PET CATS

‘Ammachi’ used to tell us during her various narrations  that at the beginning of civilization cattle, sheeps, pigs, dogs, cats and elephants were some of the mammals that were domesticated by man for his use.

         

Pets kept us busy along with all our activities and we loved to tend them. We loved Lucy, a big cat and her kittens. We used to keep more than three cats at a time. At times, cats litter in the attic. The new born kittens keep their eyes totally shut for a few days. The mother runs very fast, her eyes are so powerful at night that she can prey even at night. Her eyes shine in the darkness. The mother caresses her kitten’s well, whenever they cry the mother cat gives them milk and they sleep all cuddled together. One fine morning Lucy cat brought the kittens along with her down into the kitchen from the attic. Gradually she taught, by moving her tail and then giving a maimed rat and the kittens start preying shortly. While running fast her tail moved sideways, this kept the balance of her body. They live more than five years. They loved fish, how stealthily, quietly and cunningly they move! While cutting fish, Mariakutty, our servant-maid, would throw them bits of fish. The cats would snarl and fight over it. When Mariakutty was a little distracted while cleaning fish, Lucy would quickly snap and ran away with a fish or two. We scared them when they attempted to steal fish by pelting with stones. They leaped on to the lawn and then crawled through the fence and to safety. ‘Ammachi’ used to always tell us not to hurt any animal as most of them are a farmer’s friend. Lucy would clear out some pests by catch-hold a mice or cockroach scurrying across the kitchen floor. At times, Lucy cat would doze off in the shadow of the huge mango tree. Sometimes, Lucy would duck in between my legs and caress my feet with her tail.

Excerpts from

MEMOIRS

An autobiography

by

Joseph J. Thayamkeril

Lawyer, Kochi, Kerala, India.

josephjthayamkeril.blogspot.com

josephjthayamkeril@gmail.com