Bundy

A Cat called Bundy

True Story

I am pushed into life by four sisters and one brother, rushing into the bright daylight with a raspy sandpaper tongue running down my back. I am to become a slothfull yet lovable ragdoll cat who worms his way into the lives of others with ease.

Playful weeks fill my life with my siblings; and mother keeping watch over us as we climb up curtains, scratch furniture and terrorise the fish in the bowl. Six pairs of eyes watching the bowl can’t have a great effect on a fish, but it was fun.

Life was fun until one day it was time for us to leave our nest and move to our new families. One by one we were chosen by huge humans as playthings for their children and one by one we left our mother to continue the next chapter in her life. I was chosen by a lady human who liked the funny pattern on my tail and as she picked me up and cuddled me I knew I would be able to manipulate her to give me what I wanted!

My new home was a macadamia farm in the beautiful valley near Nambucca Heads on the Mid north coast of NSW in Australia. For a while I wasn’t allowed to mix with the cattle dogs or go outside in the orchard, but I soon worked out how to dodge between legs once the door was open, or slink through a slightly open door or window. Out there was a magic world of exciting things to do.

As I sneaked through the garden I came face to face with two large eyes and a wet black nose just inches from my face. I felt my fur stand up and a hiss came out of my mouth as I spat at the fearsome creature. I had met Bandit, one of the resident cattle dogs. She sniffed at me, licked my face and kept walking past me; well, if that is the farm watchdog I will also be able to manipulate her!!

Wait, what is that moving in the grass; a lizard, very small, I should be able to catch it. So off I went racing through the orchard after the imaginary lizard. After some time running, I didn’t know where I was, I was lost in amongst trees, long grass and prickles. I was very frightened . I called out for help but nobody heard me. My long beautiful silky fur was tangled in burrs and I was hungry and thirsty, I wanted my human to cuddle me. It was getting dark, I had never been out at night, I kept moving around hoping to find a familiar path, but to no avail.

All night I lay in the grass and when the sun came up I found myself next to a road. I heard a loud noise and footsteps coming towards me and all of a sudden I was lifted up and put into a car. It wasn’t my human lady, I didn’t know what was happening. By this time I was 4 months old and quite attached to my human, she was very nice to me. I was taken to another house and kept there by two humans who never let me go outside. I longed to explore outside again, and one day 4 months after being found near the road, the door was left open for just a moment.

I sneaked through the opening and found myself in a place with lots of houses and footpaths, nothing like my beautiful macadamia orchard. Where will I go now? Oh, there are a couple of children walking past, I will follow them and see if I can get into some mischief. One of them picks me up and takes me home and asks Mum if he can keep me. NO said the human called Mum, no way, you will have to take that cat to the pound!

Well off we went to the pound. I wasn’t sure what the pound was, but maybe it was where my first human owner was. I am sure I would remember her. I am sure I would remember my favourite chair, my spot on the side of the bath whilst watching the bathers, my yummy biscuits and the soft brush caressing my fur. Oh, I hope I am off to that place!

A very big human man took me from the boy and said thankyou and that he would try and find me a good home. I didn’t want a good home. I wanted my first home; please find my first human. A couple of weeks later I was taken to the animal doctors, I was very scared by the smell of the place, but the humans were very nice to me. I heard one of them talking and saw through the door she was talking into something next to her ear.

In an hour or so I was taken out the front and couldn’t believe my eyes when my favourite human walked into the room with a cat basket in her arms. She cuddled me close and said how much I had grown in 4 months since I went missing and her tears fell on my fur as she held me.

When we arrived home I took up the position on my favourite chair, purring very loudly whilst looking lovingly at my human. I was fed my favourite biscuits and groomed until I felt like silk. She kept asking me where I had been, how I had got 15 km away and what I had been doing for 4 months. If only I could tell her. I know one thing, I will be very careful where I go adventuring from now on!!