The Cat's Meow

For the 4/23 Writer's Cramp contest, where the prompt was to write a 1,000 word story with:

A know it all cat, an old lady and a burglar.

Dugan yawned, stood up and turned in a circle a few times before repositioning himself in the sheepskin window perch to get optimum sunlight.

Maddie laughed. “He loves that thing! He’s hardly ever out of it ~ naps there all day so he can rest up for his full night of sleep!”

“Ah the life of a cat,” responded Evelyn. “He must have been awfully good in a former life to have the life he has now!”

“I think he was Gandhi,” said Maddie, and both women laughed.

Dugan opened one eye and regarded them with disdain. Gandhi indeed ~ if they only knew.

“I’d better be going,” said Evelyn. “I’ll think about your offer, and let you know soon.”

Maddie smiled and walked her to the door. “What’s to think about? Just say yes!”

Maddie and Evelyn had been friends for sixty of their seventy five years. They met in high school, and remained close as they married and raised children in the same small town. Both had been widowed a few years earlier, and with their children and grandchildren living far away, they counted on each other more than ever for companionship.

Evelyn was leaving soon for a month-long family visit. She didn’t wanted to board her aging golden retriever Sunny for that long, so Maddie suggested that she leave Sunny with her.

“Well, Dugan,” Maddie said as she paused to pet the sleek Siamese cat. “You may be getting a new friend for a few weeks. I’m sure you two will get along famously!”

Dugan flicked his ears a few times, signaling that he was annoyed, and Maddie smiled. “I swear, sometimes I think you understand every word I say.”

Dugan watched her leave the room, scowling. You’ve lost your mind if you think I’m allowing a dog in this house.

***

A week later, Evelyn dropped off Sunny with four pages of instructions, two large bags of dog food, her leash, squeaky toys, and a dog bed. Sunny patiently received the ministrations of his mistress, and then wandered off to flop on her bed.

Dugan sat high atop the china cabinet, watching her every move while Maddie and Evelyn said goodbye. So far the stupid beast hadn’t seemed to notice Dugan, but he was sure that wouldn’t last long.

I can’t believe she’s letting IT stay in here ~ an animal, for chrissakes! A stupid dog! Doesn’t she know they have fleas!

Sunny locked eyes with Dugan, panting and smiling at him. Dugan could have sworn that beast was laughing at him! But that was impossible. Dogs couldn’t talk, and they certainly couldn’t understand anything beyond sit and stay, everyone knew that.

Maddie turned to the animals after seeing Evelyn off. “Dugan, meet Sunny,” she said, patting the retriever’s silky head. “And Sunny, this is Dugan. He thinks he runs this place, and for the most part he does,” she laughed. “But believe me his bark is worse than his bite, if you’ll pardon the expression, Dugan.”

He glared at her through his crossed blue eyes. Traitor!

Again he could have sworn he heard the dog laugh.

“Well, kids, I’m going to take a nap before supper. You two get to know each other,” she said as she headed back to her bedroom.

Sunny thumped her tail before lowering her own head and closing her eyes, obviously happy to join Maddie in the nap plan. Dugan stayed where he was, peering down at Sunny with a mixture of suspicion and disgust.

Sunny opened her eyes and grinned at Dugan. By the way, I don’t have fleas, never had one in my life. And I’d darn well better not have any when I leave here.

Dugan almost fell off the china cabinet. Did IT say something?

Sunny smiled again and closed her eyes, and soon she was snoring gently, with Dugan staring at her in shock.

After a while he must have dozed off himself because he was startled awake by the sound of barking.

Stupid beast is going to wake up Maddie!

He jumped off the cabinet and raced to where Sunny’s barks were coming from. He stopped short when he saw Sunny growling, hackles raised, at a strange man standing in the middle of the kitchen, broken glass from the kitchen door window at his feet. Obviously a burgler, he was dressed in black and muttering something about how there wasn’t supposed to be a dog here, just some stupid cat!

Stupid cat!?!? Why I outta …. Dugan approached the man, hackles raised.

Get back, Dugan, let me handle this.

Don’t tell me what to do! This is MY house! Dugan glared at Sunny, just as the man took a swipe at the dog with a large flashlight he’d picked up off the counter. Sunny ducked and moved back, growling deeply in her throat, not taking her eyes off the man.

Just go, Dugan!

Dugan scurried out of the kitchen and ran to Maddie’s room. Her door was shut, so he sat down just outside and wondered what to do next. He heard more barking, then a scream and cursing from the man, a yelp from Sunny, and then silence.

Dugan was frozen in place, trying to hear something, anything from the kitchen, but hearing nothing. What if that bad man hurt Sunny? What if he was coming for Dugan next? He was ready to faint from fear just as Sunny trotted into the hallway.

He’s gone now, but we’d better wake Maddie up so she can call the police.

She started barking and pawing at the door as Dugan wandered back into the living room and jumped on his perch.

God I need a nap!