In this narrated excerpt from Anne Feiner's The Killer Cat Strikes Back, the cat recounts a frantic scene in a household where a missing object—presumably a raffle ticket—has the family scrambling. The cat observes the family turning the house upside down, searching under rugs and envelopes, while the clock nears a deadline. With only minutes left, the cat reluctantly pushes an ill‑made pot off a shelf, causing it to shatter and unexpectedly release a fresh prawn and a raffle ticket. The prawn lands on the carpet, prompting confusion, while the cat snatches the ticket and darts for the door. Ellie cries “Run, Daddy, run!” as the chaos unfolds. The passage blends tension, dark humor, and a moral dilemma as the cat sacrifices the pot for the “good of the community.”
Chapters
The Killer Cat Strikes Back, written by Anne Feiner, read by me, Lois Letchford. Chapter 9. Run, Daddy, run! Of course, the poor sap hadn't got a clue. I watched them turn the house upside down, upending sofas, peering under the rugs, sticking their noses into old envelopes. By the time the clock ticked around to quarter to 6, they were quite desperate. It must be here somewhere! Where did you put it? Try to remember! He clutched his hair and wailed, I don't know! All I can recall is coming back into this room with a raffle ticket in my hand. I tried to give them a hint. I kept on strolling up and down along the shelf. And giving little purrs, but they had no time to pay attention to me. So in the end, with only 5 minutes to go before the deadline, I had to do what I— what he'd been trying to get me to do for several weeks. I didn't choose to do it, you understand. It was an unselfish act. Purely for the good of the community. Left to myself, I would have happily broken my own front left leg rather than pleasing him by damaging that last ugly pot. But needs must when the devil drives. I stuck out my paw and pushed the thing firmly off the end of the shelf. I won't say it smashed. Fat chance. This pot was such an ill-made lump, It simply fell apart in mid-air. Out tumbled first one fresh prawn, then one small raffle ticket. The bits of pot hit the carpet. Plop, plop, plop. What on earth is that prawn doing there? said Ellie's mother. He didn't take long— he didn't take the time to blush. He simply smashed up the rack. Snatched up the raffle ticket and made for the door. Run, Daddy, run! cried Ellie.