Luna loses a life…

Raining cats and dogs? Well, a cat at least.

Luna, three months old today. I heard the CLUMP but at first didn’t realise what it was. I checked the hallway to see what Luna had knocked over, but couldn’t see anything. Well, I wouldn’t – it was Luna who’d made that CLUMP as she landed (on all fours I would guess) on the hallway floor after falling all the way from the top landing. I’d warned her of course, clinging from the stairway corner post thirty feet up at the top of the house isn’t such a good idea – all it would take is just one slip.

And it's a long, long way down - three floors long with a hard wooden floor at the bottom.

Of course she didn’t listen and then slip and CLUMP, a falling kitty – of course I didn’t see it. A thirty foot drop – what’s that to a tiny kitten? Three hundred?

She seemed okay at first – sitting in the kitchen looking a little dazed, but then she began falling over, her balance all gone; even losing the use of her back legs for a few minutes. “She’s fine. It’s the shock.” I told myself watching her wobble across the floor. Picking her up, I gave her a cuddle and checked her legs and body. There weren’t any breaks, she didn’t cry with pain, but she was trembling like a leaf – well, she had just fallen from the top of a three storey building.

We kept her awake for an hour or so, just in case of concussion, and then let her sleep. When she awoke we fed her sliced beef (her favourite treat), and then took her out for a bit of fresh air. She stepped gingerly at first, not jumping or climbing. I expect her paws were sore. Imagine falling that far and landing on you feet – your legs would break, but not hers.

She’s fine now, just a few hours later. Up to her old tricks, eating and playing and jumping. Cats truly have nine lives; they’re built for survival, a self-righting miracle of feline engineering honed over thousands of years to perfection.

She still gave me a bad couple of hours though.

All forgotten? I hope not three month old Luna… that’s one down. You’ve only another eight to go. Do the maths.