All the trains and buses were fully booked during the last two weeks of December so I couldn’t get any ticket for my journey. I was quite anxious for my lonely orange cat, Kwan, as her brother has moved to our neighbours’ house. My gardener told me that Kwan was meowing everyday for her brother. She had to spend most of her time on her own. Unfortunately, I had to stay away from my cat for an extended period of time. I had planned to celebrate the new year with Kwan and to keep her company during the noisy night of firework frenzy during people’s celebrations.
Alas, I had to take my train journey after the first week of the new year. The sky was getting dark when I arrived at the house. There was no sign of orange cat anywhere, usually Kwan would be greeting me with non-stop meowing for over ten minutes. I was obliged to listen to her complaints and protest about how unfair life has been for her. This time I could unpack and get organised in peace and quiet.
But to my surprise, I could hear a faint meow sound. Then, Joan came in from the garden to greet me. I wondered why he decided to come back for a visit. He seemed to have lost some weight, perhaps my neighbour went away for a holiday so there was no food for the cat. Joan had to come back looking for food in the kitchen. So, I fed Joan and he kept me company during the evening. I was waiting for Kwan to turn up. But she didn’t turn up till the following morning.
When I wasn’t around the house, Kwan had to find her own hiding place during the night. She couldn’t sleep in the sitting room while I was away. My orange cat has been trained to be very versatile and flexible so she could survive in times of difficulty. Joan asked me to let him out late at night. I guessed he had to go hunting as a habit.
The cold weather has returned and the night became very chilly. The morning air was very fresh, light and crisp. Living in the countryside was like having a spa for the lungs and mind. The vibes from the earth and natural surroundings could become very loud in my ears sometimes. It’s like listening to Nature’s music to soothe my whole being. That’s probably why orange cats liked to sit under banana trees with closed eyes as of they were meditating on sublime harmony.
The following morning I was so glad to see Joan and Kwan waiting for me outside my door. They had finally met after almost three months of separation. Luckily they could still recognise each other and they were still very close to each other. But I had no idea how long Joan would be staying here. We could only enjoy each other’s company in the moment.
I felt so good seeing two orange cats sitting side by side, Kwan continued to lick her brother as often as she could. Kwan was a very affectionate cat with timid nature and loyalty. I tried to entertain both cats so Joan wouldn’t leave us too soon. He stayed with us for three days and was very loving towards his sister. But his wild natural streaks had urged him to wander off on a new expedition. I hope he would come back to see us once a week. Kwan would get used to being by herself eventually. Fortunately, cats are more independent emotionally than dogs, and they are still quite wild as little tigers. With my nomadic lifestyle at the moment, cats would fit in with my spasmodic routine very well.
Wishing you peace, good health and prosperity.
Stay strong and cheerful.