A Deadly Stare
He shot up from his slumber, slouching over himself as he coughed uncontrollably. He was struggling to breathe again. It was 4:03 am.
He got up to get a glass of water and there he was. The moonlight illuminated one side of his face as darkness engulfed the other. His yellow eyes still staring at him.
A New Pet
Adopting a pet can be one of the greatest joys life has to offer. But sometimes adopted animals can scare and surprise you with the behaviors they learned from their last home.
Daniel Hawkins and his family were about to find themselves in this situation when they noticed that their new cat had an unsettling trait that would give them countless sleepless nights in the coming weeks.
More Than Meets The Eye
Understanding how important it is to adopt a pet instead of buying one, Daniel decided to visit his local pound to find a new companion for himself and his family.
The kitty he found was sweet, affectionate and happy, but he would soon show his true colors and it was way more than Daniel had bargained for.
Love At First Sight
Ever since Daniel picked out Muffins, he had become a part of the family. The first time they saw him, Muffins looked straight into Daniel's eyes as if pleading with him to take him home.
Daniel couldn’t turn him away. And so, the Hawkins family gained another family member in the form of a tabby feline. But they had no idea that this was no ordinary cat.
Fitting In
Daniel’s two kids absolutely loved Muffins. They often snuggled with him all night, stroking his fluffy fur and listening to his gentle purr.
As soon as he left the pound, the cat had seemingly made himself at home and was comfortable around his new family. But he was hiding a habit that would terrify his new owners. A habit he only showed at night.
Disturbing Habit
Every single night since he had been adopted, the cat would stand in the doorway to his owners' bedroom while they slept. He didn’t seem to understand that he was supposed to sleep in the expensive bed that they bought for him.
Eventually relenting, Daniel decided to let him sleep with them in their bed. A decision he might come to regret.
Warning Signs
Daniel soon noticed that although Muffins was allowed onto the bed, he didn’t sleep at all. Instead, he chose to stare directly at Daniel and his wife as they slept. Every night this habit persisted leaving his owners gobsmacked.
Could this behavior be a sign of a more serious problem? Was he trying to tell his owners something? What was he looking at?
Health Issues
When Daniel was 13 he was diagnosed with asthma, so throughout his life, he has had trouble breathing, especially at night. He always had to have his inhaler nearby in case he had an attack.
He had seen countless doctors and specialists but they couldn’t relieve his symptoms. And lately, his "asthma" had been getting much worse.
Trouble Breathing
Daniel’s trouble breathing seemed to have intensified since they had brought Muffins home, but it wasn’t an allergy. No, this was something far more complicated.
There were moments in the night where it felt like glass was scratching his throat. He spent countless nights waking up in a panic, trying to catch his breath. As time went on, Daniel searched for answers. Little did he know, he would get one soon enough.
Out Of The Darkness
One night, Daniel woke up coughing. He was struggling for breath again. It was 4:03 am. His wife was fast asleep next to him, tucked into their duvet. He got up to get a glass of water from the kitchen but then he suddenly noticed something.
It was Muffins. And what he was doing made his blood run cold.
Watching Him
Under the moonlight, wrapped up in silence, Muffins watched Daniel intently. As Daniel got up to get his water, Muffins' reflective yellow eyes followed him eerily across the room. A sudden, irrational feeling of fear crept into Daniel’s mind.
Daniel took a drink and wiped his lips with the back of his hand. He froze as he realised something was on his mouth.
Furry Lips
It was covered in fur. It was obvious that his cat had been on his mouth. This must have been why he was finding it hard to breathe but what on earth was he doing?
After the same situation happened again and again, Daniel decided he was going to find out what his cat was doing to him, and why.
Screaming Intuition
The following morning, as Daniel ate his toast and cereal, he watched Muffins creep around the house. His two girls were playing with him while they watched TV. His youngest, Ella, scooped Muffins up and cuddled him closely.
He looked so lovable, cute and harmless but unsurprisingly, Daniel couldn’t let go of this nervous feeling,
Race To The Store
He knew he had to find out what his cat was up to at night So he grabbed his wallet, car keys, kissed his wife goodbye and set off to the store.
While driving there, all he could think of was Muffins’ alarming and creepy stare as he watched his every move. He needed some answers, now.
Lights, Camera, Action
“I’m looking for a video camera, please. Preferably one with night vision?” Daniel asks the store worker, who was busy packing another customers' items. “Sure thing!” The employee replied with a polite smile.
She leaves him for a few minutes before coming back with his video camera. He was finally going to get some answers.
Goodnight
Daniel sets up the camera before bedtime, making sure to focus the lens on his side of the bed. He noticed Muffins already lingering in the hallway. His green eyes were focused on Daniel’s every move.
Daniel gets into bed, kisses his wife goodnight and snuggles into his duvet. Darkness fills the room and he slowly drifts off to sleep, knowing that in the morning he’ll finally have answers.
The Morning After
The following morning Daniel woke up and immediately remembered the camera. He waved goodbye to his kids, who were off to play soccer, and sprinted back upstairs while Muffin continued to watch his every move.
He shut the bedroom door, pulled out the memory card from the camera and plugged it into his computer. While he waited for it to load, excitement jolted through his body.
Pressing Play
As Daniel pressed play, he clenched his hands. “Time for some answers!”, he whispered. The video showed nothing at first. Just Daniel and his wife tossing and turning in their bed.
He fast forwarded the video, until his jaw dropped. Pressing pause, he rewinded the clip to the beginning of the action. Muffins is perched at the end of the bed. Then slowly he makes his way up to Daniel’s mouth, who’s fast asleep. What was he doing?
Truth Revealed
“No way!”, shouts Daniel. The video shows Muffins slowly creeping his way closer and closer to Daniel’s face before getting completely comfortable and settling down on top of his nose and mouth.
Daniel can’t believe it. All he was doing was lying on his face? This is why he had trouble breathing at night! He hit pause and got up. Then Muffins creeped into the room and Daniel turned to him before cracking a laugh.
Relief And Humour
Daniel goes back downstairs. Over a cup of coffee and freshly toasted bread, Daniel explained everything to his wife. She was equally shocked and amused at Muffins odd behavior.
She was also glad that her husband’s health was fine. “That’s one way to show his love,” she joked. “Yeah, I guess it is,” he smirked.
Right Where He Wanted To Be
As Daniel finished reading his morning newspaper, he heard a meow. He looked down to see Muffins underneath his chair, staring up at him.
Daniel put down the newspaper and picked him up. He placed Muffins in his chest while stroking his silky, smooth fur. Muffins looked at his owner and let out a purr. He was exactly where he wanted to be.
A Mind Of Their Own
This story just goes to show that our dearly beloved pets really do have a mind of their own!
And when they want something, whether that’s food, drink, playtime, or in Muffins’ case, cuddles, they’ll stop at absolutely nothing to get it. Even if that may result in choking their owners - with love of course!