Listen, children, to a story about the cat who learned to purr.

Nearly all children, and grownups as well, like to pet kitties, feeling their soft warm fur flow beneath their fingers. Most kitties enjoy it as well. When they do, the kitties purr, which is their song of contentment, of joy, of trust.

A while ago, two grandparents lived in a small town, sort of away from The City. One day they noticed that Max the Cat was peering out of one window, running to another and peering out of that one, and then running to a third window and peering out of that one as well.

Grandmother went to the window herself, to see what had Max the Cat so excited. She saw a cat, leading a parade of four tiny kittens around the house.

Grandmother began to leave bowls of cat food out for Momma Kitty, as Grandmother and Grandfather named her, along with bowls of water. Grandmother would sit quietly, a ways away from the food, and softly speak to Momma Kitty, as she, Momma, would cautiously eat and drink.

Soon, Momma Kitty, half wild and very cautious around these “Human” creatures, would allow Grandmother to sit closer, and closer, and closer, until one day when Momma Kitty was on the porch, meowing for Grandmother to fill her food bowl. Grandmother then opened the kitchen door and invited Momma Kitty to come inside and out of the cold.