My Wake Up Call

The cats run in and out of mine and Imogen's bedroom all night long. We have to leave our door open all night so that we aren't woken up by a pitiful meow asking us to open the door. So the cats are quiet during the night. But the early morning is another matter entirely.

This morning I drifted happily from sleep into a mostly asleep state. I opened my eyes a fraction. I didn't want to wake up too early. But something huge, warm and furry landed on my bed with a thump. I sneakily glanced at it. Sammy was on my pillow of course. "I'm not awake," I thought. "Go away Sammy. Not time for breakfast yet. I'm still asleep." Sammy didn't believe me though. A nose poked me in the neck. "Time for breakfast," the nose told me. "I'm hungry. I want food." "No," I replied mentally. "I told you before. I'm asleep. Go away." Sammy's not stupid. He has an amazing talent for telling if I'm only pretending to sleep. When he didn't get any reaction Sammy pawed me. But for all his trouble I only turned over. The pawing stopped. "Ah," I thought. "Now I can go back to sleep." But Sammy wasn't to be put off like that. He waited a few minutes then yank! I felt his teeth latch onto a lock of hair. I still didn't get up, much to his disapointment. The weight left my pillow a little later as a hungry Sammy went to try his luck with Imogen.

The warm drowsiness crept over me again. My eyelids drooped again and I was on the verge of sleeping when... Sounds of scurrying, a thump, a small squeak and I'm awake again. Jenny is on the window sill. I blink and Sammy has homed in on me. Another thump and he's pawing me again. There is only so long that I will let him do this. "All right," I grumbled. "I'm coming." Sammy sensed his breakfast coming and turned into Mr I-Love-You. He snuzzled around my legs, face, chin and arms encouraging my slow progress from the covers. As soon as one of my feet touched the floor I was surrounded by frantically mewing cats. "Breakfast! Breakfast!" They called. "Hurry up!" With a sea of fur around my feet I struggled to the kitchen. On the way I glanced at the clock. "What!" I exclaimed. "Sammy! You've gotten me up a six o'clock!" Sammy didn't care. He just wanted food.

I grabbed the food and headed for the bowls. The mewing went even more frantic. The cats jostled to be the closest to the food. "Me first!" they seemed to shout. "I'm hungry." Kibble rattled into the bowls and noses were plunged deep into the food. Happy cats guzzled at top speed. Feeding time was over for another morning. An equally happy Charlotte headed back to bed. "After all," I told myself. "It's only six o'clock. I can stay in bed for another half an hour." Happy in the knowledge that nothing would bother me, I sank into the warm covers.