My name is Donna, Donna Noble. I come from a farm life where we cats have to work for our living, the true no work, no eatmentality. So, I eventually met this man who frequently visits the farm for milk and eggs. That is were my New Life story begins as I approached him directly and motioned for him to pick me up. We irrevocably changed my life when he did. My coronation as Queen of the Pride will take place in a few weeks by Ms. My name is Donna Noble. BUT WAIT, I am getting ahead of myself.
I come from a farm life where cats work for their living, the true no work, no eat mentality as I said. One day the man I now know as Daddy came out to the farm to pay his family’s bill when I approached him directly and got his attention. He irrevocably changed my life that day when he picked me up and we walked into the basement of the new house where the humans females were working. Daddy and the mother started talking and he said, “Look who came out to meet me”. The mother says, “You want to take her home with you?’“ and Daddy asks if she is sure. She says yes and he says OK. She knew they had the Sanctuary. Daddy calls sister as we start to leave the farm with me in his lap with a grin on my face. He tells her he has a surprise but she will have to wait to find out what it is until we get home. When we arrive he calls her to the van and she looks inside to see me staring up at her from Daddy’s lap. She goes crazy because of the new arrival, but also because I am a little Ginger cat and she just loves Gingers.
I let it be known that I am the new kitty in charge but a Black Bombay and a Tuxedo have different ideas. The Tuxedo, Jules Verne, says I am too young while the Bombay, Supreme Commander Tituba, says I have the right attitude and spunk but I need to be properly trained. She will do this herself and my training starts tomorrow. Guess what, my coronation as Queen of the Pride will happen in a few weeks with Ms. Tituba, our fourteen-year-old leader.
Eight weeks later, I am now in charge of this insane pride alongside our King, Jules Verne. But let’s rewind a bit again, back to just after I arrived here.
It’s a nice summer day, and I am out in the yard chasing butterflies. I am only about ten to twelve weeks old, but I have the attitude of a six-month-old, where “anything is possible” and “I am invincible”. Ms. Ella, the nanny of the pride, watches over us as the kittens play, and some more substantial males watch the perimeter. I look over toward the driveway and see our giant British shorthair, James Patterson, standing guard, and decide to have some fun. When he turns his enormous head my way as if to say, “I see you,” I dash over as if to attack his tail. I put the brakes on and quickly leave as if nothing happened.
Mr. Patterson turns back to watch for anything coming in, so I restart, and one of the other kittens joins me. By this time, I have drawn the attention of our beginning hunting teacher, Ms. Grace Livingston Hill, and her daughter, Ann Shirley, our advanced hunting teacher. We prepare for our attack, but not with a butterfly as the target this time. My buddy and I attack Mr. “P.” one of us from each side, just above his tail. We find out why he is called one of the ‘Gentle Giants‘ as he turns over to play swat with us. I am worn out after about ten minutes of this with my attack buddy. We curl up on either side of Mr. Patterson for an enjoyable catnap to recharge.
After approximately thirty minutes, Ms. Ella comes over to me and comments that Ms. Grace is looking for me. I discuss my performance for this week with her on the porch. However I am told that the following week I am to prepare for hunting training under her instruction. I also learn that in a few weeks, our ruler, Ms. Tituba, will summon me inside to meet with her. This is because she has something special planned for my future. All Ms. Grace will say is that the Sanctuary is now my permanent home, thus starting my new life at Crazy Cat Sanctuary & Black Cat Rescue, me, a little golden ball of fur barely larger than my new daddy’s hand.
I learn to hunt, at first small mice and baby moles. Then small rabbits, then larger ones, and finally birds. Then the fun begins when I enter the kitchen one evening with several other larger kittens, Tiger Man and Jules Verne sitting on the floor or the counter, looking down. We hear something moving behind the kick board of the cabinet. Tiger Man and Jules Verne are on the cabinet, and we kittens are following the sound on the floor. Jules moves to the stove and starts cocking his head to get a fix on the noise, and Tiger Man does the same thing halfway between the sink and stove. As Tiger Man tries to get a better fix on the noise, he dives for the floor at the corner of the stove. All the humans see is a muli-colored blur of cat fur. The next thing they see is me in hot pursuit of something small and furry with a tail. Sister informs me as I stand up that I have successfully captured Kamikaze Mousethe most elusive rodent on the property. After I make the mouse into a snack, she sets up a kitty celebration, and that’s when I find out the other cats have been trying to catch that mouse for about nine weeks now. I catch it on my first real indoor hunt. The next day, I am told I will meet Ms. Tituba, that straight from Jules Verne, Pride Leader and King.
The next morning after breakfast I meet with Ms. Tituba in the presence of Jules Verne, Tiger Man, Tiger Tye, and Sister, or should I say Mom. My new human mom who adopted me. During this encounter, I learn from Her Highness that I will soon take the throne as Queen of the Pride, and that Dorothy is now to be seen as my mother formally and with her approval. Only one other cat has had that honor, and she has gone over the Rainbow Bridge. Her name is Ms. Madeline, a.k.a. Ms. Maddy, and I will get to meet her one day. Right now though, I will take her place as the queen, but not as a replacement part. I bring myself to the position, and Ms. Maddy still has her place in the heart. Time for another kitty celebration, for sure.
Lunch today is not the usual kibble. It is part kibble with some special wet food mixed in and we all ate until we are full and content. Aftetr all today it is “Party Time” to celebrate the new queen being chosen. We reserve that mix for holidays and special occasions like this. Of course, we have our own special names for the holidays, but we still love the treat. The nicest part is that we can celebrate together with our humans. I even use my own special bowl for these occasions.
Well, that’s how a little kitten becomes the pride queen of a cat sanctuary. Time for me to talk to the King and Mom about the newest arrivals, and to find out what is on the schedule for lunch, wet or dry. Either way, our humans are just as picky about what we eat as we are. Thank you, Ms. Boots, for being our dietitian. You can check out her story here.
You want to help out or find some of our other stories, fiction and non-fiction? Just head on up to our website that Mom built and maintains at catsmademedoit.com. And Daddy says all the money from the book sales goes directly to us so let your friends know about us and the stories. Until next time, this is Queen Donna Noble saying Doctor, engage and let the TARDIS take us where it will.