The cats heart thudded dully in his chest; his thoughts scattered and his spirit ached. What could have happened for his owner to give him away to strangers? Why had she abandoned him?
When Alice received her housewarming presenta pure black British shorthair catshe stood frozen in shock for several minutes.
Her modest one-bedroom flat in Manchester was still sparsely furnished, bought with difficulty after years of saving. There were plenty of other worries needing her attention.
And now, this kitten. As she pulled herself together, Alice gazed into the kittens golden eyes, sighed, smiled, and turned to the friend whod brought her new guest.
Is it a boy or a girl?
Its a boy!
All right then, youll be Oscar, she said to the kitten.
Oscar opened his tiny mouth and obediently creaked out a soft, Meow.
*****
Alice soon discovered British shorthairs are wonderfully easy-going. Three years have passed, and she and Oscar live in perfect harmony. Over time, its become clear that Oscar has a tender heart and a gentle nature.
He greets her joyfully whenever she returns from work, warms her by curling up with her at night, watches television snuggled beside her and follows her around as she tidies up the flat.
Life with Oscar is full of vibrant colours now. It’s comforting to know someones waiting for you at home, someone to laugh or cry with, someone who understands you without words.
They seem to have all they could wish for, but
Lately, Alice noticed a pain in her right side. At first, she thought perhaps shed pulled a muscle or overindulged in rich food. But as the pain grew worse, she went to her GP.
When the doctor finally explained the diagnosis and what she should prepare herself for, Alice cried herself to sleep, her face buried in her pillow. Oscar, sensing her distress, nestled close, trying to soothe her with melodic purring.
Before she knew it, the gentle purring lulled Alice to sleep. The next morning, resigned to her fate, she decided not to tell her family about her illness, hoping to spare herself their pity and awkward efforts to help.
She still held a small hope that the specialists might succeed in treating her. The proposed treatment might improve things, they said.
But then came the issuewhere would Oscar go? Deep down, Alice, fearing the worst, resolved to find Oscar a new home, with caring owners who would love him as much as she had.
She posted an advert online, making it clear she was seeking good hands for a purebred cat.
When the first interested person rang and asked why she was giving up her adult pet, Alice, hardly knowing why, explained she was expecting a child, and had developed an allergy to cat fur during her pregnancy.
After three days, Oscar, settled in his carrier with all his belongings, was handed over to his new family and Alice went into hospital.
Two days later, she phoned the new owners to ask about Oscar. Apologising profusely, they told her that hed run away the very first night, and they hadnt been able to find him.
Her first impulse was to dash out of hospital and search for him. She even pleaded with the on-duty nurse to let her out, but the nurse sternly sent her back to her ward.
Her roommate, an elderly woman whod noticed Alices distress, asked her what was wrong. Alice, in tears, shared everything.
Dont lose hope yet, dear, said the frail older woman kindly. Tomorrow, a top consultant from London is coming. Ive a bad diagnosis myselfbut my son, a businessman, arranged to move me to another clinic, though I refused. Somehow, he worked it out. Ill ask this specialist to see you too, maybe its not as dire as it seems, she said, squeezing Alices shoulder soothingly.
****
Once Oscar escaped his carrier, he realised this was a strange house. A stranger even tried to reach out and stroke him
His nerves shattered; he struck out at the hand and darted into the darkest corner he could find.
Paul, just leave him for now, let him settle in, said a gentle womans voice, but Oscar knew this was not his owner.
Oscars heart thudded dully in his chest, his thoughts scattered, his soul in pain. What could have happened for his beloved person to give him to strangers? Why had she left him?
With frightened golden eyes, he searched the room. He spotted an open window. In a dark flash, Oscar bolted through the room and leapt outside!
Luckily, it was only the second floor, and beneath the window was a well-tended lawn. From there, Oscars long journey home began
*****
The famous consultant was a kindly woman in her early forties called Dr Mary Palmer. She carefully reviewed Alices treatment notes, then invited her to lie down and turn on her left side.
Mary pressed, tapped, and asked where it hurt, what kind of pain. She read Alices chart again, then repeated several procedures with medical equipment.
Alice did not expect any good news. She returned to her ward, where her roommate was already in bed.
What did they say, dear? the woman asked.
Nothing yet. They said theyll come back into the ward later.
I see. As for me, the diagnosis was confirmed, the woman shared sadly.
Im so sorry, and thank you so much for all your kindness, replied Alice, not knowing how to comfort someone aware her time was short.
Half an hour later, Dr Mary Palmer returned with other doctors.
Well, Alice, I have good news for you. Your condition is very treatable. Ive already prescribed your courseyoull stay here for two weeks, complete treatment and you’ll recover, she announced with a bright smile.
When the doctors left, Alices roommate spoke up.
Thats lovely, dear. Im glad I could do one more bit of good before I go. Be happy, love, she said.
*****
Oscar didnt have a guiding starhe didnt know such things existed. He simply followed his cats intuition, heading home. The road was fraught with dangers and comic mishaps.
Oscar had never learned the ways of the street, but in one day this pampered gentleman transformed into a fierce survivor.
Dodging busy roads and noisy streets, Oscar sprinted, crept, leaped (or so he thought, fleeing dogs), climbed treesalways moving towards his goal.
In one small quiet courtyard, hiding from the traffic noise, Oscar came nose to nose with an experienced local tom.
Sizing him up quickly, the tom recognised Oscar as an outsider. With a loud yowl, he attacked. Oscar, all traces of aristocracy gone, fought fiercely back.
The fight ended swiftly; the neighbourhood boss slunk away to the bushes, leaving Oscar with only a slightly torn ear.
What else could he do? The tom was just showing whos boss, but Oscar was heading home, nothing could stop him.
Oscar pressed on. Drawing on the instincts of distant ancestors, he learned to sleep perched in the fork of trees.
How embarrassing, but necessity taught Oscar to scavenge from bins and pilfer food from other local cats, fed by kindly tenants.
Once, a pack of dogs chased him up a spindly tree, barking and trying to reach him, pawing the trunk and jumping.
Neighbours came to the rescue, chasing off the dogs. One of the women tried luring Oscar with a tasty slice of sausage.
Hunger and fear clouded Oscars judgement. He came down, allowed himself to be stroked and scooped up. Yet
After a little rest and food in her warm flat, Oscar remembered his true journey, shot after the woman into the stairwell and slipped out an opening door, back on his path home
*****
Discharged from hospital, Alice returned to her flat. The words of her elderly roommate, wishing her happiness, lingered in her mind. She was immensely relieved that her diagnosis was wrong and she was healthy.
But her heart ached for Oscar. She couldnt imagine coming home to an empty flat, without anyone waiting for her.
No sooner had she crossed her threshold than Alice phoned Oscars former adopters for their exact address. She visited, learned where Oscar had escaped and resolved to search for him.
They insisted it was pointless, that two weeks had passed, and no spoiled house cat could survive the streets. Alice refused to believe it.
She trekked on foot, peering into every yard, scanning every green, every row of garages. She tried to think like a cat whod never seen the world outside. She called Oscars name, searched the gloom under basement windows.
As she neared her building, reality crashed inOscar had vanished. There was no way a house cat, unfamiliar with Manchester, could have found his way while shed walked two hours with delays.
With tears stinging her eyes, she entered her own courtyard, heavy-hearted. Through blurred vision, she glimpsed a black cat limping along the pavement towards her.
A black cat flashed through her mind. Alice stopped, staredand recognised him in a heartbeat. She darted forward, crying out, Oscar!
He didn’t runhis strength was gone. Instead, he sat down, squinting with joy, softly rasping, I made it.Alice knelt beside him, her hands trembling as she cradled his battered, dusty frame. Youre home, she whispered, voice thick with love and disbelief.
Oscars golden eyes fluttered shut, his purr rumbling weakly beneath her fingers. For the longest moment, the world shrank to just the two of themworn, weary, but together at last.
Alice carried Oscar upstairs, whispering stories of all that had happened. She cleaned his torn ear, set out his favourite blanket, and watched him eat, every movement painstaking but determined. By evening, Oscar curled on her lap, rumbling with pure, deep joy.
As dusk spilled shadows across her flat, Alice sat at the window with Oscar nestled close. The city lights twinkled below, and for the first time since shed fallen ill, hope glowed steady inside her.
Perhaps she didnt have all the answers, and perhaps she couldnt foresee every twist the future held. But she knew Oscar would always find his way homeand she would always be waiting for him. Their silent promise lingered in the air: in every storm, in every struggle, they would find each other.
Oscar stretched in his sleep, pressing gently into her side, and Alice brushed her fingertips through his fur. The ache of loneliness faded; warmth flooded her heart. The world outside was uncertain, but inside, her little home pulsed with life and lovetwo souls, never truly lost, together again.
