The black cat could not remember who had put the collar around his neck, or when. It had been buckled on when he was smaller and younger, before the long, long time of being lost. Now the collar was too tight, and he had trouble swallowing.

In earlier days he had been a strong and swift hunter. These days, he looked for leftover food by the back doors of houses where other cats lived.

One evening at the end of winter, he found the home of Charlotte and Emily. When he looked into their sunroom, the other cats hissed in surprise. The black cat hid in the shadows and watched as Charlotte and Emily's people came to see why they were upset. He listened to the kindness in their voices and liked the gentle way they calmed the tabbies. He stayed the night and all the next day, hidden in the woods behind their house.

When the people came out to their yard, the children cried, "Look at the pretty black cat!"

The woman stooped and held out her hands, calling him.

He came trotting. The woman gently scratched between his ears. It had been so long since anyone had petted him! He sat up and hugged the woman's hand.

"I think he's lost," said the boy.

"No, he's somebody's cat. He's wearing a collar," the girl pointed out.

"But it's awfully tight," their mom observed.

They didn't know how tight it was, how hungry he felt, or how their friendly words and kind hands made him wish he were their cat.

They told him goodnight, and he watched from the edge of the woods. Watched as the lights in their house went out one by one, and long after that, watched the darkened windows.

The world grew warmer. Spring- time brought new baby birds and bunnies to the yard. The black cat saw them from the woods.

One afternoon, the people spotted him again at the edge of the yard.

"It's that nice black cat!" called the boy.

But the girl wondered, "What if he eats the baby animals?"

They didn't know he was not fast enough to catch anything.

He made his way to the woman, who patted him, but then said, "You need to Go Home now."

And she squirted the hose at him!

The cat stumbled back to the woods, confused. He did not know where "Home" was. And the only person who had been kind to him had just told him to go there.