The Light by Ann Reader

credit Gencraft

Here it was, at last ! The light I  had held in my mind for such a long time,  the thing that kept me going even when I felt too hungry to walk and my paws were too sore. That little square of light that was a door to warmth and comfort,  security and love. Oh how I had missed those things.

My troubles began through my own curiosity.  I had climbed into a large van to investigate all the things that were being carried out of the neighbouring house.  Suddenly the door had closed and I was shut in the dark. The engine noise stopped anyone from hearing my desperate meowing and scratching.  The noise and movement lasted for a very long time , when it stopped I shot out of the door as soon as it opened.  To my horror I couldn’t recognise anything,  I had no idea where I was.

I spent a night or two hanging around that area but the people who once lived next door to my people did not seem to recognise me.  I realised that if I wanted to get home I would have to do it for myself.  I don’t really understand why but I felt sure I had to head south so I did that for days and days.  I had to stop to hunt for food.  I had managed to get my collar off onto a bush when I realised it was warning the birds and other small creatures of my presence. Hunting for food was quite different to the play hunting I used to do at home when it didn’t matter if I actually caught anything.  I found I was not that good at it and I often went hungry.

Once a nice lady put food out for me when she saw me lurking in her garden for a few days.  I had got a thorn in my paw and though I got it out I needed time to recover before I could walk again.  I stayed a few weeks,  I think she would have let me move in but that little square of light that meant home to me kept me moving on.

I did go through other cat flaps , sometimes I stole cat food sometimes even human food if it was lying around.  Sometimes I was attacked and driven out by the cat whose house it was. Sometimes the flap remained shut when I tried to get in, even though I saw other cats go in, I didn’t understand that.

Slowly with a number of breaks to give my paws a chance to heal I made my way south. I couldn’t tell how long it took me but i know I survived two winters outside.  One day I found myself outside a big place where people went in and out pushing trolleys. There was a cat getting fed there but he had a home.  As soon as he left and it went quiet I moved in on the trays of food.  Once upon a time I would have refused this cat food.  These days I was so hungry I relished it. I hung about there several days hiding in some bushes.  Then I heard some voices that sounded just like my people.  They got into a car before I could go to them but I knew I was nearly here.

Now I had found it,  that little square of light that meant everything.  I felt unaccountably nervous now my long journey was nearly over. Would they recognise me?  would there still be a place for me?  Would they have got another cat? I gently nosed the door open.  The girl was in the kitchen she called her mother.  They seemed to be debating whether they knew me. I could smell the dog food but where was the dog and where was my plate of food. Then the dog bounded in and put his paws forward in the way he always had since he was a puppy and I was a kitten,  when he wanted to play.  He knew who I was,  I launched myself at him in the old way we used to play. It felt good I had not had the leisure to play for a long time.

“It is Mr Whiskers, “I understood the name they used.“ I don’t believe it!  He’s been gone nearly three years and last we heard he was near Leeds when someone found his collar and rang us! But it must be him." I didn’t understand that part but suddenly I was picked up and petted , I was given a plate of delicious tinned fish. I knew  I was home! The memory of that little patch of light had kept me going and I knew I  was never going to give in to curiosity again.