Cat Won’t Leave Kitchen Until Officer Tells Dad To Open The Oven

Strange Behaviour

Ben had a hard time understanding Mittens’ strange behavior. For days, she stared at the oven with no movement.

It was obvious that something wasn’t right.

His cat was staring at something mysterious, so he decided to investigate it. It took him a moment to realize what he and Mittens had discovered as he crawled on all fours.

Starting Fresh

In moving into his grandmother’s house with his family, he wasn’t prepared for what he found. After inheriting the property, Ben saw it as an opportunity for a fresh start in a new place.

Ben and his wife, Macy were willing to take on the challenge of renovating a house that needed a lot of work.

Most of the furniture was left behind, and grandma’s trusty old stove was the source of most family problems.

Excitement

After moving from Boston to Rhode Island, Ben, and Macy started a new chapter in their lives. The fact that she named him in her will surprised him.

Despite loving his grandmother, he wasn’t expecting to inherit her house.

It was especially exciting for their sons Brayden and Camden to have their own rooms after so long without one. Having grown up in the house, Ben was delighted to be returning.

Her Beloved Stove

They had to rewire the entire house because the wires were old, and the house had stood empty for years.

When he walked into the kitchen, he was surprised to see his grandmother’s old stove still there. Her statement that it had stopped working was still fresh in his mind.

She loved it so much that she kept the old stove after getting a new one.

Exploring The New House

In the midst of the family’s relocation, Mittens, the cat, took it upon herself to explore the new house.

Her eyes were drawn to the spaciousness of the whole house as she walked through it.

Mittens began acting strangely not long after that. The way she behaved in the kitchen was particularly unusual.

Meowing For His Attention

It was Ben who noticed first. It was no secret that he loved cats and spoilt Mittens to pieces.

Ben became concerned when she started acting strangely.

As soon as he walked into the kitchen, she meowed endlessly and constantly tried to get his attention. Could it be that she was hungry? Ben noticed something else, however.

Sentimental Value

The old stove belonged to Ben’s grandmother, and he wanted to keep it as a memento of his grandmother. Grannie loved the thing so much that he could not throw it away.

Mittens appeared to adore the old stove and would stare at it for hours at a time.

Ben was convinced the cat was acting like his grandmother, who used to watch her bread being baked in front of it.

Scheduling An Appointment

Incredibly, he couldn’t figure out why Mittens liked sitting in front of the oven. Ben became increasingly concerned as the routine became a daily occurrence.

He might want to take her to the vet for a checkup. Perhaps she’s trying to let him know she’s not feeling well.

He made an appointment with the vet immediately, not willing to take any further chances.

Taking Her To The Vet

A thorough inspection was conducted on Mittens, and when the vet had finished, he gave Ben an unexpected report.

In Mittens’ case, everything was fine, she was perfectly healthy.

In spite of the positive report, Ben couldn’t quite understand her behavior. Mittens was trying to tell him something, but what was it?

Trying To Send A Message

His mind was filled with agony over the matter. Although Mittens was fixated on the oven, he could see that his beautiful tuxedo tabby was doing fine otherwise.

Although she continued to play with him and the kids as usual, she would sprint ahead of him as soon as he entered the kitchen and looked at the oven.

The more Ben thought about it, the more convinced he became that Mittens was trying to communicate with him.

New Food

Was she unhappy with her food? They already established that she was physically fine, but maybe he could change her food and see if that’s what she wanted.

But it yielded no results. Mittens didn’t even touch the new food and continued to pester Ben with her constant meows and moans.

What was he missing? Something didn’t make sense.

At Their Wit’s End

Something was troubling Mittens, and Ben couldn’t stand to see her in this frenzy. If she wasn’t sitting next to the oven, she was trying to lure any one of them to the kitchen.

Macy and the boys also noticed Mittens’ constant meowing and couldn’t understand why she sounded so annoyed.

The family was at their wit’s end trying to figure out what Mittens’ problem was.

Mittens Gives A Sign

One day as Ben sauntered into the kitchen, Mittens was at his heels, meowing to no end. For the first time, she put her paws up on the oven.

Ben thought it was interesting. He saw it as a sign that she wanted him to open the oven.

He kneeled as Mittens anxiously stood next to him and opened the oven door.

What’s Inside?

Mittens jumped in and started sniffing the oven. What was she smelling? Was it remnants of grandma’s baking? Ben couldn’t tell, but she seemed content to just be sniffing around inside.

Ben left her to do what she wanted. It seemed to have calmed her down.

It looked like he might’ve just solved the Mittens mystery. Or so he thought.

A Noise Coming From The Kitchen

As the days went by, Mittens became calmer. She wasn’t trying to get their attention anymore and was eating and playing as usual.

But then, something changed. Ben distinctly remembered hearing a noise coming from the kitchen one night.

He raced downstairs, baseball bat in hand. He was ready to swing at anyone who was trying to break into his house.

An Intruder?

His heart raced, there were definitely noises coming from the kitchen.

It sounded like things were being moved around. His knuckles were white from the tight grip he had around the bat.

He was ready to defend his family. He waited in anticipation and then… nothing. He walked into the kitchen and switched on the light. And there sitting in front of the oven, as usual, was Mittens.

Mittens At It Again

Mittens clawed and meowed furiously at the oven and Ben. She was trying to get his attention again. Something must’ve happened in this kitchen that got her riled up again.

But what? There were no signs of a break-in, no shattered glass or broken door locks.

Everything was in place. He racked his brain trying to understand Mittens and then… he saw it.

Was He Onto Something?

He couldn’t be sure, but grandma’s stove was skewed for some reason. It had been moved. He could’ve sworn it was straightened and in its place earlier.

The oven was standing there for decades and he was positive it welded itself to the wall by now.

But Mittens saw his reaction and clawed at him. Was she telling him that he was on the right track?

Moving The Old Stove

He didn’t know if it was anything, but just to appease Mittens, he began moving the old stove.

It was heavy but became easier to move as he swung it out.

He noticed several marks and scuffs on the floor. It seemed that this stove had been moved plenty of times before. Was there something behind it?

What Is This?

He moved it all the way out and saw something he couldn’t believe. He now understood why Mittens sat looking at the oven all these weeks.

There was an opening in the wall right behind the stove. It was black with darkness as if leading to some unknown danger or well-kept secret. Ben stepped back as Mittens let out a low snarl.

Whatever was bothering her was inside that hole. 

A Hole In The Wall

Ben was stunned. He had no idea why there was such a large hole in the wall of the kitchen.

Mittens purred and rubbed herself against him. She was clearly content with the fact that he had finally uncovered the mystery.

“Good girl, Mittens,” Ben praised her, but now he had to get to the bottom of what was going on here.

Inside The Oven 

Curiosity got the best of him, and he decided to check it out. He stuck his head into the oven, forcing down the urge to hurl at the foul air inside. 

A slight breeze came from the dark hole, which meant it led either outside or to a large hidden area. Ben didn’t know what to think. 

Gunk On The Walls

Eating back his fear, he fished out his phone and turned on the flashlight. He shone it at the hole and almost puked inside the oven. 

The hole’s walls were wet with gunk and moisture, with some dripping down the sides.

Ben didn’t know what the gunk was and could’ve easily mistaken it for the stuff you found while cleaning your kitchen’s drainage pipe. But this was worse.

Going Up

Ben took a deep breath and shone his light at the hole again.

It curved upward as if leading him up his ceiling. It was large enough for a boy to fit through, but Ben was confident that wasn’t the case here. 

But with the noises, he’d heard earlier, he couldn’t rule out that someone could be living inside his house’s walls. 

Block It

Ben didn’t have much to go on here. All he knew was that something lived at the end of that dark hole. He closed the oven door, placing a heavy table before it to block anyone from opening it again or whatever was inside from coming out. 

He even spent the evening there as Macy prepared dinner.

He needed to make sure that nothing came out. But throughout his time in the kitchen, he noticed something that doubled his worry. 

Mittens Is Back

Mittens, who had left the kitchen when Macy came in, returned to meow at the oven again.

She kept looking at Ben and back at the oven as if to tell him something was happening. 

“What it is, girl?” Ben asked with furrowed brows, wondering if whatever animal or person was skulking around his walls was back. He didn’t know that he needed to call the authorities immediately. 

There’s No One In The Wall

Ben discussed the matter with Macy, who, although scared, assured him that no one lived inside their house’s walls.

“They’re just too thin and uncomfortable for someone to live there,” she said while preparing her signature pot roast meant to go into their other oven. 

She even came and tried to look at the hole through the closed oven door, trying to assure Ben they were alright. If only she knew what was lurking inside that dark hole. 

Sound Advice

Ben had always listened to Macy’s counsel. She was his life partner, after all, and her words had helped him through many roadblocks in life. 

He also decided to listen to her this time, shooing Mittens out of the kitchen.

If something lived inside their house, it would have to come out of that hole in the oven. Blocking that hole meant Ben and his family were safe. He had no idea that even now, he was being watched from the ceiling. 

Going Back In Time 

Ben’s grandma moved into the house when she was still in her twenties. She was newly married to Ben’s grandpa and wanted to start a beautiful family that would stand the test of time. 

This was in the heart of the forties, which meant the house was almost seventy years old.

Although Ben had done his best to renovate it, he’d missed looking in some important places. He should have known that his family wasn’t the only ones living inside the house.

Insomnia 

That night, Ben had trouble sleeping. The hole’s stench had caked into his fingertips. Its gunky walls seared into his mind. 

He hoped whatever lurked in the hole was a harmless mammal he and pest control would have little trouble removing. He’d decided to wait until morning to take another look into the hole.

But the night would be very different from what he was projecting. 

A Different Occurrence 

It was about half past one when it happened. It was raining outside, and Ben had just cranked up the house heat to kill off the cold. 

He was heading back to bed when Mittens meowed on his feet.

But the cat didn’t snuggle up to him as she usually did when she wanted food or to be petted. This was something else. 

She’s Scared 

Mittens kept meowing at Ben. Her meows sounded painful, as if she was in a hurry. Coupled with the pounding rain outside and the darkness inside the house, Ben couldn’t help but feel on edge. 

He settled his mind, watching as Mittens walked a step away and stopped, staring anxiously at him.

She kept meowing and moving a step until Ben realized what she was doing. 

Go To The Kitchen 

“The kitchen,” Ben whispered as realization hit him. Mittens wanted him to see something, and it seemed like time wasn’t on her side. 

Mike didn’t turn on the lights. He only followed the cat into the dark kitchen.

Mittens stopped at the door, her eerie meows morphing into snarls. And that’s when Ben saw it. 

Into The Darkness 

The heavy table he’d placed against the oven door had been pushed to the side. But that was only half of it.

In the darkness, something moved. Mittens launched herself back as if to escape, growling so deeply Ben stepped back too.

In the swimming darkness of the kitchen, his eyes caught something that made his blood run cold. 

Shine The Light 

Ben wasn’t sure he saw what he saw. He flashed his light toward it to confirm his fear, and adrenaline shot through his veins. 

Something had rushed past the table and into the open oven.

But it wasn’t a tiny mammal as he’d earlier theorized. No, this was far bigger and meaner. It was far more dangerous. 

Black And Yellow

Ben only caught a black and yellow pattern, sheening as it zoomed past his eyes and into the oven’s darkness.

Even his phone’s flashlight didn’t fully capture what he’d seen. 

But it was enough to freeze him in place. He used everything within him to take a step back, followed by another. He needed to get his family out of the house. 

Get Out Now

Ben turned on his heels, rushing to his kids’ room. He woke them up, throwing sweaters and rain jackets on their beds and asking them to dress.     

He darted into his and Macy’s bedroom, telling her they needed to leave immediately.

“Why? What’s going on?” Macy asked. But Ben couldn’t muster the words to explain what he’d seen. He only knew his family was in danger. 

The Garage

Carrying his daughter and bags while Macy took their son and Mittens, he led them to the garage, where they hopped into their vehicle. But while he was strapping his daughter in, she pointed at the wall. 

Ben’s breath hitched as his sight landed on the wall.

Something was moving in the dark, inching away from the wall and coming closer to the car. 

Drive!

Ben couldn’t jump into the front seat fast enough. The garage door wasn’t fully open before he slid out, turning his car around and speeding down the rain-eaten driveway.

Macy was already on the phone with the authorities, explaining that something was inside their house.

In the corner of her eyes, she saw a shadow easing back into the garage’s darkness. 

Getting Help

Ben drove his family to a nearby hotel and headed straight to the police station. He spent a few minutes with the authorities, explaining everything that happened, 

He was still unsure if what he’d seen crawling back into the oven and in the garage was a man or an animal.

But he wasn’t going to take any chances. 

He’s Back

He drove back to his house with a few officers, ready to crack this case open. He found his garage door ajar the same way he had left it some fifty minutes ago. 

The rain had stopped by now, the wind howling ominously.

Ben’s house stood out from the rest of the homes in the neighborhood, challenging Ben to enter. 

An Unsettling Situation

With two officers beside him, Ben walked in. He’d already explained what he saw in the kitchen and the garage, to which the officers told him not to be afraid. 

But this was his family home. The fact that someone or something lived here, too, made his stomach grumble.

What they’d find would result in the quarantining of the entire house. 

Give Him Space

One of the officers led the charge, with his weapon ready and flashlight lighting the way.

He entered the kitchen, the rest of his team, Ben included, giving him a wide berth. Something snarled.

The officer inched back as a hiss took the entire corridor. “Everybody out, now,” he whispered while taking steps back. “No sudden movements.”

Animal Control

“What did you see?” one of the officers asked him as they entered the living room. “We need to get animal control here now,” the officer said. 

His eyes were wide, and his forehead was covered in sweat even though the house was ice cold.

“Why?” Ben asked. “Why do we need to call animal control?”

Scales And Sofas

The officer was about to explain everything when the couch moved. Everyone turned to it, flashing their lights toward it. “Please tell me you see that,” Ben whispered. 

Something was inside the couch, moving the cushions up and down. It was big, shaking the entire sofa. Ben’s sight caught a scaly tail disappearing into the couch before one of the officers pointed at the kitchen door and said, “I think there’s more than one of them.”

Disclaimer: In order to protect the privacy of those depicted, some names, locations, and identifying characteristics have been changed and are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblances to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.