The Big Kitty Home Hunt

When Kyle woke up Thursday morning, he had a plan. He called Mia right away. “Let’s go to Mr. J’s Pet Haven,” he said. “Maybe he can take the kittens. Or he’ll know someone who wants one.”

“Great idea,” Mia said. “Let’s go after school.”

When Kyle and Mia walked into the store that afternoon, Jethro, Mr. J’s pet parrot, was there to welcome them.

“Who’s there?” Jethro squawked as they opened the door. “Go away!”

“That’s bad for business, Jethro,” Mr. J said with a laugh. “It’s a good thing everybody loves a cranky parrot.”

“They love cute, little kittens more,” Mia said.

“I’m hungry!” Jethro squawked.

Kyle gave the parrot a piece of cracker from the dish Mr. J always kept on the counter. Then he said, “We have three kittens that need homes.”

“We found them in a vacant lot,” Mia explained. She pulled out three of the cutest pictures they’d taken and handed them to Mr. J to look at. “Kyle’s mom said they’re almost seven weeks old.”

“They are very cute,” Mr. J agreed, flipping through the photos.

“Could you sell them here?” Mia asked hopefully. “I bet lots of people would be interested!”

Mr. J shook his head. “I’m sorry, kids,” he said. “I’d really love to help you out, but I only sell purebred kittens like Persians and Siamese here. You’re welcome to put a picture and a sign on my bulletin board, though. Maybe someone will see it and want one.”

Mr. J gave them a piece of paper, and Kyle and Mia got to work making a sign. They chose a picture of all three kittens together and wrote the number for Dr. Blake’s clinic below.

When they were finished, they walked over to the bulletin board by the front door. Hopefully someone would see the flyer there. But there were already several flyers for free kittens.

“There are so many ads here!” Kyle said.

“I guess there are a lot of kittens that need homes,” Mia said.

“We should post an ad anyway,” Kyle said. “Maybe we should say that our kittens have been seen by a vet and had their shots. A lot of these other kittens probably haven’t.”

“It can’t hurt,” Mia said.

They added a line to their flyer and stuck it on the board along with all the other posted ads.

“Bye!” Jethro said as they walked out. “And don’t come back!”

“Maybe we should put up a sign in your mom’s clinic, too,” Mia suggested as they left the pet store.

Kyle shook his head. “She already has one posted,” he said. “She and Angie and Lillian have been asking everyone who comes in if they’re interested.”

“Any takers?” Mia asked hopefully.

Kyle shook his head. “Not yet.”

“What about putting up flyers around the neighborhood?” Mia suggested. “That way people who don’t have pets and don’t have a reason to go to the pet store or vet’s office will see them.”

“That’s a great idea!” Kyle said. “We can make them on my computer. Let’s go!”