Chapter 8
The Purr-Fect Plan
Seconds passed. I didn’t say anything to Pam or Grandma Kit.
I hated acting rude to them. My heart wouldn’t stop pounding.
I couldn’t take my eyes off Bootsie. And she couldn’t take her eyes off the dove outside the window. It seemed that Bootsie could sit there forever, happily watching that songbird.
“This could be Bootsie’s territory!” I said, snapping my fingers. “Scruffy never comes up here. This isn’t part of his territory at all!”
“Cool!” Alfreeda nodded excitedly.
I pointed across the room.
“Those high shelves?” I said. “They could be cleared off. Bootsie would have a blast climbing to all the high places. She’d love the piles of old clothes and blankets and rag dolls. She could sleep in these cozy old chairs. She could spend hours looking out that little window at the farmyard below.”
“Yeah,” Alfreeda said. “And we could find more scratching posts for her. And bring in lots of cat toys. She’d love it up here!”
“And she wouldn’t have to share the space with any other cats,” I said.
“I’ll help you turn this attic into a super-fun kitty playground,” Alfreeda offered.
“Thanks,” I said with a grin. “That would be great. Just great!”
Ten minutes later, we’d pushed the furniture away, opened the door, and shared the plan.
Grandma Kit loved the idea. Pam thought it was a good one too.
The four of us carried Bootsie’s things to the attic, then Pam hugged me goodbye.
“Bye to you, Bootsie!” Pam called.
But Bootsie didn’t take her eyes off that dove, not for a second.
Alfreeda and I spent all afternoon turning the attic into a purr-fect kitty playground.
First, we brought in a big old log with branches. We put one end in a large pot and turned it into a cat tree.
Next, we folded a lot of colorful paper birds and hung them in the tree. Bootsie would have a blast boxing those.
Then we hung a rug on the wall for Bootsie to climb. We also cleared off high shelves and put cozy kitty beds on the highest spots.
“I have a lot of arts and crafts stuff at my house,” Alfreeda said. “I could bring some over. We could make cat toys and cat games.”
“Sure!” I said.
Alfreeda and I worked into the evening. Grandpa Tom brought dinner to the attic for us. Bootsie came off the beam to eat her dinner too. When she finished, I gave her a long hug. I had a feeling she had hung up her boxing gloves for good.
Alfreeda and I were still busy making cat toys near bedtime.
Grandpa Tom brought us a late-night popcorn snack. “Why don’t you two sleep up here tonight?” he said. “Alfreeda, I’ll check with your mom and make sure it’s okay. I’m sure it will be. You girls can keep Bootsie company during her first night on the farm. There are plenty of blankets for you two.”
“Great idea! Thanks, Grandpa,” I said.
Alfreeda and I got busy making cozy beds for ourselves. Then I said good night to Bootsie.
But she was back on the beam, back in “her” spot, watching the sleeping dove and the gleaming stars.
