Tuesday, September 18, 2007
The Ginger Cat:
posted by fuzzkill 10:01 pm
One clear-skied breezy day, as I was walking home, I stepped on a cat’s tail. I did not notice it until I heard a terrifying shriek of pain. The bright ginger colored cat was now about 3 feet away from me, soothing it’s poor striped tail. I asked if I could take him to the local vet, but he steadfastly refused my offer. I assured him that he was a very good vet and would treat him kindly, but still the cat refused. Not knowing what else I could do, I invited him to rest at my house, an offer he seemed to accept without implicitly saying so by walking ahead of me a bit, then turning to face me with a look that said “Let’s go.”
When we got home, I poured some milk into a saucer and warmed it in the microwave. I told the ginger cat to make himself at home, at which he curled under the long crimson curtains where the sunlight caught the edges of his hair, turning it a brilliant gold color. Laying the saucer down, the cat pried himself away from nursing his tail to have some milk. When he seemed comfortable enough, I asked him again if I could take him to the vet, it’s not too far away from here I told him, but still, he adamantly refused. I asked why he would not go, and he told me that he didn’t mind vetenarians so much, only he couldn’t stand the sight of other cats, other dogs, other birds in pain. Such a sight would only make him sick to the stomach. He said he much prefered a saucer of warm milk on a chilly day. I sat by him as he finished his milk. When he was done, I asked him if his tail still hurt. He said yes, but it’ll feel better once I sleep it off, and padded back to the spot under the curtains, curled up carefully and fell asleep.
As he slept, I went to the vet, and asked him if he could make a house call. I told him I had accidently stepped on a ginger cat’s tail and he refused to come and was now napping at my house. The vet told me that it was very common for stray animals who were hurt to refuse to come to the vet and it annoyed him that they did so, but said that because he was quite free for the afternoon, he would come back with me to see the state of the ginger cat. When we arrived home, the cat was still asleep by the window and throughout the examination by the vet, the cat did not stir. After bandaging the tail, he told me that it was merely a minor sprain and that all the cat needed was a saucer of warm milk and a warm place to sleep for the night. I told him that wouldn’t be a problem and thanked him for his visit.
The next morning, I woke up to an empty apartment. The ginger cat had left, but not before writing me a short note. It said:
“ I’m sorry I could not wait until you were awake to say goodbye, however, if I am away any longer, my girlfriend will be very worried. Thank you for your kindness, I will try my very best not to forget it.”
When we got home, I poured some milk into a saucer and warmed it in the microwave. I told the ginger cat to make himself at home, at which he curled under the long crimson curtains where the sunlight caught the edges of his hair, turning it a brilliant gold color. Laying the saucer down, the cat pried himself away from nursing his tail to have some milk. When he seemed comfortable enough, I asked him again if I could take him to the vet, it’s not too far away from here I told him, but still, he adamantly refused. I asked why he would not go, and he told me that he didn’t mind vetenarians so much, only he couldn’t stand the sight of other cats, other dogs, other birds in pain. Such a sight would only make him sick to the stomach. He said he much prefered a saucer of warm milk on a chilly day. I sat by him as he finished his milk. When he was done, I asked him if his tail still hurt. He said yes, but it’ll feel better once I sleep it off, and padded back to the spot under the curtains, curled up carefully and fell asleep.
As he slept, I went to the vet, and asked him if he could make a house call. I told him I had accidently stepped on a ginger cat’s tail and he refused to come and was now napping at my house. The vet told me that it was very common for stray animals who were hurt to refuse to come to the vet and it annoyed him that they did so, but said that because he was quite free for the afternoon, he would come back with me to see the state of the ginger cat. When we arrived home, the cat was still asleep by the window and throughout the examination by the vet, the cat did not stir. After bandaging the tail, he told me that it was merely a minor sprain and that all the cat needed was a saucer of warm milk and a warm place to sleep for the night. I told him that wouldn’t be a problem and thanked him for his visit.
The next morning, I woke up to an empty apartment. The ginger cat had left, but not before writing me a short note. It said:
“ I’m sorry I could not wait until you were awake to say goodbye, however, if I am away any longer, my girlfriend will be very worried. Thank you for your kindness, I will try my very best not to forget it.”
posted by fuzzkill 10:01 pm
