What the Cat taught me

Maou, yes that's what I started calling the little white purr whom we found in the backyard one morning. It was very scruffy, not exactly the type you would find bejeweled in a Paris parlor. Had to be, mother and father both rogues, ready to hiss & scare for the silliest of reasons. Poor little thing, it was so Scared, especially when its ma & pa scampered off on their pursuits. It could not yet scale our walls.

So it found its own little things to do in its kingdom, our 200 sqft backyard. Woke us all with its practice calls and kept an eye out on everything that went around. Post breakfast, it lazed in the sun in a shiny Red fruit basket, just the right spot for afternoon slumber.

Evenings were fun, time to frolic. Time to pounce on flies, ants and scare the hell out of the frog – dig around it and scratch mud till it escaped. Anything that moved caught its fancy. The only time it sat still was when we watered the backyard. Na, it does not like baths. Soon it got used to us and would croon miserably till fed. Curiosity grew with time and it explored every bit of the house. Dug under every stone & appraised every corner.

Just a week older, it ventured out of the house & fearlessly staked claim to the entire neighborhood. It was a whole new world - bikes, cars, kids, dogs, parks & it learnt its ways around. I was more fearful for it & it seemed so prepared, so ready to take on the world. And that's what it taught me - Boundaries are only what we draw for ourselves.

It yet pays us a visit & will play with a bouncing ball with as much of curiosity as it did before. And jumps at the window or miaows outside when hungry. I hope it does not lose its curiosity, nor lazy and cynical like old cats seem to be :)