Cat Paws Through History
Ko-Ko the Cat Meets Napoleon BonaparteBy Isabel H. StepanianAuthorHouse
Copyright © 2011 Isabel H. Stepanian
All right reserved.ISBN: 978-1-4389-5810-1 Chapter One
Alas, Ko-Ko the Cat did not know what all the fuss was about.
As he watched from afar, — Mumzy, his human Mama, — wasscampering to and fro once again: Pretending to be a squirrel,he presumed.
Humans could act so silly at times: He mused, as he twitchedhis long whiskers, and crossed his paws in a royal manner. Not atall like cats. Cats were regal.
Especially, — Persian cats!
Being a Persian cat himself, he was quite proud of the fact thathis family lineage was steeped in history, and that the breed whichhe represented was known as one of the oldest and most intelligentbreed of cats.
This morning, he had been sitting in his wicker basket for thepast hour trying desperately to take a much needed nap; However,Mumzy had been of absolutely no help. For, it seemed the harderhe tried — the more noise Mumzy seem to make.
"Phffft!" he muttered beneath his breath. Much too much noisefor his particular liking at this hour of the day!
Noise always made it rather difficult for one to fall asleep.
Why, in heaven's, she did not know this was a rather perplexingthought. After all, did Mumzy not understand that napping was anessential part of a feline's daily routine? — He asked himself curiously,as he wiggled his long whiskers.
Raising his wide head slowly, Ko-Ko gave out a loud meow.
'Perhaps now,' he thought in a somewhat miffed manner, 'shewould comprehend the fact that he wished to have some peace andquiet.'
Why was it so very difficult at times to train humans? Hepondered.
Alas, did they not consider themselves to be the most intelligentof all creatures which God had created?
Huh! — Tut! Tut! Tut! That was a matter of opinion!
"Peef, puff, poof!" he muttered beneath his breath in sheerexasperation.
Having heard him, Mumzy stopped in her tracks. Turningabout ever so slowly, she proceeded to stare at him in the most curiousmanner: Alas, the stare down had begun.
Then, with a disturbingly serious look upon her face, she utteredwith emphasis:
"Ko-Ko ... of all the rooms in this house, I absolutely do notcomprehend as to why you insist upon taking your morning nap inour master bedroom?" she questioned, in an authoritative tone.
Excellent! — At least she had interpreted his meow correctly,Ko-Ko mused, as he recrossed his paws in a different manner:Having suddenly become quite bored with the entire matter athand, he yawned and squinted his golden eyes.
Now, what was he to do while she was making all this noise? Itwas rather a predicament.
Stretching out his chubby claws, he proceeded to do his fingerexercises: Pretending to have not heard Mumzy's most indelicatecomments.
However, — no matter how hard he tried, — it was rather difficultto ignore her presence. She was such a formidable force whenshe wanted to be.
After all, but a few years ago, they had named an hurricane afterher!
Come to think of it, he mused, she did seem rather miffed athim. For, he could always tell when Mumzy was miffed. She wouldhave that certain look within her dark-brown, doe-like eyes, almostas if a tornado was about to arise.
Yet, what Ko-Ko could not understand was as to why she wasso very upset with him? Alas, — was it not she who was disturbinghis sleep, — not the other way around?
Pish-Posh!
Sighing, Ko-Ko stretched out his short and somewhat pudgyarms even further: As far as they would go in fact, for he just remembered— he had not done his stretching exercises this morning.They were a mandatory, daily routine, especially if one were acat, which he most certainly was.
Looking almost like the Egyptian Sphinx, he proceeded tostare at Mumzy with his half-closed, golden eyes. Then, he winkedseveral times.
Perhaps, he mused as he batted his long, black eyelashes, if hewere to concentrate hard enough, he could somehow mesmerizeher into stopping all this scampering about. It was quite disturbing.
Well, he pondered, it was most certainly worth a try.
Focus! Focus! — Mesmerize!
But alas, his efforts were to no avail. He failed, for it didnot work. She was still scampering about in a most undignifiedmanner.
Such a disappointment: What was he to do now?
Opening his mouth wide, he yawned: Thus, pushing his long,white whiskers back towards his tiny ears.
My goodness, such silly questions Mumzy was asking thismorning, he pondered to himself in a bored manner. Besides, whatin heavens was the matter of preferring this particular room for hismorning nap? Did she not realize that the answer to that specificquestion was quite simple?
Why ever not?!
This particular, beautiful basket, in which he found himself recliningat present, was after all one of his very favorites. So there!
It was the, — the emphasis alas being on the word the, — designatedbasket for his morning nap: Thus, the reason as to why hewas in it presently.
Being a cat, it was a known fact that he was quite finicky bynature. Therefore, in his cat-tish opinion, everything about thispurr-ticular basket, and its purr-esent location, was considered tobe absolutely purr-fect.
To begin with, it was lined with his favorite wooly sweater: Theone that belonged to his beloved Mumzy.
Being white and ever so fuzzy, it happened to coincide quitewell with his overall long, thick, and rather furry coat. When hefound himself reclined in that basket, he knew that there was acertain look about him which brought great joy to all who wouldwish to observe his being.
Alas, it had always been his philosophy that if one could bringjoy to others, then why should not one do so? Such was his nature.
Second, — he immensely enjoyed the fact that this basket wasplaced in the most perfect location — right next to the enormousfireplace: Thus, making it ever so warm, snuggly and cozy.
Third, — this being a rather brisk fall day, where else wouldone be, if one may be so bold as to ask? After all, did they wanthim to freeze his little fur off of his pudgy body? A most purr-posterousthought!
Of course, this was a bit of an exaggeration, he mused, but alasit could happen, — and no, — he was not being dramatic!
My goodness! Such nonsense he had to think of in order tohave a proper excuse to stay as to where he was. It was much toomuch for one cat to bear.
Fourth, he continued to ponder, — a most wonderful fire wasburning presently within the fireplace. It was absolutely yummy.
Oh! — So very yummy, in fact, that it was indescribable: Only,but only, a cat would understand. For it was a rather difficult conceptto explain to mere humans.
Fifth, — at this particular time of the morning, the sun wouldcome shining in with its golden rays. Ever so brightly, it wouldproceed to beam through the large, cut-glass windows in the mostperfect way: Thus, making his soft, cream and brownish-blackhued fur feel ever so nice and toasty.
"Meowyyyymyyy!" Ko-Ko sighed with a purr, placing his chinupon his bear-like paws. How very warm and comfortable it wasjust lying here, doing absolutely nothing. He pondered with a slightwiggle of his velvety nose.
Therefore, the matter at hand was rather simple. In his personalopinion, he had quite a few exceptionally good reasons as to why hewas here in this particular part of the house — at this very hour ofthe day.
He most certainly hoped that his human Mama would havethe common sense and the proper understanding, in order to fullycomprehend this matter without any further explanation from theresident cat.
Simply put: He enjoyed it immensely, — and that was that!
So there! He pondered with a slight nod of his furry head.
Yes indeed, for Ko-Ko the Cat, life was good, and he was mosthappy.
'Perhaps,' he thought as he wiggled his ears, 'if one were tothink about it seriously, the master bedroom was indeed his favoriteroom. But alas, if one may ask, what was wrong with that?' Hequestioned in silence as he widened his golden eyes.
Everybody preferred something or another: He just happenedto prefer this room. Was that so strange a concept to comprehend?
Besides, if Mumzy insisted upon scurrying about like a squirrel,Ko-Ko could not understand as to why she could not simplytake her fidgety scurrying elsewhere. After all, there were quite afew rooms in this spacious, three story, nineteenth century house,in order for one to scurry about in — without disturbing anothercreature!
Squinting his golden eyes, Ko-Ko stared back at Mumzy almostas if she were a large mouse. Come to think of it, — hejust remembered: There was that other matter which was ratherdispleasing, he mused to himself as he wiggled his long, whitewhiskers.
'Since when did it become their master bedroom?' he thoughtcuriously, twitching his velvety nose in a rather snooty manner.
"Phffft!" he muttered beneath his whiskers, — the emphasisstrongly being on the word their by the way, — he pondered, as hetwitched his nose once again.
Gazing at Mumzy with a most inquisitive look upon hissnubby, doll-like face, Ko-Ko wiggled his tiny ears back and forth.For as long as he could remember, even when he was a kitten, hehad always been under the impression that this was — his masterbedroom!
After all, were not all cats the masters of their house? That iswhat his mother had taught him.
Humans were certainly curious creatures, he mused. Most certainlynot at all like cats.
Cats were so very dignified: Except of course when they werepouncing.
But alas, the occasion for a good pounce was so very rare thesedays. Sadly, it did not arise frequently on a daily basis. Thus, — pouncingwas always held for the most special of occasions.
Ko-Ko sighed with a deep purr: Enough of that, he mused,half scolding himself.
"Phffft! Phffft! Phffft!" he muttered beneath his long, whitewhiskers in an exasperated manner, as if he was at his wits end.
Once again, he had permitted his eloquent imagination to takehold of his furry, but most intelligent mind: Allowing it to wanderto and fro aimlessly. That was a no-no!
Yet, — what was one to do, if one may be permitted to ask?For, he must confess that this was indeed a favorite pastime.
'Daydreaming could be such fun,' he thought with a smile as hewiggled his whiskers and twitched his ears.
However, he realized suddenly, that at the present time, it wasbest to keep one's focus upon Mumzy. After all, she had managedquite successfully to disturb his beautiful morning nap: One, by theway, which he looked forward to immensely.
Sighing, Ko-Ko continued staring at her with the most intense,and curious look within his golden eyes. He watched her carefullyas she crossed the room swiftly, and opened the closet doors.
The woman was most certainly on a mission!
'But alas ... what was that mission?' Ko-Ko thought with a mostperplexing look upon his cute, furry face.
Mumbling to herself, she then began making noises fromwithin the closet. It was as if she were moving things about.
What, in heavens, was she doing now? Ko-Ko questioned insilence, in a somewhat perplexed manner.
Was she perhaps indeed doing spring cleaning? He mused.
My goodness! Did she not know that it was not spring?
Was she never going to allow him to sleep?! Ko-Ko ponderedin a rather agitated way.
Then, suddenly, — out of nowhere, — three items emergedfrom the closet. Ko-Ko's ears perked up.
Instinctively, he knew what they were. They — were the travellingsuitcases!
They had been in hibernation as of late: Sleeping it off, as wassaid.
Perhaps, Ko-Ko mused, trying desperately to recover from thelast exhausting adventure which they had been dragged upon byhis human parents.
Two of the travelling suitcases were red: These belonged toMumzy. The third suitcase, which was green, — was alas Popzy's.
Quite simply, something was afoot: Ko-Ko nodded in a knowingmanner. For these particular suitcases were only used for an exceptionally,special type of a trip — one which lasted several weeks.
Besides, suitcases were a must: No suitcase, no trip! It was assimple as that.
Spotting the suitcases, Ko-Ko's tiny ears, — which were set farapart upon his wide head, — suddenly jiggled with glee. Then, thehairs on the very tips of his ears began to move to and fro — almostas if they were antennas.
He focused!
What in heavens were Mumzy and Popzy up to now? — Hemused in a rather perplexed manner.
Within minutes, matters at hand had changed entirely!
'Aha!' he thought, 'something is indeed afoot.'
Yet, he knew within his furry heart of hearts, — this wasmerely a clue! Thus, he must stay alert! This was no time fornapping!
For the mystery which lay before him, had just begun and wasmuch more complicated: It always was where Mumzy and Popzywere concerned. He contemplated in a most suspicious manner.
Nodding in a knowing way, he looked on. It was best to observeall that was happening.
For he knew, that once the suitcases came down and out of thecloset, it most always meant that surely they were headed somewhere:Somewhere far, far away.
"Ohhh," he sighed, "phffft, phffft, phffft!"
How he loved mysteries! — He pondered with wonderment.Such was the spice of life!
From afar, Ko-Ko continued watching patiently, but in a ratherbored manner as Mumzy slowly dragged the suitcases across thewooden floor. Swiftly picking them up, she then placed them, -oneby one, — upon the bed.
Ko-Ko wiggled his whiskers, as he watched on in silence. Shefidgeted with the keys: Trying to find the key which fit the lock ofeach suitcase. He yawned and then stretched himself once again.Something was surely afoot, or as he would say "Aphffft!" he mutteredbeneath his breath, sticking out his tiny, pink tongue.
However, he mused, there was nothing to get excited about— not yet, at least. He knew exactly what this meant. They weresimply off on another trip, and more than likely, as was the case inprevious occasions, — he would be going along as well.
This was a must!
Oh! — Gee-tewilligers! What fun?!
Ko-Ko wiggled his nose in wonderment.
How did one spell gee-tewilligers anyway? He questioned, ashe gazed up at the ceiling.
Oh, well! He must remember to paw through the dictionary:The very next time that Mumzy had it opened, and lying about forher writing purposes. For, if indeed, there was a spelling listed forthat particular word, it would most certainly be in the dictionary.
Continues...
Excerpted from Cat Paws Through Historyby Isabel H. Stepanian Copyright © 2011 by Isabel H. Stepanian. Excerpted by permission.
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