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    Just a Cat!
    Just a Cat!
    Just a Cat!
    Ebook96 pages1 hour

    Just a Cat!

    By Judith Holt

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    About this ebook

    This book is about the cats that many of us love as our friends and companions. The cat in this story tells us about her adventures and battles, and the loss of eight of her lives. But as we see the world through her eyes, we see that, in countries like Australia, cats are regarded as feral predators that have a devastating effect on our native animals. This book asks young readers the question: How can we continue to keep cats as our pets but stop their destruction of our wildlife?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherReadOnTime BV
    Release dateDec 5, 2012
    ISBN9781742842363
    Just a Cat!
    Author

    Judith Holt

    Judith Holt is a high school science teacher who has a love of and concern for the environment. Through academic pursuits and an understanding of children, she hopes to tackle the issue of educating tomorrow’s decision-makers about how to best act for the sustainability of all life on earth. This book is one such endeavour.

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      Book preview

      Just a Cat! - Judith Holt

      Just a Cat!

      Judith Holt

      Illustrated by Glenn Kilby

      Just a Cat!

      Smashwords Edition

      Copyright © 2012 Judith Holt

      All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

      The information, views, opinions and visuals expressed in this publication are solely those of the author(s) and do not reflect those of the publisher. The publisher disclaims any liabilities or responsibilities whatsoever for any damages, libel or liabilities arising directly or indirectly from the contents of this publication.

      A copy of this publication can be found in the National Library of Australia.

      ISBN:  978-1-742842-36-3 (pbk.)

      Published by Book Pal

      www.bookpal.com.au

      For the animals that live in the bush and those that live with us May they all have carers

      Contents

      Prologue: Before I Was Born – My Mother’s Story

      Chapter 1 – 1st Life

      When I was a Kitten 8

      Chapter 2 – 2nd Life

      Making my Own Way

      Chapter 3 – 3rd Life

      A long journey

      Chapter 4 – 4th Life

      My human family

      Chapter 5 – 5th Life

      Now I am a Mother

      Chapter 6 – 6th Life

      Life in the Bush and a Family – Could I have Both?

      Chapter 7 – 7th Life

      My life changes

      Chapter 8 – 8th Life

      Bush animals and family animals

      Chapter 9 – 9th Life

      Life is like a dream

      Foreword

      This is my story. I will tell you about my nine lives and how I’ve lost eight of them. I lost some trying to be a bush cat, and some trying to be a family cat. Many other animals have come into my lives. I think I’ve worked out how we are all connected, including the ones called humans.

      I live where there was once thick bush. But now many trees have been cut down – first for farms, then for houses. The animals in this story try to survive in the few leftover bits of bush. Once they only competed with each other for food and a place to live; now they have to compete with humans and the animals they bring with them – like me.

      I am a twenty-something year-old cat now – that’s quite old. Even though I have been a family cat for most of my lives, I was born in the bush. I have a family of humans that feeds me and cares for me but I still like to spend time in the bush, and hunt the bush animals.

      I used to think there were three kinds of cats – bush cats, family cats and cats like me. Cats like me seem to live in two worlds. But now I am old and have seen many things in my lives and I’m sure that all cats are the same. We are all hunters – because that is what we were born to do. Just look at our teeth and claws. In fact, we are excellent hunters. But we all like having the comfort and security of a family to spoil us. So we are happy to stay around with them – most of the time.

      Before I Was Born – My Mother’s Story

      To understand the story of my life, you really need to know about my mother. This is how my mother told us about why I was born in the bush.

      ------------------------------

      She said:

      ‘I was dumped by my family. They left me on the side of the black road, somewhere near the creek where the wombats cross. I watched the back of their car as it sped off until it vanished into the fading light.

      Prologue Mother Cat Dumped

      ‘At first, I tried to run after them but I was blinded by the bright lights of another car that sped towards me. My hair stood up and my heart beat faster. Confused and terrified, I left the road and headed into the bush. I desperately needed somewhere safe to spend the night. By the time I stopped running it was very dark and I was very l lost.’

      My brothers and I respected our mother. We had learnt – sometimes the hard way – that everything she told us was important. So we kept quiet and paid attention as she continued:

      ‘I wasn’t always a bush cat. When I was a small kitten my family liked me and played with me but, as I grew bigger, they lost interest in me. They were too busy to take care of me. No-one they knew wanted a grown-up cat, so they took me to the bush.

      ‘That first night in the bush was like a bad dream. I had always lived in a place with lots of houses and street lights and hardly any trees. Now I was suddenly surrounded by tall trees that towered around me. They closed in from every direction and peered down on me like silent black giants.

      ‘I looked around and searched for somewhere to hide. Panicked, I began to run again, and went deeper and deeper into the bush. In the distance I saw the faint outline of a large clump of smooth round rocks that loomed out against the tree trunks. I headed towards them and, as I came closer, I slowed down and crept forward. A strange scent hung in the air.

      Which animal made this scent, I wondered. I listened for any sounds that might betray its presence.

      ‘My heart was pounding. Although I was hungry and thirsty, I knew that it was more important to find shelter from whatever lived in the bush that might be unfriendly. I came to a narrow passage between the rocks which opened into a small cave. I walked in hesitantly and felt soft sand under my paws. I paused until my eyes adjusted to the almost dark surrounds then slowly walked around the space to get my bearings in case I had to leave in a hurry. Confident that no other animal was in the cave despite the strong scent, I marked the floor with my own scent and curled up across from the entrance with my back to the wall.’

      ‘At first, I listened to all the strange noises that filled the night. Some animals called to each other. A high-pitched scream of another echoed through the cave. The moon shone through the leaves in the trees above, as they rippled in the soft breeze. They cast an eerie pattern of moving shadows that danced across the walls and floor of the cave and told me what was happening outside. Creatures moved about in the trees above me. Some of them flapped their wings and others glided smoothly on the wind from tree to tree. I watched as their shadows cut across those of the swaying leaves.’

      ‘I slept on and off for most of the night. Just as the first beam of sunlight spilt through small gaps in the rocks, I was woken by the rustling sound of dead leaves and sat up with a start. My ears strained - the panicked cry of a kookaburra rang out somewhere above the cave. Then silence. Then I heard a soft panting.’

      We looked at each other, frightened about what my mother would say next. I looked at my younger brother, who had moved closer to me. His eyes were wide-open and his hair stood on end along his back as her ordeal unfolded. She continued:

      ‘I knew that dogs made this panting noise. I knew about dogs. They lived near my house and chased cats. Sometimes they hurt us if they caught us. The cave

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