The heated argument came to an abrupt halt as the front door slammed, leaving a resonating silence behind. A large grey cat twitched her ears in concern, jumped down from the armchair, and began to inspect the flat. What she found didn’t sit well with her. Katie lay on the sofa, quietly crying.
Lottie always got anxious when her beloved owner was upset, so she leapt up to join her, attempting to comfort her with all the cat affection she could muster. She purred her sweetest tunes, kneaded with her paws, tickled Katie’s face with her whiskers, and nuzzled her with her little nose. But Katie remained unmoved and continued to weep.
Lottie was very surprised since her affections had never gone unnoticed before. The house smelled of trouble… Katie and Oliver adored their cat, and the fluffy beauty loved them back just as much. She was the heart of their little family and saw it as her duty to protect and delight those who were her entire world.
Years ago, on a chilly autumn evening, Oliver returned home with a scraggly kitten tucked in his coat. He couldn’t ignore the little grey thing shivering on the doorstep. Gentle hands welcomed the stray, and the flurry of activity began: feeding, bathing, warming…
The kitten turned out to be a girl, and since she mostly slept during her first days at home, she was ceremonially named Lottie. She was loved and pampered, her occasional mischief and naughtiness forgiven. She had the tastiest food, the most interesting toys, and a real multi-story cat palace. Lottie preferred to sleep in her owners’ bed, next to those she loved with all her heart.
After several days passed without any sign of Oliver, and Katie continued crying on the sofa, Lottie realized that something very bad had happened to her dear people. The cat sat on the windowsill, pensively watching the autumn rain outside. The weather reminded her of the day Oliver had brought her home, a little street urchin. And how they’d cared for her together…
“It’s time to save the family. It’s time to take matters into my own paws!” thought the grey cat, coming to a decision.
Katie couldn’t remember how many days she’d been in that stupor. Day turned into night, night into day, accompanied by tears and more tears… Oliver was gone… They had parted… And over such a trivial argument… Thoughts jumbled, collided, piled up, and fell apart.
Realizing things couldn’t continue this way, Katie slid off the sofa and wandered into the kitchen. Her wandering eyes landed on the cat’s bowls. The food had not been touched.
— Lottie! Oh, my darling! Where are you?
In an instant, apathy dropped away from Katie. Blaming herself with harsh words, she rushed to find her cat.
Lottie lay in Oliver’s favorite armchair, completely unresponsive to her owner’s voice. Her magnificent tail drooped, her fluffy fur matted and dulled, and her green eyes looked vacant. Katie scooped up her weakened body and dashed around the flat.
— My little one, what’s wrong? Forgive me! How could I have let this happen?
Clutching Lottie in her arms, she grabbed the phone.
— Oliver! Listen… Lottie… she’s really unwell… I don’t know what’s wrong. I’m taking her to the vet. Yes, come over.
An elderly vet examined the patient for a long time, studied the test results, and chewed on his mustache.
— Honestly, I don’t know what to tell you. I see no visible signs of illness in the animal. From the test results, the cat’s healthy. The ultrasound showed nothing out of the ordinary. Everything is as it should be for her age.
— But what’s wrong with her? You see the state she’s in, don’t you, doctor?
— I do… May I ask you a question?
— Yes, doctor, of course!
— Tell me, have there been any changes recently in your home or family? I have a feeling your cat hasn’t accepted them and is consciously withdrawing from life. Think about it. For now, I can only advise you to monitor her diet and give her vitamins.
Gently removing Lottie from her carrier, Oliver laid her on the armchair and knelt beside it, stroking her soft fur.
— I’m sorry! I’m such a fool, I don’t even have words for it!
The cat lifted her head, looked at her owner intently, and pressed her little face into his palm.
— You forgive me? Thank you! Now I’ll have to ask Katie for forgiveness too.
The voices quieted, and silence enveloped the flat. The grey cat carefully jumped down from the chair and approached the sofa. Curled up snugly, Katie was asleep, nestled close to Oliver…
“Well done, you two!” thought the cat, “I’m quite the actress, aren’t I? But this enforced diet really does nothing for my figure.”
Proudly fluffing her tail and narrowing her green eyes with satisfaction, a very pleased Lottie headed to the kitchen. The keeper of the hearth needed a good meal.
