A Catty Affair

Even though I do not want to begin this post with this sentence, I’m still doing it ‘coz I can’t find anything better. Some things are meant to be. Yesterday when I woke up, I heard an animal/bird’s cry from my window. When it didn’t stop for some ten minutes, I stepped out to see what/who it really was. I followed the sound to an open manhole. Could not have been anything other than a cat. There was another cat standing beside it, and seemed to look at me with a lot of anticipation. I got a little worried, so came in, tried calling the dear old NDMC who were at fault this time, but could not get through. Then I tried calling one of the nearest animal shelters, Friendicoes, but no luck there either. Called my neighbours next, ‘coz they’re the ones always feeding all the cats around. They tried calling another NGO, but no luck again. Call it failure due to heavy rains, or just a general lack of emergency services around. After some more thinking and worrying came a suggestion from a friend- to catch hold of some DMRC labourers and get them to do the job. I ran to the construction site and found a man who was willing to help. But he wanted to wait for his friend so they took twenty minutes (which seemed like an eternity) to come. I kept checking for the cat’s cries. At least they assured that it was still alive. The one outside was losing it by then. I could see it begging me for help, but I was helpless too. Then I saw a kitten next to the cat and figured it was a mother begging. It was another one of its kittens that had fallen in. By the time the Metro guys came, it stopped crying or even responding to its mother. And it wasn’t visible either. They tried looking for it but couldn’t find it. After some time, they gave up and left. Also closed the hole’s cover because the other two family members were ready to jump in. That meant the end of the one inside.
After some time, it seemed other neighbours had also called NDMC, so they came this time and did a pseudo check to confirm that they can’t find the kitten, and to say that it wasn’t their mistake. Seemed like a final end to its life. I was sadder than I thought I could ever be over the death of a cat.
Its mother and sibling cried for the rest of the day, and night. I think I cried a little too. Maybe I should have woken up a little earlier. But it was meant to be.

It needs to be understood that I live around some very influential people. The house on the other side of the manhole is occupied by the family of a senior police official. They seemed to be having some trouble with their drain pipe, and they believed it was because of the same kitten. So today morning, while it was still pouring heavily, came two men who were ready to dismantle the entire pipe. After a few minutes, they figured that the kitten was stuck at the point where the pipe opened into the manhole. And it was still alive. I guess it had given up hope yesterday when it stopped crying. So after another few minutes, the absolutely tiny little chooza was taken out. Phew! What relief for its family, and all the spectators of the neighbourhood. I think now it should be slapped too because I am sure it must have been playing and acting stupid around the dangerous place. 🙂 But I was unbelievably happy to see it come out. That poor little trembling thing. Survived an entire day in a hellhole. Guess it was after all meant to live longer.

It has been several hours, but they’re all still crying. I guess it will take them some time to get over the happy ending! Or maybe they’ll never want to get over it.