A Special Gift

by Leo

I have to admit I've usually no interest at all in what the postman brings At least my devoted slave says the postman has been when she finds envelopes on her doormat and she is rarely pleased about them. She picks them up and puts them on the table and then makes a cup of tea and gives me my breakfast. We then go back to bed together, she brings her tea and the envelopes and I sit on the bed and watch her open them. She either opens the envelopes and either groans "Not another bill!" or snorts "Not more junk mail " and throws it in the wastepaper bin, sometimes hitting me in the process! For some reason though she keeps the bills even though she dislikes them as much as the junk mail. Usually I'm not able to get to the front door as she keeps the vestibule door shut. I've often thought I could make her happy by tearing up the envelopes with all the bills and junk mail so she wouldn't have to read them but for some reason she doesn't let me. One summer morning though, I got up early before she did and found she had left the door open as it was so hot and I smelt a most wonderful aroma coming from the post! It was unlike anything I'd ever smelled before. I was glad that Ginger and my mother and sister were out as it gave a chance to investigate. I was just sniffing a brown envelope from where the wonderful aroma was emulating when my devoted slave came down and scooped up all the mail and put it on the kitchen table. I felt frustrated and mewed at her crossly but she took no notice and carried on getting my breakfast and making the tea. I consoled myself with the thought that as soon as she took it upstairs, I'd see what was in it. But today something was different, she sat drinking the tea in the kitchen and eating her breakfast, all the while ignoring the package. Then I heard the doorbell ring and she rushed out of the kitchen leaving the dishes on the table. I watched through the window as she got into a car and disappeared. I was furious, how dare she go out without opening the envelope! I knew when she went in a car, it meant she was going out with her friends and would be gone for a long time. I decided to eat my breakfast and then have a through wash while I considered what to do next. I always think best while washing. But I couldn't concentrate there was something so intoxicating and irresistible about the strange aroma. Now although naturally as I'm the Master, my devoted slave seems to think that she owns the kitchen table. She says it is because she eats off it. I could help her eat her food more quickly, especially when it's fish, but for some reason she won't let me and says I mustn't jump on the table, even though it's naturally mine and I only let her use it ! I was just washing my whiskers when Ginger came in. "Why don't you come out and play in the sunshine?" he mewed." There are a lot of birds around today and ." He stopped as he smelt the intoxicating aroma coming from the parcel. "That came through the letterbox and she's gone out without opening it." I explained." Wasn't that mean of her ?" I jumped up on the table and tried to unfasten the envelope but my paws weren't dexterous enough for the task. Ginger jumped up alongside me to assist. Now Ginger is a quiet unassuming cat, but he is very talented with his paws. I've often found his talents useful for removing the cover off the milk jug to let us both enjoy a forbidden drink. He'd then replace the cover and our devoted slave was none the wiser, though I have heard her complain that a pint of milk doesn't seem to go as far as it used to! Ginger started on the packet with his paws while I assisted by pulling with my teeth. Between us we soon got it open to reveal what looked like two mice only instead of being grey, one was a vivid pink and the other a lurid green, but the scent was unlike any mouse I'd ever smelled before. It was even better than the scent of a real mouse! Ginger and I each grabbed one and rolled round the table clutching it in ecstasy. A dish fell to the floor and shattered, and then Ginger knocked over a glass of juice followed by the milk jug. But we didn't care, not as long as we could savour the wonderful aroma and clutch the mice close to us all the better to smell them. I tipped over a box of cereal, scattering it's contents over the floor as I gambolled round as if hypnotised by my new treasure and Ginger followed by knocking over the teapot and a mug. Then suddenly the effect wore off and we gazed in horror at the carnage surrounding us. Our devoted slave's favourite dishes were reduced to smithereens and it was impossible to see the floor under the mixture of cereal ,milk and juice that covered it. "Perhaps we can clear up?" Ginger suggested hopefully "We can't let her find all this mess, she'll be so upset". He started to lap up the milk but it was hopeless, it was already sinking into the carpet. We sat side-by-side and howled. Just then, my mother and Josephine came in. I expected them to grumble but instead they grabbed hold of the mice and reacted just as we had done. They looked so silly rolling over and over clutching the mice and grinning happily. When the effects wore off my mother scolded." You should have known better than to have catnip on the table!" "Our devoted slave will be furious!" Josephine mewed self-righteously. "You should have known better!" "What about you ?" I retorted. "I didn't make all this mess." She smirked." You did!" "What's catnip then ?" Ginger asked. "It's what those mice are filled with," my mother explained. "It makes us cats act foolishly rather like humans do if they drink alcohol. But it is fun though while the effect lasts ! But how are we going to clean this mess up?" None of us had any idea. We passed the day in a state of trepidation, which increased as the hours went by. "What is she going to say?" wailed Ginger "And what will she do? " howled my mother." maybe she'll not give us any supper!" "She might even throw us all out and it's all your fault!" mewed Josephine. I didn't think she would ever do that but visions of a diet of cheap cat food and being banned from her lap and bed haunted me. Then we heard her key in the door. We fled behind the chair so we could hide and see her reaction from a safe distance. The sound of footsteps approached and voices laughing and talking. She'd obviously brought her friend in, which made things even worse as humans for some reason like their houses to be tidy when friends cal as if they think their friends wouldn't like them if as much as a cushion were out of place! "Thank you for a lovely day." I heard her say. "You're welcome, I had fun too." Her friend replied." I'll just carry these bags in for you." They paused in the doorway, momentarily dumbstruck at the scene of mayhem. "Oh, no! What have my cats been up to? " my devoted slave wailed. She sounded on the verge of tears. I felt very guilty. "Never mind, I'll help you clean up." Her friend said sympathetically." I'm going down to town tomorrow and will get you some new dishes if you'd like and my husband will bring his carpet cleaning equipment." "You are so kind" said my devoted slave." I just can't think what got into them. They are usually such good cats." "This, I think." said her friend brandishing the catnip mouse and the remnants of the packaging." Haven't they had catnip before? ? Most cats go crazy when they get it for a few minutes, then it wears off until they play with the mouse again. She sniffed it." This is very strong catnip too." " I read that cats liked it and ordered these mice but had no idea how much they liked it.I suppose all this is my fault for leaving the package on the table but I never thought they'd open it !" "Never underestimate cats!" her friend said laughing. Our devoted slave joined in and we chose that moment to sheepishly creep out from behind the chair. To our amazement she didn't grumble at all but gave us our usual cuddle like she always did when she returned home. The mice are my favourite toys and I often play with them but the greatest gift of all was that my devoted slave still loved me even though I'd ruined her crockery and made such a mess!