Lala the cat had a problem. Her fur was itchy—terribly, horribly itchy! She scratched behind her ears, under her chin, and even rolled on the floor like a fuzzy noodle. Thuy, her human, had been trying to brush her for days, but Lala wasn’t having it. Every time she saw Thuy holding that big bristly brush, Lala would dart behind the couch or under the bed.
This morning was no different. As soon as Lala saw Thuy approaching with the brush in one hand and a bottle of something suspicious in the other, she knew it was time to disappear. With a flick of her tail, she leapt off the windowsill and dashed out the open back door.
Thuy called out, “Lala! Come back! It’s just oatmeal shampoo!” But Lala wasn’t listening. She was already halfway across the yard, running past the garden and straight toward her favorite hideout—the backyard pool.
Normally, Lala didn’t care much for water. But today, with her fur driving her nuts, the cool shimmer of the pool looked more tempting than ever. She padded up to the edge, sniffed the water, then—with a very un-catlike boldness—jumped right in!
SPLASH!
The water was cold, but oh, it felt amazing. Lala swam in circles, shaking her paws and floating on her back. The itchiness started to fade, replaced by the refreshing tingle of the chlorine water soaking into her fur.
Back at the porch, Thuy gasped when she saw Lala paddling happily in the pool. “Lala! What are you doing?! You hate baths!”
But Lala didn’t care. She was finally itch-free and loving every second of her secret swim.
When she climbed out, soggy but satisfied, Thuy wrapped her in a towel. “Well,” Thuy said with a laugh, “if you’re going to bathe yourself, I guess I’ll leave the oatmeal shampoo for next time.”
Lala purred in agreement—and plotted her next escape.
