Koko's kitten (True Story)

Chapter 2 - A new cat for Koko (ending)

When he was older, Ball would go into Koko's trailer by himself. It worried me at first. I didn't know how Koko would treat the kitten alone. As it turned out, Koko was always gentle. Ball was never afraid of her. Koko was a good gorilla mother. She wiped Ball with a wet towel and combed him to keep him clean. She also looked at his eyes. ears. and mouth to make sure he was healthy. Ball was often a topic of conversation during Koko's lessons.

"Love visit," Koko signed when Ball and I arrived for a morning lesson. Koko seemed to enjoy conversations about her kitten. This conversation took place between Koko and a research assistant named Janet.

"I'll give you some grapes if you tell me about Ball, the cat," Janet said.

"Soft," Koko signed "Do you love ball?" "Soft, good cat, cat," Koko signed Besides sign language, art is another way I test Koko. Ball lay with a green toy on an Orange towel. I gave Koko a canvas and some paints. Then I asked her to draw Ball. Koko had ten colors to choose from. First, she picked black for Ball's body. Next, she picked orange for the towel. Then, she picked green for the toy. "What about Ball's eyes?" I asked. Koko pecked tan.

On a foggy December morning, one of the assistants told me that Ball had been hit by a car. He died at once.

I was shocked and unprepared. I didn't know how close I had grown to Ball. I had no idea how the news would affect Koko. The kitten meant so much for her. He was Koko's baby.

I went to Koko at once. I told her that Ball had been hit by a car. She would not see him again.

Koko didn't respond. I thought she didn't understand, so I left the trailer.

Ten minuets later I heard Koko cry. It was her distress cry call. She gave a loud, long series of high-pitched hoots.

Three days later, Koko and I had a conversation about Ball. "Do you want to talk about your kitty?" I asked. "Cry," Koko signed. "Can you tell me more about it?" I asked.

"Blind," she signed. "We don't see him anymore, do we? What happen to your kitty?" I asked "Sleep cat," Koko signed.

News about Ball's death traveled quickly. We got thousands of letters. People of all ages wrote to us. They all had one message. Koko should have a new kitten. In January, I showed Koko a picture of three kittens. One had a long tail. One had short tail. One was tailless.

"When you get another kitty, what kind would it be?" I asked

"That," Koko signed as she pointed to the tailless cat. "We'll get you a kitty like that," I said.

"Is that okay?" "Good, nice." Koko answered.

"How do you feel about kitties?" I asked "Cat gorilla have visit," she signed. "Koko love."

Koko was ready for a new kitten. Now, if only I could find one.

More time went by. I called the Humane Society. They had no kittens at all-let alone a rare tailless Manx. I called many other places. I was disappointed again and again.

Then our luck change. We got a letter from a breeder of Manx cats. He wanted to help. He didn't have any kittens then, but he called other Manx breeders. At last he found a litter of Manx kittens in Southern California. They were just about ready to leave their mother.

Finally, on March 24, a red, tiger-stripped Manx was brought to our home. Seeing the kitten, Koko purred with joy. It was a Wonderful moment. She placed him on her chest and petted him/

"Let me hold the kitty," I said. But Koko would no let go. She kissed and cradled her kitten.

"Baby," she signed. Koko was happy her new kitten had come to stay.

DID YOU LIKE KOKO'S STORY?