Are Cats Really Aloof And Uncaring?
Dogs are man’s best friends. They are fiercely loyal. On the other hand, cats are said to be incapable of love and loyalty.
Is it fair to stereotype cats as such?
Many years ago when I lived in New Zealand, a Persian cat visited me at home almost daily. Let me call her Harmony.
I could not forget the very first time I noticed her. Through the glass window of my kitchen that faced a tiny patch of garden, this beautiful cat meowed while staring at me. I opened the kitchen door to let this friendly cat in.
She looked as if she needed feeding. I gave her milk in the beginning. Later, I started to stock up on cat food.
The cat, I discovered later, was owned by an elderly gentleman who also lived in a small flat in the small community. Let me call him Mr. Smith.
The neighbours told me that Harmony’s owner who lived alone was very sick. He was being looked after by a carer, sometimes with another carer. They visited him at home every other day for an hour or so.
He had a stoma, I was told, to collect his body fluids and waste.
Harmony was not being fed properly, according to another neighbour…