Being Replaced

Part 1

I passed through the woods, listening to the cars drive by on the roads surrounded the park. 

That's where I lived. In a wooded park surrounded on all sides by people and roads. And also the constant reminder.

My old house is right across the street. The house that I had grown up in and cherished, only to have it so easily given to some other cat. One that looked just like me, but wasn't.

Actually, before I got to my home and I still lived with my mother and siblings, I thought everyone looked like me. Because we all looked the same. All of us. Me, mother, siblings, father. We all were the same brown and tan mix. Only thing changed was our eye colors. Green yellow, ember.  I thought it was normal. That all cats looked like me

Then one day, I was maybe a moon old, I noticed the House-folk on their weird glowing leaf. I was on there lap getting pet when I heard a sigh. I glanced up and they were staring at their leaf with adoration. On their leaf was a cat. A different cat. It was white and fluffy with big blue eyes. It was so cute! But why did it look so different?

 I ran over to mother and asked her about the weird cat. Why didn't it look like us?

She told me we were what was called a breed. And some house-folk only like certain breeds of cats or other pets. We all looked the same because we were all the same breed. And breeds were families that all had certain characteristics. 

Despite learning this, I never met another 'breed' until I got to my home. And since I was young, it still took months for me to meet one. And it was completely a surprise. 

I was maybe 6 or 7 months old, just starting to grow into my feet as mother would say. My new owner gave me the name Sally.

I had finally gotten a cat door. My owner was a good person and I was told no get for me. I went a few times as a kitten and the smell made my eyes water. 

I pushed my way outside for the first time on my own. I stretched out on the grass, bathing in then scent. It was musky and fresh all at once. I pricked my ears as I heard the crisp chirping I only ever heard muffled. 

I jumped to my feet, the bell around my neck jingling. The bird looked at me and flew away. I frowned, disappointed. I wanted to see if I could catch it. 

Changing pace, I looked out into the garden and decide to explore every inch. I shuffled under every bush, smelled every flower.

I was pretty satisfied for the day when I noticed a little hole in the fence. Just a small crack.

With nothing left to do and quickly growing bored, I peeked through. On the other side was a small dirt path. I could see a shiny trash can like inside. It smelled of my human and me so I could assume it was mine. It shook a bit, then fell over with a loud clatter. 

I jumped back, only to crawl back and look out again. I heard some meows and through the hole I saw a flash of fur. 

I focused on it and slowly made out the shape of a long haired black cat. 

Then the smell hit me. He smelled like a rotten carcass. I'd smelt bad food before when my human didn't clean it up. He smelled worse. 

Unable to deal with the smell, I backed up and ran inside. It was almost dinner time anyway
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The next day I went back outside and decided to catch that bird. When I saw it I charged and swiped at where it was. In a flutter and screech it was gone into the air. I glared after it. 

I heard a clatter again and ran to the hole to see. Our can was upright again so it wasn't us. I clawed my way up to get a better look. I leaned out to look down the path and saw another garbage farther down was knocked over. I watched as the same matted grey tom dig through that trash. Why did he eat that stuff when he could just have his human feed him more?