Written and illustrated by Bertie
Read by Natasha
Dedicated to Mati and Fede, who generously support us on Patreon.
It was one minute past six in the evening. Normally Solomon would be prowling in circles around his bowel mewing: “Come on Katie, what kind of cat lover do you claim to be? Have you forgotten about my dinner?”
But there was no Solomon to be seen. Katie went out into the garden and called, “Solomon, Solomon, dinner time! Come on you greedy cat, where are you?”
But there was no sign of Solomon. In fact, some blackbirds were hopping around the lawn, something they would never do if a cat was to be seen.
“Oh, well, thought Katie, “he’s probably eating out tonight. Maybe there’s a naughty neighbour who feeds him on the sly. He’ll be back home sooner or later for seconds”
When Solomon failed to show up to his silk pillow later that night, Katie began to feel more worried. She lay awake thinking for a possible reason he might be upset. You see, Solomon is a very thin-skinned cat, and he can take offense at the slightest thing.
Only a day ago, her mother had shouted at Solomon for scratching his claws on the back of her wishing chair. And he had not been at all pleased when they had given him Turkey KittyChunks instead of his favourite Goodlife for Cats Organic Atlantic Salmon. He had also been upset with Katie over something she said about a news photograph of Princess Petronella. At the weekend, Katie and Isis had been scrolling through Instagram when they saw the princess’s sixteen birthday picture - and Isis had said: “She’s so pretty,” and Katie had replied, “If you ask me, she’s got evil eyes like a cat's.” Solomon took off in a tremendous huff, but at least he slunk back for dinner that time.
But what had happened this time? Why on earth was Solomon staying away from her? She really could not think.
In the morning, when Solomon still had not come back through the cat flap, Katie tried to trace him using her mother’s crystal ball.
“Mum,” she called out, “Can you help me find Solomon? His paws are not showing up in the crystal.”
“Oh dear,” said her mother, who was in a hurry to go to work at her shop, “He must have gone incognito.”
Witches and cats can go incognito when they don’t want anyone to trace them. But Katie knew that there could be a more sinister explanation too - something dreadful might have happened to Solomon.
There was nothing for it. Katie would have to put up reward posters asking for information about Solomon’s whereabouts. She quickly printed off ten sheets of A4 showing his catty mugshot and a message to contact her in case of a sighting.
Although her school was over a mile away from her home, Katie had a witch’s hunch that somebody there might know something about what had happened to Solomon. On Monday morning, she pinned a poster to the board outside the assembly hall and stood back to assess her work. While she was standing there, Jessica came up alongside her.
“I saw that cat!” she said.
“You did!” Exclaimed Katie. “Tell me!” But somehow, as she spoke, she knew that Jessica was not going to say anything helpful - or if she did, it would be very out of character.
“If I tell you, will you give me the reward?” asked Jessica.
“Fair’s fair, if you help me find my missing cat, I’ll give you the reward.”
“Well,” said Jessica, “I saw him, but you won’t want to know how I saw him, because it’s not good. Your precious cat is no more.“
“You’re lying!” said Katie.
“No, I’m not! You’re just too mean to pay up!” hissed back Jessica.
Kate turned her back.
“Cheat! Cheat! Cheat!” Jessica called out as Katie walked away.
Katie knew that Jessica could not have been speaking the truth. Coincidences like that don’t happen in real life - you don’t just put up a poster and a minute later someone comes along and recognises your missing cat - not unless they are lying, that is. Even so, she couldn’t help shedding a few tears in the girls’ loo. It’s not nice when somebody hints that they’ve seen your cat in a bad way.
Her best friend Isis was much more sympathetic and promised to help her search for Solomon. They wandered around the streets that evening, calling out his name,
“Solomon! Solomon! Here Kitty Kitty, Dinner Time!”
But to no avail.
Three weeks went by, and Katie had almost given up hope of ever seeing Solomon’s pointy face again. But one Friday, Isis called her in a state of great excitement.
“Katie, Katie, I’ve just seen Solomon!”
“Really? Are you sure? Where are you? I’m coming round right now. Hang on! Don’t lose sight of him!”
“It’s not like that, Katie, I saw him on YouTube.”
“YouTube? What do you mean you saw him on YouTube?”
“I mean I saw him on YouTube. He’s got his own show. Only, instead of calling himself Solomon, he’s got a new name. He’s now called Aristotle. And he does magic tricks. Well, some of them are just cat tricks, like opening a door handle with his paw, riding a skateboard and doing a loop-the-loop, but some are definitely magical. Like, well, he pushes three cups round with his paw and people have to pick which one has the toy mouse underneath it. Whichever they choose, it’s always wrong.”
“That’s an easy trick,” said Katie, “Even a cat can do it.”
“Well, he does. And there’s another video - it’s had seven million views already - in which he demonstrates how a cat can use the toilet and flush the handle. And his sponsor is KittyChunks…”
“Well now I know, it can’t be Solomon, because he hates KittyChunks.”
“See for yourself. When they offer it to him, he says, “Meeow, Yes, Please.”
Katie scrolled through her phone and found Aristotle the Cat’s Podcast Channel. Sure enough, she knew in seconds that Isis was 100 percent on the money. That show-of showbiz cat was Solomon! She would know him anywhere!”
“But how did this happen?” She asked Isis. “Even magical cats can’t edit videos and upload them! Somebody must be helping him. Who?”
“Don’t ask me. I’m just telling you what I’ve found. Aren’t you glad? At least he’s safe and sound.”
“Hmmm. Seems like he’s doing rather well for himself,” said Katie. “I feel a bit silly that I was so worried about him.”
Katie was so perplexed that she could hardly sleep that night. Why hadn’t Solomon told her he wanted to be on YouTube? Why had he run away and done this behind her back? What had got into him? Normally he was as lazy and unambitious as a cat can be. And above all, who was helping him to do this?
She did not have to wait long to find out an answer. At school, nobody can keep a secret for long.
Samantha had a new android phone - not just any phone - but a brand new one that looked like a pretty shell-shaped powder compact because the screen folded in half. Her name and a large heart shape were engraved on the gold-plated exterior.
Jessica and several other girls were admiring this new highly expensive status symbol. One of those girls was Isis who said:
“You’re so lucky, Samantha, my dad wouldn’t buy me one of those phones even if I got A Star grades in everything.”
“This was different,” said Samantha, “I earned it! In fact, I made so much money over the Summer that he should have bought me a Porsche, only I’m not old enough to drive yet.”
“How did you make all that money?’ Everyone wanted to know.
“It was easy-peasy really,” said Samantha, “If you’ve got talent like I have, that is. I trained my cat Aristotle to do magic tricks, then I filmed him and created his own YouTube channel for him. We’re getting millions of viewers and subscribers and Dad signed a deal with KittyChunks to sponsor him.”
The other girls were green with envy apart from Isis who was furious. “You sneaky thieving catnapper,” she exclaimed, “I’ve seen those videos. That’s not your Aristotle doing those magic tricks. It’s Katie’s cat, Solomon. I’d recognise him anywhere!”
“How dare you lie like that about me! He might look a bit like Katie’s cat to you, but there’s an important difference. Katie’s cat is stupid, and mine is a genius! He’s got star quality and I talent-spotted him and built his career! Katie’s done nothing to make her cat famous, and even if she tried, she wouldn’t succeed, because her cat hasn’t got what it takes to be famous!”
The bell for lessons rang before the argument could become even more heated.
Isis wasted no time in informing Katie that it was Samantha who was exploiting Katie’s cat to make loads of money advertising KittyChunks, which he didn’t even like.
That evening, the two girls went round to Samantha’s house and rang the doorbell. Samantha’s mother answered, and they asked to see her daughter.
“Sammy,” she called out, “There are two girls here who say they go to your school.”
Samantha came down the stairs. “Oh, it’s them!” she said, “Well I suppose you want to see Aristotle, but you can’t because he’s gone out for his walk.”
“Solomon you mean,” said Katie. “Look, I’m not going to accuse you of stealing Solomon, because all I want is for you to give him back so that we can forget about this incident.”
“I’m not giving you Aristotle in a million years! He’s a valuable animal. Look, Katie, I’m sorry that your cat left you, but to speak truthfully, I’m not really surprised. If I was a cat I wouldn’t want to live with you either. Cats are intelligent animals and they don’t like living with uninteresting people. They get bored easily.”
“Wow!” said Isis, “you’re a real charmer.”
“Hmm,” said Katie, “we’ll see about that.”
She was about to put a spell on Samantha’s house, to make it so nasty that any cat would want to leave right away. But then she remembered that Samantha kept a rabbit and a guinea pig, and she didn’t want to upset them too. After all, they were innocent animals.
So she said, “I can see there is no point in this conversation. I’ll just have to call the police, and report you for catnapping.”
The two friends headed back for Katie’s house, more furious than ever. But do you know? Who do you think was sitting on the doorstep when they returned.
You guessed it.
Solomon.
“Wow!” said Katie, “Why did you decide to come back? I mean, I’m glad to see you, but I thought you had started a showbiz career with Samantha!”
“It’s true, I have star quality,” said Solomon, as Katie sat down next to him and searched him behind the ear the way he liked. “But I soon realised they were exploiting me. I demanded that they give me half the money from the KittyChunks deal. 50-50 is more than fair, seeing that I’m the talent. They said that a cat can’t sign a contract in law and can’t open a bank account. Fine, I said, in that case, a cat can’t have a YouTube channel. So I upped and left. It’s a cat’s prerogative to say no, you know. They threatened to sue me as I left through the window - but I just laughed at them - he-he-he - ‘Cats can’t be sued’, I said!”
“No one can’t be replaced. I’ll get another cat!” Samantha shouted as I walked across the rooftop.”
“Fine,” I called back, “Even if you could find another witch’s cat, which I doubt, he or she wouldn’t be so dumb as to work for free.”
“So you’re back home where you belong!” Said Katie now hugging him. “I couldn’t be more pleased. What do you want for dinner?”
“Not KittyChunks,” said Solomon. “I can’t stand them. They stink like mouse poop.”
And Katie promised never to give Solomon, KittyChunks for dinner again.
Yea,1 comment
FZ — September 26, 2020
I love this story
FZ — September 26, 2020
YAY!
I’m SOOOOOO happy you guys made a new Katie the witch story! I really liked it!
Emmie — September 26, 2020
Awesome!! I loved itttt
KK — September 26, 2020
This is the first Katie story in a long time
Lincoln — September 26, 2020
yay! A new story 😉
Floof — September 26, 2020
Love Katie this make me happy.
Peachy — September 26, 2020
Bertie can you do one when Katies friend Isis starts dating someone so she starts getting angry about thisvand puts a spell on the boy,but when Isis told her that he dumped her she recovered and told Isis nothing can get between them not even love!
P.S
Pls reply it would mean the world to me🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Storynory lover❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ — September 26, 2020
Hi can you pls make a new story
Lilly — September 26, 2020
Yass a Katie story! It’s been so long! I LOVE IT!!!!
Classic_Ruby — September 26, 2020
Thank you much for bringing Katey back! I love it! 💕♥️
Ava — September 26, 2020
Great story!!!!
PizzaDude2020 — September 27, 2020
The nostalgia🥺🥺
Ryan — September 27, 2020
it is very intresting
Koala — September 27, 2020
I love this story
Sevara — September 27, 2020
a story when isis’ aunt asks isis to bring a cat over to katies house? solomon gets angry and tries to kick out the cat but ends up falling inlove with her?
sinu — September 27, 2020
I love this story
ctfyuyftgyhutdrftg — September 27, 2020
Hi Bertie
I loveeeeeeeee Katie the which story’s and it’s my birthday October 5
Sorynory lover❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ — September 27, 2020
My actual name is Beatrice
Storynory lover ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ — September 27, 2020
una gran historia me encanta! ¡más historias de Katie, por favor! gracias
Gaby — September 27, 2020
I don`t like the Bertie bit but the rest its SOOOOOOOO good!!!!!!!!!!!
Sophie — September 27, 2020
I got so excited when I saw there was a new Katie story!! I’ve been listening to these since I was 9
Donna — September 27, 2020
Ahhhhhh omg omg yhank you so much for this new story please make more.ps bigest fan
Sapphire — September 28, 2020
I loved the story solomon takes a walk
Ana — September 28, 2020
I waited so long. I Love it!!!!!
Nicole — September 28, 2020
Bad book
prisca — September 28, 2020
yes
Brannigon — September 28, 2020
I llllllllllllllloooooooooooovvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee this story.
Michael — September 28, 2020
i hate it
Anonymous — September 28, 2020
I LOVE IT OMG ITS SOOO MUCH FUN.
Ashley — September 28, 2020
that’s cute
YG — September 29, 2020
i love ittt
YASMIN gazali — September 29, 2020
omg I’m so happy Katie stories are back!!!
:) — September 29, 2020
Yay another Katie story! It’s been two years! Bertie, can you please make one about how the girls open up a lemonade stand, and somehow, the lemonade was accidently magic or something? Anyway, so a bunch of people get weird things that happen to them, and Katie and Isis must make everyone better before the internet or a newspaper find out about it, and how Katie is a witch! Bertie, please consider my suggestion!
Qwerty — September 29, 2020
I have a cat to he is called Mocka so that is why I liked the story.
Jana — September 29, 2020
I love this story 🥰🥰
Miruna Baldovin — September 29, 2020
Wow! That is one hilarious story! I loved every moment of it.
Adrian — September 29, 2020
i like this story it was fascaniting
a — September 29, 2020
Wow. This is my first time but this is a really good story!
I won't tell you my name — September 29, 2020
yes I liked it
Isaiah — September 29, 2020
This is great!
someone — September 29, 2020
First Katie story in a while
Millie Scout — September 29, 2020
so amazed
Lisa — September 29, 2020
I love this story
curleesha — September 29, 2020
Awesome story! I like that they include Youtube. Thank you
Benjamin — September 29, 2020
Its sad to that he is wanted
Victoria — September 29, 2020
YES! I love your story, the way you read it makes it come alive! I’m an adult but I’ve always enjoyed fairy tales! Thank you!
Felicia — September 30, 2020
Yes very much
Zeyad Hesham — September 30, 2020
I love this part of the story so much! 👍
Misty — September 30, 2020
I don’t really like this story 😐 it makes no sense. I know it’s fiction but at least don’t make all the characters sound stupid crazy
Melia — September 30, 2020
I don’t like this story 😐 it doesn’t even make sense and it’s very stressful.
Melia — September 30, 2020
Omg that was the best story ever i love Katie and Solomon!!!!
amethyst — September 30, 2020
The story takes so long but I like the story😂😂
Nick — September 30, 2020
it’s great but I want Katie to have a boyfriend!!!!!!!
Zemerah — September 30, 2020
yes yes I love it yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Zemerah — September 30, 2020
It’s so good
Jamie — September 30, 2020
That’s kinda cool
Lea — October 1, 2020
I love them
Klaudia — October 1, 2020
😎 story!
Katie Lover — October 1, 2020
I loved this story!!
TT — October 1, 2020
thats a long story
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH — October 1, 2020
I loved that storyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sofi — October 1, 2020
I liked the story 🐼🌷😊🐼🌷😊
Isabella — October 1, 2020
i did like this story it was good
Dulce — October 2, 2020
dude this book is suspence exitful and stuff i love her stroys
emanuel — October 2, 2020
i just read the story because a cat was in it
yourworstnightmare — October 2, 2020
yeah I love it💖😊☺
Lilah — October 2, 2020
loved it
Lilah — October 2, 2020
Hi its me again its my birthday on the 8th October so could you be able to give me a shut out in your next story. Could you do a play like the bertie returns story
Kind regards, Amaya
Amaya — October 2, 2020
Hi Amaya, Happy Birthday. We do have a queue of people we have to thank who support us on Patreon. But do have a wonderful time.
Bertie — October 2, 2020
love this story
Anonymous — October 2, 2020
Like this story
Dolly — October 3, 2020
I love this story
Vikas — October 3, 2020
Yes very good
Abigail — October 4, 2020
I love this story
A — October 4, 2020
Oh my gosh 😍 💓 I love this katie story!! I have literally been waiting years for a new katie story 😁☺ I love it so much 😍 please another one soon! Oh and also when is the next one coming out? 🤔
😀😃😄problery THE best katie story!!😝
Happy and i know it😌☺ — October 4, 2020
Hello Natasha 👋😊👋 How are you? I really loved this story I’ve been waiting for a Katie story for a long time. I have really wanted a shout-out it’s for a long time I wished for one for about 5 years now I kept on asking and it never happed… Please give me a shout-out it would be a great Christmas / Halloween gift. Hi I’m Willow’s mom Willow has been waiting 5 years to get a shout-out she is 9 years old her dad found out storynory when we were on a camping trip 5 years ago. Thanks! – Willow and her mom
Willow and her mom — October 5, 2020
love it
Anonymous — October 5, 2020
I love it!!!
😍 — October 5, 2020
loved it
Kyli — October 5, 2020
I love this book
Zoe — October 5, 2020
gg so cooooooool
Anonymous — October 5, 2020
I am such a big fan and love all storynory’s stories.
Thank you bertie for all the stories .
Rose Ilesanmi. — October 5, 2020
yes i nlove cats
sidney — October 5, 2020
lovely story
pinky — October 6, 2020
Um ok but I miss Richard and janna 😍😍😍 and there books
Elise — October 6, 2020
yes I like thas story because reader is excited about the raeding bui it is long
Anonymous — October 6, 2020
yucky
Soup — October 6, 2020
I love this story
salome — October 6, 2020
yeah I love this story
salome — October 6, 2020
great story
salome — October 6, 2020
How long does it take to make one of these story’s? Please reply – Rose Lenna
Rose Lenna — October 7, 2020
hi Rose, Good question. It usually takes me a couple of days to write a story, but longer to think up an idea. We record it – in an afternoon we do two or three. And we spend a day or two editing it and doing the picture and sound fx and publishing it.
Bertie — October 7, 2020
I really was interested in the book
Libby — October 7, 2020
I love this story.
Hiroko — October 7, 2020
I love this story cause it is funny and fun to read
Balkaran — October 7, 2020
Yes I loved the story
Keilani — October 7, 2020
I was looking forward to this and I love cats but not being rude, the storyteller isn’t the best
Craig — October 7, 2020
Fun story! The woman’s voice isn’t cool though
william — October 7, 2020
spr👌👌
pooji — October 7, 2020
🙁
FGGGG — October 7, 2020
I loved it was so funny and tricky
Darielle — October 7, 2020
its sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo long its not good at all it makes no scence and its stressfull so yeah
damian — October 7, 2020
buena historia jajaa
kendraa — October 7, 2020
I am 11 now and find it interesting, it makes me sleepy and want to go to bed and that is exactly what a bedtime storie should do. Great
Célina — October 7, 2020
Yes I loved it
Shaliese — October 7, 2020
Not bad
Awe — October 8, 2020
I not enjoy story hearing, voices of the speaker is not nice. So I read now
Anishka — October 8, 2020
Quite borrrrring how the woman narrates. I need to wake up people 😴😴😴
Jazza — October 8, 2020
This story is very good 👌👌👌😀😀😙😍
Mahi — October 9, 2020
The tone of the lady telling the story doesn’t help me get into it, which otherwise wouldve been rather good, not good
Rachelle — October 15, 2020
I think you need to read this a lot better to bring the story justice 😽😽😽😽😽😼😻
Sara — October 19, 2020
yah good
rikhiya — October 21, 2020
hate it soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much🤮
dallas 😎😎😎😎😎😎 — October 22, 2020
Can you make a wicked uncle story?
Leelya — October 23, 2020
booo
b — October 23, 2020
Can’t say it’s that interesting. Better voices would be awesome 👎
Rose — October 24, 2020
its ok could be better
losb — November 9, 2020
I love the story it kind of sounds like Sabrina on TV show but I like it because it’s a book not a TV show I’m like every other thing
Alyssa — November 10, 2020
the story is ok for little kids but not that good for grown ups i think you should chang it a little bit
none of your business — November 10, 2020
this sucks
EVER — November 10, 2020
I looove cats
Aaliyah — November 15, 2020
poopoopoopoop
Aiden — November 16, 2020
This is dumb
Zup — November 16, 2020
Haven’t even finish reading this me and my mom read bedtime stories on Storynory looking forward to hearing them!
Totally Sleeping — November 17, 2020
I liked this story it was so interesting
Dua — November 17, 2020
loved i love animals and i love witches!
Anonymous — November 18, 2020
Very nice story, I liked the end 🙂
MónicaTR. — November 19, 2020
Not really interested
ChillyGuy — November 26, 2020
Yay! I Like This Story.
Natalya Agarwal — November 28, 2020
ok
mom — December 1, 2020
Samantha so nasty
YANG — December 3, 2020
It’s fine, but it’s sort of hard to understand because the lady reading this has a British accent. And P.S., they said “Mom” the wrong way.
Correct: Mom
Wrong: Mum
Anonymous — December 4, 2020
Not bad… Katie the witch is cool. A witch… a black cat! Awesome! Literally m’thing. But witches like potion, broom, wart witches are, no offense Katie the witch, fake. Real witches are waaaaaaaaaaaaay more different.
So, main idea, I like this.
Common Tealy — December 7, 2020
that story was long
Izabella — December 14, 2020
The description makes this story sound so awesome but really its
Boring
And
Dirty
And that spells BAD
Common Reddish — December 15, 2020
That’s really help me a lot of reading thank you so much 🥺❤️
rania — December 23, 2020
I love the story I would reccomend it to my friend. Because she loves cats.
Anonymous — December 25, 2020
i had to use this story for my homework (^_^)
hi — January 10, 2021
i loved this story
cole — January 11, 2021