After Turning into a Cat, I Climbed My Rival’s Cat Tree 23

Chapter 23

In the old Ping’an Street residential area, amidst the dilapidated houses, one stood out.

It was a well-built brick house with a small courtyard.

Previously, the courtyard had been overgrown with weeds, the house filled with junk, and the windows broken.

But now, the weeds had been cleared, the uneven ground paved with tiles, and soft artificial turf laid on top.

New outdoor toys for animals, like a seesaw, slide, and trampoline, were placed on the turf.

But due to the recent rainstorm, they were unused.

The house had two bedrooms and a living room, the windows replaced, and the roof repaired.

The interior was also clean. Several automatic feeders were placed in one bedroom, and bags of cat food, cans of wet food, and cat treats were stacked in the other.

Enough food to feed numerous animals.

And indeed, the house now sheltered dozens of stray cats and dogs.

The tabby, Big Orange, and calico, the original residents of the area, were now the leaders of this small animal community.

After all, it was their boss who had secured this house and all the food for them.

With the bad weather and the cold, food was scarce, and they were worried about the other animals getting sick, so they generously offered them shelter.

As for the food, it was up to the three of them to distribute it.

“Everyone, line up! Anyone who causes trouble will be kicked out!” Big Orange puffed out its chest, asserting its leadership.

The tabby and calico carried food from the storage room, ensuring every animal got something to eat.

Lu Dingyun had arranged for someone to care for the three cats, but only requiring them to come every three days to refill the food and water.

The feeders and water dispensers were large, and there were several of them, so if it was just the three cats, even a weekly refill would be sufficient.

It hadn’t been a week since Wei Yuan and Lu Dingyun’s last visit, so the caretaker hadn’t come yet.

So, if Big Orange and the others wanted to help the other animals, they had to do it themselves.

“We’re only sheltering you for these two days. Once the rain stops, you’ll have to go back to your own lives, understand?” Big Orange warned the cats and dogs.

The animals nodded in agreement.

A’Wang, the stray dog that usually antagonized Big Orange, was now wagging its tail submissively.

Discretion was the better part of valor. A’Wang didn’t want to be out in the cold and rain, hungry.

Big Orange glanced at it, snorted haughtily, and turned to talk to the other cats.

==

Wei Yuan, sitting in its designated pet car seat, arrived at Ping’an Street with Lu Dingyun.

Since the alley was too narrow for cars, they had to walk.

Lu Dingyun pulled a large suitcase, holding an umbrella in one hand, the kitten nestled inside his coat pocket. They walked quietly down the alley.

It was already dark, and the light drizzle pattered on the umbrella. The deserted alley was pitch black.

Only the small light attached to Lu Dingyun’s umbrella illuminated the path ahead.

Wei Yuan poked its head out of Lu Dingyun’s coat collar, taking in the desolate scene.

The only sounds in the quiet alley were the rolling of the suitcase and Lu Dingyun’s footsteps on the muddy path.

Wei Yuan shivered.

A rainy night, a dark alley, deserted…

It felt like the opening scene of a thriller!

Unlike Wei Yuan’s unease, Lu Dingyun seemed completely unfazed, strolling leisurely.

Wei Yuan looked up at him, seeing only his sharp jawline.

It suddenly remembered the night it had encountered the cat abuser, a similarly unsettling scene.

But that night had also been the night it met Lu Dingyun, its lucky day.

The tension inexplicably dissipated.

Wei Yuan relaxed, finding a strange sense of atmosphere in the quiet alley.

They reached their destination.

Lu Dingyun unlocked the courtyard gate and walked towards the house.

The front door had a keypad lock, accessible only to Lu Dingyun and the caretaker.

And there was a small facial recognition lock at the bottom for animals.

The three cats’ faces had been registered, so the door would automatically unlock when they approached.

Wei Yuan looked at the transformed courtyard in surprise.

It had only been here once before, briefly tidying up the house and yard.

Now, the house looked brand new.

Lu Dingyun must have arranged for the renovations.

Wei Yuan had known that Lu Dingyun was kind and caring towards animals, but it hadn’t expected him to put so much effort into renovating a simple shelter for a few stray cats.

A warm feeling spread through its heart, and it unconsciously smiled.

Animals had sharp hearing. When Lu Dingyun unlocked the gate, the animals inside became alert.

The tabby signaled everyone to be quiet and jumped onto the windowsill to look outside.

Through the rain, it clearly saw the approaching figures and the kitten’s head poking out of the man’s coat.

Its eyes lit up. “It’s Boss!”

“Boss?!” Big Orange and the calico also rushed to the window, seeing their boss after several days.

“Meow—” The three cats jumped down from the windowsill and ran to the door.

The other animals, knowing Wei Yuan had arrived, relaxed, continuing their meal.

Although the portions were small due to their large number, they were used to going hungry as strays. Being able to eat clean and delicious food in a warm and dry shelter was already a blessing.

Lu Dingyun opened the door, the flashlight beam illuminating the three cats waiting by the entrance.

Wei Yuan, startled, then amused, watched as Lu Dingyun entered.

Lu Dingyun also smiled. The cats must have heard them coming and were waiting.

Feeling the kitten struggling in his arms, he unzipped his coat.

The kitten jumped down, and the three underlings immediately surrounded it.

“Boss, Boss! I missed you so much!” Big Orange, the most energetic and affectionate, jumped around excitedly.

Wei Yuan patted its round head, adopting its boss persona. “I missed you too.”

Although Wei Yuan had a prideful and awkward personality, it couldn’t be awkward with these innocent and adorable kittens. It had missed them, and it admitted it.

Hearing its words, the three underlings’ eyes lit up.

The calico, although beautiful and somewhat timid, was actually a sweet and attentive boy.

It wagged its tail happily. “Boss, you seem to have grown a bit.”

It raised its paw, comparing its height to Wei Yuan’s.

Then it nodded decisively. “You’re taller! You’re almost as tall as my chin!”

“Right? I think so too,” Wei Yuan flicked its tail. It had indeed gained some weight and height under Lu Dingyun’s care.

The tabby, the smartest of the three, had a more mature perspective.

It asked curiously, “Boss, it’s so cold outside, why did you come see us at this hour?”

“We were worried you might be cold, so we brought you some thick blankets,” Wei Yuan turned to Lu Dingyun.

Lu Dingyun had entered the house, placing his umbrella by the door and walking towards them with the flashlight and suitcase.

He had had electricity installed yesterday. He looked at the wall, found the switch, and said, “I’m turning on the lights.”

Wei Yuan immediately lowered its head, burying its face in its paws.

The three underlings, not understanding, imitated it.

So, when the lights came on, Lu Dingyun saw four kittens with their butts in the air.

Three plump ones and one small one in a pink, fluffy outfit.

Lu Dingyun burst out laughing, his heart melting at the sight.

He crouched down, picked up Wei Yuan, kissed it, then petted the other three cats.

The cats were used to being petted by strangers and didn’t mind, especially since Lu Dingyun was a good person, their boss’s savior, and therefore their benefactor as well.

The light in the living room attracted the attention of the other animals.

Several cats and dogs peeked out curiously, looking at the two unexpected visitors.

But they weren’t afraid, and many recognized Wei Yuan, knowing it was Big Orange and the others’ boss. Some, like A’Wang, had even been on the receiving end of its claws.

Lu Dingyun and Wei Yuan also noticed the animals.

Lu Dingyun was surprised by the number of animals.

Wei Yuan wasn’t as shocked, having already smelled them upon entering.

It had lived here and knew that although the animals sometimes fought over food, they were generally good-natured and helped each other.

With such a nice shelter, the tabby and the others would definitely take care of their fellow strays in this weather.

This was why it had wanted to come and check on them, worried that something might go wrong with so many animals together.

Seeing Lu Dingyun and Wei Yuan looking at them, the animals weren’t afraid.

A’Wang, having finished its meal, its mouth still slightly wet, squeezed out of the crowd and wagged its tail at Wei Yuan excitedly.

“Boss, you’re here!”

Wei Yuan: “…Who’s your boss?”

A’Wang, unfazed, continued its flattery. “You’re my daddies’ boss, so you’re my boss too.”

It had lost the fight before and had to call Big Orange and the others “Daddy.”

It had been humiliating at the time, but now it felt it hadn’t been in vain.

The tabby and calico cringed, and the other stray dogs also found A’Wang’s behavior embarrassing, but they knew they needed the cats’ help to survive the winter, so they pretended not to notice A’Wang’s fawning.

In the animal world, there weren’t many social graces or boundaries.

Big Orange and the calico didn’t think there was anything wrong with bringing other animals into the house without permission, as they believed Wei Yuan would have done the same.

But the tabby was different. It was smart and knew a bit about human customs.

It knew the house belonged to Lu Dingyun, and therefore to Wei Yuan, and that bringing other animals in without permission was wrong. They should have asked Wei Yuan first.

But it hadn’t been able to contact Wei Yuan, so it could only explain the situation now.

“Boss, it’s been so cold these past few days, that’s why we let everyone in to take shelter,” it explained to Wei Yuan, slightly apprehensive.

It knew Wei Yuan would have done the same, but it still felt embarrassed about making the decision without its boss’s permission, as if challenging its authority.

Although Wei Yuan had a human mind, it wouldn’t interact with the cats from a human perspective.

It found the tabby’s explanation amusing, patting its head with its paw. “I know, you did well.”

The tabby beamed, rubbing its head against its paw.

Lu Dingyun, after his initial surprise, was now worried, seeing so many animals.

They were mostly unvaccinated strays and likely carried various diseases.

Wei Yuan was a healthy kitten, but it was still recovering from its injuries and could easily get infected.

As for the three cat underlings, Wei Yuan had been with them while it was a stray and hadn’t gotten sick, so Lu Dingyun wasn’t worried about them interacting.

But the other animals were a different story.

He petted the kitten’s head. “Baby, stay here for now. I’m going to check on them.”

Wei Yuan paused, then realized he was worried about it and meowed in understanding.

Lu Dingyun opened the suitcase, revealing not only blankets for the cats but also medicine and medical gloves.

He had brought them in case the cats got sick in the cold weather, and it seemed they would be needed after all.

He put on his gloves and mask, then walked towards the animals.

The animals by the door, including A’Wang, were startled and scurried back inside.

“Don’t be afraid, he’s a good person,” Wei Yuan reassured them. “He’s a doctor and wants to check on you.”

The animals relaxed, but a few cats and dogs with disabilities from past abuse were clearly more afraid of humans, cowering as Lu Dingyun approached.

Lu Dingyun’s heart ached, and he spoke to them gently, carefully examining their injuries.

He seemed to have a calming effect on animals, and soon, they were no longer afraid, letting him examine them.

Lu Dingyun’s heart grew heavy as he noted down their injuries and ailments, planning to take them home for treatment tomorrow.

It took him over an hour to examine nearly thirty animals.

After the examination, his heart was even heavier.

He discovered that two female cats were pregnant, and several others were in heat.

Animals had no sense of shame, following only their instincts, so while Lu Dingyun was examining them, some had already started mating.

This was how the stray population grew.

And the survival rate of stray kittens and puppies was incredibly low, with many mothers dying during childbirth.

Lu Dingyun frowned.

He knew many animal shelters regularly captured strays for spaying/neutering and vaccinations to control the population.

He had performed countless such procedures himself, never failing, and was confident in his skills.

So, he would take these animals home tomorrow.

And spay/neuter every single one of them!

And Xiao Yuan, although still young, should also be scheduled for the procedure soon.