“Why, this is a cats' home,” said a young thing with a yellow face. “Have you never heard of it? Sick cats, lost cats, starved cats, bad cats, good cats, young cats and old cats are all brought here. You're kept several days, and if you're not claimed, you're mercifully destroyed, or else given away. I say, do you suppose you'll be claimed?”
“Be what?” I asked.
“Be claimed. Will your folks come to look for you? I wish mine would,” and she gazed wistfully at the door.
“I believe they lost you on purpose,” said a little white kitten spitefully.
My new friend had to box her ears for this, so I turned to another cat who was politely offering to show me around.
She pointed out the warmest sleeping places in the room, then she took me out through a little swinging door to the roof-garden.
Just fancy—a roof-garden for cats. I was delighted with it. There were little trees in boxes, and big pans of water, and a wire netting over all to keep the cats from running away.
“No boys could chase you here,” I said.
“Oh, no,” my new friend replied. “No one chases us. It is a lovely place, but still it has a serious drawback.”
“A drawback,” I repeated, “what is it?”