Bright Lights, Big Kitty! Read online

  “The rest of you can follow me to the TV studio,” she said.

  We entered a big open space with special lights hanging overhead. Three TV cameras stood ready in position.

  “Welcome to the set for Big Dog in the Morning,” said Zoe.

  There was a small stage with a desk on one side and a sofa on the other. In the background were floor-to-ceiling windows. The Super Cat fans who had greeted us earlier watched from outside.

  On the set, a helper was busy cleaning up from the previous segment—Baking Buddies. She cleared mixing bowls and cookie sheets, while a shiny, round machine hummed across the floor.

  “What’s that gadget with the blinking lights?” asked Ethan.

  “It’s our awesome robotic vacuum cleaner,” said Zoe.

  “We could use one of those at Animal Inn,” said Mom.

  “It sure would make Saturday chores more exciting,” said Jake.

  The helper shut off the vacuum and stowed it in a corner.

  “Let’s have the kids sit here and Mom here.” Zoe pointed as she gave us directions. “This dog here and that dog there and the bird perch here and the black cat there and we’ll put Super Cat right here closest to Big Dog.”

  We all shuffled and sat and rearranged until Zoe had us where she wanted us.

  Dad hurried over with Whiskers, who now looked positively radiant.

  “Look, Shadow,” Coco whispered to me. “That is definitely Curtis.” She pointed out the window with her nose, which was now covered in cheese from the greenroom.

  “Sure, Coco,” I murmured. “Whatever you say.”

  “And here comes our host,” announced Zoe.

  “Hi, I’m Big Dog,” said a friendly looking man with a bright red bow tie. “Welcome to the show.”

  He shook Mom’s hand and Dad’s hand and waved to the rest of us before sitting down. “And this must be Super Cat,” he said.

  Whiskers held out his paw to be shaken. I’d never seen him do that before. And was I the only one who heard him whisper enchanté?

  Whiskers was as calm as could be, while I was a bundle of nerves. Had we switched personalities?

  “I’ll be asking you a few questions,” Big Dog told everybody. “Just try to act natural. That goes for you, too, Super Cat.” He reached over and gave Whiskers a gentle pat on the head.

  “Quiet on the set,” announced Zoe. “We’re on in three, two, one. . . .” She gave Big Dog a big thumbs-up.

  “Welcome back,” said Big Dog. “It’s time for Power Pets. Our guest today is the Internet sensation that everyone is talking about . . . Super Cat!”

  I saw one of the television cameras swoop around to focus on Whiskers. Whiskers looked up and tilted his head. He stared right into the lens.

  “The camera just loves him,” said Big Dog. “Super Cat is a superstar.”

  I had to admit, everything was off to a great start.

  “First, let me introduce the Tyler family,” said Big Dog. “The Tylers run an amazing place called Animal Inn. Jake, why don’t you tell us all about it.”

  Jake took a deep breath. “Well, Animal Inn is one part hotel, one part school, and one part spa. As our brochure says, At Animal Inn, we promise to love your pet as much as you do. And we also have lots of pets of our own.”

  “Ethan,” said Big Dog, leaning in Ethan’s direction. “How did Super Cat come to be? Tell us the whole story.”

  “We were making a web video about Animal Inn,” said Ethan. “And our cat Whiskers just leaped into action.”

  “Then Dad helped us post the video online,” said Jake.

  “And now Whiskers is famous!” added Cassie.

  I could hear the faint murmur of chanting outside the windows.

  “Super Cat! Super Cat! Super Cat!”

  “Well, we’d love to see some up, up, and away!” said Big Dog.

  “Oh. It’s not like we trained him,” said Jake.

  “So he’s a natural!” said Big Dog enthusiastically. “On three. Everybody help me count.”

  The camera people and the fans on the sidewalk and Zoe and Big Dog all began to count out loud.

  “One. Two. Three! ”

  Whiskers didn’t move.

  He just stared at the camera. His eyes had become as big as saucers.

  “Come on, Little Brother,” I murmured. “You can do it.”

  Big Dog chuckled. “Why don’t we try that again,” he said. “On three. Everybody, help me count.”

  “One. Two. Three! ”

  No leap.

  No Super Cat.

  Poor Whiskers was downright frozen.

  “How is this cat super?” I heard one of the camera operators whisper.

  A few fans on the sidewalk lowered their signs in disappointment. Some even walked away. Whiskers continued to stare blankly into the camera.

  Then he squeezed his eyes shut and buried his head under a sofa cushion.

  CHAPTER

  12

  His timing wasn’t great, but this was the Whiskers I knew and loved. Unfortunately, he was in front of a live television audience, and they didn’t want a timid kitty. They wanted a fearless Super Cat.

  I knew Whiskers didn’t want to disappoint his fans. Deep down he wanted to be Super Cat too. Who wouldn’t?

  I noticed Zoe nervously checking her watch. She looked at Big Dog. Big Dog nodded. Then Zoe said something into her headset.

  Time was running out for my little brother to be a star. Someone had to do something to spark him into action. And that someone was me.

  I quickly scanned the television studio. I looked out the windows. I looked up at the ceiling. I looked down at the floor—the floor that was super-clean.

  Of course! The robotic vacuum cleaner!

  Whiskers did not like vacuum cleaners. Whiskers did not like robots. It should do the trick.

  I silently snuck off the set and over to the corner.

  But how to turn it on?

  “Come on, Super Cat,” I heard Big Dog say. “Let’s give it one more try.”

  It was now or never. In a panic, I hopped on top of the vacuum and started swatting at anything that looked like an “on” switch.

  Nothing worked.

  “What are you up to, Shadow?” It was Fuzzy, suddenly by my side.

  “Is it cleanup time already?” added Furry.

  “I need to turn this thing on,” I said. “Whiskers needs my help. And fast.”

  “Well, your heart’s in the right place,” said Fuzzy.

  “But your paw is not,” added Furry.

  They scurried beneath the vacuum.

  “The ‘on’ switch for this model . . . ,” called Fuzzy.

  “. . . is under here,” added Furry.

  Click!

  Beep!

  The vacuum sprang to life with me still on top of it. It turned this way and that way. I held on tight.

  Whooooa! Whooooa! Whooooa!

  Whiskers looked up from under the sofa cushion. He spotted the robotic vacuum cleaner zipping across the floor.

  Then he leaped high into the air, paws stretched straight out in front. He soared in a perfect arc and landed with a thump. Then he skedaddled off stage.

  CHAPTER

  13

  “Now that’s what I call exciting!” cheered Big Dog. “Let’s hear it for Super Cat! Up, up, and away! And after the break, it’s Garden Gab. How much compost do you really need for those tomatoes?”

  “Cut to commercial,” announced Zoe.

  “Super Cat did not disappoint,” said Big Dog. “One of the best Power Pets we’ve ever had.”

  Zoe ushered everyone off the set. The guests for Garden Gab hurried on. I took advantage of the commotion to hop off the vacuum cleaner and try to steady myself. It took me a moment to get my land-legs back.

  Dad found Whiskers in the wings and settled him in his carrier. Mom and the kids got the rest of us ready to go. Then a man led us through the door and out to the curb where our limousine was waitin
g for us.

  “Super Cat! Super Cat! Super Cat!” the crowd cheered.

  Suddenly Coco pulled her leash right out of Cassie’s hand and took off down the sidewalk.

  “Coco!” Cassie called. “Coco, come back!”

  “I’ll get her,” said Mom, handing my cat leash to Dad.

  The rest of us got settled in the comfy limousine while we waited for Mom to fetch Coco.

  Soon Coco happily piled in, all out of breath. Mom undid her leash and shut the door.

  “Where did you run off to?” asked Dash.

  “Smell some cheese?” I said.

  “No, silly,” said Coco. She settled in her seat with a big smile on her face.

  Once we were on our way, Leopold unlocked the latch on his travel cage. Then he fluttered over and opened the door to Whiskers’s carrier.

  Whiskers stepped out and quietly settled on one of the dreamy seats. Fuzzy and Furry popped out after him.

  “You were amazing, Super Cat,” said Fuzzy.

  “The camera really loves you,” added Furry.

  “Thanks,” said Whiskers. He scooted closer to where I was sitting. “Uh, Shadow,” he said to me.

  “Yeah?” I said.

  What did the superstar want now? More spring water? More Kitty Krisps? A new sofa?

  But Whiskers surprised me.

  “Thanks for your help, Shadow,” he said. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”

  “No problem,” I said. “That’s what family is for.”

  No matter how famous he was, Whiskers would always be my little brother.

  CHAPTER

  14

  The ride home was pretty quiet. We’d been up since daybreak, and we were all tuckered out.

  But as we turned into the driveway, the quiet ended. A big group of cheering fans had gathered in front of Animal Inn.

  The limousine came to a stop. Fuzzy and Furry quickly scurried back inside Whiskers’s carrier. Whiskers followed. Leopold resettled in his travel cage.

  The limousine door opened. “We’re home, Super Cat,” said Dad. He carefully picked up the carrier. “Huh. How did this come undone again?” he said.

  “Look at the size of this crowd,” said Jake, clipping on Dash’s leash.

  “Super Cat is a real superstar,” said Ethan, picking up Leopold’s travel cage.

  “Whiskers is even more famous-er than before,” said Cassie, clipping on Coco’s leash.

  Mom leaned in next and attached my cat leash. We all started for the front door.

  “There she is!” one of the fans shouted.

  She?

  “It’s Robo Cat!”

  Robo what?

  “Robo Cat! Robo Cat! Robo Cat!” the crowd cheered.

  “Who’s Robo Cat?” asked Mom, confused.

  Everyone was pointing at . . . me?

  A fan held out her phone. There I was on the tiny screen—riding the robotic vacuum cleaner around the television studio.

  “Now Shadow is famous too!” said Cassie excitedly.

  “But I don’t want to be famous,” I whispered to Dash. “I’ll never be able to sneak outside again.”

  “Don’t worry, Shadow,” said Dash. “Fame doesn’t last long.” He sniffed at the air. “Plus, I think it’s about to—”

  Whoosh!

  Rain poured down like cats and dogs. The crowd of fans scattered. We Tylers ran for the Welcome Area.

  “Am I glad you’re home,” said Sierra, holding the front door open for us.

  “Is everything okay?” asked Mom.

  “Everything’s fine,” said Sierra. “Just one small problem. I can’t find the gerbils.”

  EPILOGUE

  I learned a lot of important lessons from our time in the spotlight:

  1. Web videos are pretty cool.

  2. Limousine rides are dreamy.

  3. Robotic vacuum cleaners are wild.

  4. But family is what’s most important.

  After looking and looking, Jake and Ethan finally found the gerbils relaxing in the gerbiltorium.

  “I can’t believe Fuzzy and Furry were in there the whole time,” said Sierra.

  Ping-ping!

  Sierra pulled her phone out of her pocket and tapped the screen.

  “Wow,” she said. “Animal Inn is just bursting with superstars.”

  “Yes, Super Cat is a superstar,” said Dad, reaching over to pet Whiskers.

  “No, not Super Cat,” said Sierra.

  “Oh, you mean Robo Cat,” said Mom, giving me a scratch behind the ears.

  “No, not Robo Cat, either,” said Sierra. She held out her phone for everyone to see. “Check it out.”

  There on the screen was a video of Coco merrily goofing around with a small, red squirrel.

  “Hey, it’s Coco!” said Cassie. “And that’s Curtis, the squirrel who stayed with us that time!”

  I looked over at Coco. Our newest superstar was fast asleep in the middle of the Welcome Area floor.

  “Remember Curtis?” said Cassie.

  How could we ever forget?

  FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS IN THE NEXT ANIMAL INN STORY.

  Creak! Creak!

  Rattle! Rattle!

  This old house sure makes a lot of spooky sounds. There’s always something creaking or rattling.

  Welcome to Animal Inn. My name is Whiskers. I’m an indoor cat. I love calm, quiet, and my comfy sofa.

  You might also know me as Super Cat, but that’s another story.

  I’m part of the Tyler family. Our family includes five humans—Mom, Dad, Jake, Ethan, and Cassie—and seven pets:

  • Me

  • Shadow—my big sister

  • Dash—a Tibetan terrier

  • Coco—a chocolate Labrador retriever

  • Leopold—a scarlet macaw

  • and Fuzzy and Furry—a pair of very useful gerbils

  We all live together in this creaky old house in the country. Animal Inn is one part hotel, one part school, and one part spa. As our brochure says: We promise to love your pet as much as you do.

  Squeak! Squeak!

  Don’t mind that. It’s probably just the squeaky front door. It gets a lot of use with all the coming and going here at the inn.

  We might have a Pekinese arriving for a pedicure. A Siamese showing up for a short stay. Or a llama leaving after a long stay. Once we even hosted a field trip for Cassie’s entire first-grade class. That day was neither calm nor quiet. But it sure was fun.

  On the first floor of Animal Inn, we have the Welcome Area, the office, the classroom, the grooming room, and the party and play room.

  Our family lives on the second floor.  This includes Fuzzy and Furry snug in their gerbiltorium in Jake and Ethan’s room. That is, unless they’re out on a case. The gerbils are excellent detectives. We pets have used their services on a number of occasions.

  The third floor is for our smaller guests. We have a Reptile Room, a Rodent Room, and a Small Mammal Room. The larger guests stay out in the barn and kennels. So, at any given moment, you might hear squawks, chirps, bleats, meows, or woofs.

  And just last week, we heard a sound that gave us all quite a scare and made my fur stand on end.

  Promise not to get too frightened?

  Okay. Let me tell you what happened. . . .

  CHAPTER

  1

  It began on the first morning of school vacation week.

  We pets were already in the Welcome Area when Jake and Ethan came downstairs.

  I was curled up on the sofa.

  Leopold was on his perch.

  Dash was sitting nearby.

  And Coco was plopped smack in the middle of the floor.

  My big sister, Shadow, was hiding behind the sofa, waiting for her first chance to sneak outside.

  “Mom and Dad said chores come first,” said Jake.

  “And then we can play Ghost in the Graveyard,” said Ethan.

  “Sounds like a plan,” said Jake. He opened the door to th
e supply closet. “Let’s see. Cat food, cat treats, dog food, dog—hold on. This is weird.” Jake held up an empty bag of Doggie Donuts. “I just opened this yesterday.”

  “Maybe that’s a different bag,” said Ethan, “and the one you opened is still in there.”

  Jake searched the closet again. “No, I’m sure this is the bag,” he said.

  Jake and Ethan shrugged. Then they went ahead and filled our food bowls.

  I noticed that Coco didn’t budge from her spot on the floor. She kept right on snoring. She must have been really tired, because breakfast is one of Coco’s favorite times of the day. Along with lunch, snack, and dinner.

  Ethan returned to the closet and pulled out a broom. I should mention that brooms make me a little nervous—as do dustpans, vacuum cleaners, and leaf blowers. Too much noise and commotion.

  “Whoa,” said Ethan. “What happened to this thing?” He held up a feather duster—minus most of the feathers.

  Before Jake could answer, Cassie appeared at the top of the stairs. She held a bright pink feather in her hand. “What happened to what?” she asked.

  Jake chuckled. “I think I see what’s going on here,” he said. “Cassie, did you take a bunch of feathers out of the feather duster?”

  “Are you and Coco putting on another play or something?” asked Ethan.

  I looked down at Coco, softly snoring. She did not look like she was rehearsing for anything.

  “Coco and I are not doing a play this morning,” said Cassie.

  “Then where did you get the pink feather?” asked Jake.

  “I found it in the hallway upstairs,” said Cassie.

  “How did a feather from the Welcome Area feather duster get upstairs?” asked Ethan. “And where are the rest of them?”

  “And the missing Doggie Donuts?” added Jake.

  “How should I know?” Cassie said with a shrug. “I thought we were going to play Ghost in the Graveyard.”

  “Maybe a ghost took the feathers and treats,” Ethan said jokingly. “Booooo! Booooo! There it is now.”