Letter to a Feral Cat
Dearest Kit,
I know exactly how you felt when you first saw me; you thought I wouldn’t notice you, let alone feed you. I remember the shock on your face the first time I fed you and how you devoured the food in fear and hunger.
Now let me tell you what I felt when I saw you. One look at you, and I saw how handsome you were. You were a tiny panther, fully black with light green eyes, the exact cat that superstitious people often mention as “bad luck”, but I knew you were gorgeous, smart, and completely feral. I saw you playing and accepting my cat, Chase. I saw you teach him to run from dogs, climb trees, jump walls, and kill rodents. I was happy Chase had such a smart friend. And then, you killed a small snake near my house. You did what you were supposed to do, you were a feral, wild, beautiful, killer. You were complex; on one hand, you were Chase’s companion, and on the other untamed. And as an admirer of felines and canines, I was bloody impressed. I decided at that moment, that I’m going to take care of you and named you KIT. If you had let me, I’d have given you a hug and kiss right then and there.
Till today, you don’t really trust me. You don’t let me touch you, you hiss when I come close and you run away once you finish your meal. Maybe you’ll never be the cat I think you will, but that’s ok. We’ve come such a long way, today you feel free to walk into my garden, sniff my flowers, sit on the wall, sleep on my window ledge, stare at my dog, eat the food we put out for you, and even walk up to my door and scream when hungry — you are such a good boy. I want you to know, I’ll always leave out food for you, a cozy box to sleep in, and a fresh bowl of water for you. I know this is just the beginning, I will take care of you and be a part of your life. Whichever part you want me to play, I will.
When I walk by, you look at me with a calmness that I love. When you walk by, I see you with admiration, respect, and love, hopefully, you will love me someday too!
P.S: I’m waiting for you to accept me. And, I will with all the patience I have.
Love,
Mama!