This is a story I wish you guys should read. The story is about the smallest living being in my family-Miku. Probably the last cat in my house. The story is of a little snowy white, cotton skinned kitten, who entered our lives way back in July 2006.
It was a sunny afternoon, after the rain had been pouring since morning. I had just entered home from my TY classes. I threw my heavy bag in one corner and opened the sliding door to look at the view outside. I gulped the lunch unwillingly and was briskly going through the books.
Suddenly I heard some strange sounds. It looked like a little toddler was crying. Hospital being in the opposite side, I thought, it might be a small kid. I ignored that and carried on. Again, I could hear voices and this time of a tiny kitten. I suspected that it was a kitten’s voice. I immediately rushed down stairs, and searched in my building premises. But I wasn’t lucky to find anything. Again came the sound “Meow Meow” and I turned back.i went on the road, and there was an auto rickshaw standing. There he was! Somewhere near the auto. I thought he was sitting on the auto rickshaw seat in a cozy position.So I probed further. I did not find him. I asked our watchman to find the kitten and after few minutes, he shouted “Beta, wohh tyre mein fuss gaya hai” (which means it is stuck in the auto tyre) I was desperate to take him off the tyre because the rickshaw driver would come and unknowingly drive it off. The kitten is so small and helpless that he cannot protect himself. I took this up and tried to put my hand inside the small portion near the tyre, and everytime I put my hand in, the kitten bit me or scratched me with his sharp nails. He had the fear that I will harm him and so he was damn aggressive. I peeped inside the portion and saw a creature. I pulled him and finally he was out of it. He was exactly my palm sized , white and brown combo , cute pink nose and blue and green eyes. Ya, I mean it, he had one blue eye and one green eye!!! He was scared and shivering to death. I picked him up and placed him in small safe place. It was yelling, may be it was hungry. The voice irritated me and at that moment I wished- why can’t cats talk?
It was 6 pm and since it was rainy season, it became dark early. It started pouring cats and dogs again. And the kitten was in big trouble. I had full plans to bring that kitten home. But since I already had one big tom cat-Tiku , I knew my parents would never allow. I was trying to persuade my father that the kitten would soak in the heavy rains and die. He agreed after an hour. We went down and tried to pick him. We did all possible exercises -jumping, hopping, running and finally Dad could finally catch hold of him. We took him home. Mom and Tiku gave us a stern look. Reasons were different. Mom was irritated coz she had one more responsibility and the Tiku was furious coz his love would probably get divided. Sibling rivalry types. But we managed to get through. It was approx 50 days old. We wiped him and tried to give him warmth. We named him Miku. To save from Tiku, Dad made him sleep with me. He used to yell all night and till he settled, I had sleepless nights. After a month or so he settled.
But since he was too small, I couldn’t take the risk of leaving him alone. Locking the door was a must. It will sound so funny but I used to take him along with me to the loo just coz Tiku won’t catch hold of him around. After a few days, he was totally settled and we used to feed him regular stuff-roti, milk etc. He took his sunbath in our window every morning.But he never grew. I was scared if he was facing a problem called Dwarfism. His size was the same for a year or so. We tried to feed him much more , but his size was unchanged. Probably he was missing his mother or fellow siblings. Since I was at home in the afternoons , I used to train him about going to washroom if he wants to pee, and he picked up really fast. Everytime he wanted to go to the loo, he used to give me a strange look and silently went to the bathroom and did all his activities. He strictly went into the toilet only.He assimilated more in our house. And gradually, we introduced him to Tiku. We weren’t sure about how Tiku will react but he took it pretty well. Initial grudges changed to calm expressions and finally one day- the cheering moment…Miku and Tiku started being together, playing with paper balls, tying the ropes around themselves and untying it back, playing with their own tails, and being weary and sleeping. Miku used to survive on bolied food. He was a saint I guess.Further they were the best companions as whole day they played, ate ,slept together. But there was one more aspect to this story-tiku turned into a Mom. Miku thought Tiku is his mother and started going behind him like a shadow. Tiku also used to proudly carry him along. Both were happy by now and our tensions took rest. Both used hug eachother and sleep in their small bed. They shared the same blanket too. They were soulmates. Miku used to bite Tiku hard, but Tiku used to bear and let go him coz he was younger to him. Miku started eating well and his health improved.
I wondered what a miniature he was! And 2 years later, he was a huge tom cat! I could pick him in my arms, but he grew so fat that when he danced on my tummy, my tummy used to ache. He was God damn heavy! At that moment I realized, every living being needs someone or the other to love, and take care of them. All need warmth and affection.The difference is humans don’t accept their dependency while dumb animals are happy that they have someone around. With Tiku around, Mika developed a lot-health wise and mentally too. Companionship and love can work wonders.
Miku completed three years in this july, and sadest part is the blue-green eyes were his ornaments, and we found out that he is blind. He cannot see us.he used to dash onto the walls, he used to tremble while walking, he couldn’t react to darkness and light. But one quality of his took me back to the Ankhein movie-where Paresh Rawal, a blind guy, pit patted the steps and walked around the room. Miku did the same thing. He knows the way towards washroom, bedroom, his bed perfectly. He has his particular calculations and he reaches his destination accurately. I , once closed my eyes and walked around the house, but I bumped my head on a wall. I soon realized how difficult it must be for him to survive. He cannot see this beautiful world, us, his own body and his soul mate tiku. Unfortunately, tiku left us, we tried to search him, but probably he got crushed under a vehicle we suspect. Mika was shattered. Everyday he used to search him in every room. He wasn’t confident and changed to a scared cat again. He is still that way. He gets mad when too many people come around. He was unsure of things now. He lost his friend and his will power too.
He is still like that and when I look at him, tears roll down my cheeks. He doesn’t react much. He yells loudly. He doesn’t go to the bathroom, he falls down seldom, he loses his cool and becomes wild. But I know he cannot help this and he is not at fault too. I just hope God is with him.
He is the best gift I have got till date. And this is the most happiest moment of my life coz first time I felt I gave one creature -support and life. He was about to die but he was guess the fittest at that moment and so he survived.
I know there would be one day
Love heads towards the road of failure ,
How could you go silent?
I happen to be a strong believer of Lord Ganesha. Since I realized God exists, I have worshipped Him.I was a regular at the temple nearby and I had a dream that – The elephant headed, charismatic ,mighty idol should once visit my place. But due to some or the other reason, it never happened.