Of Cats and....

When I was growing up, we always had animals around us; we had dogs, cats, goats, cows and carabaos. And if you consider frogs and big house lizards animals we had plenty of them too. I never felt a connection to any of them except for the carabao that I used to ride on. So it is safe to say that I was not an animal lover like most people are. So when I heard people talk about their pet dog, or their pet cat like they're their kids, I'd roll my eyes and say under my breath: "You're 1 french fry short of a happy meal."

I didn't even fall prey to Chat's constant nagging for us to have animals in the house when she was young. Then she got married and that gave her license to do whatever she wants, in her house, right? So my misery began. I fell in love. With her cat. I've never known such pure joy until we had this snotty, stubborn, you'll-do-what-I tell you, cat. I won't tell you how many times I've cried when he was sick, how many nights I'd lay awake wondering how that cat managed being alone when Chat was out of town on business. Needless to say, I missed him so bad when I left Dallas to come here in Cebu.

And now I have this new source of misery and joy. After being here for 3 months, I began to get attached to this stray cat who attaches himself to me. He sits and waits at my door and talks to me, then he'd follow me around purring. And unlike Chat's cat, this one here considers me his family and not a member of his staff. (You see how I now sound like those people I talked about?) So last week, when he stopped eating and won't move or talk to me anymore, I got despondent. I had my helper wrap him up in a towel and we took him to the vet a few houses down. He was fine until we opened the towel to reveal his eyes. He clawed his way out and ran-- faster than last year's winning race horse. While the doctor and I stood there helpless. I went home and felt like the world had collapsed on me, that I had no more reason to live for. I didn't see him until two days later. He showed up at my door healthy and feisty. And as I am writing this he's at my door trying trying to claw his way inside. He's purring and I am happy.