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“It’s a bit big,” Ella said, studying it thoughtfully. “But I suppose she’ll grow into it, won’t she? It looks beautiful.” Dangling from the collar was a little round golden tag. “You could choose,” Ella explained. “If I go back to the shop they can put her name on it. But I wanted to check what else we should put. Should we have our address engraved on it as well, in case she gets lost?”

Mum looked thoughtful for a moment.“Actually, I think just our phone number. Not even her name. I know it sounds silly, but if we put her name on, it means everyone knows it, and someone could call her over. We don’t want anyone to find it easy to steal our gorgeous kitten, do we?”

Ella looked horrified.“No! I didn’t think of that. Just the phone number then.” She picked Fluff up again and held her tight, so tight that Fluff wriggled after a few seconds, trying to get down.

“Hey! Ella, it’s OK. It’s just a safety thing. It’s really, really unlikely.” Mum gave her an anxious look. “I know you love Fluff, and of course we don’t want to lose her, but I think you’re just worrying too much. Fluff ’s growing up now, and cats are very independent. I think you’re going to have to let her out on her own soon.”

Ella looked down at Fluff, who was now sniffing at the counter, hoping for more treats.“But what if she gets lost again?” she asked.

Mum sat down next to her.“There’s no reason why she should, Ella. Cats have a really good sense of direction. She won’t just go running off for no reason, she’ll look around, make sure she knows how to get back. She’s clever, isn’t she?”

Ella nodded.“Yes,” she agreed, and then she added doubtfully, “but she was lost before.”

[Êàðòèíêà: img_5]

“She was really little then, and it wasn’t her fault, anyway. She’d never been away from the farm. And she found you, didn’t she? That shows you just how amazing her instincts are.”

“Mmm.” It was true. They’d never understood how Fluff had found her way back to them, but Ella couldn’t believe it was just a coincidence.

“I think we ought to get Dad to put a cat flap in the back door. Then Fluff will be able to come in and out when she wants to.”

“OK,” Ella agreed reluctantly, still anxiously eyeing Fluff. She was such a small kitten, even now she’d grown a bit – and even with her podgy cat-treat- filled tummy. Would she really be safe out on her own?

[Êàðòèíêà: img_6]

At the weekend, Ella’s dad went with her to the pet shop to buy Fluff a cat flap. It was the first time that Ella had been there and not enjoyed it. Normally she just wandered round wishing she had more money to buy presents for Fluff! Now she stared worriedly at the display of collars while Dad and the pet shop owner discussed different sorts of cat flap. The engraved disk for Fluff ’s collar was ready for them to pick up, too, but Ella’s excitement about it was almost gone. It had been replaced by a sense of relief that when Fluff went out of her new cat flap and disappeared, at least there was a chance that someone would find her and call.

[Êàðòèíêà: img_7]

The cat flap was a clever one that could be locked, or set so Fluff could only go through it one way. It was a pain to fit, though. Ella’s dad had to saw a chunk out of the back door, and it took him ages. When it was finally finished, Ella crouched on the lawn waving the prawn-flavoured cat treats to tempt Fluff through. It didn’t take her long to get the idea, although she looked very surprised when she first tried it. She had her front legs on the doorstep and her back legs in the kitchen, and she wasn’t quite sure where her tummy was. She gave a panicked sort of wriggle, and suddenly all of her was in the garden. Fluff looked round suspiciously, not entirely sure how it had happened.

[Êàðòèíêà: img_8]

“Clever Fluff,” Ella whispered, rewarding her with cat treats. “Do you like your new cat flap, mmm? You will be careful though, won’t you?” She scratched Fluff ’s favourite behind-the-ears spot. “You stay close to the garden.” Ella gulped. “No running out into the road, Fluff!”

Fluff purred as Ella petted her. She wasn’t sure she completely understood this cat flap business yet, but it seemed to mean that she could just go out whenever she wanted to! And then get back in again for a snooze in her basket – it sounded brilliant to her, but she could hear in Ella’s voice that she wasn’t completely happy about it. She rubbed herself all round Ella twice in a comforting way, making her giggle.I won’t run away, she promised.Don’t worry.