Happy Caturday: orange cats with funny faces.

Most of the time my orange cats are very quiet and peacefully sleeping in their favourite corner all day long. The only time we would have any conversation is in the evening after their dinner. That’s when I would be calling them out to have their walking exercise in the fields nearby. I would talk to them with reasons and logically explaining to them why they have better stayed fit and nimble. They still have to look out for that stubborn stray dog that recently dug another hole in the fence to get inside the garden. My cats have to be able to run fast and climb up trees as high as possible to stay safe.

It did occur to me that we could be keeping each other company without speaking the whole day. I would just quietly watch over my cats while they were napping; they never meow for their dinner except when I had forgotten about feeding them. Then they timidly reminded me that they were hungry. Once last week, I tested their patience by pretending to forget about their food. They just sat by the kitchen door looking at me. I delayed their dinner by almost two hours! Yet they just looked at me and didn’t make any protesting noises. I had to say sorry for forgetting the dinner time and told them that they should make noises to remind me. They shouldn’t be too sensitive or too considerate in such times. So, I hope they would feel free to make noises to communicate with me more often.

Sometimes I wanted to play with them but they were either sleeping or were not amused by my games; they ran away downstairs to be on their own. I like the fact that these cats could be completely independent and get on with their lives. This gives me a relief about being responsible for them 24/7. So, I don’t have to look after them all day and all night. After sleeping the whole day, they like to wander about the garden and sitting on the wall by the front gate; at that height they feel safe and could watch over the dirt road and nearby fields.

These orange cats rarely ask to come inside the house at night to take their nap. They becomes hunters and security guards in the night time. From time to time, I was woken by loud quarreling noises between Joan and the black stray cat. I had to run to break up the quarrel and chase away that aggressive stray cat. In the past, there were some nice stray cats that sneaked in quietly to eat the left over food in the kitchen downstairs; then they would quietly sneaked back into the fields. These stray cats came all the way from the village nearby. Surprisingly, they would walk all the way through fields and wooded areas to explore houses near the river. These cats had no fear of snakes or stray dogs in this area!

Luckily these orange cats haven’t been wandering too far away from the house. The bigger cat, Joan had visited my neighbours’ house a few time. He went there for steam mackerels which the lady used to buy for the grandmother cat, my first cat that migrated to her house two years ago. Sadly, she had been missing for about a year since two more stray cats arrived at that house for steamed mackerels. She was too old and small to put up a fight so she felt she had to leave the house to find somewhere more peaceful. I was sad that she didn’t choose to return home. My gardener told me that she was afraid of Joan as he was much bigger and put up a fight with her once. I had no idea that life could be complicated for cats too.

Looking at my two orange cats, I often thought about their brothers, aunty, mother and their grandmother. It would have been grand to have all the six cats living happily and keeping each other company in my house. My vision for my cats’ family was not meant to become reality which caused me lots of pain and mental sufferings. It took a long time to let go and learn to live with harsh reality. I still think of the dead cats from time to time, they were like my good friends. I was sorry for not being able to protect them from danger and unforeseen situations.

So, I prayed for them and wished them a much better next life. I just hope that I could look after these two orange cats for as long as possible. I often prayed to the land spirits to look after and protect them while I wasn’t around the house. I had never expected that cats could become very much like members of my family. I am very grateful that these cats have been sent to be with me and to keep me company in the house.

Wishing you peace, good health and prosperity.

Stay strong and cheerful.