A moving experience

(This post has been published late as I was awaiting processing of my photographs. As it happens with everything, time past fades the emotions to some extent, but I like to publish it nevertheless, for the unique-ness this experience had).

19th June, 22:00

Just half an hour ago, I went through a really moving experience, and despite all its eeriness, I feel like writing about it and sharing it.

To blurt out the fact first, I think my cat Silk understands me. And I am surely not the first one to think so – my friend Nalini has 2 cats and she also talks to them and they seem to understand her.

Silk came to us about a month ago – she was not afraid of me at all and approached me like we are long lost friends. Divya is not very comfortable with her, but she has grown more easy with and fond of her over the last month.

Let me come in, please!!

I talked to her (based on Nalini’s story) and told her that if she comes regularly for 5 days, I will adopt her. She came the next day and then stopped coming. Between day 1 and 2, I had talked to my friends and Nalini and doubted my own ability to adopt her. Obviously, she felt it. She somehow came back when we returned from Mulu. I have ever since fed her and kept her close, although she doesn't stay in the house.

 

She loves being caressed

Silk is currently pregnant and is likely hungrier than normal these days. That is why when she comes, she first meows for food and once she is full, she meows for my caress. She does meow more strongly when she sees me eating something that I am not sharing with her. That is the case when I am eating sweet or spicy food, which she doesn’t like. So far, she has accepted milk, chapatti, aloo-pakoda, bread and bland muesli from me!

Fat silk, about time

She normally spends only half hour in evenings on weekdays and a few hours on weekends (until Divya’s tolerance). However, on 17^th June, she stayed at our place for almost 10 hrs. She ate a bit and slept for most of the time.

Always sleeping in the funniest poses

Anyway, yesterday, on 18^th, she only came in morning and left after I gave her milk and left for office. She didn’t come in evening. Divya is still scared of her but I think she actually likes her and would like to get rid of her fear to get more close to Silk. That is why she missed her and looked for her for the whole day. When she came this morning, I gave her milk and after she was done, I told her to come in the evening, joking that the “aunty” is missing you.

She finally came at 8.30 PM. Divya and I were happy to see her. About 10 PM, we were about to go upstairs and leave her out of the house once again when I remembered that I needed to tell her about my upcoming Langkawi trip. I have been thinking about “what she will eat”, “what if she delivers while we are away”, “what is she never came back” etc. for the last few days. So I took her in my hands in the normal position of our conversation (I hold her front two legs and she is hanging and I mentally insist her to look into my eyes). I told her that I am going to Langkawi in 2 days and I won’t be around for the next 10 days. I told her that she doesn’t need to worry –
1) I will leave milk bottle with the neighbour to feed her,
2) If she delivers while we are away, she doesn’t need to be scared and all will go well, and
3) Please come back after 10 days when we return.

Silk is by nature very active and when she is not sleeping, she is always moving around, snuffing stuff or cleaning herself (I think cats are very particular about their cleanliness and I guess she is over-the-top with it). She normally won’t sit on my lap for long even if I put her there. However, after this conversation, when I let her go, she stayed in my lap and looked at me with almost closed eyes in manner of affection. This was followed by moistness and tears in her eyes. This was so moving that I had to postpone our going upstairs for 30 minutes and let her stay in my lap. She dug her claws into my shorts and put her head down, not meowing a word. My wife is witness to the whole incident, and after a while when emotions settled, we took her pictures (which we always do, and despite being photo-shy, she gives excellent poses at times). She was shy again, but on my urge, she opened her eyes twice for the shot.

Don't go away!

A rare tear

Silk regularly reminds Divya of her late grandmother (Jiya). She says Silk looks at her in the same way her grandmother did and she fears her in the same way she feared her grandmother sometimes. I don’t think it Jiya’s soul is inside Silk, but there may be a link. With me, the connection is really strong. I have decided (and requested Divya) that if she comes back to us after our Langkawi trip, we shall fully adopt her and take her with us to India later this year.

I don’t know if it all sounds silly, but it is as real and as sacred as any other thing in the world. It was such a unique and uplifting experience. Thanks to the Almighty.

#Update1: On the morning of my departure, the cat behaved very eerily once again. As I wrote before, in mornings, she would eat sufficiently before paying any heed to us. Today, she meowed continuously and didn’t bother about the food at all. She licked my hands and rubbed her chin against me all the time before I left for office. She tracked me going into my car, reversing and then going slowly (again, something she never does). Only after I left, she ate and finished everything!

#Update2: She and four kittens are now living in my backyard; they will be there until Divya return. More blogs about her intelligence and motherhood will follow.