In a world where everyone wants to be a cat
This morning, my best friend told me she wanted to be a cat. I didn’t find it funny because we all desire to be something that we are not someday. But that choice of her something was a cat, and I didn’t know how to feel about it. She could have said anything like a cloud, a butterfly, and obviously of course a unicorn rather. It so happens that the world is sort of divided in taking a liking towards either a dog or a cat. One could never be both, and so she chose to be a cat. A CAT.
Curious Cat, Photo Courtesy : Julia Saha
There is nothing wrong in wanting to be a cat. It’s just the green creepy eyes peeping from under the bed, the fur that keeps shedding everywhere and sticks to my clothes, the way it walks the infamous “Catwalk” swaying its tail, and all those scratches on my arms for no apparent reason, the hyperactivity from all the zoomies late at night are just a couple of things about them that bother me. But that doesn’t matter because I didn’t want to be a cat. It was her.
Sleepy Cats, Photo Courtesy : Adarsh Kumar
Now, it was beyond the point of discussion if she knew such traits would inherit her if her wish was ever to be granted. Will then she like being a cat herself? She will be in a mood that is always of annoyance, always napping, always putting her nose in other’s businesses. Well, I rather hope not. I believe, she would then also sunbathe herself daily on the windowsill, dropping everything off it if ever was kept on, proclaiming its throne like the queen she truly was, establishing authority over everything and everyone. She would be served cat food three times a day but not by anybody would do, only if their master poured into its little bowl will she eat. Tantrums of a spoiled queen naturally. One would also have to comb out its knots patiently to stop all the shedding while she would happily toss turn roll in merriment making the job even harder without a damn care.
Suited Cat, Photo Courtesy: Julia Saha
But what else could she do being a cat? There was nothing much to do and we all knew that very well.
My mother always said there is something good in everyone. So, try I shall, to find the something good in a certain (evil) feline.
The Jungles Roys, Photo Courtesy: Shireen Roy
On days that I am not quite myself, doesn’t matter if it’s because of the weather being gloomy or just the heart pouring heavily inside me. It would arise out of its secret hiding and curl up softly in my lap purring in a way saying it’s all okay. The claw that would otherwise always poke out its nails at me would only now be gently extended, Here hold my hand, you will feel better. As I did mention the annoyance it causes, it would keep circling jumping pulling screeching all around me as I lie holed up inside the blanket refusing to come out. Will it quit or try another trick? Nobody can ever tell, after all it was really a cat. That teeny flicker of emotion that makes you believe she does care could just be another one of her moods. Sometimes it would also just keep following me around everywhere in every corner climbing my back digging its claws on its way up (oh, I can’t be lucky everyday), and so it seems to be that another friend who aptly named her cat Saaya meaning shadow.
Hey, I am not complaining, but well that instability would surely drive me crazy(er)!
Snoozing Cat ( again) , Photo Courtesy : Aalekhya V.
All that fuss, but only one thought after this retrospection. To seek all the dispositions of a comfortable life, to be treated as blue royalty every day, almost like being born with a golden spoon, with just one meow away for the world to be at my feet, who would not want to be a cat. A foolish human perhaps! I would definitely undoubtedly certainly would. In all my nine lives.
Did I ever say otherwise?
