Read Online Patricia Fry - Klepto Cat 05 - The Colony Cat Caper by Patricia Fry - Free Book Online Page A

Colbi, who was sitting on the sofa with two other women. Colbi picked Dolly up and the kitten settled on her lap.
    Iris reached over and ruffled the kitten’s fur. “Hi there, Dolly,” she said, winking at Colbi.
    Colbi smiled; Dolly began to purr.
    After an hour, during which members and guests voiced their questions and concerns and shared their successes with the various cat colonies, the meeting broke for refreshments.
    “Feels good to get up and stretch,” Savannah said to Iris as they walked arm-in-arm toward the refreshment table.
    “Are you feeling okay?” Iris asked.
    “Yeah, just tired and ready to get unpregnant.”
    “Yeah, I remember the feeling. The last few weeks are the worst—wait, wait, and wait some more.”
    “Oh, don’t tell me that. I thought I was almost to the finish line.”
    “Oh no. Enjoy the moment, girl. After you have the baby, your life will never be the same again.” Iris, who stood only half-inch taller than Savannah’s five-nine-and-a-half stature, looked her in the eyes and said, “Are you sure you want to go through with this? You know that sweet thing inside you will one day be a teenager.”
    Savannah sighed. Just then she spotted little Dolly lying on the back of the sofa watching everyone. Savannah couldn’t resist. She walked over, picked her up, and snuggled with her for a few minutes.
    “That’s a cute one,” Camille said, reaching up and running her fingers over one of Dolly’s ears. “Ho w old is it?”
    “She’s about three months old now,” Savannah said. “Yes, she’s a beauty. She was a stray, you know.”
    Camille’s eyes grew large. “Really! Looks like a pampered house cat to me,” she said.
    The kitten began to squirm and Savannah bent down to let her go. Off she ran like a shot, up one chair and down the next. She and Camille watched and laughed.
    “Shall we get some refreshments?” Savannah suggested.
    Just as the two women reached the refreshment table, they heard, “No, no, Kitty. Give it back.”
    Within a few moments, laughter rang throughout the room.
    Savannah looked over and saw Betty holding the kitten and trying to get her to spit out a business card.
    “Oh, I’m sorry,” Colbi said, rushing toward Betty. “Did she s neak that out of your purse?” She reached over and attempted to take the card from the kitten. Dolly let go and the card floated to the floor. Colbi bent down and picked it up, handing it to Betty. “She loves paper,” Colbi said. “I call her my little shredder. She steals business cards, sticky notes, letters…”
    “That’s funny,” Ida commented. “A cat who likes paper belonging to a writer.”
    “Yeah, not so funny. She’ll chew on my manuscripts and research material if I leave it lying around. Once I caught her with a dollar bill,” Colbi said. “Oh, and if I’m expecting a fax, I have to guard the machine. She loves to retrieve faxes.”
    “What does she do with them,” Betty asked, “deliver them to you?”
    “I wish,” Colbi said. “Oh no, she shreds them.”
    Everyone laughe d.
    The conversation in the room was lively with comments about Dolly’s paper habit and stories of other cats. Camille, who was still standing near Savannah, asked, “Isn’t that kind of odd that a cat would eat paper? Does this mean it has a deficiency of s ome kind?”
    “Not necessarily,” Savannah responded between bites of her oatmeal-raisin cookie. “I don’t think she’s eating it—she just likes playing with paper and pulling it apart—although sometimes cats with deficiencies will be drawn to paper, cloth, lea ther and other things. But generally it is out of boredom or just something they find amusing. As you probably know, all cats are different.”
    “How do you know so much about cats?” Camille asked.
    Before Savannah could respond, Iris said, “She’s a veterinarian—owns Ivey Veterinary Clinic!”
    Camille made eye contact with Savannah. “Oh really?”
    “Yes, with my husband,