NINA MIA

Episode 4

 

I woke up early on Saturday morning at the SPCA and could hear movement in the front reception area. Soon enough someone came in and gave me some food and water.

“Hi, little Nina. Rise and shine!” It was a volunteer. Then my litter box was cleaned.

Staff members walked back and forth and I was joined by some other furry fosters. There were some puppies and a couple of cats put in the cages around me. Potential adopters were coming to see them.

“Why are dogs so noisy,” I wondered? Those little guys just yapped and yapped! The cats were quiet and trying to sleep. I was just curious, watching wide eyed and listening to everything going on.

One of the cats was taken out and never came back. Then two of the puppies were taken out and one was brought back. He started doing a puppy howl. He sounded sad. The other one was probably his sibling and he missed him. Later on Miss Megan came and got me. She cuddled me and said, “Come on, Sweetie, there’s someone I want you to meet”.

There was this lady in the Greeting Room with a big smile. I saw she was wearing an SPCA baseball cap. She held out her arms and Miss Megan passed me to her. I felt myself being held close and petted. I wasn’t even afraid.

“This may be the one you are looking for,” I heard Miss Megan say. “Keep her for a week or so and see what you think.”

With this I was put into a carrier and as she took me out to her car I heard Miss Megan say her name and it sounded like Miss M’lu.

Before we started moving she opened my door and took me out and cuddled me, “You’re so cute and soft,” she whispered. “What a nice little kitty you are!”

She petted me a lot and then put me back in the carrier on the soft blanket. The carrier was sitting on a box or something so I could see out of the window.

The car started up and we were on our way. I was just 11 weeks old and so much had happened to me already. My life was off with a bang!

“My, you’re a quiet one,” she said. “Usually when I bring felines home they’re not too happy in the car and start whining and carrying on.”  With as she stuck her finger through the bars and wiggled it.

I smelled it and then started looking out the window again. I had never been high enough before to be able to look outside and there was so much to see as things went whizzing by.

It was a short drive compared to all the other ones I had been on so far. In less than fifteen minutes I felt the car slow down and turn into a place that had a huge fountain in front. There was a sign that said Meadow Lake Senior Living. I wondered what that was?

Miss M’lu drove up to this stand with a boxy thing attached. She opened the window and with her finger poked what looked like numbers and then I saw this big gate start to slowly open. I was amazed!

She drove in and turned right on the very first street. The second house had some pretty flowers in front and I could even see a small windmill spinning in the breeze. She turned into the driveway and like magic the garage door opened! She drove in.

“Okay, Nina. we’re here!”

She took my carrier into the house. I liked her voice. She kept talking softly to me the whole time. She took me out and held me as we walked all around the home. Secure in her arms I craned my neck to see everything around. So many new things, so many new

smells. In the living room she put me down and as I was looking around I saw the biggest cat I ever saw in my life come padding towards me! From down low where I was he looked humongous! I gazed up and he reached down to touch my nose.

“Mewoh-oh!” I exclaimed.

 I wasn’t afraid, I tried to convince myself as I slowly shrunk back towards Miss M’lu’s foot. I was used to large dogs after all, I reminded myself.

“Nina, this is Ringo.”

“One more pipsqueak,” he said as he sniffed me all over. Satisfied, he sat down and watched me as I started exploring.

Suddenly, another cat jumped down off the loveseat and stood away from me. She came closer, stopped and with a snarl started and hissing.

“Oh, yeah here’s right back at you!” I growled as I arched up on my small tippy toes, frizzed all the way to the end of my tail, and started hissing at her with my pipsqueak voice.

She came closer poised to smack me with her paw.

“Stop it, Friendly!” Miss M’lu scolded. “Leave her alone. Go on! Move it!” The cat scampered away.

“This little one has spunk!”, Ringo thought to himself approvingly.

She picked me up and took me to the master bedroom and closed the door. She lay me down in a pet bed then left. It was a nice soft bed.

“I’m not tired,” I thought as I got out to investigate.

“What’s in this room?” I walked into the bathroom and there was a kitty mat with a bowl of water on it. I went into the closet and I saw a litter box just my size in it. I heard the door open and Miss M’lu came in.

“Nina, where are you?”

I poked my head around the door.

“There you are. Are you hungry?”

She was carrying two bowls, one with food and other with warm milk, which she put next to the water.

I was hungry so went right to work.

“I guess that answers my question”, she smiled

She stayed with me while I ate. When I was done she took me to the litter box. I started playing in it. Clean litter was just like a neat sandbox and I liked to paw it and jump all around! It felt good going between my toes.

“Oh Nina, you’re not supposed to play in it!” she laughed.

I didn’t get to stay long because Miss M’lu picked me up and carried me to the pet bed. I sat there and as soon as she closed the door jumped out and went exploring. I had no intention of sleeping with so many new things around.

A long while later, she came to check on me and couldn’t find me.

“Nina? Oh Nina? Where are you?”

I was in a deep sleep and sort of heard her calling and shuffling around looking for me. It was quiet for a few moments when suddenly this bright light shone in my eyes.

“There you, you sneaky kitten!” She was using a flashlight and found me sleeping underneath the bed. I was nice and cozy next to this little box by the wall. I found out later it was a motor that pumped air into the air mattress when it was needed.

“Come on over here'” she called as she patted the carpet with her hand.

As Miss M’lu called me I slowly crawled out to her.

“I wondered where you had disappeared to, Nina,” she said. “Now why don’t you sleep on the nice bed that’s yours?”

I just purred and purred thinking how I liked the darkness under the bed better.

She put me on top of the king size bed where we played. I had fun chasing a mouse she would throw. After a while she got ready for bed and then got under the covers. While she was reading a book I amused myself by chewing on the cover.

“No Nina,” she rebuked me. “Books aren’t for chewing,” she laughed as she threw the mouse.

Then I attacked her feet. She would throw the mouse, but her wiggly toes were more fun. She kept reading so I got bored and dozed off. A long time later I felt her pick me up and take me to the pet bed. I guess she was afraid I’d fall off the mattress and hurt myself since I was so little. As soon as she settled in and turned out the light I heard her say “Goodnight, Nina.”

That was my clue. I jumped out of the bed and went right to the little black box and lay down. I must have been right under her pillow as I could hear her breathing. What a long day this had been! With a little sigh I went right to sleep.