Heart Touching Story of A Boy and His Cat: A Cat to Remember

The time for moving to the flat was drawing near. In every room there were boxes and boxes tied firmly with rope. Mother had been working hard, and father had been busy too, seeing to alterations in the flat.

Yusuf tried to get Puss used to her new home. He took her there several times, but she would not stay. One day he tried locking the door and leaving as quickly as he could, but when he arrived home by a roundabout route, Puss was already there waiting for him. He would have to shut the window as well when it was time for her to live in the storeroom. That was the only way Puss could have got out.

One Saturday, Mother announced they would be moving the following week. She had everything ready. Homes had been found for the three older cats, the flat had been scrubbed clean, the curtains sewn, and the lampshades fixed. “Father will be on a long vacation from work and will see to things. He’ll be taking Puss on Tuesday afternoon, Yusuf, so see that she’s ready, will you?”

Yusuf didn’t answer. He was wondering if he ought to take Puss to her new home on Monday night or Tuesday morning. Everyone would be too occupied, he hoped, to miss her.

Monday was a busy day. Yusuf spent the whole morning seeing to his personal belongings. After lunch his mother wanted him to help her in the new flat. He became restless then, from the flat’s eighth-floor windows. He saw the sun setting and dusk falling.

It was dark when they reached home. Puss was there roaming from room to room, meowing sadly. Yusuf gave her a saucer of milk. When she had lapped it up and licked herself clean, she went up to him and licked his hands. He didn’t like the roughness of her tongue, but he did not draw his hands away. For the rest of the evening he stayed close to his pet, waiting for a chance to take her away, but it didn’t come to him.

Tuesday morning was unusually cool, a fine day for getting work done. Yusuf’s parents went early to the flat, and this gave him the chance he needed. He slipped out of the house carrying Puss, avoiding the road in case his parents should come back unexpectedly. Once inside the lean-to, he shut the window and the door before he let Puss go.

“There you are, Puss,” he said, pointing to the corner, “a nice bed for you. Come on, this is your new home now. I’ll have to leave you soon.”