The Life With Cats

Having a family and living close to them or with them is something. But living with a cat is different. Okay, I'll tell you, it's really interesting and exciting. Do notmisunderstand me, I live with my family and we have a pet cat. When I was born during the 19th something, my mother had a pet cat. That is how I got to know cats. They are one of the first things I have seen during my babyhood.

when I was one year old, I only have one playmate, my brotherwho is one year older than me. I call him Matt. Well, Matt and I always played together but most of the times when I am alone, I play with my cat. Cats couldn't live long so my mom kept taking new catswhen her old cat died. And it never stops. And I usedto have chickens too...hehehe...Cluck! Cluck! A whole bunch of them. Okay, back to my main point. Cats. Well, cats I know are sensitive, some smart while others less smart, some cuddly while others scratchy, so you see, cats havetheir own identity like humans.

When I was four, I learned the cats ways. How they land from a very high jump without hurting or splinching their legs, how to move quietly and to be patient, how to know cats' emotions. Their eyes, if you're gifted, you can feel what they feel, fear, anger, hunger, or thirst.

I never know that cats only see in black and white. That's why they could see in the dark. My mother told me so when I was four. That's when it all started. I was four and I go to a kindergarten far from my house. During that time. I got a female cat which I called Buyung. Buyung was actually a stray that came to my house and my mum or me feed it. Andsomehow,it has become my cat. It was a striped tabby-cat with a loving expression on its face. It likes me best and listens to me. But sometimes, it will not return home for a few days. Buyung always get pregnant and have a set of nice kittens but accidents happened and most of the kittens died. Some are lost when they're big and started to explore my neighbourhood. As I grew up, Buyung continued to have kittens,until I was 9 years old. My parents decided to move to a new house. Bigger and better, much more comfortable.

At that time Buyung just had a set of kittens, only a few weeks old. My mom decided to take one , a spotty, black and whit little tabby. We waited until it was a few months old, and during the time, the kitten was only the one left, its siblings died in tragic accidents. One was crushed by a falling brick while another was butchered by a stray he-cat.

And so, we said goodbye to Buyung and took the little baby cat with us. I felt bad. I was thinking "What am I doing? I'm seperating a baby from its mother.What if I'm the kitten? How'd I feel".

I continued to feel bad all the way to my new home, hearing the cry of the kitten , it sounded as if the kitten had been crying. I look into its eyes and you know what? I see tears. Not great, big tears that continued to flow like we have, but only a little water in the eyes, and it looked at me and continued its meowing, and I felt like I'd lost my soul. It was in despair, I can feel it. Pain, scared, sad. I tried to tell my mom but got scolded instead. She told me it was nothing.

I tried to soothe it. I started meowing and with each sound, I think of a wordto soothe the kitten. I told it everything was fine and that it was safe and I'm gonna take care for it. Upon hearing my meowing, the kitten fell silent and nuzzled my chest. I keep it cuddled there and it fell asleep. And that's when I realized I know cats more than any people do. It was passion. Obsession. Love. And understanding.

The kitten will come to me upon hearing my voice. It listens and acted as if it really understands me. But then, somehow it died in the toilet. Drown itself, by the looks of it. I had sensed it's despair for a while. It missed its mother. Now it's gone, my mom took two cats, one striped and orange in colour, the other, white with orange and black spots. The striped one is Mew while the spotted one is Meow.

Mew was very lazy while Meow was very active. My mom said Meow is a hothead, well, it's true. I can see it to. But it became softer and more lenient. It got a soft expression. And Mew, Its gone after a few days. Meow became my cat and I am it's favourite mistress. Meow! Hehehe...

I was eleven that time. My mom said that Mew had probably ended in a Viatnamese pot. I didn't find that funny.

So it became Meow and me. We loved to do things together. I always go out for a walk with Meow into the bushes and palm trees plantation behind my house. My mom knows I love playing there with Meow. We jumped over branches and logs. We played hide and seek. Usually I came back home with some scratches on my hand, some from Meow, some from the thorns. Meow purrs and came when I call it's name. When I came home from the hostel, it will always be there, waiting for me. It will come to me and purred and followed me into my room. I'll tell her stories of what is happening at school and it listens intently, nuzzling me when I cried and purring when I'm in anger, soothing me. Sometimes I got mad and nearly killed it, but it will do nothing to fight back, instead, it nuzzled me. And because of it's patience, I had got better from my madness. I learn to control my anger and to act cool and we became the best of friends.

Then came the day to say goodbye, forever. I still remember that day. It was Thursday, in June, during the weekend holiday, when I came home from hostel. As ususal, Meow was there,waiting for me. But that day I was too tiredto play with it. I only kissed it and patted it and cuddled it for a short time, then I went upstairs to rest. I snored until late in the evening. I woke up with a start and went straight to my mother.

"Mom, where's Meow?"

"She's somewhere outside. Juz now she went out with me. Juz call her, you know she'll answer you".

And so I went out and called for it. But...

"Mom! I can't find her anywhere!"

"Let her be. Wash and clean yourself. Dinner will be in thirty minutes".

I looked at the clock. Gosh! It was half past seven. I hurried for a bath and went downstairs for dinner. My siblings were already there and they were waiting for me and my father.

"Don't juz stand there! Sit at your place". Suddenly my father came from behind me. I quickly took my seat and we ate our dinner. Suddenly the phone rang. My father picked it up. He was silent the whole time and only said thank you before hanging up. He sat back on his chair and his eyes searched my face. He let out a sigh and said :

"Meow is DEAD. Our neighbour, Mrs. Lee, just called to tell that her son saw your cat falling sideways into a drain near our house".

I gave a cry and leaped out of my chair.

"Seat! I will retrieve the cat's body, but later. Finish your dinner first!"

I ate my dinner in silence. Then I followed my father to retrieve Meow's body. I touched it. It's furs were hard, not soft anymore, it's body cold, dead. My worst fear has come true. My best friend had left me. God why? Why? I cried. Tears streamed down my face.

Until now I still remember it.

Your wet nose,

Your soft fur,

Your nice purr,

Brings joy to my life,

Makes me see the light,

You lead me into knowing your world,

Understanding cats and standing out,

You show me how to hunt,

How to stand still,

Somehow you're my mother,

Patient teaching a baby,

Nudging with your wet nose,

Waking me up when the sun shone,

Your eyes soft,

Watching me, guarding me,

All the times,

You never hissed at me,

We play the cats' way,

We spring and meowed,

And rolled over the floor,

You slept beside me,

As my buddy teddy,

but you're a kitty,

Playing hide and seek,

And people called me a freak..

But now you're gone,

You're no longer here,

But the memories will never gone,

I kept 'em with me,

Forever...

Meow....

Lots of love,

Dark

My last cat is the white kitten, Mamut. However, I lost it after a few weeks. It was last seen near the hostel of Vietnamese girls. If you see it, tell me will ya? Pleazz...