The Cat's Purr

The Cats Purr

She walked along the garden path just looking for butterflies and then all of a sudden hundreds of them came flying out, what had frighten them. Roncella was so surprised to see what she did, a kitten sitting in the mist of the garden. Oh dear she thought, what if Rufus had gotten into the garden. Rufus was her Dad's hunting dog and sometimes he could smell another animal one hundred feet or more. He was old and his sniff was not like it use to be, but it was still good enough to keep the rabbits and the other animals from the garden.

Roncella called the little kitten but it would not come to her, she walked closer and closer and then she saw why, it's little foot had gotten tangled up in the brush and he couldn't move. She talked so sweet to it so as not to scare it. Come on little kitty, she kept saying., it's okay, I won't hurt you. She carefully unwrapped his foot and then he began to purr so loudly, she smiled and he licked her face, so thankful for his life. She giggled again, she said, I don't know what I am going to do with you, I'm not allowed to have pets.

The little kitten seem to understand, he jumped down and ran away, she watched after him as he fled from the garden. Her little heart was sad, she kept remembering the feel of his fur and then she smiled as she thought him licking her face. Roncella picked her Mom some flowers from the garden and then went in the house. Mom, she said is there any way I could have a pet, just a small kitten maybe? No, not yet Roncella, said her Mom, you are not old enough to care for an animal of any kind. Here are you some flowers Mom and she gave them to her. She played the rest of the day but the little kitten was on her mind.

The next day she went looking in the garden and sure enough there he was, just waiting for her and purring, she got him some milk , and as you know when you feed a kitten milk you have won his heart. They were sitting in the garden and all of a sudden Roncella heard a noise, it was Rufus, No! she yelled but it was to late, the dog started running and the little kitten took off. She began to cry. When she went in to get ready for bed, she was looking out the window and there he was just staring up at her. He was okay, he was too fast for Rufus. She slipped on her robe and sneaked down the back steps and out the door. He was there at the door waiting, she sat on the step and hugged him so tight..

I want to keep you she said. He just purred. Then there it was, a little green snake had crawled along the garden wall and was right beside Roncella, the little kitten grabbed it by the head and slung it as hard as he could, then he looked at her and purred. I love you little kitten she said and she picked him up and took him to her room. They slept together all night and she left her window up just a little so he could get in and out. She was so happy, she sneaked milk to him and they played together until one day....he wasn't there...

She went to the garden and looked. No kitten, she looked all over and even went to Rufus and checked his dog house out. Her little heart hurt for her friend. Where could he be. Everyday for weeks she looked for him until all of a sudden he came back, he was all wet and his little fur had mud in it, he must have fallen or gotten caught in another trap, but he came back to her. She had to talk to her Mom, she just had to let her keep him.

They were walking along side the barn and picking flowers and a mouse came running and the little kitten took off again and caught it, but he didn't hurt it he played with it awhile and let it go. This was some kind of kitten. He could keep the mice away and the snakes and he could out run Rufus, she knew he was hers. She picked him up and said okay, I have to give you a name so my Mom will know you are mine, I have it, I will call you cider because you are the color of cider, he purred and snuggled up to her and they fell asleep under the big oak tree.

Mom had been watching her all the time and watching how she had taken care of the little kitten, she knew she was going to have to give in to her. Roncella picked up cider and took him in the house and Mom saw her coming, "Please mom, she said, I promise, I will take good care of him, his name is Cider and he chases mice and kills garden snakes and he can out run Rufus. "Outrun Rufus" said her Mom, well now that's a good reason right there, I guess you can keep him. So now Cider and Roncella lived happily ever after chasing butterflies and Cider running from Rufus.