Rescuing a cat... We'd all agree with that idea in principle, wouldn't we? Well, that would make sense, if I didn't already have the responsibility of caring for, feeding and protecting; as well as loving and caring for 2 more kittens, a couple of small turtles and a goldfish... With all this background, my youngest daughter was in charge of keeping a surprise for me for our return home after a few days of short holidays that we had...
In order to understand what I am talking about, it is necessary to explain where Elsa, the kitten who is the protagonist of this story of love and curiosities without equal, came from. My house has a large patio at the back. Our cats love to rummage in the plants, feel the earth between their paws, and take the opportunity to relieve themselves in that area as well... So far, so good, right?
Well... It's the norm at home to feed them (my pets, my two cats: Will and Michito) out there. Indoors they make messes and fight, a habit I've never been able to correct... But back to the point, Elsa, for the last three or four months, has been hanging around our house. Ever watchful from the safe heights of the rooftops. Looking down and meowing, as if she wants us to know she's there too (to be fed).
I'm not going to lie to you. Whenever I can, which is the vast majority of the time, I feed her. I can't have peace with myself if I see that my kids eat but she doesn't. But I never dared to adopt her and rescue her because it's a tremendous responsibility. But I have never dared to adopt her and rescue her because it is a tremendous responsibility. Just think, I live alone, and in large part to spoil my daughter, and others on our own initiative, we have decided to have so many animals under our care and protection.
However, there is a limit to everything... I would love to have the money, space and time to be able to shelter as many animals as I really need, but I am quite limited, due to several factors... 4 days ago, my days off (accumulated at work for weeks) coincided and I decided to take my daughter for a walk and have some quality mother-daughter time together in another city. Besides, the baby's day is coming and as I will have to work that day, my idea was to bring it forward so that she doesn't feel that I don't care....
I left the house key with a good friend and neighbour, with the clear intention of feeding my cats, the little turtles and the fish? What I couldn't see in advance is that my daughter already had a very close connection with Elsa, remember the kitty who watches everything from the rooftops but wasn't ours? Well, I don't know how she did it, but she was able to reach a cat collar that she had saved and put it on her before we left home, she took her inside and under her bed (my daughter's) she put several little plates with cat food; for several days..
What was my surprise when we got home? Well, as soon as we arrived, I noticed an unusual but suspicious interest of my daughter to go to her room and stay there... And that is, to say the least, very strange.... Generally, children don't do that. They love to go out, play, scream and have fun outside. And more so in my house, where this hot summer is making being inside feel more like an oven than a home, haha. We arrive, she runs to her room, turns on the air conditioning, closes the door and stays there "immobile", "calm" for a long time...
I, worried, because I'm used to a different rhythm from her, tiptoe so she doesn't hear me, open the door, and what do I find? Well, with Elsa on the desk computer in her room, with a collar on, well fed, and with my daughter playing photographer with that naughty kitten... My astonishment was such that I didn't manage to get angry at all, but to ask how it had all happened. My daughter is only 9 years old, and honestly, I underestimated her... I never thought she would pull something like this.
After adjusting to the surprise I ask her: "Could you explain all this to me, daughter?" And she just looks at me, with her big but slightly moist eyes, and says the following: "Mummy, look at her.... She's been our kitty for a long time now. She's always with us, and I couldn't leave her alone when we weren't at home...". Those words, profound and simple at the same time, pierced my soul like a dagger.... Sometimes we forget, that there are "rules" that are there to be broken, to be broken, let's go....
So I like to think that she (my daughter) learned love and respect for animals from what she has seen at home, from what I have taught her during her childhood.... However, she has taught me a lesson. In spite of all the hardships, the integrity of our humanity cannot be compromised by the harshness of reality. Surely, Elsa (so called, thanks to Frozen) has had a very hard life in the harshness of weather and loneliness. With dangers and threats, and my daughter has given that kitten a chance.
Maybe the ways have not been the best, but between you and me here, I respect the hell out of her for having the courage to be able to challenge what she feels is wrong.... Equally, I don't consider it a "lie" or a "serious offence" either. At the end of the day, she is just a 9 year old girl taking care of a little animal that she has grown to love and care for. A good girl doing good. That makes me love her even more, but above all, I understand that there is always something to learn. This time, she and Elsa have given me a lesson in life and love. My little girl, the cat and my other pets, for the moment we live together. Messy, but happy.
All photographs used in this post were taken by me. And are of my authorship for this story
