Kitty's Protest

Old Greybeard, the wise cat.

        The little white kitten was too sulky for words; she would not be petted, she would not purr, she had not even smoothed down her fur as usual, and here it was almost ten o'clock. Something serious must be the matter. 

       The old gray cat sat on the fence and wondered at the unusual sight as long as his patience would allow, then down he jumped and came over to investigate. 

       "What's the matter, Snowflake? You look as if you did not have a friend in the world." 

       A naughty spit was the only answer; the little back went up and the tail grew large, while the owner of this temper struck spitefully at poor Greybeard, who was in no way to blame.

       "Oh, come, Snowflake, tell me." And then the trouble all came out. 

       It seems Snowflake considered that a certain sunny corner of the kitchen window had always belonged to her, and now this morning she found a row of milk pans there, while Mr. Sunbeam, her own particular friend, was busy with them, instead of giving her the usual sun bath. Oh, it was too annoying ! No sense in it, either. 

       "Why, you poor, ignorant kitten," answered Greybeard; "don't you know the pans were put there to be made thoroughly sweet and clean by Mr. Sunbeam, so the milk won't sour as quickly in them and will taste nice and sweet with your bread at dinner?"

• How the pocket kitten grew by The Dodo
• The Tale of Tom Kitten by Beatrix Potter
• The selfless love of a mother cat from Sunny cat dairy