DAX & PUSSY CAT
sweet memories. 02-01-2007
When I was a young boy, I had a cat named Pussy. It seems some one had decided to get rid of the kitten. Which was a common practice in Kerala: usually after cat gives birth. In those days (40 years ago) it was not possible to get sterilized a dog or cat. Kitten (pussy) found her way to our home. I welcomed her. She was a cute little one. She had light green colored eyes with full of curiosity, pink lips and white fur coat. An Y shaped black thick line running from both her ears to her nose. There was instant liking between us. When she came home she was very weak. I like fat tabby cat. I give her every day one glass of my milk with out the knowledge of my mother. She was always hungry .a part from her food I shared my food with her .I pampered her a lot. With lots of love and food she soon put on weight. She was always with me. While studying, eating, when I go for swimming or fishing in our compound; (it runs in to few acres of land). Our house was in the middle of a paddy field. If I am swimming she will wait for me to finish my bath. She was more like a dog to me .in the raining season shallow place get filled up with water. That was my pound! When fishing I take big fish for me to fry. Small fishes I always give it her. She liked masala-fired fish too!. I had noticed one thing; whenever I talk to her .it was usually a question that I ask her .she always answered me in her monosyllables. Me-aow! That says she was listing to me. Even though I never understood her language I took her answer for yes. When I go to school, she accompanies me until the main gate. In the evening she eagerly waits for me at the gate .she will keep purring at me with her MEAO! I know she want me to carry her back home. Together we share my evening Tiffin .At night she slept with me; she was too good to cuddle up. I like her snuggling up with me .she was always warm. My father had no problem with my pussycat but my mother was allergic to her. If I give her kiss my mother would shout at me, .she says if the cat’s hair get into my intestine it will give stomach pain. I never believed in her word .at least I never had stomach pain by kissing my pussycat. In return my cat will gives me a good lick on my cheek. I liked it; it was as if rubbing fine emery papers on my cheek. Try it once you will like it
Since we were living in the middle of a paddy field, on rainy days there used to be lot of water snake and rat snakes. Some times my pussycat brings rat snake under my cot .she would not allow any body to get close to her when she keep her booty. Most of the time we drive her away .she will either take her booty with her or leave her booty to us and escape. Most of the time it used to be rat snake it was not a big problem for us. Until one day, she brought a big king cobra; black in color about more than two meter in length. She caught him as usual .by his neck and took it to her favorite place. Under my cot!. When we tried to drive her out .She made, not grunting but somewhat similar sound she produced. My elder brother gave her one whip with his belt .She left the cobra in our bed room and escaped .Now it was our turn to face the king cobra .We both jumped on to the bed. Snake started hissing at us. My brother threw his black belt at it. It bit on it. Again we then threw heavy pillow on it. Snake went into our big bathroom .we both took brick and pinewood stick and went after the snake. Cobra was very much alive. To avoid cobra escaping we locked bathroom door! For washing, we had high raised stone pillar. About 2'x1. 5'x2' pillar. Cobra ran around the bathroom .it was trying to escape we jumped on to the pillar, we first stoned him then beat him to death. There was lots of yelling and struggling to kill one cobra .it was scary. That was my first kill at the age of ten-.my brother was around seventeen.
Every thing was fine. Perfect until my pussycat started giving birth. At times four to six of them! I like each one of them. When pussycat gives birth to kittens, I took care of her, like getting her food at her place. Cleaning mess made by the little ones. After one month, kittens started moving around the house. They made mess all over the place. Besides we had to be very care full not to step on them. The most pain full part was that I had to leave the small one at the market place. That was the usual practice at that time in Kerala. No blue cross or pet adoption center was there.
At market place, they will get to eat left over fish. Some time small children or animal lovers take them home. Stray dogs or vehicle could kill some of them. Leaving small one to fend for them made me feel sad. I begged my parents to keep all the five with us. They told me that was impossible. A cat gives birth every six months. I had no other choice but to leave the small one at the market place. Hardly only one and half months old kittens … five of them…. When pussycat was away I took them in a big bag and went to fish market .I did not wanted to leave them at the market palace then come back home. It could get killed by a stray dog or run over by a vehicles. I want to find them home. I went on asking little children whether they like to take my kitten home. Even though children liked my kitten, their parents objected taking my kitten home. I could find home for only three of them. I took back two of the kitten back to my home. At home pussycat was very much worried she went searching all over the place. When I returned her two kittens she kept asking me for the missing one. MEAO? MEAO? I had apologized her. I really felt sorry for her. My parents insist that I dispose two others also. I asked them to give time to dispose. In our near by locality I went searching for shelter. In few days time I found people willing to adopt the other two. I was lucky. I found home for my kittens. After one month my pussycat and I visited her kitten. (I carried her in a bag and took it to two of her kitten. she recognized them! it was a warm feeling watching them snuggling each other. I love cat washing her face with its paw and playing with her kittens. They are more affectionate towards their little one….
Even though I had three other dogs in my life I still love cats … we Aquarian had some of their traits. We do things under impulse. At times, we are killed for our curiosities! Literally.
After my pussycat I had an Alsatian dog named DAX. My uncle from military brought it for me .he was about only one and half years old. Except that he had bit of puppy character in him but got a solid look of a grown up dog. Soon we became good friends. He had his corporation licensee tag on his collar belt. I used to take him to meat shop every day. Later he got used to collect his meat from his shop. Give him his bag he alone go to shop to collect this meat. Some times I followed him to see whether other dogs troubled him. With his majestic look other stray dogs never dared to pick up fight with him. They all kept a safe distance and yelled at him. DAX never paid any attention to those dogs. He was a very intelligent and obedient dog. We trained him such a way. Unless my brother or I tell him to "take it" he would not touch his food. He will wait until we ask him to take it. I usually take him for a walk, jog or some time I go cycling and he comes running after me. On most of the Sundays, we go to either a pond or river to swim. Once he was not taking his usual swim with me he sat by the side of the river. While swimming I had pretended as if I was being drawn. Just for the sake of fun. Dax jumped into the river and swam towards me .I wanted to know how he was going to help me .he held my right arm with in his mouth and struggled to swim ashore. At first I enjoyed it. However, seeing him struggling me to 'save' I swam on backwards. Later every time I played same mischief Dax never gave it to chance. He will desperately try to save me. His majestic look saved us lot of trouble from thief and boys. Boys come to steal our rose garden. At times along they take plant with pot. Dax kept them at a safe distance. This usually happen when around our ONAM festival time .it is about sixteen days flower decoration work in front of our main door.
After Dax, we had SNOOPY. A local dog came and settled down in our flat at Chennai. She was not an intelligent dog but I liked her the way she communicates with me her eyes. I liked her stupidity, her innocent eyes speaks volume…she kept us informed about unwanted people in our premises (her territory)
After Snoopy, we had ACHOOO. I do the naming of all my pets. Again, it was a local dog settled down in out apartment compound. He likes to play with my little daughter. They vibe pretty well. Where ever my daughter goes Achoo always accompanied her. They like to play at near by playground. We together give him bath once in a week or so until he felt smelly. Achoo played a part of my comedy life .to be frank with you my life is full of comedies of error. However, it was not always my fault.
One man came in lord Krishna’s costume to our house. He had his face painted in blue color with a crown on his head. He started singing in Telugu. “Jaya govindam."… I gave him 50 paisa to’ Lord Krishna’. He said… “Sir, makeup costs me more money”. He then asked me for more money. I asked him “Did I ask you to wear makeup?”. I then called Achoo. (A local dog I adopted when he was a pup). There was no sign of him. Lord Krishnan peeped into my house . he expected my wife to give him more money. He then stared singing vigorously. ,”Jaya.govindam...paramanandam””. I Screamed for Achoo.. ACHOOOOO! Achoo appeared out of nowhere, I found him wagging his tail at the back of me. he was eagerly waiting for my commends. Achoo looked up me and I winked at Lord Krishna. Lord Krishna took off, Achoo set after him; both of them ran around playing ground, which is in front of my house. Achoo ran tugging at his veshty (long cloths worn by ethnic Indian). Sony “Papa man running, running Achoo biting, biting.” She told me in her broken English. Sony could not stop laughing. She latterly went into “Paramanandam”!(over excitements). I noticed Lord Krishnan running back to me. I caught hold of Achoo. Achoo looks satisfied with his performance. I give a pat on his back and put him on the chain. Lord Krishnan spread his veshty; I looked at his face through the torn veshty.” Sir, your dog tore my veshty,” he complained to me. I said. “Yeah, you missed your crown too!” I end up paying Rs.10 but it was worth for my daughter’s laughter, which I missed it for more than two years. We both had fun at the cost of “Lord Krishna” and Achoo.
These two local dogs always kept thieves and unwanted people at safe distance. Near by our neighboring flats thief took away bike and valuable house hold articles. Round the clock, these less fortunate dogs kept vigil for us round the clock…year after year for meager amount of left over food. They had done their duty by defending their territory. Now they are all living only in my sweet memories .I missed them very much. Each one of them was unique in their own ways…
Animal lover,
Jivan.
