Zip, Zap, Zoom, Zip Zap! What could that be? Airplanes! Rockets! Zip, Zap, Zip, Zap, Zip, Zip, Zoom! Could it be firecrackers?

The day I heard these sounds was one of the worst days of a cat’s life. My name is Cuddles. (My human mother named me Cuddles because I like to curl up on the pillow beside her or curl up on her chest). The zip, zip, zap, zip, zap, zoom was a noise around my head. I knew it wasn’t bees or wasps. It sure sounded close! Then all at once something hit me on the head and zoomed away! Zip — this time I was hit in the back! I crouched on the ground. The missiles were coming closer and hitting me more often! I was in a war zone! I slowly raised my head and saw something blue coming at me! I jumped about three feet into the air and tried to catch it! I tried catching the missiles three more times! I heard sounds coming form higher up in the air. They where high pitched squeaks and screams. It seemed like my ears would burst from the awful sounds. I was now being hit by not only blue missiles but brown ones! I thought I saw every color of the rainbow coming at me. I took a chance between hits and raised my head to see what the terrible cries were. I saw a telephone line full of birds. Birds! The missiles were birds! I knew these were bluebirds. Their screams and screeches were a call that they were in trouble and for other birds to come and help them. I knew I was out-numbered. I took off as fast as my legs would carry me. I went so fast I was just a blur! There was still something blue after me! I raced for the door screaming for help. My human mother had seen what was happening. She opened the door and picked me up to comfort me. I cuddled up in her lap and finally went to sleep.

When I woke up I went back to the war zone. Everything was so quiet. I started to walk around the yard and see if some of the birds were still around. I climbed up a fence post to look in a bird house. No birds! I climbed down and wandered over to the empty house next door. I got under it to watch for mice.

That was the end of that bad day!