As he took a few more steps back, holding up his clipboard to shield his face, his brows knitted in fury. You shouldn’t leave the room suddenly. Walk away slowly and close the door behind you. There’s no need to make sudden movements.” She ignored his warning, however.
Not A Cat
As it turned to her with fangs bared, the “cat” hissed and snarled on the vet’s table. Listen to me, Mrs. McKinley! That is not a cat!”
It hadn’t even occurred to her that what she was carrying wasn’t a cat. When that thought popped into her head, she immediately ignored it. Her whole town was at risk now.
Another One
In Jazmine McKinley’s opinion, this was just the pet addition her house needed. Her husband Denis always complained about how they didn’t have enough pets.
Their previous dog had died from old age. All that was left was their cat, Moople. That is, until Jazmine spotted the ‘cat’ skulking around a nearby park.
Clearing Her Head
An Omaha native, fifty, was getting her morning steps in on this morning unlike any other. Having just lost their dog and having her last child go to college, she had been having a difficult week.
There was a void within her that needed to be filled, and she would’ve done anything to fill it. What she was about to do was a terrible mistake.
Approaching The Creature
Her first impression of the brown-coated, long-eared animal was that it looked cute and cuddly. The animal’s fur was soaked wet after just being rained on that morning.
In ignorance of its true size, Jazmine approached the creature. In no time at all, she would regret this decision.
Grumpy Cat
Seeing the oddly wet cat, she called out to it and it growled back. Jazmine smiled and replied, “I see someone’s grumpy.”
She had already discussed the possibility of having another pet in the house with Denis. Therefore, she knew he would not mind if she brought her new friend home. However, she did not realize that this was not a cat at all.
Trying To Help
When Jazmine picked up the animal and ran back to her car with it, the animal kept growling at her. She didn’t have to drive far to reach home since her house was near the park.
Despite it biting and scratching her, she brought the animal in. When this happened, she’d say soothingly, hoping the cat would calm down, “I’m just trying to help.”
Hesitant
Her hope was to feed and clean the animal before officially welcoming it into the family by heating up milk and giving it a bath.
Moople, her other cat, even came to say “hi.” But the little bundle of joy, which was always good with other pets, would not approach the animal. As Jazmine held the animal in her hands, she should have realized that it was not a cat.
Scratching And Biting
She did not pay attention to what was going on. After reprimanding Moople, she made sure her new pet felt at home.
In the course of its cleaning, it snarled and growled, and without the gloves Jazmine was wearing, it would have bit and scratched her. It wasn’t over yet, though.
A Difficult Animal
Jazmine tried feeding milk to her new pet after she gave it a shower. However, the animal refused to drink. She tried some dry cat food from Moople. Unfortunately, it didn’t work.
There was even a can of tuna in her hand, which every cat enjoys. But the kitty just stared at her, hissed, and barked its fangs at her. Now she had only one option.
Going To The Vet’s
Jazmine brought out Moople’s cage and helped the new pet in. All the while, it continued to snarl, trying to scratch her hands.
Was it rabid or sick? She didn’t know but needed to get to the root of it. The only thing she could do now was rush to the vet and get an analysis. She was willing to break the bank to save her new pet.
At The Vet’s Office
The vet was quick to welcome Jazmine into his office. She’d been bringing her pets here for decades, and the two had become good friends.
But his smile receded the moment he lay his eyes on what she was carrying in Moople’s cage. “That’s new,” he intoned with a raised brow. “What breed is he?”
Feisty Little Fella
He motioned for Jazmine to release the animal onto the table so they could start their session. Typically, they would chat as he did his check-up.
But his eyes widened as Jazmine placed the cage on the table. “Feisty little fella,” she said with a nervous laugh. “Yeah,” the vet answered, leaning in to get a better look at the creature. And that’s when it happened.
Something’s Wrong
Jazmine opened the cage, and the animal sprang out, hissing at the vet as if to challenge him. “He’s been like this since morning,” a worried Jazmine reported.
But the vet didn’t even spare her a look. “You said he was a cat, right?” he asked. “Yes,” answered Jazmine. “Mrs. McKinley, that is not a cat.”
You Need To Leave
“I need you to back away slowly,” the vet whispered. “No sudden movements, especially if you love your eyeballs and want them to remain attached inside their sockets.”  Â
“What?” Jazmine asked. Fear drilled through her veins as her eyes finally opened. What she was looking at was not a cat. It turned to her, its tail straight and head hung low. Its imposing snarl would be the last thing she hears.
To protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblances to actual events, places, or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.