My name is Scooter.

I am a shorthaired, orange cat. My master and mistress love me a lot.

My master’s granddaughter found me in Gig Harbor.

My master had lost his wife to a sudden stroke.

So when my master said he had seen a stray cat on Lea Hill, it was decided that my master must have me.

My master said he would only take me if I had all my shots and a had been altered.

So granddaughter took me to a vet, and the deed was accomplished.

My master’s daughter told my master the deed cost $400.

Wow, said my master. But he gave $400 to his granddaughter to cover the cost.

So Scooter came to live with the master, who really did not want a cat.

The plot thickened because my master found my mistress, and he married her.

My mistress provides me with cream at the morning meal, with canned food of every variety several times a day and a variety of dried cat food. My master says sometimes that I eat better than he does.

I did catch two small moles. I am always looking for more live moles, but dead moles do not interest me.

Then the City of Auburn established a human society, a much-needed facility. My mistress stopped by and bought a $15 license for me, and later, my master stopped by, and, unaware of the previous license purchase, bought me a license.

So if you stop by my house on Lea Hill and you like cats, I will sit on your lap and purr. But if I sense you do not like cats, I will disappear into one of my hiding places. I like under the house best because there may be some little creatures there that need catching. I think I am the only $430 stray cat in my neighborhood.

Thank you for reading my story.

– Scooter (from Ruth and Harold Valentine)