The Adventures of Avery Finn

This is a short story about a kitty adopted from an animal shelter who came to live in his forever home with another cat and a human mistress who believes Avery has stories to tell. Although Avery Finn likes to take walks across the keyboard, he does not have legible typing skill so his human committed herself to sharing his adventures.

The Adventures of Avery Finn

by

Kristina L. Daniels

A year ago I was living in a shelter for animals. Humans visit the shelter looking for a special animal to bring home and love. When you get chosen to go to a new home you become a member of a family.

This is what adoption is, when you are chosen and invited to become part of a family. When my human found me she brought me home to live with her and another cat named Ms. Dixie.

My name is Avery Finn. I am 2 years old and have a handsome coat of grey and white fur. I love the outdoors even though I am inside most of the time. My dream is to become a great outdoor adventurer! I am good at hunting birds, climbing trees and making friends.

My favorite time of the day is early morning. As soon as I see the sun light up the sky I encourage my human to get out of bed and feed me. Every morning she picks me up and throws me over her shoulder, and then I get carried to the kitchen for breakfast.

I would prefer to start my day with a meal of bird or even lizard, but I settle for the strong smell of canned cat food that is placed at my feet.

After breakfast I move to the living room window. I watch the neighborhood birds for a while until I hear my human racing down the stairs. Instead of stopping to tell me how handsome I am, she rushes out the front door.

I listen for the sound of the door closing and the lock turning, but today I don't hear the lock. I watch the door thinking she will come back. Then a gust of wind blows open the door with a loud “Thunk!”

Creeping forward I try to see what’s happened. The big door is open and the other door, which has a screen I love to climb, is shut. I sit up on my haunches trying to get a better view. When I can’t see, I leap with my front claws extended and reach for the screen door. My claws catch!

Hanging from the screen I see a group of birds in the yard! Excited, I begin to move my claws and this tears the screen. I stick my front paw thru the opening. Then I push my face against the tear and it rips into a hole. With a shove I fall through and tumble onto the front porch.

This was not a good landing and I stand up and turn to see if anyone is watching. Ms. Dixie is sitting in the window laughing. “You’re going to be in so much trouble. You should come back inside Avery Finn.”

“No way! I am an adventurer with birds to hunt.” I turn my back on Dixie to stalk the doves that have gathered in the neighbor’s flower bed. Jumping out to scare the birds makes them to fly away. Pleased, I turn back towards the house, but then my nose detects an interesting smell…

I follow the scent through the neighbor’s flower bed, behind some shrubs and stop at a wooden door. “This is what claws were made for,” I think as I scramble over the door. Hopping down gracefully into an alley I sniff out the aroma of rotting food. The smell is coming from a large dumpster. I climb in and when I find the one that smells best, I claw a hole in the side and begin munching.

After nibbling on a hamburger, I hop out of the garbage and look around for a place to nap. My ears perk as a truck comes speeding towards me in the alley!

A red truck pulls in front of the garbage dumpster stirring up a cloud of dust. I watch to see if the human who drives the truck shares my love for dumpster diving.

Liking anyone who will share a meal with me, I step closer and watch the man get out of his truck. He pulls up the back of his pants and then pulls several objects out of the truck, which he tosses into the dumpster. Loudly I meow, “Hello.”

The man turns to look at me. When he spots me he leans over, I assume to take a better look at my shiny grey coat. But without warning the man picks up his foot and tries to kick me! I hiss and back away from his boot. In a hurry to escape I jumped over a fence and hide.

The man doesn’t follow me and I hide until I feel safe. Then, I think about what I want to do next on this adventure…

I chase birds, climb trees, and explore backyards. Then find a quiet porch where I take a nap.

I am awakened by the sound of a back door closing and see a woman standing above me. “Oh sweet pea, who are you? What a handsome cat.” I take an immediate liking to this human and get up to sniff her. “Who do you belong to?” She asked as she bent down to look at the tag on my collar.

Proudly stretching to show off my shiny coat of fur, I try to rub against her leg but the woman said, “Yuck, kitty you smell like garbage!”

She tried to look again at the tag on my collar but this time I felt embarrassed and pulled back. I had forgotten to bathe myself after the dumpster. I looked at my fur and was disappointed to find that my shiny coat was covered with dirt and leaves. I tried to lick the leaves off, but I smelled terrible.

Feeling upset, I decide it's time to go home. I make my goodbyes and start walking towards the gate, but the lady catches me in her arms.

“Hey what are you doing?” I cried. She would not put me down so I cried louder, “Meow, Meow”. Then the woman from the porch carried me inside her house, and put me into a room and closed the door.

I sat and waited for the porch lady to return. I waited for so long, I fell asleep. When I woke up I couldn’t remember where I was, and I felt frightened. This was not the kind of adventure I had been looking for. I wanted to go home. I began to cry. Maybe Dixie was right, I should not have left. I really missed Dixie. If I ever get home again I’ll say…

But I didn’t even finish this sentence, because just then the door opened, and my mistress walked in!

My human picked me up and said, “Avery, did you have an adventure? You silly cat, would you like to go home?” Then she picked me up and carried me out of the house, and I rode over her shoulder as we walked home.

That evening after lots of love and gentle petting, from both Dixie and my mistress, I fell asleep and dreamed about what I would do on my next big adventure...

More Adventures to Come!

Writing a story for children was encouraged by a great writing coach/instructor, Thank you Ms. Marjorie St Clair. If you want to connect with Marjorie's writing classes you can find her on facebook.

A photo of the real life Avery Finn having another tree adventure.