Ginger the Stray Kitten

Now Rosie carefully unwrapped Millie’s sandwich, and started to crumble it into little bits, very gently, trying to keep as still and quiet as she could. It didn’t take long for the cats to get a whiff of the delicious, meaty smell.

Rosie caught a movement out of the corner of her eye, just a streak of black fur. It was one of the kittens, popping its head round the tractor wheel, trying to see what that yummy smell was. Suddenly, several more little cat faces popped up, their whiskers twitching as they sniffed the air.

Rosie threw a bit of sandwich on the ground a little way away, and the closest kitten, the black one, pounced and swallowed it whole. Then he looked up for more. All the other kittens padded a few steps forward, not wanting to miss out. This time Rosie dropped the food closer, and one of the tabby kittens darted in and grabbed it, running back to a safe distance before she dared to stop and eat.

Rosie’s heart thumped with delight as she saw her favourite ginger kitten patter across the farmyard, eager to join in. She tried to throw the next piece close to him, but the tabby kitten got there first and gobbled it up, right under his nose. The ginger kitten gave Rosie a piteous stare. I’m so hungry, he seemed to be saying. Pllleeeease feed me…

This time Rosie threw him an extra-large piece. The ginger kitten held it down with one paw, and hissed protectively when the others circled round him. Rosie laughed out loud – his furious little face was so funny – and the kittens looked up at her in shock, their eyes wide. Then they all shot off back into their hiding places. “Oh no!” Rosie muttered to herself, wishing she hadn’t been so noisy.

But the ginger kitten had only run a couple of steps away from his piece of sandwich, and now he eyed it uncertainly. Food – but also noisy girl. What was he supposed to do? He eyed her thoughtfully. He’d seen her before, she came quite often. She didn’t usually make a noise, and she was quiet now. She wasn’t even moving. And she still had lots more of that sandwich.

He darted over and gulped down the rest of his piece, then looked around. His brother and sisters were hiding still. If he went a bit closer, while they weren’t here, he might get more sandwich… Nervously, ready to run in case she made that loud noise again, he edged closer, his eyes on the ham.

Rosie carefully tossed him a little bit, much nearer to her feet this time.

The kitten stared at her suspiciously. Rosie looked back. Maybe it was too close. But then the kitten moved one paw forward cautiously, and then the other, and then he was just close enough. He started to gobble the sandwich, with one eye on Rosie all the time.

When it was all gone he sat up and eyed her hopefully, licking his whiskers. He cast a quick look behind him. The others were all watching, but they weren’t coming any closer. The food was all his! He knew it was risky, but the sandwich was too delicious. He had to have more!

Rosie couldn’t help smiling. He was only about a metre away from her foot, almost close enough to touch. This time, instead of throwing the sandwich, she just held out her hand with the last few pieces in.

The ginger kitten stared at her nervously. What was he supposed to do now? The smell of that sandwich was so good. He could just run up and grab it, couldn’t he? He skittered forward, his whiskers trembling, and quickly licked up a few crumbs from Rosie’s hand, before stepping back to watch her again.

Then he heard a noise and looked round. His brother and sisters were starting to creep closer! They’d seen that he wasn’t afraid, so they were getting braver, too. If he didn’t wolf that sandwich down fast, he might have to share it.

The ginger kitten hurried back to Rosie and started to eat as fast as he could, licking the crumbs away with his rough little tongue. Rosie had to try hard not to giggle – he was tickling her!

In a few seconds the kitten had eaten the lot. He glared at her hand, obviously wondering when it was going to produce some more.

“Sorry, it’s all gone,” Rosie whispered. “But I’ll bring you some more next time. I bet Mum would let me have ham sandwiches if I asked, and I’d give them all to you.”

The kitten eyed her expectantly, and Rosie stretched out her hand. He licked it, but there was no more ham.

Rosie gently stroked the top of his head, and he jumped in surprise, looking up at her with enormous emerald eyes. What was that for? he seemed to be saying. Rosie guessed he just wasn’t used to being stroked. He didn’t know that she was trying to be nice. It made Rosie feel sad.