and telling me it was against the law in Australia to kill squirrels. He was holding up a plum and a squirrel tail as evidence of my guilt. All around the room, angry squirrels were nodding their heads when he accused me and demanded that I should spend the rest of my life in prison. I woke up in a cold sweat and decided I would give all squirrels a wide berth from now on. Then I remembered there werenât any in Australia and felt weak with relief!
The days dragged on and on. New cats arrived, jet-lagged and bewildered, and had to be settled down. Many complained loudly of their accommodation, but none of them, I am proud to say, came even close to my performance on the first day. One of my immediate neighbours was collected by her family. It was very moving so see them being reunited, and all of us left behind were doubly sad afterwards that we were still here. On that day, I crawled into my room and curled up tight on my bed, trying hard not to think.
Then one day as I was grooming myself in my yard, I heard familiar voices! They were coming from the direction of the front door, and they were drawing closer all the time. My heart started beating faster and faster, and I stretched my neck as long as it would stretch in order to see who was coming. But I knew, of course: it was my family, all five of them! They were being led by one of the red brigade, who let them into my yard by the gate in the wire fence. I could simply not decide whom to greet first, so I kept running from one to the other! For a long time, we just cuddled and stroked each other â I had dispensed with my rule number one (no cuddling!) the moment I saw them â then they sat down with me and we talked and talked. They had clearly missed me just as much as I had missed them. Their trip seemed to have taken a lot longer than mine â presumably they didnât get to sit in the crewâs room on the plane â and they had only just arrived in Australia. Thatâs why they hadnât come to get me earlier.
I could tell they disapproved of my prison, but Mum didnât shout at anyone. I encouraged her to make a fuss, but she didnât rise to the challenge. Well, I reckoned it didnât matter any longer, since we were going to leave anyway. I started to get ready. This didnât take long, as I had practically nothing to pack. It was while I was rushing about sorting things out that I became aware of a mood change in my family. There was no happy anticipation, as there should have been. Instead, I sensed sadness and regret, and they started stroking me in a good-bye kind of way. I was confused and looked from one to the other; they all shook their heads gloomily and Mum said something about rules and regulations that was way too complicated for me to take in. But the horrible truth began to dawn on me: I wasnât going home with them. Why, I could not imagine, since they clearly loved me still.
I was gutted. To have seen them and not be able to go with them was the cruellest thing I had ever, ever known. The children felt it, too. All three of them were crying when we said good-bye again, all too soon. They brought out some toys and several bags of treats so I would be less sad, and Emily gave me one of her sweaters to put on my bed, to remember her by. None of those things could comfort me; I didnât
mind
the treats, but what use were toys when I had nobody to play with? I was distraught when they left, and they knew it.
I slunk back into my room, wrapped myself in Emilyâs sweater and stayed in bed for several days. I did not want to see the other cats, who were calling for me outside. I did not even want my food when the man came at dinner-time. It stayed in the bowl until morning, by which time my tummy was rumbling so badly I simply had to eat it. But the hurt inside me did not go away, even after I had eaten.
Mum and the children came twice more to see me. Each time we sat and talked, they stroked me and
The days dragged on and on. New cats arrived, jet-lagged and bewildered, and had to be settled down. Many complained loudly of their accommodation, but none of them, I am proud to say, came even close to my performance on the first day. One of my immediate neighbours was collected by her family. It was very moving so see them being reunited, and all of us left behind were doubly sad afterwards that we were still here. On that day, I crawled into my room and curled up tight on my bed, trying hard not to think.
Then one day as I was grooming myself in my yard, I heard familiar voices! They were coming from the direction of the front door, and they were drawing closer all the time. My heart started beating faster and faster, and I stretched my neck as long as it would stretch in order to see who was coming. But I knew, of course: it was my family, all five of them! They were being led by one of the red brigade, who let them into my yard by the gate in the wire fence. I could simply not decide whom to greet first, so I kept running from one to the other! For a long time, we just cuddled and stroked each other â I had dispensed with my rule number one (no cuddling!) the moment I saw them â then they sat down with me and we talked and talked. They had clearly missed me just as much as I had missed them. Their trip seemed to have taken a lot longer than mine â presumably they didnât get to sit in the crewâs room on the plane â and they had only just arrived in Australia. Thatâs why they hadnât come to get me earlier.
I could tell they disapproved of my prison, but Mum didnât shout at anyone. I encouraged her to make a fuss, but she didnât rise to the challenge. Well, I reckoned it didnât matter any longer, since we were going to leave anyway. I started to get ready. This didnât take long, as I had practically nothing to pack. It was while I was rushing about sorting things out that I became aware of a mood change in my family. There was no happy anticipation, as there should have been. Instead, I sensed sadness and regret, and they started stroking me in a good-bye kind of way. I was confused and looked from one to the other; they all shook their heads gloomily and Mum said something about rules and regulations that was way too complicated for me to take in. But the horrible truth began to dawn on me: I wasnât going home with them. Why, I could not imagine, since they clearly loved me still.
I was gutted. To have seen them and not be able to go with them was the cruellest thing I had ever, ever known. The children felt it, too. All three of them were crying when we said good-bye again, all too soon. They brought out some toys and several bags of treats so I would be less sad, and Emily gave me one of her sweaters to put on my bed, to remember her by. None of those things could comfort me; I didnât
mind
the treats, but what use were toys when I had nobody to play with? I was distraught when they left, and they knew it.
I slunk back into my room, wrapped myself in Emilyâs sweater and stayed in bed for several days. I did not want to see the other cats, who were calling for me outside. I did not even want my food when the man came at dinner-time. It stayed in the bowl until morning, by which time my tummy was rumbling so badly I simply had to eat it. But the hurt inside me did not go away, even after I had eaten.
Mum and the children came twice more to see me. Each time we sat and talked, they stroked me and
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