Humans have always had pets for as long as history can remember. But with time, trends, and generations, the way pets are raised has changed too.
In today’s world, humans buy toys for their pets, feed them the best food, and provide them with everything — and honestly, it’s pretty nice.
I’ve lived with the Patels for three human years now, and I must tell you, it’s the best thing that has ever happened to me.
You see, I used to be a stray cat, wandering from one house to another, trying to steal food from kitchens or drink milk if it was left outside. Everyone hated me in the area I used to live in.
But my life changed the day I met the Patels.
It was a windy afternoon. I was hungry and out hunting for food. As I leapt from one roof to another, I smelled something — something different, something I had never sensed before.
I looked through the window and saw a box filled with red, triangle-shaped fruit. I was curious. The smell was so rich, I couldn’t help myself. I tried to walk inside, getting closer to the fruit, but suddenly I heard a loud noise — a broom came flying at me!
“Get away, you cat!” shouted an old woman.
I ran, but just as I did, a young girl — she must have been around eight — stepped outside. She just stood there, staring at me as I disappeared.
The next day, I saw her again. She was standing on the veranda of her house, holding that red fruit in her hand. All I could think of was snatching it. I tried sneaking up from under the veranda to get close enough. But she wasn’t there anymore.
Just as I jumped up to look, I heard a voice. It was her.
“Do you want to eat these too?”
I froze. Was this a trap? No one had ever offered anything to a stray like me.
She came closer, and I slowly took a few steps forward too. She gently offered me the fruit — and I ate it. It was divine. I almost had tears in my eyes.
The little girl giggled. I purred and walked closer. She petted my head and called out to her mother. But before her mom came, I ran away.
From that day on, I came back every day. She always had strawberries for me — that’s what the fruit was called, I learned.
One day, though, something changed. I heard a loud voice — full of disgust.
It was the old woman with the broom. She screamed, “Stay away from the little girl!”
The girl’s mother came out to see what was happening. The old lady pointed at me and said, “That stray is no good! If it stays near your daughter, it’ll cause trouble.”
I was scared. I thought this was the end of my time there.
But to my surprise, the little girl held me tightly. And her mother said, “This cat is ours. I think our pet can play with our daughter.”
The old lady grumbled something and left.
The girl’s mother got down on her knees and looked at her daughter — Roohi, that was her name.
She said, “You can keep the cat, but only if you take care of it.” Then she looked at me and said, “You better start behaving too.”
Since then, I’ve been vaccinated, taken into their home, and I’ve never had to steal food again.
It’s the little things that matter, and I’m happy now.
I never thought a stray like me would ever have a home this good.
By Christina K Sangma
