My Second Entry for the Threadcaster Curse Contest!
Because one entry just wasn’t enough. ;) In celebration of the release of Curses, the Threadcaster Anthology, I present my second contest entry! (This one is far less gory and intense though, I promise!) Once more, @jenniferstolzer, please reblog appropriately. :) Enjoy!
In a cruel world full of many types of Curses – innocent children who have been condemned to dying cruel and unusual deaths as their bodies turn into a single element – there lives one type of Curse whose journey is not at all like the others. For their metamorphosis results not in death, but simply in a new path for the Curse’s life to follow. A path that some might even say is more desirable than the one on which they were originally bound.
These Curses are the Cat Curses. (Not Cat like the main character in Threadcaster. Cat like…cat. Felis Catus. Meow.)
The first symptom that alerts a Cat Curse of their transformation is almost always hidrosis – an increase in body hair. For some, the hair is short and soft; for others, it is long and silky. The exception is the rare Sphynx Cat Curse, who forego this step in symptom development. Whiskers grow near the lips of the Cat Curses next. Soon, other characteristic anatomical and physiological features appear – upright and pointed ears, vertical pupils, pointed canine teeth, the transformation from quadruped to biped along with the development of paws, and of course the appearance of the tail (with the exception, of course, of Manx Cat Curses). Over time, Cat Curses lose their ability to speak in human tongue; however, they can speak to other Cat Curses by meowing, purring, and murping. (The Author wishes everyone to recognize the existence of murping as a distinctive noise in cat communication. Thank you.) In between the onset of symptoms and full conversion, Cat Curses speak in a sort of hybrid human-cat language, which may or may not be understood everyone else but is generally understood by other Cat Curses of all stages with no problem. An example of this is “Mrrr tuna meow-ow?” which roughly translates to “where is the tuna shop?”
When Cat Curses are diagnosed, they go to live in Cat Town, which is really just like a feral cat colony but far more posh. There are many houses that are well kept up by local animal enthusiasts (aka crazy cat ladies). Each Cat Curse has their own room, but they have the capability of interacting with their housemates at will. This is an ideal set up because cats appreciate and need their privacy for the most part, but do occasionally enjoy a spot of grooming each other or snuggling with friends for a catnap. Curses who still have some functionality as humans left (for example, opposable thumbs) spend considerable amounts of time preparing their new homes so that they may live out the rest of their lives in the luxury that all cats deserve. Fluffy beds, ornately painted food and water bowls, and bejeweled collars are all common things Cat Curses seek out to add to their collections. However, there is plenty of opportunity for Cat Curses to express their individuality. Rather than a pet bed, a Curse might choose a pile of laundry fresh out of the dryer, or a towel that has just been used by someone who has gone swimming in a chlorinated pool. Or, instead of a water bowl, a Curse might elect to adorn their room with a golden toilet from which to maintain their hydration. Cat Curses may elect to install their own private litter boxes or use the communal giant sand box that takes up an entire room in each house. All boxes are scooped daily by Cat Curses who are less advanced in their transformation as a way of maintaining hygiene within the community as well as paying it forward for the day when they must rely on their feline-human brethren to care for them.
The local cat enthusiasts who provide support for Cat Town give the Curses a variety of food choices. It is recommended that for their best health, the primary diet of a Cat Curse be a formulated cat food. Most Cat Curses choose to eat this due to convenience (both kibble and canned food are readily available as they are provided by the cat ladies) and the fact that it is fairly easy to develop a taste for them. Some of the more adventurous Cat Curses, however, prefer to hunt for their food. Rodents are the most common fare for these Curses, with birds also commonly on the menu. These Cat Curses do tend to pay for their poor dietary choices with shorter lifespans, however.
For fun, Cat Curses engage in play with each other (wrestling matches and 3 am races through the house are common games) and with a variety of toys (popular favorites are laser lights and feathers on a string). Some Cat Curses also participate in a ceremonial ritual in which participants go on a spiritual journey of intense visions that are provided by inhaling the essence of the substance known as catnip.
Cat Curses are encouraged to see a veterinarian regularly for maintenance of good health. Some local veterinarians volunteer their time and resources to visit Cat Town and provide services to its inhabitants. Cat Curses are susceptible to typical feline diseases, some of which can potentially be fatal. These include things like heartworms (which can be prevented with monthly treatments) and rabies (though there is not much of a risk of this since all of Cat Town is careful to keep their vaccinations current).
Though Cat Town is vastly a very safe environment for Cat Curses, should residents choose to venture out, they may find themselves at risk from external forces such as moving vehicles and wild dogs. For this reason, staying in the luxurious comfort of Cat Town is highly recommended.
The exception is the alternative to living in Cat Town, which is to go and live with a loving family. In a world afflicted by Curses and famine, many families desire the companionship of a purring, furry friend. Those seeking to adopt a forever friend frequently visit Cat Town to pick out a new pet. It is an honor for a Cat Curse to be chosen as a pet, and they always embrace their new life happily, content to spend the rest of their days sleeping on a couch and snuggling with their new family.
(Moral of the story for readers – go adopt a cat and cuddle with it and feed it a balanced diet and get it regular veterinary care. Thanks!)
