The march of the cats

YVONNE GILLISSEN

For Gerda

Xpath Design multimedia productions￼Afbeelding

Copyright

All characters and events in this story are fictional.

Any resemblance to actual persons is purely coincidental.

© 2022 Yvonne Gillissen/Xpath Design multimedia productions

Amsterdam

Translation: Lizzie Kean

Publisher: Xpath Design multimedia productions

Cover: Niek van Wijngaarden

Layout: Xpath Design - www.xpathdesign.nl

Yvonne Gillissen - www.yvonnegillissen.nl

ISBN: 9789493016262

Nur: 283

No part of this publication may be reproduced and or distributed by any means, including printing, photocopying, recording, electronically or any other way whatsoever, without the prior written permission of the publisher. www.xpathdesign.nl

THE MARCH OF THE CATS (ebook part 1, ISBN:9789493016262)

Amsterdam's headstrong cats are discontented and cross. They're not being treated well enough, at least they don't think so. During a meeting, they decide to leave the inhabitants of the capital city and go off into the wide world. In just one night, they form a procession and disappear quietly to look for adventure at the North Pole. In the meantime, the people and children are left behind, sad and desolate.

THE CATS HAVE A PLAN (ebook part 2, ISBN:9789493016279)

Those cheeky Amsterdam cats are back. After years of peace and quiet, they've had enough. A few of the more enterprising animals decide to take matters into their own paws and forge a fantastic plan. It will take courage, and also a lot of money. But how do they get that?

THE KITTYCAT CITY (ebook part 3, ISBN:9789493016293)

Belle is imprisoned at the police station and Amsterdam is angry! The headstrong and cheeky cats have to show that they actually deserve to live in the capital city, otherwise they are to be banished. The animals themselves have their own ideas on the subject and want to get Belle out of prison. But will they manage?

Other translated work by this author:

NOW WOULD YOU BELIEVE THIS..?..?! (ebook ISBN: 9789493016101)

Is a story about the secret of love. Zaven and his girlfriend Camilla like playing outside in the snow together. They want to make snowmen. But then something strange happens….For children (7+) and grownups who want to know more about that.
Also available as an audiobook: ISBN: 9789493016088

THE MARCH OF THE CATS

Something very unusual has happened in Amsterdam. In just one night, all the capital's cats have met up, because they're discontented or offended. They're not being treated well, or not well enough. At least, that's what they think. They've gathered to have a meeting. A lot of them are angry and don't want to put up with it any longer. Some of them might well have a point. But there are others who really know how to exaggerate. Well, judge for yourself…

One night, somewhere towards the end of September, all the cats in Amsterdam got together at the Kattengat. They invited each other with miaows and yowls. And their distress call gradually reached every corner. From the highest block of flats to the deepest basement and from the most expensive hotel to the messiest squat. Every cat, whether fat, thin, big, small, red, grey, white, black, tortoiseshell, striped, beautiful or ugly, was curious enough to come. Curiosity is something that goes with cats. Like cake and sweets at a birthday party.

Tonight, after they all arrived, they started telling each other about their misery. Each story more horrible than the one before. Every animal has something to say. Each cat miaows the loudest. This causes a lot of anger and dissatisfaction.

Pip, a big grey tomcat grumbles. "Oh, disgusting! I once played in a film. I hated it. At first, the other people on the film set were really nice to me. But the director made me do everything over and over again, sometimes twenty times, because I wasn’t doing it right. Suddenly, the whole film crew got really impatient. People started promising me all sorts of things, like milk and fresh fish. And straight away, I got it right. Then all the people started clapping like mad. It scared the life out of me and I hid under a cupboard. I spent the rest of the day’s filming there. And not a soul came looking for me. Which was actually fine with me. Except that they forgot to bring the milk and fresh fish they’d promised me."

"Oh, that's nothing," says Sunny, a cute little black and white pussycat who lives together with Pip. "Our lady boss is quite crazy. She puts on that weird music and starts dancing around the house like a mad bull. That's not such a problem, but it does get annoying when we have to join in. That's funny sometimes, but not every day! Last week she wanted to practise tango dancing with me. It made me completely dizzy!"

The stories they tell are terrible.