The Tale of Love

THE MEOW @ 3AM

Meerrrowww......mreo...

I could hear this vague sound getting more intense as time passed. I tried harder to open my eyes for I was having a beautiful film made inside my eyes. I could see only darkness or dint I open my eyes yet? Oh, yea, it was midnight and that explained the darkness.

‘Mrew’ that feeble voice rang again inside my ears. I turned my face left to see Pichku standing on her two legs supporting on the bed facing my ears so that her sound waves will penetrate directly into my eardrums. Gosh, I wished my bed had longer legs!!!

‘It's 3 a.m., what do you want?’ my eyes asked Pichku. With her dilated eyes she replied ‘What the hell, it's early morning for me, come on feed me!!’...MREEWW

I threw my blanket away and got off the bed to be lead by that little four-legged creature. She pointed her ears back to make sure I was following her. She directed me to the kitchen and sat. Thanks to people who manufactured readymade pet food. I put her bowl full of ‘Whiskas’ and walked back to my bed and fell back to sleep... for...err... probably two minutes.

Mreww...

‘What now?’ this time I gave her the coldest look ever.

‘What do you mean? I am thirsty, come on... its recommended to have freshwater supply with this food...don’t you know that?’ she gave that big-black-eye- look

Huh.........This is how my usual day starts, or my usual sleepy night goes!!!

I don’t know when I fell back to sleep, coz I was woken up by Pichku again! This time when I opened my eyes it was bright enough to tell me that it’s almost 9 a.m. I got up from bed and sprinted to the kitchen, followed by her. Oh no, as usual, my mom had already done with her cooking and packing her lunch in haste. My mom gave me that cold look I always think not to see again. But this kept on happening. I filled her water bottle and kept it in her bag. She gobbled her breakfast and ran fast to the auto parked outside for her. And that’s how my mom’s usual days begin... and obviously mine!

I turned back closing the door to see Pichku run in happiness to the kitchen expecting me to follow and feed her again. Another bowl of Whiskas and then I went to finish my morning chores, had breakfast, and next what? , A small nap? Oh, yea, who will tell no to it? I walked to my bedroom to see her already on the bed, grooming her. On seeing me she made some noise probably meant ‘welcome’. I smiled at her and lied on the bed.  We both sank into a deep sleep.

After long time, I slowly opened my eyes and saw her staring at me.

‘Oh, did you wake up princess? Can we get up? Coz am HUNGRY’, I could pick up the warning from her fully green eyes.

‘Yea...am hungry too’ I rubbed my eyes. Taking that as a signal of my wake up, Pichku yawned showing her sharp canine teeth, stretched her legs, the unique- cat stretches! Her back legs couldn’t support her long stretch and she fell down. That was not the first time I was seeing her fall but I couldn’t get used to the fact that she is having weak hind legs and is supposed to wobble while she walks, runs and stretches.  Now it had become her hobby to give me heart attacks every now and then by jumping from furniture to land on her tummies and picking herself up with wobbly legs.  Every day I wonder how did this happen, as she was born a healthy little kitten!!! I still remember the day I first saw her. Memories flashed in my mind.

I feel brain is the most amazing thing in the whole universe, for it could elaborate the memory of subjects you learned for exams, gives short and precise pictures of events during your recollection mode or even both.

<30-09-2014>

Meoooowwww.....meeeeoooooowwwww - I think this needs no explanation as this memory is from one of my usual days at 3 a.m. for the past three years. But this time it wasn’t for breakfast. It was Pichku’s mother. She had given birth to three kittens five days ago and hid them in a shallow shaft above our bedroom. From the cat language I had been learning, I tried giving her everything I thought she was asking for. At least did I expect that she was asking for something I never ever can give her back.

Sensing some sort of irregularity in her cry, I brought the ladder to check up on the shaft. As I was climbing up, she jumped fast as if to protect her babies from me.   I peeped inside the shaft to see only one kitten. The mother cat started cuddling and licking that little one. Maybe the other two crawled inside and got lost inside any of the boxes? Maybe she wanted me to search inside the boxes kept open? Or.... then I noticed something strange about the kitten she was holding. It did not respond to its mother's lick, it lied curled and won’t move...probably not anymore!!! Cuddling her little one the mother cat started crying. She looked deep into me, the look of agony I will never forget. I searched inside to see another motionless kitten and one missing. How will I tell her she lost all her babies and have no one to be taken care of? How will I tell her I cannot give her what she was asking for?.

 I was sleeping peacefully hoping to get a better tomorrow and now am sitting in front of a mother who lost her hopes. Before I could get back into reality, I saw her cupping her baby’s neck and carrying to someplace unknown. I followed her to reach the kitchen. She jumped up on a shelf which has got a hidden shelf, unseen from distance- a real hide-out place. I climbed on a chair to have a look and saw a kitten alive. That was a moment of relief more me to know there is still hope in life. The mother cat tried to take the still-kitten with her. I didn’t let her do that. Later that day I buried the kittens. 

For the mother cat it was me who took away her kids. That week she used to visit her old place and made noises to get her kittens’ response. If she does not find any she would come after me asking for them. It was hard on me as equally as for her. Days went and she got used to the fact that there is no way she could get back her lost kids and started to nurture her only kitten. The kitten looked like a soft fur ball. It is a known fact that cats are cute and this kitten was even cuter. I felt like squeezing it and got reminded about a water squeezing toy I had when I was a little girl. The manufacturer named it as ‘Pichku’ and I named the little one after this... ‘My Pichku’

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Pichku was happy being her mother’s only child, but missed sibling fights. My sister used to play paper ball with her to keep her active. She even plays with her mom after her lunch. Pichku got all litter-box trained. She was doing great until the day came to her mother hissed her off. It is a usual cat trait to officially declare the end of parenting months. I have seen a lot of this so thought Pichku will learn to deal with it.

 Two days later I noticed that Pichku started changing or rather stopped doing her normal activities. She won’t eat, she won’t play. Eventually, she stopped grooming her and then stopped purring. This is an alarming situation as far as cats are considered. The two traits of healthy cats are licking and purring. Pichku sat in one place and didn’t even bother to move. I tried feeding her milk with the syringe and she won’t open her mouth. I had to squeeze the milk into her mouth forcing her to lick. My dad and I took her to the vet and got medicine prescribed, which another tough task to give her syrups was.

Things couldn’t be worse as I got a family trip which is unavoidable that week. That’s when you call it a dilemma. I had to find a way to cure her within a day or leave her alone handing over her to fate and return after two days, hoping nothing goes wrong. Later that night my mom suggested an idea to leave at my friend who is fond of cats. It never came into my mind. I called her and described the situation and she was happy to help. After some time she called back to confirm her agreement though she was a little reluctant.

‘Is she having some kind of contagious fever that animals get and spread to human?’  She asked in a doubtful way. I had no idea what is wrong with Pichku but I said ‘no no she is fine, it’s some stomach infection, just for two days. Finally, she agreed.

But then it struck my mind, what if it's fever? I gave her a small ayurvedic medicine for fever, the night before we need to leave, hoping to cure her. To my surprise, she showed some improvement. That night I held her close to me and slept on the couch. I couldn’t sleep properly; thoughts were haunting me all night. By midnight something warm woke me up. She was peeing on me. Normally that would be the part where I jump or tell Ewwww... but this made me happy, as it was an indication that her internal systems started to work. I cleaned up the mess on me and tried to get some sleep coz we had a long journey the next day. Vaguely amidst my sleep, I could also hear her licking her and grooming. I smiled in my sleep, she was recovering.

Early the morning I took Pichku in a basket with her medical kit to my bestie’s place. I told my bestie how to feed and give her medicines. I waved her goodbye and handed over the little kido.

‘Happy new year dear’ I wished her as I walked back...she wished me back with her smile. I felt something horrible after leaving Pichku. But that is what I could do. In between that two days, she was recovering much faster and presented New Year poop to my bestie. I was not happy for my bestie, but for Pichku. After the trip, I got Pichku back home. She was in confusion about the change in place so I had to give her some time to recollect. Pichku started getting back her vibes faster and I got relieved and happy. I could never thank my bestie more; if not for her Pichku would have been a memory.

It wasn’t the end for Pichku’s life lessons. She started to develop weak hind legs. Skidding every fourth step and not able to pounce. Cats are not known just for their cuteness but their ability to jump up and down heights, fast running, and climbing trees like squirrels and so on. Pichku’s cat nature got affected by her legs that won’t support her. She found it hard to hunt and fill her tummy. My sister and I took her to the vet again but it didn’t find any result. The only thing left was to get over this situation and deal with it. It wasn’t easy for us... but she could do that. After all, animals are part of real nature; she found her own ways to overcome her disability. Instead of pouncing, she imitated the grasshopper-hop to climb up things. She made her tummy a strong shield in case she falls down.

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This is what I remember each time I see her fall, not as a whole big story but fragmented pieces of pictures flashing in and out.

 I completed my education that year and completely was free without any commitments. That’s when Pichku and I started to build a relationship. That’s when we scheduled our activities together including our nap time. I got a feeling that I am never alone, for she would come and sit at any corner of the room I was in. Since she can’t hunt we feed her with this pet food exclusively for her (as she is not the only cat we have at home). The other cats would run inside the house when they hear the giggling sound of their snack, but I couldn’t afford more of that for all cats. I trick the other cats and move them out as the bagpiper and lock the door. Never did I had to worry Pichku following me and getting locked out with other cats, Coz she knew the trick wasn’t for her and she would be treated separately. She will calmly wait inside till I lock the other cats out and walk near her bowl.

I talk to her, she stares at me. She looks at me and makes her needs done without any talking. That’s how she trained me into her chores. At times we talk with each other in the ‘meowy-language’.  Sooner I started to miss her when she is in the kitchen and 'am in a different room. The only time we let her out was to do her morning chores. Months passed, she became part of my world. But little did I know that someone else was part of her world!!!

Mr. Tomcat called out loud from outside, waiting to see his girlfriend. With no hesitation, this girl just jumped out the window to have a party night. I was thunderstruck to see her abandon me all at once!!! Maybe that is what nature’s way. I couldn’t complain. One day I even tried locking inside. But she mastered the skills to open the window and jump off and roll down on the ground to run to her Mr. Love. If she could go through all these troubles, then there is no point in locking her. I let her go after that.

Those two days, I was alone... recollecting the ‘days of my lives’ haaa at least my little kitty is having someone to be with. But she is no more a little kitty. A few weeks later her tummy started to grow and that is called pregnancy. Mom started to scare me off. ‘It can’t even stand straight holding herself up, how is she going to make it?’ ‘She can’t carry her babies and climb them to new places, what are you going to do....’ I had no idea. For all I know is the almighty helps the needy. Yea of course I was bothered by her ways during those months. Many times I see her jumping from a tall wall, landing on her tummy, and running sideways to home pointing her ears back to make sure am following her. I stand there gasping with my eyes popped out and look the way she runs as if nothing had happened.

I never thought I could see her kittens alive seeing the way she rolls and wiggle her tummy, until three months later......

<25-09-2015>

Pichku acted a little strange that day. She was kicking her legs in sleep, not allowing me to touch her but kept calm. That night I witnessed the birth of new souls into the earth. No matter if it’s animal or human; childbirth is always a miracle. She ran crazy after me following where ever I go early that night. Won’t eat, won’t go out, and not letting me go to sleep. My sister and I had already figured this situation might come so we had kept a cartoon box in handy. I led her to that box. To my surprise, she went inside that for the first time. ...But came out after two seconds. I patted her back, rubbed her chin and she started to purr and went inside the box. Every five minutes she checked up on me and made sure am still there.

This went for hours. My eyes started to droop but couldn’t leave her too. I tried adjusting the cartoon box at her convenience but it dint find it right. After some trial and error method, I kept the box neat and comfy for her. She jumped out as I was doing that. While I put her back in I could feel her water broke.... oh it began... It was almost three in the morning. I heard her groan; when I look she got distracted.  I gave her all the privacy. I saw a tiny head coming out of her and that’s when I felt a mixed feeling of happiness, pain, and amusement. The tiny creature cried at the instant its leg came out. Pichku began to lick her and make it dry. Sooner she needed to continue the process for kittens yet to come and she did.

She gave birth to two kittens. I was happy to see her as a mother yet she remained the little Pichku of mine.

I don’t know what I learn from these cats nor do I know what I am doing to them. I feel happy being with them. One month later she walked around the hall at 3 am carrying her babies to find a new place. She hopped onto my bed after her usual struggle and called out to her kittens. ‘Jump up u little ones’. I laughed at her gesture and of course understood she was expecting me to help. I made arrangements in a room upstairs with pillows and bedsheets and carried the kittens for she couldn’t walk carrying them. I placed them inside a cave made of clothes and showed Pichku her new house.

She rested there and started feeding her kittens. Eyes wide open hearing the dogs nearby bark. Her eyes were fully black. I looked into it. I don’t know if I really understood what she meant. Was she happy or still not sure about the place? I looked at her for a long time. She never let me sleep at midnight, she made me worry all time, she runs behind me for food yet  I could never be angry at her and I love her for no reason. In those small black eyes I could see the fear of her kittens’ safety. My eyes said:

‘Don’t worry; you and your kittens will be safe here, for am there for you’

May be she understood what I said...she slowly started to close her eyes and fell back to sleep.