Tuffs
Published by Reva Maria at Smashwords
Copyright 2011 Reva Maria
Smashwords
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To The Reader
The first third of this short entry is surmised from the attitude, habits, actions and demeanor of the cat. The balance is based on events that occurred from the time he came into our home. How I wish he could fill in the blanks. He apparently had a very loving home and was given excellent care, then abandon. An elderly widower neighbor passed away about six weeks before Tuffs arrived. After his first appearance here, we occasionally saw Tuffs come from the direction of the neighbor's empty house. Some said he did not have a cat.
Tuffs
That isn’t really my name. I got that name because I was unkempt and scraggy. I wasn’t always like that. I'll tell you about my name.
Let us go back to when I was a kitten.
I have several brothers and sisters. We romp, wrestle, pretend to have big battles, play hide-and-seek, and keep each other warm as we snuggle next to Mom.
Mom gently puts her huge soft paw over me and proceeds to wash my ears, my face, my everything. That big tongue is rough, but gentle at the same time. I squirm and wiggle, but it is actually rather nice. As we watch, Mom washes each of us. We soon begin to wash each other. It is part of our play. I attack my sister, hold her down as she wiggles, then I wash her ears. It is fun.
As we begin to grow and get strong, we are given food by the humans, it doesn't taste like Mom's milk, but we learn to like it, soon there is no more milk from Mom.
Mom is sitting in our large fluffy bed and calls for us. She gently nuzzles each of us, gives us a huge lick and tells us to sit down. She is very, very sad.
Mom tells each of us we will be leaving soon and going to a good new home, she loves us all and will miss us. She tells us to be kind, not scratch the humans, stay clean, stay off the furniture as we are told to, use the litter box, trust your new family, but defend ourselves and our human family and they will take good care of us.
All of us kittens just look at each other. We don't understand. We have been really good kittens, kept clean, learned to use the litter box, are kind of quiet, we played and acted cute, haven't ripped any furniture or rugs. Why do we have to leave?
When we ask, Mom replies that is what we are supposed to do. We are to go to a new home and make them happy. Our new owner might be sick human kitten that needs a playmate, a lonely elderly mom or dad or someone who just wants a soft, cuddly kitten. It is our job. "I've done all I can to prepare you for your new home."
Humans begin to visit us. They cuddle all of us, pet and coo. Some are human kittens, some are moms and dads. It isn't long until most of my brothers and sisters have been taken away and only my brother and I are left. I really miss them. I am the largest, maybe that is why I haven't been chosen, but I don't mind. I like being near Mom and romping with my brother. He sure is rough on my ears!
Today, and older, very tall human gentleman comes. I barely reach to his shoe top. He reaches for me with hands so big I think he will crush me. He picks me up with those huge hands but they are soft and gentle. I hear him say, "My wife passed away and I need company." I look at Mom and she gently assures me I will be ok and she loves me. I am taken to a new home.
MY NEW HOME
I really miss my family, but the very tall gentleman is my family now. I think I will call the human "Shoes," that is about all I see until he picks me up or I sit on the sofa. He doesn't mind me sitting on the sofa, and I'm glad. It is big and fluffy like Mom's bed.
The new home does not have human kittens or other furry friends. Shoes is so kind. He sits in the rocker and calls for me to sit on his lap. Often he naps while rocking, so I nap too. He picks me up, holds me close and softly strokes my fur. Often Shoes gets the brush and tell me stories about his wife and kittens as he gently brushes my long fur. I have never seen his kittens, but there are pictures on the furniture. Shoes seems to be lonely and talks to me by the hour.
I don't understand most of the words, but the gentleness in his voice and an occasional giggle, I know he is remembering his wife and kittens that he calls "children." Maybe, like I remember my family. Other times when he talks, he seems sad. I purr and lick his hand. When Mom licked my ears it was nice. Maybe my licking his hand will make him feel nice.
Shoes had other humans in the house for a few days. They didn't stay long and just ignored me. I just hid and kept out of their way. I think they are his kittens. They look like the pictures.
I have a warm soft pillow for my many naps, fresh food and water all the time. Mom had told us if we are good to our new humans, they will be good to us. She was right, mothers always are.
TUFFS MEETS THE WORLD
I am now about nine months old and have been inside all my life. Today Shoes takes me outside. It is glorious. The air is so fresh, the sun so warm, and the grass so soft. I roll and tumble in the grass. What is that?! It's,,, it's in the air! No, it's on the grass! No, it's in the air! I'm running to catch it, it's in the air, I jump, but I miss, and tumble over and over on the grass. Shoes is laughing. He picks me up, dust me off, and pats my head "That is a grasshopper."
There are trees to climb, butterflies to chase, and what are those things in the sky. How I would love to soar like they do. I climb upon the table, jump, spread all my legs. Ouch! That didn't go well.
There are frogs leaping and fish darting around in the tiny pond in the lawn, and I am firmly and immediately reminded that pond fish are not lunch. I have never heard a harsh voice from humans before. That really scares me. No more fishing, but it was fun.
THE VETERINARIAN
Shoes calls me into the rocking chair room. "Now that you are going outside you have to have your shots." What? Shoes points to a large box with bars and a door and tell me to get in. No way, that looks like a prison, even though Mom said to trust my human.
Shoes gently picks me up, drops me hind feet first into the box. He puts me in the car and drives me somewhere, carries me inside a building. Cats and other creatures are everywhere. Big cats, kittens, and what is that? Someone says "Dog." One "DOG" is much larger than my prison box. "Dog" sticks his nose against my box and woofs at me. I move as far back as I can, and Shoes says it's ok. Well, he doesn't have a head bigger than he is wolfing at him!
Shoes carries me into another room and puts me on a table. I get poked, prodded, and peaked at everywhere. Not so bad until I get a shape stick in my behind. At least, it didn't last long. I weigh 18 pounds and the man in the green shirt tells Shoes and that I am one big cat, very healthy and not fat, just muscle, and that Shoes is taking good care of me. Mom was right. What is fat? Shoes tells me I'm a good boy, cuddles me to make me feel better. It does.
DAILY LIVING
Each morning as the sun rises, Shoes awakes as I pounce on the bed. Stretching, yawning, and with a soft voice “It’s so early, go back to sleep," but he get up soon anyway.”
Every day is the same routine—get up, go to the kitchen and make “coffee and bacon”. Bacon smells so good cooking. I just sit on the floor and wait for the first three pieces. Of course, I beg for more, but Shoes has the rest. There is always tomorrow. I’m not sure if I want Shoes to awaken, or the bacon.
It is so big outside. There is house nearby with on one home and I wonder what is over that huge hedge. Well, I think I should just stay really close to the house as it about time for Shoes to call me in from my sunbath for a fresh lunch and our long afternoon nap. I curl closely under his big hands on an adequate lap. I'm so big, I stretch from side to side of the rocking chair.
YEARLING
I am about a year old now, but not much wiser, I have not been out of my lawn. It's time to sunbathe, but I am getting bored just hanging out. I'm required to stay in my lawn. I'm not supposed to go near the house next door, the street or the huge hedges just over the way.