My rendezvous with cats started in October 2019, when I noticed four wriggly kittens in a grocery shop and could not help myself from playing with them. However, I could not bring myself to touch or lift them. It was odd for an adult in her late 20’s to be so petrified of teeny-weeny kittens. This ‘oddity’ can mainly be attributed to social taboos linked to cats that I heard in my childhood: “cats are evil,” “cats are unloving,” “cats cannot be trusted,” and so on. I was also told as a kid that strays are filthy, they bite, and I should not be touching them. Never did I ever imagine that one kitten would transform my life.

Billu, my cat, came into my life when I was going through a rough patch and found it difficult to trust people. My friendship with her began when I started feeding and playing with her  at the grocery shop, which was her make-shift residence. Gradually I was able to touch her and then lift her. I used to be overwhelmed when she would run to me, staggering over piles of boxes as soon as I called her name. Eventually, I brought her home one evening and thereafter we became family. Over time we both learned to adjust to each other’s habits and annoyances. In the process, I learnt to trust again.

A few months after I adopted my cat, COVID-19 overshadowed our lives and starved most of us of human touch. In the lockdown, my cat was my only companion and consolation. A few pats and scratches here and there on my cat were enough for me to feel wanted. As per Newport Academy, “petting and playing with animals reduces stress-related hormones.  And these benefits can occur after just five minutes of interacting with a pet.”^[1]

On days when I felt anxious, my cat’s mere presence was enough to bring tranquility to the commotion inside me. Language was never a barrier for us to express ourselves. Every day she would wait for me to return from the office and greet me with a loud “meow” as if to say, “Mom, I missed you.” Our relationship thrived on trust and mutual respect. I was beside my cat at all times for days after she was spayed. I realized that caring for her was a lifetime commitment and gradually built my routine around her, which further relieved my stress. With time, all the taboos I had associated with cats were shattered and our bond grew stronger.

Over the next few months in lockdown, I befriended a few stray cats and fed them during my evening strolls. These interactions brought out the caregiver in me and led me to another kitten whom I picked from the roadside, fostered and then got her adopted. Caregiving is a selfless act and I understood that not all those we care for may be capable of reciprocating the same. Not only could I save lives, but caregiving also brought a sense of responsibility and consciousness about animals in my surroundings.

Cats gave me the sense of belonging that I otherwise lacked in my life. They accepted me just as I was without a speck of doubt. Contrary to their reputation, cats are extremely forgiving. They can trust people even after being abused by their kind. If cats could give head butts to a stranger despite their everyday struggle, the least I could do was to love myself in spite of all my shortcomings.

[1] https://www.newportacademy.com/resources/well-being/pets-and-mental-health/#:~:text=Studies%20around%20pets%20and%20mental,levels%20of%20serotonin%20and%20dopamine.