What an irresistible smile Micio had! His mother was very proud of her little kitten and took him walking in the streets of the town centre of Vicenza, their home town.

However, being born in Vicenza means trouble for a cat.
It's like being born a bull in Madrid or a pig in Parma. Why? Because the people of Vicenza are...cat-eaters!. Ah yes, that's right, you've got it! They eat cats. "Why not?" they say. No one questions if a fine lady wears leopard skin, or if her soft, light shoes are made of baby alligator , or if she goes to restaurants and orders turtle soup and baby lamb steaks! Actually they sigh saying "what class, what good taste!" Instead, if a man from Vicenza catches a stray cat and makes a pot roast in white wine, immediately, it's a scandal, to the point that even protest marches break out.

Micio's mother, lost in reading the admiration for her beautiful kitten in people's eyes, didn't even realize she was walking right in front of the back door of a small restaurant.
She didn't even have time to warn Micio to run. Two great hands grabbed her, the beautiful mother cat, and in less than no time she ended up in a pot.


Micio ran like crazy without any bearings whatsoever, and out of mere luck he managed not to be run over by the passing cars.
With his heart throbbing wildly, he finally stopped running only when reaching the highest branch of a chestnut tree in the park of a large villa. As evening approached he thought, "I don't have a mother anymore. I'll have to take care of myself." As he calmed down, he said to himself, "I'd better start looking for tonight's dinner".

From his high look-out point he peered at a distance to see what could be appeal his appetite. In a while he noticed an unguarded black bird nest with three inviting eggs, a few delicious robins, and a family of tender mice.

He was about to set up a plan of action when he noticed a cat behind a window of the ground floor of a big house. She was agitated as she scratched the window trying to attract attention any way possible. Evidently she needed help.

Both his belly and his heart needed to be filled but Micio did not hesitate to help for even an instant, and suddenly forgot his hunger. He immediately launched himself to save the cat; four leaps and he was at the bottom of the tree, and in less than a second he was at the window sill.
"I am a prisoner in this house", the cat shouted. "My masters don't like me to go around the park or on the roof tops in search of adventure. Help me get out."
Micio scratched the lock of the window so much that his paws started bleeding. But finally he managed to open it.

"My name is Micia," she said.
"What a coincidence, my name is Micio."
"You are good. You remind me of my son taken away from me by my masters because he used to make a mess".
"You remind me of my mother who ended up in a frying pan."
"Come with me Micio. I have a plan. Let's go the station. We can hide in a cargo train headed for Rome and once we are there we can go to the Coliseum to live in the cat colony. There, they don't eat cats; instead, they give them shelter, food and medical assistance. Now you know why the Romans conquered the world! Just think, when the Romans were building the Coliseum, in Vicenza, there was nothing but a few huts.
Micio and Micia reached the station taking the long way around in order to avoid going in front of restaurants.

They found the right train thanks to the help of one of Micia's former cat-friends who has always lived at the station. They finally arrived in Rome early in the morning with the sun shining brightly having spent the whole trip sharing their life story.

The traffic was crazy. Thanks to Micia's experience she prevented Micio from ending up under the wheels of a tram. Micio felt lovingly protected by Micia.

They were struck dumb when they suddenly found themselves in front of the huge massive Coliseum. Even Micia, although she had had lots of experience, seemed to be rather amazed. Only then did they actually realize what great adventure they were living.
Walking slowly, side by side, with their stomachs practically on the ground, they entered into the Coliseum. They immediately found themselves surrounded by over a dozen cats of every size, colour and shape. All obviously well fed.

"I am Micia, and this is..." hesitating a bit, then rubbing her face against Micio's face she continued..."and this is my son Micio."
Micio felt his heart grow wider and on his face that irresistible smile that seemed to have disappeared forever, started shining once again.
Therefore, if you go to the Coliseum and see a cat with an irresistible smile, while receiving tender kisses from another cat, you can be sure you have run into Micia and Micio, the best loved cats there.

The moral of the story: "At least once in our lives, we have all needed someone to take care of us, to help us to get over a certain difficulty, to show us they care.
Whether big or small, in that moment we felt like Kit and Kitty and we felt an uncontrollable need to reciprocate love and attention with great satisfaction. Impulsive like the purr of a cat, free and sincere like its character."

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