Stray Cats

Stray Cats

Animals without homes in my childhood were to be avoided like the plague. From rashes to stomachaches, mysterious discomforts to unexplainable insanity, the ailments carried by the diseased, unwanted critters that are often seen lingering at my flat's void deck were endlessly horrifying. I was warned about the consequences whenever a cat was in my path, and I carefully heeded parental advice due to the fear of the aftermath - partly from the suicidal decision to initiate contact, partly from my parents. To touch them was to touch death, to accept them was to accept suffering. They were to be avoided like the plague.

I was walking home today right after a hilarious dinner. It was a barrelful of laughs for the PEA comm, and a single, hour-long, continuous giggle for Zoe. The hangover of humour carried over with the bus ride with the 4D guys and Janson, before I finally had a short walk back to my house alone. Alone, the ecstasy couldn't be shaken off, and I had to hum any song popping to mind, making my way back along a familiar path.

Halfway through the chorus of I'm Yours, I suddenly noticed a wayward cat lying right next to my foot, and almost fell on my side with the slight shock. The cat gazed up lazily at me, eyes shining brightly in the hushed night, as if to say "What?". I gave a sigh, and was about to be on my way when an urge tugged back. I stopped midstep and stared at the cat, locking gazes, sharing bored, blank expressions.

Until now, I still cannot figure out for the life of me why what happened next actually happened. As the cat kept its two alluring eyes on my less impressive ones, I deliberated, considered and debated. And slowly, but without hestitation, I lowered myself to meet the cat closer to its eye level, never breaking eye contact. The cat then seemed to have its own moral dilemma, but was careful not to betray its carefully maintained calm. One reason why I now prefer cats to dogs.

Then - it happened.

The cat seemed to relent and give me its trust, getting up from its comfortable recline on the grass and making its relaxed way towards me. And instead of stopping in front of me, the cat started to circle where I had crouched down upon. I felt its firm upright tail trailing around my legs; Its friendly caress convinced me to stay near it a little while longer.

All this time alarm bells were being set off in my head, every bit of past wisdom screaming at me to hurry the hell home before I catch something that isn't as rewarding as fish. Common sense was sending endless reports about unidentified bacteria permeating my skin and devouring my body from the vessels outwards. Stray animals are to be avoided like the plague.

But the cat already captured my attention.

I ventured to start giving it a stroke, the cat giving the slightest smirk of appreciation. I caught the hint and rubbed it around its head and back, as it continued casting a spell upon me, walking around and through my legs and letting me know that its friendship has already been fully extended to a strange but comforting human.

Yet time caught up with my consciousness again and I knew that I had to bid farewell to my newfound friend. I stood up, and the cat seemed confused by my sudden departure. As I walked away, it started to follow me. Even as I sped up the cat followed my pace, and seemed annoyed to find that I had to leave it only after such a short while.

When I reached the lift, the cat seemed to understand, staring from a short distance away from the noisy, strangely cramped room that always closed its doors with unsuspecting humans within and spat out differently shaped ones at undefined intervals of the day. I whispered a slight goodbye, before finally disappearing into the lift.

Stray animals are to be avoided like the plague, but I think from now on I may just make an exception for stray cats.