Ashwinee Mehta
It was in my childhood that I witnessed one of the most beautiful experiences of my life- the birth of 6 kittens! I only wished I had a camera to capture the beautiful post-birth moment of mother & her children. This episode triggered within me, a deep curiosity and an inclination towards Cats.
Having grown up as a single child, there was always this deficiency of a companion. I was 'banned' to have a cat as a pet in my own house. I would always find houses with cats or pets really lively & interesting and I would make it a point to visit them as frequently as I could! The presence of cats has always brought me immense happiness & wherever I was, I would often look around me to spot some hidden feline presence. One of my most cherished memories was when I woke up surrounded with kittens & their "meow meow" alarm.
During a summer vacation, I was staying with my cousin's family. We observed that a cat had started paying frequent visits to our house. Gradually, we befriended him and considered him our very own pet. We even named him Gabru! Feeding him & watching him sleep became a daily routine where I could observe his minute behaviour. I would simply sit and watch him deep in sleep, like a fuzzy ball with paws placed over his head and a constant "aww" echoing through my mind. Gabru's glaring looks, his yogic postures & his adorable sleeping positions made me want to gaze at him forever!
These felines turned my 'returning from office hectic days' into relaxing ones. A cat rubbing against my leg, is one of my most favourite feelings ever! Every thing about a cat is so precious! I never miss zooming in to see those tiny feline features - their paws, ears, their whiskers!
I have also spent many a beautiful moments with my cousin's cats - Frodo and Zuzu! I first met Frodo, a beautiful white Persian Furball, who was genetically predisposed to deafness. This fact was hard for me to digest. I realised that Pet-Parenting comes with a cluster of challenges. Watching Frodo sleep upside down, with his tummy exposed to the air, was one of my fondest feline memories. Upon inquiring, I found out that the reason why Cats sleep upside down is because they feel safe". I was so happy to know that Frodo felt nurtured & safe.
All these small, individual experiences added up into sparkles of happy moments in my life. Now that I have grown up & there is no ban on pets, I look forward to being a cat-parent, someday soon! Till then, I will continue to draw Cats & stalk them on instagram.
'A happy arrangement: many people prefer cats to other people, and many Cats prefer people to other cats.'
-Mason Cooley