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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#187: Cat People

I love cats. Independent, sassy, badass, unbothered, adorable, playful, and cuddlier than popular culture makes them out to be, they’re one of life’s everyday miracles. 


They live with us, but they are mysteries to us, and it can be incredibly fun to imagine their secret lives — and all the parts of their realities we aren’t privy to. This week, let’s think about ordinary and unusual cats alike, and take a moment to appreciate the magic they bring to our lives.

This week's prompts

Start your story with a character being led somewhere by a stray cat.

Adventure – 109 stories

Write a story from the point of view of a big cat — whether that’s a lion, cheetah, etc., or just a chunky pet.

Funny – 48 stories

Write about a cat living in an ancient temple, like the Acropolis.

Fiction – 17 stories

Set your story in a cat shelter.

Fiction – 24 stories

Write about a human and a cat that come to some kind of mutual understanding.

Character – 126 stories

Stories

“The ruler of the home” by Maizie Bymers

Submitted to Contest #187

Hello. I am Mr. Wibbles, a name given to me by my 6 year old pet named Susan. If you were to see me I bet you would understand why I am the king of this home. I have short ginger and white fur that shines in the sun, (my favorite place to sleep), and my eyes are the color of amber. Most of the day I am alone waiting for my human, Elizabeth to come home as they say it, "Noon". I spend a lot of my time eating, sleeping, eating a bit more food, taking another nap, attacking the mouse that never leaves my house, (DARN YOU BARTHOLOMEW, THE MOUSE)...

2 comments 2
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“Room for Mr. Cuddles” by David B Fraser

Submitted to Contest #187

  She called me Mr. Cuddles, and took me from the shelter to her one room apartment near Kensington Market. I was just beginning to get my weight under control at the shelter. A lot of cats have complaints about the shelters but I always found they have a good weight detox program when your owner has really let you, let yourself go.    Her one room dwelling was horribly claustrophobic. The only window ledge was far too high for me to climb. Similarly, the bed as well. A litter box was shoved into a corner, unceremoni...

4 comments 4
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“Good Cheese” by Anonymous .

Submitted to Contest #187

Hi, my name is Cheese. Well, that’s what my human seems to think anyway. She also seems to believe I  am a male. Oh cheese, is she gonna be surprised to know how many kittens I’m carrying right now. I’m a hard working mother, to both my future kittens and my human, as she has been oblivious lately. Oblivious, did I use that right? English is my ninth language. Anyway, speaking of her, for the past five minutes I have been trying to notify her that I am currently stuck under her bed. I have been struggling to squeeze through so I decided...

2 comments 2
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“Life in the Shadow of the Monster.” by Elijah Rose

Submitted to Contest #187

Aryeh was not a giant hunter like other cats that once roamed this place. Or at least that's what he thought as he passed the sun bleached skeleton of an ancient hunter. It's skull was large enough to fit Aryeh's whole body within it, and it had only recently been exposed by the winds sweeping waves of sand across the desert. Aryeh trudged on, the soft fur on his oversized paws being all that separated him from the scorching sand. Aryeh was a skilled hunter, bringing a kill home to his family on two out of three nights, this night had not ...

0 comments 0
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“A Gift” by Lexi Rose

Submitted to Contest #187

I set out three weeks ago to make the journey to the Great Synagogue. This is the first time I've ever left home on my own, but the gods have called down from above for me to venture out. They came to me in a dream, and in my mother’s the very same night–a great treasure has been given to me and the people of my village, long as I claim it. I’ve almost made it, yet I feel as though I haven’t done enough to actually go in the old temple. Every boy wants to have the chance of adventure they hear of in folk tales–and I had that chance and it wa...

0 comments 0
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“Two mice please!” by Marija Rozman

Submitted to Contest #187

This story is based on mythology of Galinthias, some detailes are true, some are added. I was mortal once, they said I betrayed Gods but I was only trying to help my friend. They would let her suffer, ah, my dear Alkmene, continuous birth pangs put on her by Moirai and Eileithyia almost killed me watching it. I was her servant, but actually, we were best friends. When Heraklo was born, I felt like he was a nephew to me, I wanted to hold him, but I couldn't. Moirai was mad, he was furious that I stopped their spells and, together with Eil...

2 comments 2
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“Day 1007” by Myranda Wren

Submitted to Contest #187

DAY 1007: The dog hasn't spoken to me since I accidentally lost his frisbee out the airlock. How was I supposed to know he had hidden it in the other space trash? "The cat was eyeballing it," he claimed before he shut me out altogether. I tried to plead with him, "I was just doing my job. I feed you and the cat and I keep the ship clean, which includes taking out the trash." He was unmoved. "I'm sorry," I added. "I was only allowed to bring one toy, Doug. And now, thanks to you, it's gone," he said with a flip of his tail, turni...

0 comments 0
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“A Stroll to the Other Side” by Matt Savarese

Submitted to Contest #187

A Stroll to the Other Side Matt Savarese “I believe cats to be spirits come to Earth. A cat, I am sure, could walk on a cloud without coming through.” -Jules Verne Spirits… one I would soon become. My old flesh would not stand the test against malignant cancer, unfortunately. Not long ago my doctor informed me he did not expect me to survive the next three months. Since then I’ve elected to do the things I love regardless of how much my illness burdens me. Before my body gave way to the powers of disease I spent my days walking throug...

2 comments 2
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“Purrl ” by Chelsey B

Submitted to Contest #187

One bright morning in early spring, cars honked, buses held up traffic, and bicycles whizzed down the street as the city awoke. The neighborhood dogs barked and howled, sounding the alarm that Purrl was slinking down the sidewalk on her way to the park. The usually bustling playground sat empty for now, and that was just the way Purrl liked it. Children often confused her. They were loud, and unpredictable. They could seem nice, but then turn mean without warning. A wild breeze sent a small green leaf spinning to the ground. Purrl pounced ...

6 comments 6
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“Pillowman” by Dylan Patrick

Submitted to Contest #187

“Foolish human! After besting your father, I won your servitude!”  My cat, probably. Technically speaking, he wasn’t mine. He belonged to my dad, aka the one who fed/pet/named him. The little guy with a big ego (or so I imagine) was a British Shorthair named Fuzz Aldrin. If it were up to me, his name would be Epeius, the mastermind of the Trojan Horse. I could probably be called speciesist, but that was a perspective I couldn’t shake. He was a self-serving beast, and my dad was the only one between us that cared enough about him enou...

6 comments 6
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“Poe's Revenge” by Penelope Conlon

Submitted to Contest #187

Moving DaySharon climbed the three flights of stairs, carefully balancing the trolly with heaving boxes of books strapped to it. There was nasty smell in the stairwell that got stronger once she got to the third floor. One of her feet slipped on a greasy spot on the top step, and when she tried to correct herself (and not lose the trolly and her boxes), her left ankle paid the price with a nasty twist.She swore a blue streak at the inconvenience of the injury at the beginning of her moving day, knowing how many more boxes she had to get up t...

13 comments 13
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“Starting From Scratch” by Emily Brown

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #187

In the old days, Whiskey greeted her at the front door every morning. Fourteen-hour overnight shifts were no match for the cat’s crippling separation anxiety. Now, she was lucky to get more than one glimpse of her speckled brown coat per day.  “Whiskey! Breakfast!” she calls and cracks open a pink can of Fancy Feast, a feeble attempt at enticing the cat out of her hiding spot. James had never let her buy wet food for Whiskey, usually picking up one of those unappetizing orange-and-pink kibble mixes himself. It was one of the first par...

6 comments 6
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“To breathe or to bleed” by Cixtian Trybe

Submitted to Contest #187

A sharp blow to the back of the head rendered him soundly into unconsciousness. I let the last of them drop to the pavement in an unceremonious heap, and cast about to find it.Amber colored eyes peered from the darkness. Black tail causing a strange visual flicker against the near impermeable alley's shadows. Then it was off again, bounding from can to create, from sill to to bin, and with each a glance back to be sure I followed.I stayed centered and tread with as much quiet a I could muster. My companion holding the lions share (pun intend...

3 comments 3
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“Mindsong's Path” by Giuliano Olivotto

Submitted to Contest #187

The stray cat meandered through the alley, her tail twitching as if she was looking for something. She stopped every few steps to sniff the air, and glance around as if she knew something I didn’t. Eventually, she made her way to a wall full of graffiti at the end of the alley and stopped in front of it, her green eyes shining in the darkness. I hesitated, wondering if I should follow her. I had no idea what she was up to, and the last thing I wanted was to get into trouble. But curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to take a chance....

2 comments 2
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“Shadow” by J.V. Summer

Submitted to Contest #187

           Abby didn’t see the cat at first. She was still seeing red, furious with her mother. Besides, it was dark outside, and so was the cat. It had been sitting like a guard dog on the sidewalk in front of the Watson’s house, and when it saw Abby stalking towards it, it looked up and then darted off in front of her, as if it had been waiting to lead her somewhere. Since Abby had no idea where she was headed in her blind rage, she followed the cat. When they turned the corner at Fi...

1 comment 1
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$250

Prize money

324

Contest entries

117

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Mar 03, 2023 EST

Won by Michelle Oliver 🏆

Title: Mitzee’s Moment

Submissions must be between 1,000 - 3,000 words and will be approved and published on Reedsy Prompts within 7 days of the contest closing.

Read the full terms & conditions or check out the FAQ if you have any questions!

Prompts | Big Blue Hand | 2024-11

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