I’m going to bed.
Tibble went to bed. He was so exhausted he slept right through the Miaowwow and didn’t even feel the six little kittens tickling and scratching his face. He didn’t hear Fluff come home. And he didn’t hear the Tatter Cat either, screeching for her children to come to her. And he didn’t notice Minou getting into her box.
When he woke up it was eight o’clock in the morning. What was the horrible thing that had happened? he thought. Oh yeah, I lost my job.
And
I got kicked out of my flat. What do I do now? Where can I go with nine cats… and how am I supposed to bring home enough fish for such a large cat family? He wanted to talk to Minou about it, but she’d already gone out.
She was sitting in the park with Bibi.
“The cats of Killenthorn have a plan,” she said. “And we wanted to ask you if you’d help us, Bibi.”
“Sure,” Bibi said. “How?”
“I’ll tell you just what you need to do,” Minou said. “Listen carefully.”
14
Far Too Many Cats
M r Ellmore was walking down the street. He had parked his big blue car, which was once again completely free of dents, and now he was on his way to the shoe shop to buy a pair of shoes.
For the first time he noticed how many cats there were in Killenthorn. He couldn’t take a step without a cat getting in the way. Some of them even shot through between his legs. Twice he stumbled over a cat.
We really need to get rid of some of these cats, he thought. It’s a cat plague, that’s what it is. Next time I’ll bring Mars with me.
And after a while he noticed that the cats were following him. First it was just one trailing along behind him, but when he looked again a little later there were eight of them.
And by the time he made it to the shop there were more than ten. They all followed him in.
“Kssss!” hissed Mr Ellmore angrily. He chased them out of the shop but they came back in again with the very next customer.
And when he was trying on shoes and standing there defenceless in his socks, they circled around him.
“Are these your cats, sir?” asked the shop assistant.
“What do you take me for?” Mr Ellmore shouted. “They just followed me in.”
“Shall I chase them away again?”
“Yes, please!”
The shop assistant chased the cats out for a second time, but as soon as the door opened again for a new customer the whole horde came back in and crowded around Mr Ellmore’s legs.
He would have loved to kick them. He would have loved to catch one of them on the head with a heavy boot, but there were quite a few customers in the shop by now. And everyone knew him. Everyone knew he was the president of the Animal Lovers’ Association. And that meant he wasn’t allowed to kick any cats.
At least, not while people are looking, he thought grimly. But just wait… I’ll get my chance.
He got his chance. On the street all the cats trooped along behind him. As long as people were watching, he didn’t dare do a thing, but when the street was quiet for a moment close to the school, he looked around quickly, saw that the coast was clear and gave the Butcher’s Cat a good kick.
The cats shot off in all directions.
“That’s that taken care of,” smirked Mr Ellmore. But when he got to his car and opened the door he found eight or so cats sitting inside it. He was so furious he was about to bash themright out again when a voice behind him said, “Oh, look… how lovely.”
He turned around and saw Mr Smith beaming at him.
“A car full of cats,” he said. “You’re such an animal lover.”
“Absolutely…” said Mr Ellmore with a strained smile.
“You
are
coming to my reading tomorrow, aren’t you?” Mr Smith asked. “I think
you
will find it particularly interesting: ‘The Cat Through the Ages: A Feline History’. With beautiful coloured slides. You’ll be there, won’t you?”
“Yes, definitely,” said Mr Ellmore.
The cats emerged sedately from the car. Mr Ellmore drove to his factory. He
Tibble went to bed. He was so exhausted he slept right through the Miaowwow and didn’t even feel the six little kittens tickling and scratching his face. He didn’t hear Fluff come home. And he didn’t hear the Tatter Cat either, screeching for her children to come to her. And he didn’t notice Minou getting into her box.
When he woke up it was eight o’clock in the morning. What was the horrible thing that had happened? he thought. Oh yeah, I lost my job.
And
I got kicked out of my flat. What do I do now? Where can I go with nine cats… and how am I supposed to bring home enough fish for such a large cat family? He wanted to talk to Minou about it, but she’d already gone out.
She was sitting in the park with Bibi.
“The cats of Killenthorn have a plan,” she said. “And we wanted to ask you if you’d help us, Bibi.”
“Sure,” Bibi said. “How?”
“I’ll tell you just what you need to do,” Minou said. “Listen carefully.”
14
Far Too Many Cats
M r Ellmore was walking down the street. He had parked his big blue car, which was once again completely free of dents, and now he was on his way to the shoe shop to buy a pair of shoes.
For the first time he noticed how many cats there were in Killenthorn. He couldn’t take a step without a cat getting in the way. Some of them even shot through between his legs. Twice he stumbled over a cat.
We really need to get rid of some of these cats, he thought. It’s a cat plague, that’s what it is. Next time I’ll bring Mars with me.
And after a while he noticed that the cats were following him. First it was just one trailing along behind him, but when he looked again a little later there were eight of them.
And by the time he made it to the shop there were more than ten. They all followed him in.
“Kssss!” hissed Mr Ellmore angrily. He chased them out of the shop but they came back in again with the very next customer.
And when he was trying on shoes and standing there defenceless in his socks, they circled around him.
“Are these your cats, sir?” asked the shop assistant.
“What do you take me for?” Mr Ellmore shouted. “They just followed me in.”
“Shall I chase them away again?”
“Yes, please!”
The shop assistant chased the cats out for a second time, but as soon as the door opened again for a new customer the whole horde came back in and crowded around Mr Ellmore’s legs.
He would have loved to kick them. He would have loved to catch one of them on the head with a heavy boot, but there were quite a few customers in the shop by now. And everyone knew him. Everyone knew he was the president of the Animal Lovers’ Association. And that meant he wasn’t allowed to kick any cats.
At least, not while people are looking, he thought grimly. But just wait… I’ll get my chance.
He got his chance. On the street all the cats trooped along behind him. As long as people were watching, he didn’t dare do a thing, but when the street was quiet for a moment close to the school, he looked around quickly, saw that the coast was clear and gave the Butcher’s Cat a good kick.
The cats shot off in all directions.
“That’s that taken care of,” smirked Mr Ellmore. But when he got to his car and opened the door he found eight or so cats sitting inside it. He was so furious he was about to bash themright out again when a voice behind him said, “Oh, look… how lovely.”
He turned around and saw Mr Smith beaming at him.
“A car full of cats,” he said. “You’re such an animal lover.”
“Absolutely…” said Mr Ellmore with a strained smile.
“You
are
coming to my reading tomorrow, aren’t you?” Mr Smith asked. “I think
you
will find it particularly interesting: ‘The Cat Through the Ages: A Feline History’. With beautiful coloured slides. You’ll be there, won’t you?”
“Yes, definitely,” said Mr Ellmore.
The cats emerged sedately from the car. Mr Ellmore drove to his factory. He
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