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.
‘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’
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
_____________________________________________________________________
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’
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