helping Mum fill in the forms. I didn’t see what was happening.” Then she smiled with relief. Biscuit was sitting in the carrier with her tail wrapped smugly round her legs. She wasn’t afraid of some silly dog!

Chapter Three

“She’s going to miss me while I’m at school,” Maddy said worriedly. She had her coat and her rucksack and her lunchbag – and a kitten sitting on her shoulder, sniffing with interest at the rucksack. “It’s the first day I won’t have been here to play with her.”

“I’ll be here though,” her mum pointed out. Maddy’s mum worked part-time at another school, but she didn’t go in on Mondays or Fridays. “I’ll play with her lots, Maddy, I promise. And your dad’s working from home tomorrow. She’ll gradually get used to being left. It’ll be fine.”

Maddy nodded doubtfully. She’d spent the whole holiday playing with Biscuit and fussing over her. Now she just couldn’t imagine a whole day at school without seeing her. And without Kate…

“Come on, Maddy. We’d better go.”

Maddy sighed and then carefully unhooked Biscuit’s claws from her coat. She put her down gently and rubbed her ears. “Be good,” she told her. “I’ll be back soon.”

Biscuit stared up at her. She didn’t understand what was happening, but she could tell from Maddy’s voice that she wasn’t happy. The kitten gave an uncertain little mew and patted at Maddy’s leg with a paw, asking to be picked up again.