MUST LOVE CATS

Animals sense things we humans don’t notice – so why didn’t Milly like her date?

IT’S a big night tonight,” I told Milly. “You’re going to meet Dave.” Milly just looked at me and blinked. “I think you’ll like him,” I said. “He lives a few streets away and he seems like a lovely guy.”

Milly purred and kneaded my lap. “Sorry,” I said, lifting her into the armchair. “I’ve got to go upstairs and get ready.”

I’d met Dave on my way to a local yoga class. I’d only recently moved to the area and didn’t know many people here yet, so I thought yoga might be a good way to meet a few.

Except I couldn’t find the right building. I wandered up and down the street getting more and more frustrated. When I’d headed to a nearby café to ask for directions, I got talking to Dave, who was the manager there. He made me a coffee and we ended up chatting for so long that I missed the entire yoga class. Funny how things work out, isn’t it?

Anyway, the doorbell rang just as I fin- ished doing my hair. Perfect timing and another point in Dave’s favour. Then, from behind his back, he brought out a bunch of pink roses. “Wow, they’re gorgeous!” I cried. It was ages since anyone had given me flowers. I lowered my face to breathe in the heavenly smell. “Come on in,” I said. “There’s someone I want you to meet.”

I led him into the living room where Milly was still curled up in the chair. Dave offered her a finger to sniff.

It has always surprised me how many people don’t know how to greet a strange cat. Even some cat-lovers get it wrong. Rushing up to them and lifting them into the air is guaranteed to freak out just about any cat. Let’s face it, if a strange giant rushed up to you and lifted you into the air you’d be freaked out too, right?

But Dave had got it just right. Offering a finger was a nonthreatening gesture in cat language. Milly lifted her head to smell him. Then, to my surprise, she fluffed up and streaked for her cat flap.

“Sorry about that,” I said, embarrassed, as she shot out into the garden.

My cat could be shy sometimes, rather like her owner in fact, but she wasn’t usually quite that bad. Through the kitchen window I watched her sit with her back to us, sulking in the flowerbed. But it was a chilly day and I was sure she wouldn’t stay out for long.

“This is beautiful!” Dave enthused as we tucked into dinner. “I’ll have to cook for you next time.” He flushed. “I mean, if there is a next time.”

We chatted away and, just like the first time we’d met, it felt as if we’d known each other for ages. We had so much in common.

Then I met Milly’s reproachful gaze through the glass.

Dave noticed where I was looking. “She’s a cutie, isn’t she?” he said. “She certainly is,” I said. But I was wondering what Milly knew about Dave that I didn’t. They say animals sense things that we humans don’t

notice. Dave certainly seemed really genuine, but Milly obviously felt differently.

After we’d finished eating I tried to coax Milly back inside, but she wouldn’t budge. So I claimed tiredness and saw Dave out.

HE’S gone now, Milly,” I said, opening the back door. She stalked back inside, looking cross. I patted my lap and up she jumped. Soon she was curled in a ball, purring softly.

When Dave rang later that week to invite me to dinner at his place, I was tempted to accept.

But my friends and family were far away and Milly was all I had. If she didn’t like him, I simply couldn’t see how he and I had a future together.

I was sad it hadn’t worked out with Dave, but luckily I didn’t have time to dwell on it because the following week a guy at my new job asked me out.

Jase worked in marketing and he was everything that Dave wasn’t: loud and confident. He took me to a noisy bar that I wouldn’t usually have gone to.

“How about we go out for dinner later this week?” I shouted. I wanted to get to know him better and the volume of the music in there made conversation impossible. “Okay. Only . . .” Jase looked shifty. “What?” I asked, thinking maybe he didn’t want to see me again. “I don’t get paid until Saturday,” he said. I laughed with relief. “That’s easy. I’ll cook,” I said.

But I had no desire for a repeat of last time. “Just one question: you do like cats, don’t you?”

Jase looked startled. “Um, yeah, I love them,” he said.

He arrived half an hour late but I forgave him when, to my amazement, Milly jumped straight into his lap.

Jase shifted in his seat and didn’t look altogether comfortable. He caught my eye as she tramped her paws. “She’s got good taste,” he said with an awkward laugh.

I went to the kitchen to drain the pasta. “It’s ready!” I called.

All Jase could talk about during the meal was rugby. I tried not to yawn. Milly liked him, I reminded myself, and that had to count for something.

After the meal Jase came up behind me and tried to kiss me.

I realised Milly was nowhere in sight. “Where did Milly go?” I asked.

Jase pointed to the front door. “I let her out.”

I stared at him in horror. “But I don’t let her go out the front. It’s a busy main road.” He shrugged. “She’ll be fine.” I ran outside. “Milly!” I yelled, but she was nowhere to be seen. “She’ll turn up,” Jase said. “I have to find her,” I said, pulling on my jacket. “She’s not allowed out after dark.”

His smile vanished. “Oh, come on. She’s just a cat!” He pushed past me and left without even saying goodbye.

I paced the neighbourhood for the next hour but there was no sign of Milly. So I slept downstairs on the sofa, hoping I’d hear her come back in. All night I tossed and turned, imagining her shivering and scared – or, worse, run over by a car. I got hardly any sleep.

I got up early the next morning to print some posters before work. While I was fixing one to a lamppost outside my house I heard someone shout my name. I turned around to find Dave.

“So it is her!” he said when he caught sight of the poster. “I was walking home from work last night when I saw this cat hiding in a hedge up the road. She looked terrified. Something must have scared her.”

Or someone, I thought suddenly. I remembered reading how cats were drawn to people who didn’t like them. It was to do with the way these people avoided eye contact with them.

Whereas we humans might find that a bit shifty, cats find it perfectly friendly. Was that why Milly had made a beeline for Jase? And then he’d booted her out as soon as my back was turned!

“I thought it looked like your Milly,” Dave said. “I eventually persuaded her to come out and she spent the night in my kitchen.”

“Thank you so much,” I said. I felt a little teary.

“Don’t worry, she’s fine,” Dave said. “She polished off a whole tin of cat food for breakfast.”

I stared at him. “But I thought you didn’t like cats?”

Dave frowned. “Me? I love them. I’ve got one of my own, a big ginger tom called Max. When Milly got a whiff of him she fluffed up, just like she did at your place. But she soon realised Max is a real softie. I found them curled up together this morning.” He glanced at me. “Let me guess: you’ve been up all night worrying. I bet you haven’t had any breakfast.” I nodded, dabbing my eyes. “I’ll make you a bacon sandwich if you like,” he said. “Max loves bacon and I reckon Milly might manage a bite too. Come on, let’s go.”

I took his hand and we headed down the street as the sun came up.

Milly lifted her head to smell him. Then she fluffed up and streaked outside