The windows of hope
Note: I must start at the beginning by saying thanks to Gia and Erika Badami and Zai, Inzia and Iffat Jivan, our neighbours who looked after Baby Loaf along with us at the start and gave us to courage to make him our own. And to all my readers who have written in over the months wishing us well and giving me loads of advice and encouragement. I could not have done this without all of you. AND Kainaz who gave me the most wonderful gift ever by so lovingly welcoming him to our house. To both our mothers who have not freaked about this.
We have spent a couple of years in it since then. I have discovered that there are squirrels that frolic in the trees outside our drawing room. They greet me every morning when I get up and stand by the window to sip on a cup of warm water. Now you often join me and have a sip from your water bowl when I do this. Not that I had ever asked you to. Many in body, one in mind as the saying goes. We have more things in common. We both love our sense of space. Our naps. We both love to nap on our bellies. We are picky about what we eat. You love crunchy dry cat food. I, Mukhorochak jhal papdi or any crunchy namkeen. We do not let anything come in the way when we want to eat.
We both love to look out of our windows.
Then the day came when we netted our windows.
I saw you sleep on your mom’s (K, my wife and now a bona fide cat mom) quilt on the bed the evening we got the windows netted. Curled tightly. Holding your legs with your hands. Eyes tightly shut. You looked so vulnerable.
Any doubts that I had about putting the nets over the windows I so loved, were washed away at that moment. I realised that I would do anything to protect you, for we were lucky to be chosen by you.
My dialogues with Baby Loaf
So, how did we become pet parents suddenly? That too, of a cat?
The early days. |
I spotted Baby Loaf at our lobby quite a few times over the next few days. He would come and nuzzle my feet the moment I walked in. As if he was waiting for me. He would walk up a few steps up with me at times.
One day I tentatively patted him. Now, the thing about your jethu is that, like your dadu (my father and her grandfather), he loves dogs. I pat and pet and cuddle dogs whenever I see them. I have done so with the deer at the Nara Park outside of Kyota too. I do not remember having patted a cat before this. Which is why I was a bit tentative about it. The moment I patted him, Baby Loaf rubbed his cheek against me again. It felt like heaven. I came home and excitedly told your jethi what had happened.
This is when I began to refer to Baby Loaf as Maharani. I thought he was a girl. Let us not get into why.
‘Why don’t you take Maharani in,, said one of our neighbours who was looking after him as did some on social media.
I was not mentally ready for this. Plus, Jethi is not comfortable with pets. I thought it was best this way, with all of us looking after him, and I was happy to be the lead parent.
Slow blinks by a cat are called ‘kitty kisses.’ Their way of saying I love you. |
Our first selfie. He is such a poser. |
Once I was at a restaurant and about to have dinner when jethi put me on video call to show that he had come in.
On my desk when I was out of town. They love familiar scents. |
Homecoming
His first night after he moved in for good |
Turning poison into medicine
The moment we returned, I went out and bought a litter box and litter, and his own food plate and water bowl. This was the end to plastic (takeaway boxes) in his life.
Baby Loaf looks bemused as I laid out the food kindly sent by the ITC Hotels for my birthday. Coincidentally, this was the day he moved into our place and made it for quite the festive dinner |
Gender reveal party
The day we found out that Maharani is a he and became our Baby Loaf |
He wakes up after midnight. We do not always allow him in the bedroom as he climbs on us and jethi cannot sleep. When awake, she loves to pat him and he comes and rests his head on her lap. You would never have guessed that she was once scared of pets. Boy cats are more affectionate said Dr Nicole and if you ever thought that cats prefer to stay aloof (as I once thought), Baby Loaf would prove you wrong.
Awwww… This is such a cute post Kalyan Da… While reading it I realised that it all started in Nov 2019 whereas I felt that it has been real long since BabyLoaf has been a part of our lives. He is adorable. And it is amusing to see you as a Cat-Parent ������
Such a lovely post Kalyan, really enjoyed reading it. Almost makes me want to have a pet. Almost..as I'm not mentally prepared for it yet, getting there.. 😉
@noorjahana momin: thank you so much. Yes, seems like he has been a part of our lives forever. I am more bemused than amused 🙂
@unknown than you 🙂 when it has to happen, it will happen 🙂
Awwww… This is such a cute post Kalyan Da… While reading it I realised that it all started in Nov 2019 whereas I felt that it has been real long since BabyLoaf has been a part of our lives. He is adorable. And it is amusing to see you as a Cat-Parent ������