JB: A Short Story

I am JB. Just JB, it doesn’t stand for anything. I was born a wild and free hunter, but these days I live with my humans. It is easy food, and much warmer than the outdoors, but I miss the grass beneath my paws, and the wind in my fur.

Don’t get me wrong, my people are good people, but they’re a little… handsy. A stomach rub every once in a while is nice, but a cat can’t even walk to his litter box without being grabbed and hugged so tight I can’t escape!

Just the other day I was waiting for my lunch to be served, and instead of pouring my food, the alpha human, Novella tried to pick me up and kiss me all over!

Harry, Lily, and Gretchen are no better. They are the beta humans. Gretchen likes to hold me hostage in her bed in the mornings, Lily always wants to scratch me, and Harry will pick me up whenever he pleases and drop me from way too far up!
It may have been rough in the wild, but no one disrespected my solitude. And they’re the ones that leave the front door open for so long! Sometimes I think they want me to run out.

But alas, every time I bolt out the door I hear a chorus of “JB!!!”s. I try and hide in the neighbor's bushes, but somehow they always find me, and I am un-willfully carried back inside.

Life inside has gotten quite boring. I already found all the sunny spots the during the first few weeks of indoor existence, and all of the places the humans leave food. So, that source of entertainment has run dry.

Now, other than my monthly attempts at escape, my days are spent sleeping, eating, waiting to sleep, waiting to eat, and staring out the window daydreaming of the outdoors.

….that and being scratched, cuddled, and hugged like the world depends on