text: Beth Murphy operated a cattery in Coos Bay, Oregon. Over three decades, she had raised hundreds of purebred varieties of Siamese, Russian Blue, Persians and others. She kept all the important legal documents, pedigree papers, and such in a tempered steel safe in her office.
  
  Beth, with two charming tiny kittens in her lap, chatted with Mr. and Mrs. Cozzens, a couple seeking a Maine Coon purebred.
  
  "These two are just weaned," Beth said. "One's a male, the other female. If you can wait a week, that'll give me time to remove them from their mother and make sure they have all the required shots. You have your choice of either one."
  
  While she explained the details, a Manx kitten wandering the compound entered the office and headed directly for the open safe, where she promptly lay down on a stack of papers and fell asleep. Neither Beth nor the couple saw it.
  
  "Well, that's it then," said Mr. Cozzens. "We have a deal. We'll be back in a few days to pick up Mac."
  
  "Oh, you've already picked a name!"
  
  "Yes," said Mrs. Cozzens, "Mac the Maine Coon."
  
  Beth smiled. "Perfect. Phone before you come; I'll have him ready."
  
  After the couple left, Beth turned and noticed the open safe. "Damn.!" She shut and locked the door, not noticing the feline occupant.
  
  As Beth prepared to leave the cattery for the day, an attendant came running down the hall. "Beth! Beth! Have you seen a kitten running loose?"
  
  "I just put two Maine Coons back with their mama, but I haven't seen any escaped kittens. What breed?"
  
  "Manx. We can't find one of the three kittens."
  
  "Take it easy, Kim. Kittens get loose all the time. She'll show up."
  
  "It's my responsibility. I'm not leaving until I find it."
  
  "All right. I'll help you. Where did you see her last?"
  
  "Him. It's a male. I saw him right outside your office."
  
  "Really? Then let's search my office."
  
  A half hour later they had gone over every square inch of the room twice. Kim was exhausted. She sat down in a chair by the safe.
  
  "Let's go home," said Beth. We should leave it until tomorrow. The cat will get hungry and thirsty, and he'll damn sure let us know where he is."
  
  Kim shrugged. "Wait! What was that?"
  
  "I said, let's..."
  
  "No. Listen!"
  
  Beth, across the room, heard nothing.
  
  Kim craned her neck and leaned toward the safe. The mewling got louder. "Open the safe!"
  
  "What?" Beth paused. "You think..." She ran over to the steel box and carefully twiddled the dial back and forth a few times. She turned the handle, and it opened. The mewling was now very loud. Beth reached in and grabbed the tiny ball of fur, who was none the worse for the experience.
  
  Kim stated the obvious. "If that kitten had stayed in the safe overnight, he would have run out of air and died."