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She lived with her mommy, daddy, and brother Robert in a nice house in a town called Cincinnati. One day, while Carolyn was playing out in the back yard, a big white cat walked into the yard. He was muddy, bloody, and covered with scabs from a fight he had been in. His ears were chewed into pieces. Carolyn walked over to where the cat stood. She reached down and petted his matted fur and said, "Cat, you're so cute!" Cat wasn't feeling very good, but being petted by Carolyn made him feel better, so he stood still. Carolyn petted him some more.
Later, when Carolyn's mommy gave her a snack, Carolyn saved some of the Fruit Loops in her pocket and brought them back outside with her. Cat was still in the yard, so Carolyn shared her Fruit Loops with Cat. Cat was hungry and ate them all while Carolyn petted him some more and told him once again, "Cat, you're so cute." After supper, when Carolyn went back outside, Cat was there waiting. They were glad to see each other for they had become friends. Carolyn had brought Cat some of her dinner.
When Mommy and Daddy came out to tell Carolyn it was time for bed, Carolyn showed them her new friend. "Mommy, Daddy, this is my baby Cat. He is so cute." Mommy and Daddy looked at Cat, who was still dirty, bloody, and scabby. Daddy said, "He doesn't look very cute to me." Mommy sniffed and then sniffed again. She was allergic to cat hair. "Can I keep him?" Carolyn asked. Mommy sniffed again and looked at Daddy. Daddy said, "I don't think so, Carolyn, honey." Carolyn cried very hard and loud, and then Daddy said, "We'll see in the morning. Probably he will go back to his old home by then." Carolyn cried a little more, but she was tired and fell asleep soon after she was in bed.
Early the next morning Carolyn ran out to the back yard. There was Cat! Carolyn was happy to see Cat, and Cat was happy to see Carolyn. Carolyn laughed with delight, and Cat purred. Carolyn went into the house and came back with some Fruit Loops and a bowl of milk. Then Cat purred even louder and ate and drank all that Carolyn had brought for him.
That day, when Daddy went to the grocery store, he came back with a bag of dry cat food and two small bowls. He showed Carolyn how to put the cat food in one bowl by the back door and water in the other. Carolyn was proud that she could take care of Cat. Cat was happy. Mommy got a brush and came outside to brush Cat's fur and put some medicine on his hurts. She didn't have to sniff so much if Cat stayed outside. Cat looked and felt better, but no one but Carolyn ever said he was good looking. Cat didn't care. If Carolyn liked him, that was all that mattered.
From then on, Cat and Carolyn were best friends and played together every day. Carolyn petted Cat a lot, and when she was playing other games, she would drag Cat over to where he could sit or lie down and be near her. Cat never scratched or complained--even when Carolyn forgot and hurt him a little.
One night after supper, when Carolyn and Cat were in the back yard, Carolyn was throwing her ball to show Cat how far she could throw. The gate to the back yard was open, and the ball rolled out the gate and into the street. Now, Carolyn knew she should never, never go into the street. Mommy and Daddy had told her that many, many times. But Carolyn forgot and ran into the street to get her ball.
Just then a car came down the street. It was getting dark, and the car didn't see Carolyn. Cat leaped up from where he was sitting and ran into the street between Carolyn and the car. Luckily, the car did see the white cat. The car's brakes screeched, and the car stopped just before it would have hit Cat. So Carolyn did not get hit by the car. Daddy and Mommy heard the noise and ran out to see what had happened. The man came out of the car and told Mommy and Daddy, "Your little girl ran out into the street, but it was getting dark so I didn't see her. If your cat hadn't run out in front of me, I think I would have hit her. That cat saved your little girl's life." Mommy and Daddy thanked the man and he drove off in his car.
Then Mommy, Daddy, Carolyn, and Cat went back into the back yard and sat down. They were still very frightened. Mommy and Daddy told Carolyn again that she should never, never go in the street, and Carolyn promised she wouldn't. It was bedtime, so Carolyn petted Cat and gave him a goodnight hug before Mommy took her into the house. Daddy sat in the back yard a moment more and looked up at the sky. He gave a grateful sigh and reached down to pat Cat. He said, "You know, Cat, maybe you're pretty cute after all."
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