At the start of the lockdowns when I was shuttling from virtual workplace to another, I decided to feed some of the cats I meet on the way to the supermarket to buy supplies. Call it an act of good faith -- when life's so uncertain, at least do something that can restore my humanity even if a little bit (ironic isn't it, it can take animals to enrich our humanness).
Brown aka Dilaw |
It quickly evolved to feeding some 3 dozen cats daily plus 3 dogs at present. Yep, I'm that guy standing in the rain feeding or nursing cats along the railway. Yep, I'm also that guy at the park with a cat sleeping on my lap. I've long come to terms with the fact that I'm strange in that way. Maybe, only a fellow empath may empathize (pun intended).
Fostering and feeding street stray cats and dogs is not without its share of heartaches. Honestly, it took me months before I can even take a look again at the pictures of some of my fosters who are not here anymore -- BonBon, Leona, Orange, Greyi. Truth to tell, I still grieve for them, especially Leona whom I keep nursing back to health for a year and a half. Then, there are people who hate me for feeding them as they consider cats (and stray dogs) as nuisance. For the time being, I'm keeping this blogspace partly as a memorial to my fosters. They deserve it.