Raised voices ceased abruptly as the front door slammed shut, leaving an echoing silence in its wake. A large gray cat flicked her ears nervously, leapt from the armchair, and began to inspect the flat. What she saw did not please her at all. Kate lay on the sofa, quietly crying.
Sunny was always concerned when her beloved owner was upset, so she leapt up next to her and tried to soothe her in every way a cat could manage. She purred her sweetest melodies, kneading gently and tickling Kate’s face with her whiskers. However, Kate remained unresponsive and continued to weep.
Sunny was quite bewildered, as her affections had never gone unnoticed before. An air of trouble hung in the home…
Kate and Oliver adored their cat, and the fluffy beauty repaid them in kind. She was the matriarch of their little family and considered it her duty to protect and delight those who were her world.
Many years ago, on a damp autumn evening, Oliver came home with a soaking kitten hidden in his coat. He couldn’t walk past the little gray bundle shivering on the front steps. Gentle hands received the homeless creature and began the work: feeding, bathing, warming…
The kitten was a female, and since she spent her first days mostly sleeping, she was ceremoniously named Sunny. Sunny was loved and spoiled, forgiven for small mischiefs and naughtiness. She had the tastiest food, intriguing toys, and even a multi-level cat palace. She preferred to sleep in her owners’ bed, close to those she loved with all her heart.
Days passed, yet Oliver didn’t come home, and Kate continued to cry on the sofa. Sunny knew something was terribly wrong with the people she cherished. The cat sat on the windowsill, gazing thoughtfully out at the street where autumn rain poured down. The weather reminded her of when Oliver had rescued her, a stray waif, and how they had cared for her together…
“I must save this family. It’s time to take matters into my own paws!” the gray cat decided.
Kate couldn’t recall how long she’d been in this emotional fog. Day turned into night, night into day, with endless tears… Oliver had left… They had separated… Over a trifling argument… Her thoughts were jumbled, crashing one into another.
Realizing things couldn’t continue this way, Kate slid off the sofa and wandered to the kitchen. Her wandering gaze fell on Sunny’s bowls. The food was untouched.
“Sunny! Oh my, my girl! Where are you?”
In that instant, Kate’s apathy vanished. Chastising herself, she began searching for the cat.
Sunny lay in Oliver’s favorite chair, unresponsive to her owner’s calls. Her splendid tail drooped, her plush fur was disheveled and dulled, and her green eyes looked distant. Kate scooped up the weakened little body and began to panic around the flat.
“My dear, what’s wrong with you? Forgive me! How could I have let this happen?!”
Holding the cat tightly, she grabbed the phone.
“Oliver! Listen… Sunny… she’s not well at all… I don’t know what’s wrong. I’m taking her to the vet. Yes, please, come.”
An elderly vet examined the feline patient for a long time, studied the test results, and fiddled with his moustache.
“To be honest, I’m at a bit of a loss. I can’t find any visible issues with your pet. According to the tests, the cat is healthy. The ultrasound didn’t reveal anything unusual. Everything corresponds to her age.”
“But what’s wrong with her? Surely you can see, Doctor, the state she’s in!”
“I see… May I ask you one question?”
“Of course, Doctor!”
“Recently, have there been any changes in your home, in your family? It seems your cat might have taken these changes hard and is consciously withdrawing from life. Please think about this. For now, I can only recommend keeping an eye on her diet and giving her vitamins.”
Gently removing Sunny from the carrier, Oliver placed her on the chair and knelt beside her, stroking her soft fur.
“Forgive me! I was such a fool, there’s no other word for it!”
The cat lifted her head, looked at her owner with careful eyes, and nuzzled his hand.
“You’ve forgiven me? Thank you! Now I have to ask Kate for forgiveness.”
Silence settled in, and peace returned to the flat. The gray cat cautiously jumped off the chair and approached the sofa. Curled up snugly, Kate was asleep, close to Oliver…
“Well done!” thought the cat. “And I am certainly a great actress! But such a forced diet does nothing for my figure!”
Proudly fluffing her tail and squinting her green eyes slyly, Sunny, feeling quite pleased with herself, headed for the kitchen. The household guardian needed to have a meal.
