A black cat has made Parul's varanda her home since about a month. She is healthy and seems to have no abnormalities in her behaviour. Parul despite her allergies to dander has began feeding her.
Since a few days another, a replica of the 'Parul's' cat, was spotted lurching in the bushes. This one was aggressive. At a closer look I saw that she had abrasion on her neck. She was attacked by an animal or possibly a human. This cat was in need, but I felt that cat lovers should be concerned before me. I'm a dog fellow, not cat-crazy.
Last week my dogs tugged at their leads, making me look and I saw that the aggressive cat was hissing at them from under a bush close by. I threw a tiny pebble at it but it remained stay put. I took the dogs away with some force and forgot about it– I have little interest in cats.
Last night I saw the cat curled up in a corner looking frail. It appears that her time has come; she's going to die. The year end of 2023 saw a cat endemic that killed many cats in this town. Now cats dying seems commonplace.
This morning the cat was still in the same place, unresponsive to my curious dogs. We, my dogs and I, came indoors with urgency.
That poor cat is dying and though her frame is where I saw her this morning, she has pervaded my conscience! I'm a few meters away, knowing that she needs help, ready to bear the burden of guild rather than try to call a vet. Right now all manner of philosophical reasoning like purpose of that cat's brief life, purpose of my life and of life in general is having a ball in my mind's ball-room! Something like guilt is appearing along the edges of my reason : I am being torn between inferences of morality and the impersonal regard of equanimity.
I think I'll use the Ganga-jal which my friend brought from Kashi when he visited Banaras. Probably add milk to Ganga, offer it to the unresponsive cat and prey!
What else can we do? Vets SUCK at their job! The best is to allay your guilt for, as Faiz says,
"और भी दुख हैं ज़माने में मोहब्बत के सिवा
राहतें और भी हैं वस्ल की राहत के सिवा"
😇
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1 comment:
:)
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