It's like this, cat

but I can't honestly say he'd been sit

sleeping there on the mat. He didn't even look up at me. After I scratc

off, which is why he was limping, his left ear was ripped, and there was quite a

But he seemed to be breathing all right, so I went away and thought about it some more.

n off the bed and walks away. He still limps a little, but otherwise he a

u'll run into a cat that's bigger

it for breakfast. H

oo bad to get home? After breakfast I take him out in the backyard for

e usual iced tea and d

eady. What do I need

It's good

at. "He came home all chewed up night before last

it worrying, Cat can take care of himself. She starts pulling Susan's latest kittens out from under

she shoots at me, shoveling

t maybe I ought to try

ably fathered a few dozen kittens by now, and once a cat's been out and mated, you c

ter

inute operation. Cost you three dollars. Take him to

omcat any more? The heck with that! I don't

appier, let him get killed in a cat fight. He's

ttle guilty. But I feel mad and mixed up, and I fling out the door. It's the f

and fuming and kicking pebbles. I come to an

children's section in this theater." She doesn't even ask. She just says it. It's a great

nd takes us to the movies. Cat behaves himself and stays around home an

with a bucket of water and douse them and bring Cat in. There's a pretty little tiger cat, hardly more than a

on our door. "You better come down and look at your

ment floor. His mouth is half open, and his breath comes in wheeze

, "Best le

d down. Then I see he's got a long, deep claw gouge going from his shoulder do

otta take him to the veteran,

ing me. I remember what Aunt Kate said, and it gives me a cold feeling

right. But Cat's such a-well, such a cat

leaning in the kitchen. I wander around and stare out the window awhile. Finally I go i

know a vet t

n-with a view of the East River. The thing is, Mom, Cat keeps going off and

he sink, and I wonder if she knows what I'm talking about

ut, finally, and sits d

turned him loose. He belongs to you, so you have to do whatever is best for

ake me feel any better about Cat. She takes five

e cellar and load Cat in. He meows, a low res

us stop to the animal hospital. I get there and wait, and dogs sniff at me, and I fill in forms.

a dentist's. I put Cat on the table in front of him. He says,

s better. Don't worry. We'll take care of to

ea

en alt

N

old i

as a stray. I've ha

es on stroking him and looks up at me. "Well, son, one of these days he's going t

might have said No. But he just goes on humming and stroking. Finally he says, "It's to

y, "

. They tell me it'll be a couple of hours, so I go out and wander around a lot of blocks I neve

t for a bandage all up his right front leg. The doctor te

s I look pretty grim, because she says,

of the basket and then bury my head under the pillow. I'm n

open, the tip end of his tail twitching very slowly. I rub my eyes on the back

ops off the bed on