Kathie Freeman

Catwalk A Feline Odyssey

 

A fascinating cat fiction book, "Catwalk" is the story of a young, comfort-loving tabby cat who suddenly finds herself adrift in a big and sometimes dangerous world.

 

Tiger begins her life as one of five kittens in an "accidental" litter, and is eventually adopted by a spoiled young woman, Beth, and her new husband, Sam. Showered with love and attention, Tiger is totally content in her happy home. Then trouble strikes in the form of Donna, the couple's new baby. Feeling neglected and more than a little jealous, Tiger misbehaves and is soon relegated to being an outdoor cat.

 

When Tiger herself becomes pregnant, Beth insists that the cat be disposed of, so Sam drops her off at a nearby industrial park. Alone, and with her babies due any minute, Tiger is forced to seek shelter in an old warehouse. Two kittens are born, and for the next few weeks Tiger must hunt every night in a nearby field to feed herself and her babies.

When the workers find them, they accept and care for the little family. Their best friend is Charlie, a loner who shares his lunch with Tiger daily. Also employed at the warehouse are two forklift operators; Pam, a small but feisty brunette, and Harold, a male chauvinist who resents Pam. Disputes between them eventually result in Harold being fired, and he vows revenge. He attempts to sabotage Pam's machine, but instead he and one of the kittens are killed.

 

Pam's sympathy for the dead kitten and its distraught mother bring her and Charlie together, and after a fishing trip where Tiger is half-drowned, Charlie proposes and Pam accepts.

On a warm spring afternoon, Tiger wanders out to the loading dock and sees an untended van parked with its cargo door open. She slips inside to inspect the contents and is trapped. Unable to make herself heard, Tiger is carried along to an uncertain destination. 

 

Her odyssey ultimately takes her halfway across the continent, and brings her in contact with such diverse characters as a Cajun fisherman, a game warden and his wife, a trio of hoboes, and a Mexican-American family.

 

She is befriended by many, abused by a few, but her indomitable spirit always carries her through. Her struggle for survival and her search for home and family is a story animal lovers of all ages will want to read and share.