Leaping Lizzie Read online

  Table of Contents

  Cover

  Half Title Page

  Title Page

  Adventures at Tabby Towers

  Chapter 1: Queen Lizzie Arrives

  Chapter 2: Hairless with Huge Ears

  Chapter 3: One Crazy Cat

  Chapter 4: Pink-and-Gray Rocket

  Chapter 5: Hundreds of Places to Hide

  Chapter 6: A+ for Climbing Skills

  Chapter 7: Changing the Subject

  Chapter 8: Kitty Castle in the Clouds

  Is a Sphynx the Cat for You?

  Explore More

  About the Author

  About the Illustrator

  Copyright

  Back Cover

  It’s Time for Your Adventure at Tabby Towers!

  At Tabby Towers, we give cats the royal treatment. We are a first-class cats-only hotel that promises a safe, fun stay for all guests.

  Tabby Towers has many cat toys and games. We make personal playtime for every guest. And we have a large indoor kitty playground that will satisfy every cat instinct, including climbing and hunting. Also, your kitty will never tire of watching our cow and chickens from the big playground window.

  We are always just a short walk away from the cats. Tabby Towers is located in a large, sunny, heated room at the rear of our farmhouse. Every cat has a private litter box and a private, three-level “condo,” complete with bed, toys, and dishes. Of course, we will follow your feeding schedule too.

  Tabby Towers Who’s Who

  KIT FELINUS

  Kit Felinus (fee-LEE-nus) is a lifelong cat lover. She has worked for cat rescue and shelter operations much of her adult life. After seeing the great success of Hound Hotel — the dog hotel next door — she realized the need for a cat hotel in the area. So she started Tabby Towers. She now cares for cats all day long and couldn’t be happier!

  TOM FELINUS

  Tom Felinus is certain that his wife, Kit, fell in love with him because of his last name, which means “catlike.” He is a retired homebuilder. He built Tabby Towers’ kitty condos, cat trees, and scratching posts. He built the playground equipment too, which will keep your kitty happy for hours.

  TABITHA CATARINA FELINUS (Tabby Cat, for short)

  Tabby Cat is Kit and Tom’s granddaughter and a true cat lover. In fact, the cat hotel is named after her! She helps at Tabby Towers in summer. The 8-year-old daughter of two veterinarians, Tabby lives in the city and has her own cat. She’s read almost as many books about cats as her grandma has! Tabby will give your kitty all the extra attention or playtime he or she may need.

  Next time your family goes on vacation, bring your cat to Tabby Towers.

  Your kitty is sure to have a purr-fect time!

  Chapter 1

  Queen Lizzie Arrives

  I’m Tabitha Catarina — Tabby Cat, for short. I L-O-V-E, love cats. I’ve loved them my whole life. I even have a cat of my own — a beautiful Himalayan cat named Bootsie.

  Last spring, I had three choices for where to spend the upcoming summer.

  Choice Number One: on a movie set with my parents. They’re both veterinarians. They take care of animals that appear in movies.

  That’s their job. I said, “No, thank you” because there weren’t going to be any cat actors — only horses.

  Choice Number Two: in the city, at our condo, with my nanny, Pam. She was going to house-sit for the summer.

  Choice Number Three: on my grandparents’ farm, where they run their amazing cat hotel, Tabby Towers.

  Can you guess what my choice was?

  Yes, I’m here at Tabby Towers. I feel like the luckiest girl alive. I get to play with cats seven days a week. I get to help care for them. And I get to spend time with Grandma Kit and Grandpa Tom.

  So far, this has been my best summer ever.

  But there’s a problem. The problem is a girl my age named Alfreeda Wolfe. She lives on the farm next door to my grandparents’ place. Her family runs a dog hotel.

  I’d like to be better friends with her, but she always brags about dogs and puts down cats. It makes me so mad. She even said mean things about a famous cat named Lizzie, while Lizzie was a guest at Tabby Towers last month.

  Do you think I started to hiss at Alfreeda? Well, here’s what happened.

  It was an early afternoon at the beginning of July. Grandma Kit and I were busy working in the cat hotel.

  Tabby Towers is on the main floor of my grandparents’ farmhouse. It used to be their family room.

  Grandpa Tom built everything for the hotel: the cat trees, scratching posts, and seven kitty condos, where the guests sleep at night.

  Grandma Kit was cleaning dishes at the washtub. I was playing a string game with a guest named Puppycat. He was a large Maine coon. Maine coons need a lot of exercise every day, and I made sure Puppycat got his.

  Two cute kittens — Fifi and her brother, Furbaby — chased each other around the indoor kitty playground. They zoomed around and around like two furry race cars.

  Then Furbaby shot up a tall ladder, and Fifi followed. They ran along a narrow catwalk near the ceiling. Grandpa Tom built that too. I call it the “kitty highway.”

  Another guest — Child — sat on a shelf, high in a cat tree. Child was a Persian, with long, fluffy hair. He licked his legs and paws. Like most cats, Child spent a lot of time cleaning himself each day.

  I saw Grandpa Tom out the big window that overlooked the farmyard. He was fixing a fence between our land and the Wolfes’ place. He’d likely be out there until dinnertime.

  Anyway, the doorbell rang, and Puppycat and I jumped.

  “Now who could that be?” Grandma Kit asked, wiping a large tray with a soapy cloth. “I’m not expecting any new guests to check in this afternoon.”

  “I’ll go see who it is,” I offered.

  “Thanks,” Grandma Kit said. “I’ll wash my hands and be there in a minute.”

  I set Puppycat on a kitty swing, gave it a gentle push, and then hurried to the front door. Before I opened it, I peeked out the window.

  A pizza-company truck was parked in the driveway. Large letters on the side said: QUEEN LIZZIE’S PIZZA PALACE.

  That’s the new pizza place in town, I thought. Today’s their grand opening!

  A big picture of a strange-looking cat was printed above the letters. That was Queen Lizzie. I’d seen her picture lots of times in the town newspaper. The restaurant had placed a lot of ads lately.

  The man standing on our porch looked around nervously. I’d seen his picture in the newspaper too. His name was Ben, and he was the pizza restaurant’s owner. He was holding a cat carrier.

  “Hi!” I said, throwing open the front door. I pointed at the carrier. “Is that Queen Lizzie? The Queen Lizzie?”

  Ben nodded. He looked a little sad.

  “I can’t believe you brought her to Tabby Towers!” I cried. “Come in!”

  Chapter 2

  Hairless with Huge Ears

  I was so excited to meet Queen Lizzie, I couldn’t stop talking.

  “A real Sphynx cat! Wow. I know she’s a Sphynx cat because I’ve read so much about them,” I said. “I know lots of people think Sphynx look weird because they’re hairless and have those huge ears and extra-large paws. Well, I don’t think Sphynx are weird. Personally, I think they are terribly interesting. I’ve never seen one in real life!”

  I kneeled and peered into the cat carrier.

  “Hi, Lizzie! I’m Tabby. I love your yellow eyes,” I exclaimed. “They look like lemons!”

  Just then, Grandma Kit appeared at my side, drying her hands. She
said hello to Ben and shook his hand.

  “I’m Ben, the owner of the new pizza shop in town,” he said. “This is Lizzie, the restaurant’s namesake. I’ve come to you for help.”

  Grandma Kit didn’t even have a chance to reply. I’d barely taken a breath but carried right on, chattering about Lizzie.

  “I love her high cheekbones,” I said. “And her pink skin is so cool. Look at those gray spots. It’s like she’s got polka-dots! I read in one of my cat books that the color of a Sphynx’s skin is the color its hair would be.”

  “That’s true,” Ben said. His voice matched his unhappy-looking face.

  Strange, I thought. How can anyone be sad when they own such a special cat?

  “I also read that Sphynx are great climbers and jumpers,” I went on.

  “That’s part of the problem,” Ben said.

  “Why don’t you come into the kitchen,” Grandma Kit said. “I’ll make tea, then you can tell us what’s going on with Lizzie.”

  Ben agreed and followed us inside. He sat at the kitchen table. I sat on the floor beside Lizzie’s carrier.

  I wanted to reach inside and touch her hairless, wrinkled skin. But I didn’t. Instead, I talked to her in a soft, quiet voice. It’s always important that first meetings with cats go slowly and peacefully.

  Grandma Kit made tea, while Ben told us the problem.

  “As you know, today is the restaurant’s grand opening,” he said. “I should be there right now. The place is packed with pizza lovers. Business is booming already. But Lizzie kept jumping on the counter. And we can’t have her that close to the food. There are special health codes we need to follow.”

  “Oh dear,” Grandma Kit said. She poured tea into a cup for Ben.

  He took a sip and continued. “I’d really hoped Lizzie would stay in the front window for people to see. She’s such a friendly cat. I was certain she’d let people pet her, even strangers. She has before, at my apartment, anyhow. It would’ve been good for business.”

  Grandma Kit nodded and took a sip of tea. “Go on,” she said.

  “Even the town leaders said Lizzie could stay in the restaurant,” he said. “Because she’s hairless, she’s cleaner. I put her bed and toys in the front window. But during the very first lunch rush, she kept jumping onto the counter. I’d say ‘no’ and put her back in the window. She’d jump right back onto the counter again. Boxes of pizza sit right there.”

  “Is she hungry for pizza?” I asked.

  “No,” Ben said. “I’ve offered bits of crust to her before. She doesn’t like it. I even sprayed her with water, to scare her off the counter. That didn’t work.”

  “Well, cats do like to climb to high places and lie on top of things,” I said.

  “I know,” Ben said. “But she can’t be on the restaurant counter. That’s too near the food.” He looked at Grandma Kit. “It’s short notice, but could Lizzie check in here at Tabby Towers? I’ll be working very long hours all week.”

  “Why, yes,” Grandma Kit said with a smile. “It would be our pleasure. We have space in the hotel. But it’s too bad the restaurant’s namesake can’t be there during your big opening week.”

  Ben nodded. “Thank you very much. The staff and I will really miss her,” he said.

  I felt bad for Ben — but secretly glad for me. I couldn’t believe a Sphynx would be staying at Tabby Towers! Wow! I really was the luckiest girl alive!

  “Can I take her out of her carrier?” I asked Ben. “Would she let me hold her?”

  “Sure,” he said. “Go ahead. Lizzie loves to be held.”

  I carefully opened the carrier door. “Here, girl,” I said quietly. “Come here, Lizzie.”

  Lizzie crawled right into my arms. I sat and cradled her, rubbing her soft skin gently with my hand. Her skin was covered with very fine down, like the skin of a peach.

  Suddenly the kitchen door flew open. Bang!

  “Hey, did you order pizza?” a girl called, bursting into the room. It was Alfreeda Wolfe, the dog-loving girl from next door.

  The second the door banged, Lizzie leaped out of my arms. She sprang up — a shockingly high leap — and landed right on top of the refrigerator, bumping into a cat-shaped treat jar. The glass jar flew off the refrigerator and fell to the floor.

  “Oh no!” cried Ben.

  Chapter 3

  One Crazy Cat

  Crash! The treat jar hit the floor and broke into pieces. Chunks of glass lay among cat treats that had filled the jar. The treats belonged to Scruffy, Grandma Kit’s cat.

  Good thing Scruffy is outside right now, I thought with a shiver. If he were inside, he’d jump into that dangerous mess to get those treats.

  “That’s one crazy cat,” Alfreeda said. She pointed at Lizzie, who was still on top of the refrigerator. “She’s jumping to super-high places, knocking down breakable stuff.… What a mess. A dog would never do that. A dog would be better behaved.”

  I frowned at her.

  Grandma Kit raised an eyebrow at me. It was the look she often gave me when Alfreeda was around. It meant this: Tabitha, be nice. We’re neighbors.

  I kept my mouth shut. But I really wanted to shout at Alfreeda, Can’t you see you caused this mess?

  Lizzie sat perfectly still, except for her tail. It hung over the edge of the refrigerator and wagged. That wasn’t a good sign. In the dog world, a wagging tail means happiness or excitement. In the cat world, a low-hanging, wagging tail means the cat is upset.

  Grandma Kit started sweeping up the mess.

  “I’m so sorry, Kit,” Ben said.

  “No problem at all,” she said, dumping glass pieces and cat treats into the trash can.

  “I’ll be more than happy to pay for the treat jar,” Ben offered.

  “No need,” Grandma Kit said. “I have five more cat-shaped treat jars in the basement. People always give me cat-lover gifts.”

  Alfreeda looked at the table. “So, no pizza?” she asked.

  “Sorry, we didn’t order any,” Grandma Kit said. “Queen Lizzie has come to stay at Tabby Towers for a while.”

  “What? The hairless cat from the newspaper ads?” Alfreeda asked, her eyes growing to twice their usual size. “That’s her? Queen Lizzie? The Queen Lizzie? Boy, she looks even weirder in real life. How is her weirdness supposed to make people want to eat pizza?”

  Grandma Kit cleared her throat. “Alfreeda?” she said. “This is Ben, the owner of Queen Lizzie’s Pizza Palace.”

  “Oh. Hi, Ben,” Alfreeda said. She shut her mouth but opened it right up again. “What were you thinking, showing a wrinkled, hairless cat in your ads? Maybe you could adopt a cool dog, name it Lizzie, and put her in the ads.”

  Ben sighed. “No,” he said. “Lizzie’s my girl. She’s more than a princess to me. She’s a queen. Queen Lizzie. We just have a little problem with her, that’s all. She won’t stay off the restaurant counter.”

  “Of course, she won’t,” Alfreeda said. “Unlike dogs, cats can’t be trained to obey rules. It’s hopeless. Simply hopeless.”

  Ben sighed again and turned to Grandma Kit. “Thank you for your help,” he said. “I’ll be in touch when things calm down at the restaurant. Oh, I forgot to bring Lizzie’s food. I’m sure she’s hungry too. She didn’t eat a bite all morning.”

  “Don’t worry,” Grandma Kit said. “We have plenty of cat food. I’ll see you out.” She led Ben toward the front door.

  Well, I was growing madder at Alfreeda by the second. I wanted to prove that cats could be trained — to prove her wrong and to make Ben happy.

  I remembered something I’d read about cats jumping on kitchen counters. It was in one of my cat books. It had suggested a few possible ways to fix the problem.

  “Wait, Ben!” I cried, leaping catlike into the living room.

  Chapter 4

 
Pink-and-Gray Rocket

  I caught Ben just as he got to the door. He stopped and turned.

  “I think I can fix the problem,” I said. “I just remembered — one of my cat books has a bunch of tips for keeping cats off counters.”

  “Really?” said Ben. “Well, if you can fix this, I’ll give you free pizza for a month. Deal?”

  “Deal,” I said, shaking his hand.

  “Tabitha, please take Lizzie to the hotel,” Grandma Kit said. “Get her settled in a bit. Ben has her vet papers in his truck. I’ll walk him out and get them. I’ll be back in a minute.”

  First I ran up to my room and grabbed the cat book I needed. Then I hurried to the kitchen and set a chair beside the refrigerator. I climbed onto it and gathered Lizzie in my arms. She snuggled into my chest. I carried her through a door to the back of the house.

  Alfreeda had been looking at framed photos of cats on the kitchen wall. Now she marched right behind me, without even asking if she could visit the hotel. There was nothing new about that. She always followed me around like an annoying puppy. She usually chose the moments when I most wanted to be alone too.

  The other four guests — Fifi, Furbaby, Puppycat, and Child — were in their kitty condos. Seven kitty condos lined the wall in the large, sun-filled room.

  Each condo was a small, three-level apartment with a screen door. Every cat had its own safe, cozy, private space. Grandma Kit had put the guests inside their condos before meeting Ben. We never leave the kitties outside their condos if we’re not there to watch them.

  “Do you want to know why I came over?” Alfreeda asked.

  No, I thought.

  “It wasn’t the pizza truck,” Alfreeda continued. “It was to see if you wanted to eat dinner at my house tonight. I mean, here it is, July. We’ve hardly hung out at all. There aren’t any other girls my age around. I need a break from my brother. He can be so annoying.”