I have a boundless love for cats whereas my mother is my polar opposite. Mums are generally very keen on maintaining cleanliness and neatness, and are always advising their children about it. So while my mother does not hate cats, she dislikes the effort needed to maintain cleanliness when keeping a pet.

No matter how trained a cat is, sometimes it will do things that will make you angry, but, let’s be honest, everything in the universe has its pros and cons and so do pets. I had always tried to convince my mother to let me keep a cat as a pet, but every time she instantly declined.

Fortunately, last month my aunt had to leave her two cats at our place for a week as they were going for a family trip to the northern areas. I was on my way back home from the school when I received a text from my mum that she had a surprise for me at home. I couldn’t wait to be home and see what the surprise was.

I was beyond thrilled when I saw two big, cuddly, coffee-coloured cats. The male cat, which had a darker shade of brown, was named Zozo and the female cat, the light brown one, was Sandy. I went to touch them as soon as I saw them. I played with them, hugged them and made them jump and run all around the house. My mother told me to freshen up and eat something. I nodded in affirmation.

At the dinner table, everybody had their food peacefully whereas I had an urge to watch the cats eat their meal. I took my plate and sneaked out of the dining room and watched Sandy munching the chicken while Zozo gobbled the pieces of chicken.

After dinner, I was completing my assignment when I saw Sandy climbing on my study table. I smiled, but just then it started nibbling the corner of my laptop and I shooed her away out of reflex and took my laptop and went out to the lounge. Frustrated, I threw myself on the couch, straightened my legs and put the laptop in my lap to complete the remaining work.

After an hour or so, I closed the lid and kept the laptop on the side, swaying my feet a little as they were tingling due to being in the same position for so long. Just then I felt something so soft touch my feet. It was Sandy, all curled in the cutest way possible around my feet and it hugged my feet. My heart filled with happiness as it made me feel loved.

I scratched her fur and it purred with satisfaction, which thrilled me more. I took her and went to bed. As it dozed beside me, I could only think of how much I needed this and felt like we all were created for love, to spread love and to be loved.

Every day I wake up early in the morning and as soon as the cats would see me, they meowed and ran after me to play with me. They crawled over me, irritated me, ran after me; wherever I went and ate, I would feed them with my hands. The loyalty, rawness, playfulness and joy that I experienced was too precious.

There is no denying the fact that we usually forget that the living beings around us — our parents, siblings, friends and pets — love us infinitely.

As Elif Shafak once quoted, “Love cannot be explained. It can only be experienced. Love cannot be explained, yet it explains all.” I felt that, extending far deep in my soul.

Well, the cats stayed only for a week, but they taught me the power of love, comfort and companionship. They made me feel good about everything in general.

Published in Dawn, Young World, October 5th, 2024