The Cookie Snatcher
From Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Magic of Cats
By Teresa Hoy

I’m not sure why I like cats so much. I mean, they’re really cute obviously. They are both wild and domestic at the same time.
~Michael Showalter

He came out of nowhere, dashing into the store when my husband Bill opened the door. He was a lanky, gray-striped cat. The store was a Dutch market a few miles from our country home. The market had a simple portico running the length of it with a concrete floor and a variety of outdoor items for sale housed under the roof. The young cat slipped from some hiding spot on that cold January day and sprinted into the warmth of the market. Bill caught him just inside the store and set him back outside, closing the door quickly.

Within the store, facing the entrance, was a large, two-tiered stand filled with homemade bakery items: loaves of bread, bags of cookies, and ready-to-eat pies. We were looking at the baked goods when the door opened, another couple entered, and the cat darted back inside. (Keep reading)