Marvelling at bond with feline family
“Mummy, I couldn’t sleep, a cat was mewing all through the night,” complained my son. I instructed the house help to sweep the terrace thoroughly, using extra disinfectant. Within seconds, she rushed back to declare a cat sat there with her litter. The nocturnal commotion made sense.
Cat and kittens had piqued the gizmo sedulous generation. The help showered her orthodox hearsay, it is a good omen for the home, a cat ferociously guards her newborns, she scratches out the eyes of intruders and what not. While I believed the new mom needed rest and privacy, I was a little scared of my kids’ safety yet I did not wish to dampen their exuberance. I cautioned them not to venture near the family and let the new mother recuperate.
My children’s declaration they would prefer plain milk than milkshake for breakfast hackled my maternity instincts, they surely were up to ulterior plans. So, we had a brief interactive session on confinement and precarious man-animal relationship.
As I came out of class, my son called up, “Mummy, there are so many types of milk: Cow, full cream, toned, double toned. Which one is good to buy for infants?” The eavesdropping vendor enlightened him to buy double toned for infants. They bought two containers, one for milk and one for water. My reprimands fell on deaf ears. “The cat family is relishing,” was their innocent rejoinder.
As I entered home from college, my son rushed in on his Scooty. He had bought multi-grain bread and cheese for the cat. The mother needs a nutritious diet. I reiterated my advice: Stay safe. The family is so loving, they mew so sweetly as we pat them, they pose so well for the pictures. Indeed, my children’s social media was flooded with selfies, pictures and inundated with likes and comments.
I marvelled at my daughter’s dexterous craftsmanship, the cardboard shelter lined with soft cloth for the family, while I was formally introduced: She is Billy, the mama cat, and here are Browny, Kitty and Spotty. The affinity and alliance went on for quite some time. The feline family running around the terrace, the kids rushing at odd hours to replenish the supplies, signalled by scratching on the net door.
Alas! One fine morning, the visitors vanished. Arrived suddenly, departed suddenly. Ants feasted on the leftovers. Our help thrusting her dusting pan taunted the family no longer relished your fare and had a pigeon party. A calmness descended; memories lingered.
A couple of days later, as I was tending my pots, a cat appeared on the wall and constantly mewed. Exasperated, I tried to shoo it away but it would not budge. The commotion brought out my kids who exuberantly clapped “Billy is back!” My sons ran up the stairs, the cat leapt over the railing and my daughter snatching the keys sped off to the grocer. Marvelling at nature and the bond, with moist eyes I followed to capture the bonhomie of the feline and my kids.
ONE FINE MORNING, THE VISITORS VANISHED. ARRIVED SUDDENLY, DEPARTED SUDDENLY. ANTS FEASTED ON THE LEFTOVERS. OUR HELP THRUSTING HER DUSTING PAN TAUNTED THE FAMILY NO LONGER RELISHED YOUR FARE AND HAD A PIGEON PARTY