Читать книгу The Devious Book for Cats: Cats have nine lives. Shouldn’t they be lived to the fullest? - Литагент HarperCollins USD, Ю. Д. Земенков, Koostaja: Ajakiri New Scientist - Страница 15
ОглавлениеCats are born with wanderlust. We all crave the romance of the highway, spirited sailing adventures and the chance to shed all over the most opulent salons of Paris. Even the mildest among us generally enjoy rubbing on new people, staring at different cultures and refusing to eat local cuisines. But some cats don’t just dream of doing these things – they get out there and do them, by stowing away.
Stowing away is the perfect choice for a cat who’s ready to see the world beyond her person’s home, without the exhausting preparation and expense that normally comes with travelling. It’s easy enough for any cat to do. Just fall asleep in something, wait for it to start moving, and you’re on your way! No reservations or ticket required.*
These are the real-life tales of three brave stowaways, and what happened to them out on the open road.
ZIGGY
Ziggy was a fluffy white cat with two different-coloured eyes, just like his namesake, Ziggy Stardust. But Ziggy wasn’t a rock star from outer space. He was a puss from Haifa, Israel, with a thirst for culinary adventure. So one day he curled up in a shipping crate, and let Fate take him where it would. Ziggy didn’t much care where he landed, as long as the living was easy and the cuisine memorable.
He took a seventeen-day, 2,000-mile voyage across the sea and ended up in Whitworth, Lancashire. Lancashire’s known for lots of things. Cat food is not one of them. Ziggy refused to let this fact dampen his enthusiasm. When his crate opened, he darted out and headed straight to the local pub, where he enjoyed an excellent pint of bitter and the tastiest black pudding he ever had. It may have taken seventeen days to get there, but Ziggy thought every bite was worth it.
GRACIE
Looking for a nice spot to snooze, Florida tabby Gracie stumbled upon a comfy box filled with clothes. Wasn’t she in luck! As Gracie climbed in, she briefly wondered why she hadn’t noticed this choice spot before. Gracie soon fell sound asleep. That’s when the strange dreams started. A cosy box…a car ride…an airport…a noisy machine that took her picture.
It was only when Gracie awoke in a cramped, dark space that she realized it wasn’t a dream at all. She had been in the airport. That cosy box she’d climbed into was her person’s suitcase, and he hadn’t noticed her when he finished packing. Instead, he’d zipped it up and checked the bag in with the airline. Now Gracie was in the cargo section of an aeroplane – and she was the only one who knew it!
After a chilly trip without snacks or beverages, Gracie’s plane finally landed in Fort Worth, Texas. She took a few rough rides around the luggage carousel before the bag was picked up. Finally, she thought, this mess will be sorted out.
But the mess was far from over. The suitcase was picked up – but not by Gracie’s person. A stranger mistook the bag for hers, took it home and opened it up. Gracie and the stranger were equally surprised. The stranger was not expecting to find a cat, and Gracie had never seen someone wearing a ten-gallon hat.
The lady checked the baggage label and called Gracie’s person, who was equally shocked to hear that his cat was in the Longhorn state. Gracie was sent back on her way, but not before a little bit of sightseeing and a hearty taste of Texas-style chili.
MIRACLE
A little grey stray from Newark, New Jersey, Miracle had always wanted to go to Philadelphia. He wanted to run up and down the steps outside the museum.
There was only one problem. Miracle didn’t know where Philadelphia was. So when he heard about a 4x4 that was taking something called the ‘turnpike’ in that direction, he climbed underneath to hitch a ride.
Little Miracle made it some seventy miles before another driver noticed him clinging to the car and frantically waved down the driver of the 4x4. Everyone was amazed that Miracle had avoided serious injury – one bad bump could have easily killed him. When the good people got him out he was missing a claw, and his paws were a little singed – but other than those little things, he was fine. That’s why they named him Miracle.
After that, a cat rescue charity put Miracle up for adoption. Within days the tough little puss had a loving home. Miracle still hasn’t made it to Philly, but we know he will some day. He’s already proved to be a real fighter.
* Note: If you wake up and have failed to move, you may have fallen asleep in a bed. Get up and try again.
