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The Lost Cat
A lost pet, fear, and unexpected kindness from a stranger.
Maya's cat escapes through an open door, and a man she's never met stops to help her search. A short, warm story for listening practice. You'll learn seven useful words and phrases for talking about worry, escape, places, and helping someone.
This is a short story about a woman named Maya, her cat Sol, and a stranger who stops to help. Before you listen, two words to know:
Listen to the whole story once. Don't read the transcript yet. Focus on the big picture, then answer the two questions.
Maya lives in a small apartment. She has a cat. The cat's name is Sol. Sol is orange and soft. Maya loves Sol very much.
This morning, the door was open. Sol ran awayrun away · to leave suddenly and escape. Maya looked in the apartment. Sol was not there. Maya was sad.
Maya goes outside. The sidewalksidewalk · the path next to the street, where people walk is warm. The sun is bright. “Sol! Sol!” Maya calls. Sol isn't anywhere around.
A man is sitting on a benchbench · a long seat for two or more people. His name is Tom. Tom sees Maya. “Are you okay?” he asks.
“My cat ran away this morning,” Maya says. “I can't find her. I'm scaredscared · afraid; frightened.”
“Don't worrydon't worry · a phrase to calm or reassure someone,” Tom says. “I'll help you. Let's look together.”
Maya and Tom walk down the street. They look under cars. They look in the yard. They look behind a store. But Sol is not anywhere.
Then Tom stops. “Listen,” he says. Maya listens. She hears a small sound. “Meow. Meow.”
The sound is coming from a tree. Maya looks up. Sol is in the tree! Sol is scared too.
“I see her!” Maya says. “But the tree is tall.”
Tom is tall. He stands under the tree. “Come, Sol,” he says softly. “Come downcome down · to move from a high place to a lower one.”
Sol looks at Tom. Sol looks at Maya. Then Sol jumps. Tom catchescatch · to take something in your hands as it comes to you her. Sol is safe!
Maya is very happy. She holds Sol close. “Thank you, Tom,” she says. “You are a good guy.”
Tom smiles. “Cats like high places,” he says. “But they always come home.”
Maya and Tom walk back. The sun is warm. Sol sleeps in Maya's arms. Now Maya has a cat and a new friend.
Listen again. You can read along with the transcript now.
Maya lives in a small apartment. She has a cat. The cat's name is Sol. Sol is orange and soft. Maya loves Sol very much.
This morning, the door was open. Sol ran awayrun away · to leave suddenly and escape. Maya looked in the apartment. Sol was not there. Maya was sad.
Maya goes outside. The sidewalksidewalk · the path next to the street, where people walk is warm. The sun is bright. “Sol! Sol!” Maya calls. Sol isn't anywhere around.
A man is sitting on a benchbench · a long seat for two or more people. His name is Tom. Tom sees Maya. “Are you okay?” he asks.
“My cat ran away this morning,” Maya says. “I can't find her. I'm scaredscared · afraid; frightened.”
“Don't worrydon't worry · a phrase to calm or reassure someone,” Tom says. “I'll help you. Let's look together.”
Maya and Tom walk down the street. They look under cars. They look in the yard. They look behind a store. But Sol is not anywhere.
Then Tom stops. “Listen,” he says. Maya listens. She hears a small sound. “Meow. Meow.”
The sound is coming from a tree. Maya looks up. Sol is in the tree! Sol is scared too.
“I see her!” Maya says. “But the tree is tall.”
Tom is tall. He stands under the tree. “Come, Sol,” he says softly. “Come downcome down · to move from a high place to a lower one.”
Sol looks at Tom. Sol looks at Maya. Then Sol jumps. Tom catchescatch · to take something in your hands as it comes to you her. Sol is safe!
Maya is very happy. She holds Sol close. “Thank you, Tom,” she says. “You are a good guy.”
Tom smiles. “Cats like high places,” he says. “But they always come home.”
Maya and Tom walk back. The sun is warm. Sol sleeps in Maya's arms. Now Maya has a cat and a new friend.
| Picture | Word | Type | Line from the story | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| run away | phrasal verb | “Sol ran away.” | To leave suddenly and escape. Two words act as one verb — for animals or for people. | |
| sidewalk | noun | “The sidewalk is warm.” | The path next to the street, where people walk. (American English; British: pavement.) | |
| bench | noun | “A man is sitting on a bench.” | A long seat for two or more people. Found in parks, streets, and gardens. | |
| scared | adjective | “I’m scared.” | Afraid; frightened. Maya feels it, and Sol feels it too. | |
| don't worry | phrase | “Don’t worry,” Tom says. | A fixed phrase you say to calm or reassure a worried person. Friendly, everyday. | |
| come down | phrasal verb | “Come down.” | To move from a high place to a lower one. The opposite of going up. | |
| catch | verb | “Tom catches her.” | To take something in your hands as it comes to you. Past form: caught. |
Fill the gap from memory — no options. Type the word or short phrase.
You listened, noticed the words, and used them yourself. Come back any time to listen again — repetition is how the words stick.
