Dickens And The Cat Who Lived Under The Bed

Dickens And The Cat Who Lived Under The Bed is a story about two feral cats, Dickens and Hunter, who have come to live at our house. The genesis of the story was that after Hunter came into the house he spent months under the bed. The story is based on true events, so it may be characterized as fiction or non-fiction work depending on your view.

By way of background, Dickens arrived at the house first and then three years ago along came the second cat, Hunter. I fed Hunter outside for six months before he came into the house. Once Hunter came in, he promptly hid under the bed for five months. Yes, five months! 

The only view we had of Hunter for the longest time was from the floor looking under the bed. Hunter was welcome to freely come and go from ‘his room’, but under the bed he stayed. At times I would find myself talking about the resident cat, Dickens, and his friend who lived under the bed. I found myself saying that it sounded like the title of a children’s story, so I wrote one!

Bringing feral cats into a house is quite an experience for all. The cats do not know anything about interacting with people or their surroundings. It is an exercise in patience and trust to build the relationships needed for all to move forward.

Cats, like all animals, are intelligent, form bonds, and communicate with us when we pay attention and learn their ‘language’. I have found that as I continue to interact with these lovely animals, I learn not just about them, but about myself as well. My experiences have been both pleasant and enriching.

I hope this Dickens and Hunter story will remind us that all living things deserve to be cared for and treated with kindness. This story touches on themes such as caring and kindness, loss and loneliness, patience, trust, and love. It shows that kindness counts! These are important messages for all of us.

The story also confirms to us that we can have a positive impact on an immediate need when it shows up in our life, in this case a starving animal needing a home. It teaches and reminds us that it is worthwhile to engage, and that we can have a positive influence on the quality of life in the world.

Additionally, I can see how this natural little story could be enjoyed and perhaps be an opportunity to teach. It could be a door that could lead to conversations about things that happen around us; things that we may sometimes not know how to approach with little ones.