Meow Meow... ...

I am more of a dog's person, but I do love all sorts of animals be it insects or even the cold-blooded reptiles. I know that the few stray cats loitering in our neighbourhood were taken care of by someone and my kiddos had actually seen her on her feeding rounds. I finally got to meet her a couple of night back while on the way home with the kiddos and went on along with her on her regularly feeding routine upon the kiddos’ insistence. I was more inclined to get back home quick to shower and sleep but on second thoughts, maybe it would be a great experience for us.

 

What was intended to be a quick walk through, turned out to be an extended learning session with a cat-loving neighbour of ours. The cats are territorial and have their own preferred block and resting place at night. In the morning they may roam around the vicinity, but come night fall, these clever felines know that their meal tickets, and human play companion will arrive soon. And this was exactly what happened as we went from block to block, feeding the resident cats, getting to know them and their unique characteristics better, and know of their individual stories!

 

Some of the felines we met were already old and had various health issues, while some younger ones were also rescued and nursed back to health. But all of them were sterilized, which was only possible with the dedication from this kind young cat-lover we met, as well as others (whom we have yet to meet) who share the same compassion! Do you know that there is a Stray Cat Sterilisation Programme that provide this procedure for free? You can find out more information here. Cats are usually nonchalant creatures that requires little more than warm place to sleep at night and some food supplements, but some were unfortunately also victims of horrific abuses surfaced on social media. How someone can inflict these kind of injuries on these fellow living creatures is really beyond me. Even my kiddos were able to differentiate right from wrong.

 

 

I was glad I gave in to the kiddos’ insistence on the night walk instead of saying no. It was an eye-opener for us as we got to know our neighbouring cats’ names and learnt about their behaviour and where they stayed for the night from this wonderful lady who takes care of these strays purely out of love. To many, they may be unwanted animals who just happened to share our spaces, but they do have a place in someone’s heart and also carries a microchip with their names.

 

Going round feeding the cats and hearing "cat lady" relate how she took care of the sick felines gave me the opportunity to inculcate in the kiddos the sense of compassion that all humans should have towards all living creatures. Everyone can use a little more compassion, and make the world a better place don't you agree? I was also able to explain to the kiddos that all of us, whether humans or felines also have different personalities. Like how some cats may not like to be touched at certain areas or dislike human interactions, while there are others that love to be petted or cuddled and would approach anyone readily. We just need to understand what makes one tick and use the right approach! I was glad to watch the kiddos enjoying their interactions with these beautiful creatures, and who knows this may be a prelude to a lifetime of responsible pet-keeping for the kiddos.

Note: This blog post is in collaboration with Friso. Kids learn from experiences whether big or small, good or bad. That’s why Friso provides the right nutrition for your child to be strong inside to take on challenges. For more information on Friso, follow them on their Website, Facebook or Instagram.