Sitting here about an hour ago, catching up on blogs, I suddenly became aware of an unusual sound. Frantic scrabbling. No one in the house but me. Oh-oh. And El Pussygato. Who has been wanting to be outside a lot of late, on lizard patrol around the pool. And spying on birds. And exchanging insults with a squirrel........Went to the door, which I had left open so he could come and go with minimal yowling.
Poked my head out enquiringly into the darkness. And was nearly knocked over by a streak of white, very wet cat, travelling in excess of a hundred miles per hour, through the door, to the safety of the house.
Following his soggy trail, I found him cowering under the bed, eyes like saucers, looking very bedraggled. But he wasn't coming out. Not for me. Not for anybody. Time for some reverse psychology. Who me? Curious about how you got so wet? Whatever gave you that idea?
Soon he came slinking by the couch, giving a wide berth to the sliding door to the pool, casting anxious and distrustful looks at the darkness beyond. I talked to him soothingly, and he let me pick him up and wrap him in a towel and gently pat him dry. The smell of recently -almost -drowned cat is not up there with Channel No. 5. But I snuggled on regardless, and was rewarded soon with the tentative beginnings of a purr. Which grew. And grew. And now he's busy washing himself and trying to recover from the indignity of falling in the pool. And hoping the squirrel wasn't watching.
I may never know how it happened. But he's my good buddy. I'm so glad he figured out how to swim.
8 comments:
I enjoyed poor Puss's story. They are so proud & haughty arent they?
Perhaps he thought you hadnt noticed how wet he was. Apparently all animals can swim, even if some of then really hate to have to!
Alas, poor pussy. Our son is very keen for us to get a cat. We like cats. We have no pool (is this a fishpond or a swimming pool? How very posh) but I don't want my furniture scratched to pieces. I'm almost tempted, though. But I do keep adding 17 years of a cat life to my years and thinking... hmm. I'd be awfully old by the time it had lived its normal span. 17 years of not being able to go away without making arrangements for it. 17 years of it digging holes in my garden. Still.. fur... purring...
How embarrassing for the poor thing. I'm glad you were able to restore some dignity to your cat's life!
I love your posts. They're cozy and thoughtful with a little bite.
Oh this story made me miss my little man Howie (cat) who passed on last year. I do so want anothe cat but I'm waiting till the youngest girl is a little older so the poor cat won't spend it's early years being poked, prodded, chased and squeezed to death!
Oh God, wet cats make me laugh and laugh. Despite the danger to self involved in washing a cat, it is a very funny thing to do. They're so small and pissed off afterwards.
I am sooo glad the cat is okay - to survive the indignities of both falling in the pool and hoping the squirrel wasn't awake and watching, then having to ask for help in getting inside. Poor puss.
Hi Molly, Thanks for your comment - I too pop into visit you from time to but don't always leave a comment - but since I get such a buzz from people leaving me comments, I'll make more of an effort to reciprocate in future.
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