Old Ben gave a meow of delight when he saw the small red container his owner held in hand. He purred with glee, as he trotted slowly towards Erin. Coming to sit before her, his tail would swish, as he waited impatiently. Erin would open the container, the cat glaring at her as to say hurry it up already and she would pull out one of the homemade cat treats. They were the only kind of cat treats he would eat. Erin only hoped they would be a good enough bribe. Holding it out, the large fluffy cat would quickly snag his treat, and glance up, as if expecting more. “You will have your fill, but only after we visit the shelter.” Her voice was firm with the feline. Old Ben simply meowed in response, then purr loudly, rubbing against her ankles. Old Ben was never one to give up, he seemed set on convincing her that he deserved another.
Today’s trip to the shelter was not part of the typical routine held by the two. Normally they volunteered only on the weekends, but life always had little ways of being unpredictable (as Erin often claimed). Today the vet would be at Perrrfect Paws, the no kill cat shelter where Erin volunteered. The place was run by a young couple, Max and Lee, and they were never short on volunteers. Erin had been volunteering for ages, and last weekend she had mentioned how she was looking for a good vet, to get old Ben his shots. It had been Max who suggest she simply bring her cat in, when the vet was visiting. An offer Erin was more than happy to accept. The shelter was a place she trusted, and would rather pay them, and support a good cause.
With a glace to her watch, her pace would quicken, as she picked up her purse, and stuffed the container of treats inside. “We have to head out now, if we don’t want to be too late.” She spoke to the cat, as if he understood her fully. It would seem as if Old Ben had, as he would give up on his attempt on coaxing another treat from his owner. Old Ben would walk and sit beside the front door, of the small apartment. The cat watched his owner, impatiently, as it seemed Erin was having a hard time finding one of her shoes. Despite the colder weather, Erin always wore sandals. The odd looks for wearing such during the colder months, always went unnoticed by the young woman. She always seemed lost in a world all her own, and was quite happy to have it that way.
“I found it!” She would declare. Holding up the sandal she had been looking for, before slipping it on her foot. Pulling on an oddly knitted mixed colored sweater, and matching hat, that she had made herself, she looked to be ready to go. Slipping the strap of her oddly patched purse over her shoulder, she would be out the door. Old Ben was right behind her, and it would not take him long to get in front to lead the way. Her purse held a harness and leash for walking a cat, but Erin had never used it before. Old Ben had always done his own thing, but Erin always kept the leash just in case. The cat seemed to be rushing her more so than usual. Perhaps it had been the promise of more treats, though it didn’t play well for the clumsy redhead. When crossing a road, she would nearly slip and fall at the curb.
The cat would cross fine enough, but Erin would nearly be hit by a car taking a sharp turn onto the road she had been crossing. “Sorry!” She would yell out, as the driver blared his horn. The woman’s smile didn’t seem to fade. The sun was bright today, as Erin made way down the familiar street that the shelter was on. She only came out during the daylight hours. It was safer, or so she assumed. The shelter was not far from where she lived, and soon the Perrrfect Paws building would come into sight. Old Ben would be inside before she even reached the door.
Most of the volunteers knew him, and it had been one who had let him in. The entrance was a small area, with glass on both sides. A welcoming entry way, that both allowed street traffic to see inside, but served as a safety precaution to prevent the mingling cats within, from getting out. Erin would jog a little then, to get to the door. Inside Old Ben sat waiting near the door for her. He seemed to be refusing to head all the way in, until Erin gave him another treat. Once inside, the door closed behind her, she would give Old Ben one more, before handing the container to Max, who also stood waiting on her. Old Ben gobbled up his favorite treat, but seemed disappointed more had not followed.
“I am so sorry we are late Max!” Her voice perhaps a little overexcited. This was Erin, always so last minute and forgetful, and in this case forgetful. “I burned the treats I made last night and put off making them until this morning, but then I slept in fare too late. Had I not made the treats, trust me, we would have been even later.” The young woman rattled on and on for only a brief moment. Max would assure her that she was not late. The volunteer vet had not even showed up yet. Erin just smiling for a moment, as a way of getting herself back on track, now assured she and Old Ben had actually been on time, for once. “Well, he will follow you anywhere, as long as you have that container.” As she said this, Erin would spare a glance to Old Ben. The cat glared at her a moment, before trotting off towards Max.
Entering through the next door, Max would head off with grumpy old Ben. Max was going to trim Old Bens nails. Erin would set out to mingle. These were cats she would see often, and likely would have taken them all home with her if she could. That would simply be unfair, as each deserved an owner who could properly care for them, and Erin truly hoped they would all one day be rescued. Old Ben was more than what she could handle already. She had adopted him from this very shelter. So naturally the shelter always felt like home.
Erin would walk in towards one of the small front sitting rooms. On one side of the room, was a very large bay window. It allowed outside foot traffic to observe the cats, as they lounged about. Volunteers, or potential new owners often spent time in this room with cats. Erin was fond of sitting in the bay window area. As she headed towards the overly large padded window bench, a fluffy orange and white cat would follow her. Her plan was to hang around here, until Old Ben had gotten his shots and a checkup, and Max would call for her to perhaps chat with the vet.
She figured everything would be good, though it always seemed to be a concern, his weight. Erin didn’t know what else to do, he had a good diet, of food she made herself. They walked nearly every day, and sometimes a lot. Old Ben, the old main coon cat, was fond of hunting rats, the sewers being a favored place to hunt. Erin had to venture down to the sewers on a few occasions, that she cared to forget.
Before sitting down, she would pull a small bag of dried catnip from her pocket. The fluffy orange and white cat, would jump up on the bench. Pulling a newspaper from her overly sized handmade handbag she would spread the paper out on part of the bench, before opening the small bag of cat nip. Tapping out only a little. The cat, Mac, would drop down on the paper. He rolled around, before finally settling to groom the catnip from his long fluffy fur. Getting comfortable on the bench, Erin would simply gaze out the window for a moment. She had a way of being lost in the world at times.
Today’s trip to the shelter was not part of the typical routine held by the two. Normally they volunteered only on the weekends, but life always had little ways of being unpredictable (as Erin often claimed). Today the vet would be at Perrrfect Paws, the no kill cat shelter where Erin volunteered. The place was run by a young couple, Max and Lee, and they were never short on volunteers. Erin had been volunteering for ages, and last weekend she had mentioned how she was looking for a good vet, to get old Ben his shots. It had been Max who suggest she simply bring her cat in, when the vet was visiting. An offer Erin was more than happy to accept. The shelter was a place she trusted, and would rather pay them, and support a good cause.
With a glace to her watch, her pace would quicken, as she picked up her purse, and stuffed the container of treats inside. “We have to head out now, if we don’t want to be too late.” She spoke to the cat, as if he understood her fully. It would seem as if Old Ben had, as he would give up on his attempt on coaxing another treat from his owner. Old Ben would walk and sit beside the front door, of the small apartment. The cat watched his owner, impatiently, as it seemed Erin was having a hard time finding one of her shoes. Despite the colder weather, Erin always wore sandals. The odd looks for wearing such during the colder months, always went unnoticed by the young woman. She always seemed lost in a world all her own, and was quite happy to have it that way.
“I found it!” She would declare. Holding up the sandal she had been looking for, before slipping it on her foot. Pulling on an oddly knitted mixed colored sweater, and matching hat, that she had made herself, she looked to be ready to go. Slipping the strap of her oddly patched purse over her shoulder, she would be out the door. Old Ben was right behind her, and it would not take him long to get in front to lead the way. Her purse held a harness and leash for walking a cat, but Erin had never used it before. Old Ben had always done his own thing, but Erin always kept the leash just in case. The cat seemed to be rushing her more so than usual. Perhaps it had been the promise of more treats, though it didn’t play well for the clumsy redhead. When crossing a road, she would nearly slip and fall at the curb.
The cat would cross fine enough, but Erin would nearly be hit by a car taking a sharp turn onto the road she had been crossing. “Sorry!” She would yell out, as the driver blared his horn. The woman’s smile didn’t seem to fade. The sun was bright today, as Erin made way down the familiar street that the shelter was on. She only came out during the daylight hours. It was safer, or so she assumed. The shelter was not far from where she lived, and soon the Perrrfect Paws building would come into sight. Old Ben would be inside before she even reached the door.
Most of the volunteers knew him, and it had been one who had let him in. The entrance was a small area, with glass on both sides. A welcoming entry way, that both allowed street traffic to see inside, but served as a safety precaution to prevent the mingling cats within, from getting out. Erin would jog a little then, to get to the door. Inside Old Ben sat waiting near the door for her. He seemed to be refusing to head all the way in, until Erin gave him another treat. Once inside, the door closed behind her, she would give Old Ben one more, before handing the container to Max, who also stood waiting on her. Old Ben gobbled up his favorite treat, but seemed disappointed more had not followed.
“I am so sorry we are late Max!” Her voice perhaps a little overexcited. This was Erin, always so last minute and forgetful, and in this case forgetful. “I burned the treats I made last night and put off making them until this morning, but then I slept in fare too late. Had I not made the treats, trust me, we would have been even later.” The young woman rattled on and on for only a brief moment. Max would assure her that she was not late. The volunteer vet had not even showed up yet. Erin just smiling for a moment, as a way of getting herself back on track, now assured she and Old Ben had actually been on time, for once. “Well, he will follow you anywhere, as long as you have that container.” As she said this, Erin would spare a glance to Old Ben. The cat glared at her a moment, before trotting off towards Max.
Entering through the next door, Max would head off with grumpy old Ben. Max was going to trim Old Bens nails. Erin would set out to mingle. These were cats she would see often, and likely would have taken them all home with her if she could. That would simply be unfair, as each deserved an owner who could properly care for them, and Erin truly hoped they would all one day be rescued. Old Ben was more than what she could handle already. She had adopted him from this very shelter. So naturally the shelter always felt like home.
Erin would walk in towards one of the small front sitting rooms. On one side of the room, was a very large bay window. It allowed outside foot traffic to observe the cats, as they lounged about. Volunteers, or potential new owners often spent time in this room with cats. Erin was fond of sitting in the bay window area. As she headed towards the overly large padded window bench, a fluffy orange and white cat would follow her. Her plan was to hang around here, until Old Ben had gotten his shots and a checkup, and Max would call for her to perhaps chat with the vet.
She figured everything would be good, though it always seemed to be a concern, his weight. Erin didn’t know what else to do, he had a good diet, of food she made herself. They walked nearly every day, and sometimes a lot. Old Ben, the old main coon cat, was fond of hunting rats, the sewers being a favored place to hunt. Erin had to venture down to the sewers on a few occasions, that she cared to forget.
Before sitting down, she would pull a small bag of dried catnip from her pocket. The fluffy orange and white cat, would jump up on the bench. Pulling a newspaper from her overly sized handmade handbag she would spread the paper out on part of the bench, before opening the small bag of cat nip. Tapping out only a little. The cat, Mac, would drop down on the paper. He rolled around, before finally settling to groom the catnip from his long fluffy fur. Getting comfortable on the bench, Erin would simply gaze out the window for a moment. She had a way of being lost in the world at times.
