It was early morning and the sun was shining through the window. Awoken by a stream of light, Memphis stretched and yawned like only a curious little grey tabby kitten can do. She rolled on her back and then over again. She batted around her favorite stocking for awhile and then made it to her bowl for breakfast. Her brother Mitchell, still lie sleeping curled up snuggly in their bed. She laughed to herself thinking of how much fun he misses when she gets up first to explore. He usually wakes shortly after she knocks something over and makes their mommy fuss at her. He wouldn't have to wait long before his sister got into mischief. This morning however, it would be a prickly experience. Mitchell woke up and started eating breakfast as soon as his paws touched the floor and then he laid in the sun and stretched. His black and white coat was soaking up the warmth from the sun when he noticed his sister Memphis, on the kitchen counter. See, Memphis and Mitchell are rescue kittens. They were only four months old when they got to come live here at the place they now call home. They were thrilled to be free and have a place of security and warmth and love. But their mommy forgot about the curiosity of kittens because she has an older cat who doesn't get into everything. The kittens call him Grandpa. " You know mom doesn't like us up on the counter." Mitchell said to her as she began pawing at the bread bag. " Yeah", she replied with the tag in her mouth, but she isn't in here yet." He sighed a deep sigh and said " Yet being the operative word." Grandpa Cat had mosied upstairs by this time and he himself, was looking for breakfast. They loved when it was time for him to eat because he got special food from a can. Their mommy always says it's only for him, but when she isn't looking, they help him eat it. "What are you two up to this morning?" Grandpa cat Thomas asked, as he licked his lips hungrily. "We're just doing the usual kitten things." Mitchell said batting around a toy mouse. "Very well, little one," Grandpa cat replied, "And where is that sister of yours at this morning?" Mitchell snickered because he knew that when he told him where she was at, that she was going to get a'talkin' to. " Well, grandpa, she is up on the bakers rack after the bread...again." Mitchell went on. Clearing his throat and rolling his eyes in an oh me type fashion, grandpa cat decided best to just walk away before disaster could strike and he would be caught in the middle of it. " I'll be back little one" Grandpa cat said walking away. "I'm going to lie in the sun and wait for my breakfast."
Just as Grandpa cat was leaving the kitchen, a loud crash came about from the window sill. Mitchell jerked around hurriedly, curious and a little bit afraid. Their mom kept all her favorite things up there so when she did the dishes or drank her coffee in the morning, she could look at them. She didn't really have much in the way of flowers because she was afraid they would eat them while she was gone for the day and get sick, so she bought one small plant sure that it wouldn't be bothered. A cactus. Little did she know, Memphis had a mouth of steel. There it was on the counter in a pile of dirt, mommy's cactus. Not only did Memphis knock it over, she carried the cactus and the container all over the kitchen leaving a dirt trail everywhere she went. "I'm telling," Mitchell said, "I'm telling mom what you did right now." He ran through the house cooing and meowing looking for his mom to tell her just what his curious sister had once again done.
"Rats," he said when he couldn't find her, "she must not be here." He heard his sister start hollering from the hallway. " What is it sis, what's wrong?" He asked as he ran to her. Grandpa cat too, made his way from his place in the sun to see what all the fuss was about. There she was in the kitchen, rolling around and holding her little grey face, covered in prickles from the cactus. "OW it hurts, it hurts!" Memphis fussed. "Get them out, get them out!" Their mommy heard her howling from outside and ran inside from where she was tending the garden. Snickering and shaking her head, she made her way through the dirt trail to Memphis after she had seen what happened. "Oh my, what have you gotten yourself into this time little girl?" Memphis's mommy said. She began brushing off the dirt she had all over her fur and laid her on her back across her legs so she could look at the boo-boo's. Letting out a big howl, Memphis tried to let her know how bad the prickles hurt. "Well, I think these are going to be too big of an ordeal for just me," her mommy sighed, "off to the vet we go."
Memphis loved car rides but the vet was not her ideal place to end up. She remembered the time she had to have shots. The thought of it made her shiver. Nonetheless, in the carrier she went along with her favorite stocking. They then made their way out the door and into the car. She was so happy she had her stocking though. The bright red color brought her so much joy and it smelled just like her mommy. At home, Mitchell was so worried about his sister. He tried to plead with their mommy with numerous head bumps that he should be able to go but she kept patting him saying "Not this time little guy." Grandpa cat tried to reassure him as he watched him pace. " Now, now little tike, it won't be all that bad and she'll be back prickly free and hopefully with a lesson learned." Mitchell sighed as he laid on their bed in the sun. He knew that he was right but he still worried anyways. He was nervous for Memphis. He knew how much she hated the vet and he wanted to be there to console her and let her know it was going to be ok. Knowing he couldn't really do anything else, he watched the green leaves swaying back and forth wistfully out the front window as he slowly drifted off to sleep.
At the vet, there were all kinds of animals in to see Dr. Haven. She was the local vet and was a favorite to everyone in the town. There were big dogs, small dogs, cats, kittens and even a hamster in to see her today! The receptionist giggled as she saw her little face filled with cactus prickles. "My, my, what did we get into?" She asked. Memphis didn't think it was at all funny and they downright hurt. She decided again to let everyone know just how much. She let out a loud, long howl and the room fell silent. Why even the Hamster stopped and looked in their direction. " Well then," the receptionist said, "let's go ahead and get her into a room." Memphis was happy when her mommy got her out of her carrier and began stroking her shoulders. She knew just how to make them feel comfortable and not so afraid. She had just started to relax and purr and she dozed off as the door opened. "Good Morning little one" Dr. Haven said with a smile. Dr. Haven was tall and slender with long dark hair that laid just over her shoulders. She always smelled like puppy treats and food and her hands were always cold. "What have we gotten into today little girl?" She went on to say as she picked her up from her mommy's warm lap. She sat her on the gray examine table. It felt extra cold today and Memphis would have much preferred to stay on her mommy's warm lap instead.
Memphis sat impatiently and in pain as her mommy went on to tell of the events of the day. Dr. Haven looked at Memphis's face at all the prickles there. Then, she turned to the drawer and pulled out a set pinchers to remove the remnants of the cactus prickles. "This may hurt a little but it'll be alright." She said as she petted her back. Just then, with one pull on a prickle, Memphis flew up in the air, hissing and yelling! Dr. Haven and her mommy jumped back startled at what had just happened. "I am not going to lie there and let you do that to me many anymore!" Memphis yowled. Dr. Haven looked at her mommy and decided it may be best to remove the thorns while she was asleep. Her mommy adamantly agreed. She left the room to clean up some and get some of her techs in to help her remove the thorns from Memphis's tiny little face. "What am I going to do with you little one?" Her mommy said as she stroked her shoulders. She tried to make Memphis as comfortable as possible and her mommy hummed until she fell asleep. Memphis had began to recover and once again get comfortable surrounded by her mommy's scent and warmth. Thirty minutes passed by and once again, the door opened. "Oh no, not again" meowed Memphis at the sight of Dr. Haven. She began to get restless and her fur stood up on her back. Her tail began to poof and she began to growl. " There, there girl, you won't remember a single thing of this." Her mommy said. She picked her up and laid her on the table. A vet tech went in behind her and with a little pinch from a needle and a loud meow from Memphis, she began to get very, very sleepy. Yawning, she couldn't believe what was happening. She was so sleepy she couldn't hold her eyes open anymore. She laid her head on her mommy's hand and drifted off to sleep. With every prickle gone, her mommy put her back in her carrier still asleep, shook Dr. Haven's hand and left.
Mommy pulled into the driveway and grabbed the carrier from the back floor board. Mitchell was so happy to hear the car in the drive that he jumped up into the window meowing excitedly! "Calm down kiddo" Grandpa Thomas said, You'll end up in the same mess if you get hurt." But Mitchell couldn't help it. He and Memphis had grown so close together he just couldn't stand being a part from her. The front door opened and Memphis lazily held up her head and slightly opened her eyes. " Whe- where am I?" She asked groggily. " You're home, you're home!" Memphis shouted. She began gently touching her face, remembering only that she had prickles but now...she didn't feel anything! "They're gone!" She exclaimed. Mommy sat the carrier down and opened the door and got Memphis out and laid her on the sofa to recover from her sleepy medicine. "There you go little one." she said in a comforting tone. "You're all better and all the prickles are out...all twenty-five of them." Memphis had never been more excited to be home! Grandpa Thomas came and licked her on the top of the head. "Welcome home" He said as he nuzzled her face. "I bet you won't do that again." he chuckled. Was he ever right. She wouldn't ever do that again...until next time at least.
