A Cat Called Alfie

Chapter Twenty-Seven

‘I’m worried about Alfie,’ I heard Claire say but I didn’t lift my head up.

‘Why?’ Jonathan asked. ‘He looks all right to me.’

‘You never notice anything,’ Claire snapped. She was still in a bit of a mood it seemed. ‘He’s barely eaten the last few days. I even had to throw away salmon yesterday.’

‘Really?’ Jonathan started to pay attention.

‘Yes, really. Do you think he’s ill? He’s been in his bed much more than usual and has hardly been out. Or he stares out of the window if he’s not in bed. I’m really worried, Jon.’

They should be worried. There was definitely something going on with me. Since Snowball had banished me from her life, I had barely been able to eat and I had no interest in anything, not even seeing Tiger. I had hardly set foot outside the house, and had only done so when I absolutely had to. Tiger had been waiting for me outside my back door, wanting to go and play, and I told her I was feeling unwell, an excuse she reluctantly accepted. The thing was that I actually did feel terrible. I was quite out of sorts. Claire was right, it wasn’t like me not to tuck into my food but my appetite was all but gone. I felt like staring into space, had no energy for my usual sports, and all I wanted to do was to curl up in my cat bed, or stare out of the window into nothingness. I didn’t feel ill exactly but I certainly didn’t feel like myself. And I didn’t understand what was wrong with me.

‘Shall we take him to the vet?’ Jonathan suggested. I wanted to yelp my objection but I didn’t even have the energy for that.

‘Yeah, if he doesn’t perk up by tomorrow I’ll take him in. But Jonathan, it’s as if he’s depressed or something.’

‘Do cats get depressed?’ Jonathan asked.

‘I don’t know, but he seems almost like I was when I first moved here. All mopey and lethargic.’

‘Blimey, a depressed cat, who’d have thought it. Of course he might just be lovesick.’

‘Do you think cats can be lovesick?’ Claire asked. Jonathan shrugged and they turned and walked away from me.

But that was it. I was lovesick. Jonathan had hit the nail on the head.

I felt lethargic, sad, and mournful. I knew I was just feeling sorry for myself but being in love, being rejected, does make one a bit self-indulgent, I guess. When Snowball sent me away, I felt as if I’d lost her forever. Not that I ever had her in the first place, but I felt as if I’d lost hope of her ever being mine. And I was the sort of cat that never lost hope.

I pricked up my ears. Claire was still talking about the vet, of which I am definitely not a fan. They prod and poke around where they’re not wanted and yes, perhaps they did some good too, but I had them down as people to visit only when necessary. I had far too much on my plate to spend time in the vet’s, especially as I now knew that my supposed illness was caused by the lack of love from another cat. No, no way did I want to go to the vet. I quickly realized it was time for me to pull myself together.

I started to process my thoughts. Just because Snowball said she wanted me to stay away didn’t mean forever? And the problem with her family hadn’t gone away, had it? No, in fact I was needed more than ever, even if she didn’t realize it. In fact, if I could help the family, Snowball would surely be so happy that she would definitely want to be my friend at the very least. Although for now I would respect her wishes and stay away, I knew that it wouldn’t be forever. Or even very long.

I had begun to regain my resolve but not my appetite; however, I realized that if I was going to prove useful, I needed to keep my strength up. So with all the energy I could muster, I left my bed, approached Claire and miaowed the way I did when I wanted feeding. She looked so happy as she praised me for looking better. Honestly, sometimes it was almost too easy.

I forced myself to eat; it wasn’t that I felt sick, I just wasn’t that hungry, but after some food and more water, I began to feel a bit stronger. I knew I had to fight the urge to pine, because it was clear that no one ever achieved anything by pining. After four days in bed, it was time to get up.

Next stop was Tiger. After looking in her garden to no avail, I made my way to our recreation space. She was there, with Nellie, Rocky and Elvis. They were sunbathing and passing the time, so I joined them.

‘Are you feeling better?’ Tiger asked. I nodded.

‘What was wrong?’ Nellie followed.

‘I don’t know, I just felt a bit under the weather,’ I replied, eager to change the subject. If I was lovesick and pining, the fewer people who knew the better. I had a reputation to maintain after all.

‘Guess what, Alfie?’ Elvis said.

‘What?’ I pricked up my ears.

‘Tom has a crush on our Tiger,’ Rocky quickly piped up.

‘Shut up,’ Tiger hissed.

‘He left her a present, a mouse,’ Nellie told me. Tiger just looked at me.

‘He’s been mooning around after her, and although we find it quite funny I do feel a bit sorry for him.’

‘Hey, enough!’ Tiger shouted. ‘Tom’s a bit rough around the edges but since he’s stopped fighting us he’s become a nice cat.’

‘But what about Snowball?’ I said.

‘That was his wake-up call, although personally I think it was more Salmon’s fault. Alfie, you know he helped us in any way he could when we were looking for Snowball, I think he deserves a second chance.’

I raised my whiskers in question. It seemed maybe Tiger was a little bit keen on Tom if she was willing to give him a ‘second chance’ and it was true, he had redeemed himself. I was actually delighted for my friend. Being in love, even unrequited love, made you want everyone else to feel it too.

‘Tom’s a nice guy now,’ I supported my friend. Tiger looked uncomfortable.

‘You never used to think that,’ Nellie said.

‘That was when he tried to bite me all the time but he doesn’t do that anymore, and he’s said he’ll give up fighting,’ I replied, magnanimously.

‘Glad you think so, Alfie. But anyway, just because he apparently likes me doesn’t mean that I feel the same.’ Tiger squirmed confirming my instinct was right.

‘But do you?’ I asked.

‘Right, who wants to chase butterflies?’ Tiger changed the subject.

Tiger and I went off together, with my promise to help her chase butterflies, although I also had an ulterior motive as we needed to talk.

‘Were you really ill?’ she asked, as we reached the park and made for the best butterfly bushes.

‘No, I was just a bit sad to be honest. I didn’t realize it at the time, but that’s what it was.’

‘Like when humans get depressed?’ Tiger asked.

‘Yes a bit like that. I didn’t want to eat, I was tired, I felt like I had no energy for anything.’

‘But now?’

‘I’m feeling a bit better. To be honest, I didn’t realize that I was so bad, but when my family started talking about the vet I knew I had to do something. So I forced myself to get up and come out.’

‘Oh, Alfie, you’re not the type of cat to be like that. Is this about Snowball?’ She sounded cross, although not jealous.

‘I know and that’s why it’s so infuriating. I know it’s a bit awkward but it is to do with Snowball. She makes me feel so sad, because she doesn’t like me.’

‘Right, Alfie, you need a project, because otherwise you might slip back into pining for that incredibly undeserving cat,’ Tiger stormed. ‘I’d like to give her a piece of my mind.’

‘Don’t, Tiger, and you’re right, I do need a project; if I focus on that then I’ll forget about the heart pains I’m feeling.’

‘God you’re dramatic. But listen, I’ll help you. Goodness knows you don’t deserve it but I will.’ Tiger blinked at me. And I wondered why I couldn’t have fallen in love with her. She cared about me so much that life would certainly have been much easier with her; but of course as my humans say ‘you don’t choose who you fall in love with’. It just happens.