Tibby (Under my Pillow)

The cat who lives under my pillow
Is stranger than anyone thinks!
He never drinks milk, or eats catfood
But he's there when I take forty winks.

He's got a thick tail, and long whiskers
That tickle, and silky-soft fur
He rolls on his back when I stroke him,
And he shakes with a thunderous purr.

Now Tibby's a huge ginger tomcat,
Or tabby, or black, as I choose!
Of course, it's just me who can see him.
(But he snuggles up close when I snooze.)

It's then I confess all my secrets,
The quarrels and cares of the day:
He listens, then settles beside me
To soothe all my troubles away.

He's wise for his years, is my Tibby.
He's not even older than me!
So how does he know all the answers,
When not even adults agree?

And when daddy shouts from the landing
"Come on now, and get off to sleep!"
It's then he dives under my pillow.
And what does he say? Not a peep.

But as I drift off into slumber
He guards me while washing his paws.
And then, when I need his protection,
He stretches, and flexes his claws.

He stalks through my dreams to protect me
From witches, and monsters that bite.
One flash of his fangs and they scatter
Back into the mists of the night.

If only he stayed till the morning..
But no: like the moonlight, he's flown.
Though maybe, dad says, when I'm older,
I'll have a real cat of my own!