01/10/2026
Let us share a little story we have titled: Batty by the Window
The morning felt soft and warm, the kind of day that makes a kitten’s whiskers twitch. My foster mom brushed my sleek black fur until it gleamed like polished midnight. She smiled and said, “Today’s your big day, Batty. Your adopters are coming after they get off work.”
I didn’t know exactly what adopters meant, but the way she said it made my heart hop. I’d been practicing my cutest meow all week, just in case someone special was listening.
I spent the morning chasing dust motes and watching the outside world from my favorite spot on the window ledge. The big oak tree shimmered with birds, and the breeze brought in the smell of fresh grass and faraway places. I imagined what my new home might be like, maybe with a couch all my own, or a window just like this one, only higher up so I could see more sky.
When the sun started to slide down, I perked up. It was almost the time she said they’d be done with work. My foster mom tidied my blanket and set out the little toy mouse I loved best. “Any minute now,” she said, with a hopeful smile that made me want to purr.
So I waited. Every sound outside made my heart leap, a car door, a set of footsteps, laughter from down the block. I’d press my nose to the glass, sure that this time it was them. But each time, the sound drifted away again.
The sky turned pink, then purple. My foster mom kept glancing out too, her shoulders getting quieter as the minutes passed. She turned off the porch light when it got dark. “Guess they couldn’t make it, sweetheart,” she whispered.
I curled up on the sill, staring at the stars flickering where the sun used to be. I didn’t cry, kittens don’t cry, but my purr came out soft and shaky. Somewhere out there, my people had a long day, maybe got lost, or maybe just didn’t know that I’d been waiting all afternoon, watching the world through this big square of glass.
Tomorrow, I’ll wait again. Because one day, someone will come after work, and they won’t just look through the window. They’ll open the door.