Tiggy making a fool of me

by Sheila Drewery
(Cumbria)

Leave me alone

Tiggy had not been well, cystitis, and one day just before Christmas, I found her in the bathroom lying strangely, she seemed to be limping. It was near lunchtime. I carried her downstairs, she slept for a while then cried to go out.

Reluctantly, I let her out I knew she would be okay as she would go in the shed, which had a cat flap. I was busy the rest of the day getting things ready for visitors coming for Christmas. I suddenly realized Tiggy had not come to the kitchen door. By this time, it was getting dark outside, I kept shouting her, but no Tiggy. This was not like Tiggy. I do not go in the shed much and the lock had rusted, yes, you are right, the key would not open the door, even worse, the key broke inside the lock.

I knelt down on the ground and shouted to Tiggy through the cat flap, also trying to see if she was lying prostrate somewhere on her bed. (I hoped no-one was watching me from their windows, they probably thought I had lost my marbles!! This eccentric cat woman who always talks to cats!!) I tried to break the lock with a knife, but no, I could not break it. Of course all my tools were in the shed too!! I was now getting really worried about Tiggy and began to get upset.

I got in the car and drove down to my Sister`s house, I knew her husband would have something I could use. Tears were streaming down my face as I was driving and I was thinking, Oh No, Tiggy you can`t be dead, Michiko is coming for Christmas from Japan and you liked her and vice versa. I quickly arrived at My Sister`s house and my Brother-in-Law let me borrow his wrench.

As I drove back home, I was dreading breaking into the shed and finding Tiggy lying there, and I had no-one to support me in my find. Hurriedly, I went to the shed, still calling for Tiggy, still no answer. I quickly wrenched the lock off and with a torch went into the shed - there she was!! Not lying prostrate as I had thought - but sat there, her eyes shining with the light of the torch and with a look that said "what have you disturbed me for". Yes, you can imagine, although I was pleased she was alive, I was far from pleased that she had just cost me a new lock to be put on my shed door and I would have to find a Joiner!!

Tiggy still did not come in, so I left her where she was, not before telling her "she had to start earning her keep". No I did not get any response, only a look which said "are you finished -can I get back to my catnap"!!!