Cat Paws Through History: Ko-Ko the Cat Meets Napoleon Bonaparte
292
Cat Paws Through History: Ko-Ko the Cat Meets Napoleon Bonaparte
292Paperback
Overview
"But alas,...how was I to suspect as to what awaited me on the other side of the ocean?...To say, that it was to be an adventure,...was most assuredly an understatement.
"Humph!...Phffft!...What is a cat to do?...For at first, unbeknownst to me, I believed that Napoleon was a most delicious pastry...Boy!...Was I ever wrong!... Phffft!" Ko-Ko the Cat muttered in a miffed fashion, as he stuck a single whisker in the air in an aristocratic manner, and crossed his forepaws in a regal way.
And thus the reader steps into the mind of Ko-Ko the Cat --- an informative and opinionated feline. His views of the philosophies, manners and etiquettes of life are quite enchanting: Filled with laughter and joy. Curious as a cat can be, he teaches and amuses the reader as he experiences history and encounters historical figures while he travels through the world with his human parents.
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Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781438958101 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | AuthorHouse |
| Publication date: | 05/19/2011 |
| Pages: | 292 |
| Product dimensions: | 6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.66(d) |
| Age Range: | 9 - 12 Years |
Read an Excerpt
Cat Paws Through History
Ko-Ko the Cat Meets Napoleon BonaparteBy Isabel H. Stepanian
AuthorHouse
Copyright © 2011 Isabel H. StepanianAll right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4389-5810-1
Chapter One
Alas, Ko-Ko the Cat did not know what all the fuss was about.As he watched from afar, — Mumzy, his human Mama, — was scampering to and fro once again: Pretending to be a squirrel, he presumed.
Humans could act so silly at times: He mused, as he twitched his long whiskers, and crossed his paws in a royal manner. Not at all like cats. Cats were regal.
Especially, — Persian cats!
Being a Persian cat himself, he was quite proud of the fact that his family lineage was steeped in history, and that the breed which he represented was known as one of the oldest and most intelligent breed of cats.
This morning, he had been sitting in his wicker basket for the past hour trying desperately to take a much needed nap; However, Mumzy had been of absolutely no help. For, it seemed the harder he tried — the more noise Mumzy seem to make.
"Phffft!" he muttered beneath his breath. Much too much noise for his particular liking at this hour of the day!
Noise always made it rather difficult for one to fall asleep.
Why, in heaven's, she did not know this was a rather perplexing thought. After all, did Mumzy not understand that napping was an essential part of a feline's daily routine? — He asked himself curiously, as he wiggled his long whiskers.
Raising his wide head slowly, Ko-Ko gave out a loud meow.
'Perhaps now,' he thought in a somewhat miffed manner, 'she would comprehend the fact that he wished to have some peace and quiet.'
Why was it so very difficult at times to train humans? He pondered.
Alas, did they not consider themselves to be the most intelligent of all creatures which God had created?
Huh! — Tut! Tut! Tut! That was a matter of opinion!
"Peef, puff, poof!" he muttered beneath his breath in sheer exasperation.
Having heard him, Mumzy stopped in her tracks. Turning about ever so slowly, she proceeded to stare at him in the most curious manner: Alas, the stare down had begun.
Then, with a disturbingly serious look upon her face, she uttered with emphasis:
"Ko-Ko ... of all the rooms in this house, I absolutely do not comprehend as to why you insist upon taking your morning nap in our master bedroom?" she questioned, in an authoritative tone.
Excellent! — At least she had interpreted his meow correctly, Ko-Ko mused, as he recrossed his paws in a different manner: Having suddenly become quite bored with the entire matter at hand, he yawned and squinted his golden eyes.
Now, what was he to do while she was making all this noise? It was rather a predicament.
Stretching out his chubby claws, he proceeded to do his finger exercises: Pretending to have not heard Mumzy's most indelicate comments.
However, — no matter how hard he tried, — it was rather difficult to ignore her presence. She was such a formidable force when she wanted to be.
After all, but a few years ago, they had named an hurricane after her!
Come to think of it, he mused, she did seem rather miffed at him. For, he could always tell when Mumzy was miffed. She would have that certain look within her dark-brown, doe-like eyes, almost as if a tornado was about to arise.
Yet, what Ko-Ko could not understand was as to why she was so very upset with him? Alas, — was it not she who was disturbing his sleep, — not the other way around?
Pish-Posh!
Sighing, Ko-Ko stretched out his short and somewhat pudgy arms even further: As far as they would go in fact, for he just remembered — he had not done his stretching exercises this morning. They were a mandatory, daily routine, especially if one were a cat, which he most certainly was.
Looking almost like the Egyptian Sphinx, he proceeded to stare at Mumzy with his half-closed, golden eyes. Then, he winked several times.
Perhaps, he mused as he batted his long, black eyelashes, if he were to concentrate hard enough, he could somehow mesmerize her into stopping all this scampering about. It was quite disturbing.
Well, he pondered, it was most certainly worth a try.
Focus! Focus! — Mesmerize!
But alas, his efforts were to no avail. He failed, for it did not work. She was still scampering about in a most undignified manner.
Such a disappointment: What was he to do now?
Opening his mouth wide, he yawned: Thus, pushing his long, white whiskers back towards his tiny ears.
My goodness, such silly questions Mumzy was asking this morning, he pondered to himself in a bored manner. Besides, what in heavens was the matter of preferring this particular room for his morning nap? Did she not realize that the answer to that specific question was quite simple?
Why ever not?!
This particular, beautiful basket, in which he found himself reclining at present, was after all one of his very favorites. So there!
It was the, — the emphasis alas being on the word the, — designated basket for his morning nap: Thus, the reason as to why he was in it presently.
Being a cat, it was a known fact that he was quite finicky by nature. Therefore, in his cat-tish opinion, everything about this purr-ticular basket, and its purr-esent location, was considered to be absolutely purr-fect.
To begin with, it was lined with his favorite wooly sweater: The one that belonged to his beloved Mumzy.
Being white and ever so fuzzy, it happened to coincide quite well with his overall long, thick, and rather furry coat. When he found himself reclined in that basket, he knew that there was a certain look about him which brought great joy to all who would wish to observe his being.
Alas, it had always been his philosophy that if one could bring joy to others, then why should not one do so? Such was his nature.
Second, — he immensely enjoyed the fact that this basket was placed in the most perfect location — right next to the enormous fireplace: Thus, making it ever so warm, snuggly and cozy.
Third, — this being a rather brisk fall day, where else would one be, if one may be so bold as to ask? After all, did they want him to freeze his little fur off of his pudgy body? A most purr-posterous thought!
Of course, this was a bit of an exaggeration, he mused, but alas it could happen, — and no, — he was not being dramatic!
My goodness! Such nonsense he had to think of in order to have a proper excuse to stay as to where he was. It was much too much for one cat to bear.
Fourth, he continued to ponder, — a most wonderful fire was burning presently within the fireplace. It was absolutely yummy.
Oh! — So very yummy, in fact, that it was indescribable: Only, but only, a cat would understand. For it was a rather difficult concept to explain to mere humans.
Fifth, — at this particular time of the morning, the sun would come shining in with its golden rays. Ever so brightly, it would proceed to beam through the large, cut-glass windows in the most perfect way: Thus, making his soft, cream and brownish-black hued fur feel ever so nice and toasty.
"Meowyyyymyyy!" Ko-Ko sighed with a purr, placing his chin upon his bear-like paws. How very warm and comfortable it was just lying here, doing absolutely nothing. He pondered with a slight wiggle of his velvety nose.
Therefore, the matter at hand was rather simple. In his personal opinion, he had quite a few exceptionally good reasons as to why he was here in this particular part of the house — at this very hour of the day.
He most certainly hoped that his human Mama would have the common sense and the proper understanding, in order to fully comprehend this matter without any further explanation from the resident cat.
Simply put: He enjoyed it immensely, — and that was that!
So there! He pondered with a slight nod of his furry head.
Yes indeed, for Ko-Ko the Cat, life was good, and he was most happy.
'Perhaps,' he thought as he wiggled his ears, 'if one were to think about it seriously, the master bedroom was indeed his favorite room. But alas, if one may ask, what was wrong with that?' He questioned in silence as he widened his golden eyes.
Everybody preferred something or another: He just happened to prefer this room. Was that so strange a concept to comprehend?
Besides, if Mumzy insisted upon scurrying about like a squirrel, Ko-Ko could not understand as to why she could not simply take her fidgety scurrying elsewhere. After all, there were quite a few rooms in this spacious, three story, nineteenth century house, in order for one to scurry about in — without disturbing another creature!
Squinting his golden eyes, Ko-Ko stared back at Mumzy almost as if she were a large mouse. Come to think of it, — he just remembered: There was that other matter which was rather displeasing, he mused to himself as he wiggled his long, white whiskers.
'Since when did it become their master bedroom?' he thought curiously, twitching his velvety nose in a rather snooty manner.
"Phffft!" he muttered beneath his whiskers, — the emphasis strongly being on the word their by the way, — he pondered, as he twitched his nose once again.
Gazing at Mumzy with a most inquisitive look upon his snubby, doll-like face, Ko-Ko wiggled his tiny ears back and forth. For as long as he could remember, even when he was a kitten, he had always been under the impression that this was — his master bedroom!
After all, were not all cats the masters of their house? That is what his mother had taught him.
Humans were certainly curious creatures, he mused. Most certainly not at all like cats.
Cats were so very dignified: Except of course when they were pouncing.
But alas, the occasion for a good pounce was so very rare these days. Sadly, it did not arise frequently on a daily basis. Thus, — pouncing was always held for the most special of occasions.
Ko-Ko sighed with a deep purr: Enough of that, he mused, half scolding himself.
"Phffft! Phffft! Phffft!" he muttered beneath his long, white whiskers in an exasperated manner, as if he was at his wits end.
Once again, he had permitted his eloquent imagination to take hold of his furry, but most intelligent mind: Allowing it to wander to and fro aimlessly. That was a no-no!
Yet, — what was one to do, if one may be permitted to ask? For, he must confess that this was indeed a favorite pastime.
'Daydreaming could be such fun,' he thought with a smile as he wiggled his whiskers and twitched his ears.
However, he realized suddenly, that at the present time, it was best to keep one's focus upon Mumzy. After all, she had managed quite successfully to disturb his beautiful morning nap: One, by the way, which he looked forward to immensely.
Sighing, Ko-Ko continued staring at her with the most intense, and curious look within his golden eyes. He watched her carefully as she crossed the room swiftly, and opened the closet doors.
The woman was most certainly on a mission!
'But alas ... what was that mission?' Ko-Ko thought with a most perplexing look upon his cute, furry face.
Mumbling to herself, she then began making noises from within the closet. It was as if she were moving things about.
What, in heavens, was she doing now? Ko-Ko questioned in silence, in a somewhat perplexed manner.
Was she perhaps indeed doing spring cleaning? He mused.
My goodness! Did she not know that it was not spring?
Was she never going to allow him to sleep?! Ko-Ko pondered in a rather agitated way.
Then, suddenly, — out of nowhere, — three items emerged from the closet. Ko-Ko's ears perked up.
Instinctively, he knew what they were. They — were the travelling suitcases!
They had been in hibernation as of late: Sleeping it off, as was said.
Perhaps, Ko-Ko mused, trying desperately to recover from the last exhausting adventure which they had been dragged upon by his human parents.
Two of the travelling suitcases were red: These belonged to Mumzy. The third suitcase, which was green, — was alas Popzy's.
Quite simply, something was afoot: Ko-Ko nodded in a knowing manner. For these particular suitcases were only used for an exceptionally, special type of a trip — one which lasted several weeks.
Besides, suitcases were a must: No suitcase, no trip! It was as simple as that.
Spotting the suitcases, Ko-Ko's tiny ears, — which were set far apart upon his wide head, — suddenly jiggled with glee. Then, the hairs on the very tips of his ears began to move to and fro — almost as if they were antennas.
He focused!
What in heavens were Mumzy and Popzy up to now? — He mused in a rather perplexed manner.
Within minutes, matters at hand had changed entirely!
'Aha!' he thought, 'something is indeed afoot.'
Yet, he knew within his furry heart of hearts, — this was merely a clue! Thus, he must stay alert! This was no time for napping!
For the mystery which lay before him, had just begun and was much more complicated: It always was where Mumzy and Popzy were concerned. He contemplated in a most suspicious manner.
Nodding in a knowing way, he looked on. It was best to observe all that was happening.
For he knew, that once the suitcases came down and out of the closet, it most always meant that surely they were headed somewhere: Somewhere far, far away.
"Ohhh," he sighed, "phffft, phffft, phffft!"
How he loved mysteries! — He pondered with wonderment. Such was the spice of life!
From afar, Ko-Ko continued watching patiently, but in a rather bored manner as Mumzy slowly dragged the suitcases across the wooden floor. Swiftly picking them up, she then placed them, -one by one, — upon the bed.
Ko-Ko wiggled his whiskers, as he watched on in silence. She fidgeted with the keys: Trying to find the key which fit the lock of each suitcase. He yawned and then stretched himself once again. Something was surely afoot, or as he would say "Aphffft!" he muttered beneath his breath, sticking out his tiny, pink tongue.
However, he mused, there was nothing to get excited about — not yet, at least. He knew exactly what this meant. They were simply off on another trip, and more than likely, as was the case in previous occasions, — he would be going along as well.
This was a must!
Oh! — Gee-tewilligers! What fun?!
Ko-Ko wiggled his nose in wonderment.
How did one spell gee-tewilligers anyway? He questioned, as he gazed up at the ceiling.
Oh, well! He must remember to paw through the dictionary: The very next time that Mumzy had it opened, and lying about for her writing purposes. For, if indeed, there was a spelling listed for that particular word, it would most certainly be in the dictionary.
Continues...
Excerpted from Cat Paws Through History by Isabel H. Stepanian Copyright © 2011 by Isabel H. Stepanian. Excerpted by permission.
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