Other cats often picked on him, but he silently endured it. He never responded with aggression — he would just look away and freeze in the corner of the cage, as if the world around him didn’t exist.
Lilia, one of the shelter volunteers, watched the fluffy white cat press himself against the wall of the cage with a heavy heart. The large cat with a luxurious tail had arrived three months ago. Since then, he hadn’t shown the slightest interest in anything around him. Even the name he was given — Moses — got no reaction.
— “We had him checked by the vet. He’s perfectly healthy physically,” the girl quietly told Lilia. “But in this condition, I doubt anyone will want to adopt him.”
— “What’s wrong, sweetheart?” Lilia gently opened the cage and lifted the cat into her arms.
“Missing home, aren’t you?”
— “At least he’s eating a bit,” the girl sighed.
— “Who brought him here?”
— “A social worker,” she replied. “His owners died in a car crash. Their daughter was taken to an orphanage, and the cat was brought to us. It’s a sad story…”
— “The girl went to an orphanage?” Lilia repeated in disbelief. “No relatives at all?”
— “If there were, I doubt they’d be in separate shelters,” the girl said as she walked off.
— “Your little owner is in an orphanage… Maybe she’s the only one who could bring joy back into your life,” Lilia whispered as she gently put Moses back in his cage.
He didn’t respond — not to her voice, not to her touch.
Lilia couldn’t bear the sadness in his eyes. She made up her mind: she would find his home.
The town was small — surely someone still remembered him.
She spent the next few days asking around and gathering information. Once she found the right address, she put Moses in a harness and set out for the place he once called home.
The yard was empty. Just a typical five-story apartment building. Lilia picked the cat up and walked to the entrance. She typed in the number of the apartment on the intercom.
— “Who is it?” came an elderly voice.
— “Good afternoon! My name is Lilia, I’m a volunteer from the animal shelter. I have a cat with me, Moses — he used to live in apartment 28. May I speak with you?”
— “Oh, of course! Come on up,” the woman replied, clearly pleased.
On the second floor, Lilia set the cat down. Moses immediately came to life, stretched toward the door, and let out a soft meow. Just then, an elderly woman stepped out of the neighboring apartment, wrapping a scarf around her shoulders.
— “Moses, sweetheart!” she exclaimed, crouching to pet him. The cat, recognizing her, began to purr and rubbed against her legs.
— “He’s come back to life…” Lilia whispered, unable to believe her eyes.
— “You’re Lilia? I’m Regina Oleksandrivna,” the woman said, hugging the cat. “Come in, let’s have some tea.”
As they sat in the kitchen, Lilia asked:
— “Please, tell me about Moses. He refuses to eat, doesn’t respond to anyone — just now was the first time I heard him meow.”
— “Little Moses was truly a member of the family,” Regina Oleksandrivna began. “His owners, Andriy and Sveta, took him in when he was still a blind kitten. They raised and nurtured him. And when little Liza was born, he became her best friend. He slept with her, never left her side. Sveta used to joke that their daughter had ‘stolen’ the cat from her. He belonged to her with all his heart.”
The elderly woman wiped away a tear.
— “Liza often stayed with me. Moses too. No wonder he remembers me. Can he stay here with me? I was told they took him away while I wasn’t home…”
— “Of course, if he’s happy here — that’s the best thing for him,” Lilia agreed. “What happened to Liza?”
— “She’s in the orphanage. I wanted to visit her, but they wouldn’t let me — said I’m not a relative. Andriy didn’t have any close family left. Well… maybe there was a second cousin, Misha. He lived abroad. Used to visit every summer…”
— Do you have any contacts?
— Only the name and surname of his late wife’s aunt. She lives in a nearby town. Maybe she can help.
Regina Oleksandrivna handed Lilia a small slip of paper. Lilia clenched it in her hand and, after saying goodbye, went to her father — a police officer.
A month passed. Lilia called Regina Oleksandrivna almost every day. Moses became noticeably livelier, especially after a playful kitty — brought by Lilia from the shelter — joined the household.
Thanks to her father, she managed to find a woman who knew Mykhailo. Yesterday, she gave Lilia his phone number.
Today, holding her breath, the girl dialed it. The ninth ring.
— Hello? — a man’s voice answered.
— Good afternoon, my name is Lilia, I’m a volunteer at the shelter where Moses ended up…
— Moses? How did he end up there?!
— His owners passed away. A car accident. Four months ago…
— Oh God… — the voice trembled. — And Liza?
— She’s in an orphanage. But she’s okay.
— Why didn’t anyone tell me?! She shouldn’t be in an orphanage. She has family!
— Maybe the social workers didn’t know about you. But I wanted to help…
— Thank you, Lilia. How is Moses?
— He’s living with Regina Oleksandrivna now. She told me a lot…
— Moses will see Liza. Everything will be alright.
Ten months after the first phone call, Lilia was sitting in the orphanage waiting room with Moses in her arms. Mykhailo had promised to come for Liza today.
Lilia knew: after this, their paths might part. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a door opening. Mykhailo walked in.
— Good day, Lilia, — he smiled, taking Moses. — Old friend, you haven’t changed a bit.
— I’m glad to see you, — Lilia tried to hide her nervousness.
In the director’s office, Mykhailo firmly refused to leave the cat behind:
— He waited for this moment. He has to be here.
— That’s against the rules! — the director protested. — The girl won’t care either way.
— Why not? — Lilia asked quietly but firmly.
— Since Elizaveta came to us, she barely talks to anyone. No friends, no smiles… The psychologist says that—
The office door creaked open, and a caretaker entered, holding the hand of a thin girl, about seven years old. A pale face, dull eyes — there was no fear or curiosity in them, only emptiness. Lilia had seen the same look in Moses when he sat in his cage at the shelter.
The parallel struck her suddenly. Her heart ached — how unfair it was to see a child torn from her world, from love, from home.
— Lizochka, sweetheart, — Mykhailo called softly, kneeling down. — It’s me, Uncle Misha. Do you remember? And now look who came with us…
He gently held Moses in his arms. The snow-white cat, hearing the familiar voice of the girl, suddenly began to squirm, trying to break free, eager to move. Mykhailo set him down on the floor. Moses immediately ran to the child, meowing plaintively and looking straight into her eyes.
Liza’s gaze, until now empty, began to fill with meaning. When the cat wrapped himself around her legs and started to purr, the girl let go of the caretaker’s hand and clumsily knelt down, hugging her fluffy friend. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she buried her face in his warm fur.
— Moses… My sweet Moses, you came back to me… — she whispered through her tears.
Lilia couldn’t hold back and began to cry too, watching this miracle unfold. Even the orphanage director quickly turned away, wiping his nose.
— My dear girl, — said Mykhailo, embracing both the child and the cat. — Everything will be alright, I’m here with you.
— Uncle Misha, can I go with you? — Liza asked timidly.
— That’s exactly why I came, Lizochka. You and Moses are going home. Everyone’s already waiting for you.
— Won’t Misha, Sasha, and Lyoshyk mind if we come? — she asked uncertainly.
— Of course not! They’ve been driving me crazy: “When are they coming? When are they coming?” And… there’s going to be someone else living with us too.
He looked at Lilia and gave her a slight smile.
Two months later, Lilia stood in the airport, holding the handle of her suitcase. All this time, she had been thinking about that moment in the orphanage. She had transferred to a part-time program and, after wrapping up her affairs, set off on a new journey.
Near the exit from the arrivals area, she spotted Mykhailo holding Moses in his arms. Behind him stood three boys, and slightly off to the side was Liza, waving happily.
— We’ve come with the whole crew to greet you! — Mykhailo laughed, hugging Lilia. — Meet my boys — Mykhailo, Oleksandr, and Oleksii.
The boys nodded politely, then started whispering among themselves.
— And you and Liza are already friends.
— Auntie Lilia! — Liza shouted, running up and hugging her. — I’m so happy to see you!
— My sweet girl! — Lilia whispered, holding her close. — And of course… Moses is here too.
— He wouldn’t stay home for anything! After all, it all started with him, — Mykhailo laughed, handing her the cat.
Moses rubbed against Lilia’s shoulder and purred softly, as if saying, “I remember you.”
The hands that had once pulled him out of the depths of loneliness were beside him again.
