Misfits of a Little Cat

The sun shined through the four paneled window into the kitchen. It beamed a reflective shade on the pots and pans that hung from the pot rack above the island. It cast shadows off of the various knick knacks on the counter before highlighting the kitchen sink and the refrigerator in a glistening white and silver. No one was home in the beautiful downtown loft, no one but Snowball, the cat that the owners of the loft adopted from the pound three years before. He was a strange cat, Snowball. His green eyes did not match his orange and white fur and his long whiskers always brought the attention away from his pink nose. He was very small and was constantly lost in the shuffle of furniture and the movement of people around him. He was different from other cats.  While most cats purred and meowed their feelings and complaints, Snowball stayed silent, as if he decided that his emotions should never be shared with anyone or anything; even to those who loved him the most.

Snowball’s day started and ended like any day, he would awaken from his long slumber, peek open one eye to check his surroundings of any new things that the owners may have brought in from the world outside the loft, then pad slowly and softly to the kitchen where a warm bowl of milk and fish would await him on the linoleum floor.  After eating he would use the litter and lay down in his usual spot in the living room, in a blanketed basket next to the couch. The owners would pat him and try to get him to exercise either by casting lasers beams from the back of a pen on the wall or throwing out the blue rubber ball that Snowball rarely played with. But Snowball never budged, too afraid that one movement of fun could hurt him. Today, however, was different. The owners were getting a new pet, a creature that did not meow nor bark but squawked. Rainbow, the blue, red, and green colored parrot that repeated every word the owners would speak. She was loud and fidgety. She flew from one place in the loft to another, without an ounce of smoothness or grace. Snowball did not like Rainbow because her raucous attitude lasted all throughout the night until she tired herself to sleep, leaving Snowball anxious and stressed in the morning. The owners were fond of Rainbow because her rambunctiousness lifted the loft into high spirits and laughter. For a long while the owners forgot about Snowball and forgot to feed him one day.

“Skinny cat, skinny cat”, croaked the bird as she knocked her beak repetitively onto Snowball’s head.

The cat batted the bird away with his paw but that didn't stop Rainbow from lifting the grumpy cat with her claws up into the air. They flew about the rooms of the loft, twisting and turning, rising and then quickly descending. Rainbow squawked with joy while Snowball whined with fear. Finally Rainbow dropped Snowball onto the floor and he scurried to his bed, covering his face with his tail while he shivered in despair. A little while later the front door clicked and the owners bustled into the room.

“Scary cat, scary cat”, squawked the bird before flying to her nest.

The owners quickly walked over to where Snowball laid shivering in his bed. “Poor Snowball”, exclaimed the man. The woman lifted the cat into her arms and hugged him. “You will always be our favorite pet”, said the woman and Snowball purred silently to sleep.