Article September 16, 2002 Issue

The tiny vacation

By Toni Albert

My Cat, Charlie , plopped down at the base of the bird feeder, turned over on his back with his feet in the air, and rolled in the dirt. A squirrel scolded him with a hoarse bark, warning him to go away. The squirrel angrily swished its tail back and forth, back and forth. But Charlie was too lazy to move.

Then a blue jay began to complain. I could almost hear it calling: "What is this cat doing so close to the feeder? Watch him, watch him!"

Other birds stopped darting to the feeder for tasty seeds. They settled on the branches of nearby trees and shrubs. Charlie slowly washed his front paw with his tongue, as if he didn't hear the complaints around him.

About the author

Toni Albert is a nature writer who has written 40 books. She and her husband, Bob, own a book publishing company committed to teaching kids to care for the Earth.

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