The Orange Cat – Weekend Away

Written by Susan Lane

Cats don’t send postcards. When he stayed out for the weekend, I assumed independence. What followed was a slow unravelling of vet appointments, tests, medication and the kind of concern only a creature with snide looks and nine lives can provoke. This is just the beginning.

I like this cat 
Although he is actually inherited you see 
He’s lived here all his life 
But on my granddaughter’s death 
He went from Trinity to me 

Although it was quite natural 
For him to stay with me because 
My Trinity had gotten him as a kitten 
And kept him as a house cat 
Whilst she was with me, 

She wasn’t happy you see
At the thought of him going outside 
Unless he was on a lead
And after she’d gone, 
I kept it the same 
Just to honour her name

But then I got to thinking 
What’s best for him to be
An indoor or an outdoor cat, 
Hmmmm, let me see

He’s old enough now to venture out 
To look around and find 
Any rats and mice to play with 
That are running 
Like they do in country life

There are plenty of them to be seen 
But in this little bit where we live 
He’s only going to be cat No. 3 
Who goes mousing around here for free 

Except for food and a clean toilet 
That’s the minimum he wants you see 
That and a clean comfy bed 
That’s good enough when he doesn’t pay rent 

The Orange Cat Ventures Out

He went out on the weekend and 
He didn’t come back in for tea
I wasn’t worried then because 
He’d already eaten you see
But when he didn’t come in by 10 pm
I started to get slightly worried then

I went out every couple of hours 
All through the night
He still wasn’t in by morning light
He wasn’t in by half past three 
In readiness for that day’s tea
It was really starting to bother me

Another few hours 
Having knocked neighbours’ doors to see
If maybe he’d gotten shut in 
After they’d done their gardening
And possibly had their shed open recently
Even a post on Facebook 
Didn’t produce anything 

I was starting to panic don’t you see 
My Trinity would’ve been extremely mad at me 
For the possibility of losing her precious cat 
Oh dear, let’s just hope and see 
That just maybe 
He’ll stroll in very shortly 

So, a second night out and still no sign 
But next morning at about 7 who do I see 
Yes, that orange cat looking tired 
And very hungry 
Slowly wandering towards me 

I think he may have been shut in 
One of the farm sheds near me 
Lucky cat and also lucky me 
Maybe the men hadn’t been 
On the yard since Saturday

So probably hadn’t considered 
A cat might have snuck in to play or 
To avoid the heat of the day 
Thirty degrees is quite excessive you’ll agree 
Maybe he hid somewhere nice, 
Cool and snuggy until tea 

He’s Home

He came in for breakfast and 
Thought he was going out again 
Well, no Mr, that’s not happening you see,
I’m keeping you in 
Cos here you’re safer with me 
Now let’s snuggle with a nice cup of tea 

© Susan Lane. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form without prior written permission from the author.

ColourMine poetry, and the original photographs, are completely authentic to myself, Susan Lane – no AI, no plagiarism, all checked and verified by copyleaks

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