Featured Story

Mummala
A true story of heroism, love and compassion
by Jesse Shortman

Chapter 2

Miss Margie spotted the mother cat on a sweltering August afternoon. The lady had been shopping and was just then turning into Keswick Court. The sun had been heating the asphalt almost to its melting point and the humidity was making the air dreadfully heavy. For a person, the weather condition was terribly uncomfortable, but to a sick, wounded cat, it seemed there was no more hope for survival.

As Miss Margie slowed her car to get a better look, the mother cat looked up carefully. Miss Margie loved animals and felt compassion for the mother after she had heard from neighbors about her miraculous escape from Mr. Pierce's garage. But she already had three cats and wasn't prepared to adopt any more.

Meanwhile, in the bushes behind their mother were the three kittens, watching carefully as she made a daring public appearance.

As their eyes met, Miss Margie stopped her car, got out and approached the ailing cat. She talked gently and quietly. Her pleasant face was unlike other human faces. It was smiling and seemed trustworthy. The mother cat thought of Mr. Pierce and his scornful leers. The eyes under the large diamond looked up sadly as the human grew closer. Her eyes would have to talk for her as she was weak and had no other means of communicating with the human. Her instinct was to retreat, but she had to stay put. She had to send a message---a final plea for survival. Now the human was only three feet away. Again instinct said run, but not quite yet. She had to trust. There eyes met again at close range and Miss Margie understood clearly what the mother cat was saying to her -------- "PLEASE HELP ME."

In spite of her trust in Miss Margie, the mother cat felt the need to get back to protect her three kittens. She sensed comfort as she turned to look once more at her only hope for survival.

Chapter 3

Miss Margie couldn't get the mother cat out of her mind. Her husband, Mr. Lew, was away on a business trip so she could not get his permission to adopt four more cats. She already knew his initial reaction would be, "no way."

The day after her encounter with the mother cat, Miss Margie's doorbell sounded. It was Andrew the ten year old boy that lived next door. Andrew explained that he had just seen the mother cat and her three kittens in his back yard. He asked Miss Margie if she would take them in if he could catch them. Without hesitation, Miss Margie told Andrew to do whatever he could to catch the mother cat. She knew that the babies would follow her close behind.

About an hour later, Andrew appeared at Miss Margie's doorstep with the sick and helpless mother. Miss Margie brought the mother into the house being careful not to expose her to her own three cats. She isolated the patient in a bathroom and wiped some of the blood from her infected tail stump. The cat's eyes were now saying ---"THANK YOU."

The three kittens remained in hiding waiting for their mother to reappear. By evening, they still had not been seen. Meanwhile Miss Margie fed the invalid and provided her a place to lie down. She was comfortable but she knew what would happen to her sons without her. Miss Margie knew of her anguish and was compelled to reunite the kittens with their mother.

Miss Margie tried luring the kittens with milk. The first to appear was the bold orange tabby. He approached the milk cautiously but disappeared quickly at the sight of the human reaching for his body. Back again with his brothers, he was now their leader. Remembering Mr. Pierce's garage, he would not allow himself or his brothers to be trapped by human hands.

Miss Margie was concerned for the kittens. She could hear them crying in their hiding spot in the backyard. She was afraid they would attract a predator. Then she remembered that her neighbors, Miss Jane and Mr. Elias had rescued cats by trapping them in a box with food placed inside. The box was made of wire so the captured animal would be visible. There would be absolutely no pain to the kittens and they could be removed safely from the trap. Miss Margie called her neighbors to help rescue the three brothers. They would set the traps on the back porch.

Mr. Lew returned from his business trip while the two traps were being set. He was informed about the day's events and was happy that the mother cat was safe. Of course he made it clear that he had no intention of keeping four new cats in his home.

The aroma of the cat food in the traps was detected quickly by the hungry youngsters. The first to be trapped was the bold orange tabby. The next to come along was the other, more timid, orange tabby.

The first tabby was removed from the trap and it was reset to capture the remaining brother, the grey tiger tabby. Within a few minutes he appeared, but refused to enter the trap. He observed his brother in the other trap and cautiously climbed onto the top of the open trap. He looked around nervously for his other brother who had been reunited with his mother. Finally the hunger pangs combined with an irresistible meal before him led him directly into the trap.

Mission Accomplished!!!!

<< Previous Page | Next Page >>