Bye, Kitty

The closest I had to a pet was a plant... if I don't count my two pet sisters. My mother thinks it's too much of a bother to take care of animals of a different species-- which is perfectly legitimate since she already has four people to care for. Pets have, therefore, been discouraged in the household.

Like most children though, I had that stage in my life wherein I wanted a pet. My sister and I wanted at least to have a pet fish when we were in elementary. They seem to be relatively easy to take care of and you keep them in a container. You aren't even supposed to hold them in your hands. We were and are both squeamish at the idea of touching creatures that wiggle.

There have been cats in our backyard for as long as I remember. We don't own them. They come and go as they please, sometimes living their litter around. My mother hates them because of that. When my grandparents were alive, they'd leave scraps of food in some container in the backyard for these felines. My sister and I would watch them eat from a distance. Sometimes there were kittens. We would watch them too. Sometimes a cat gets in the house and it will be chased out with a broom. It was exciting and we'd watch that too.

The documentary Earthlings influenced what I now think is my opinion on the matter of keeping pets. Another documentary we were made to watch for MS1 changed how I see fishes. But after dissecting cats in Bio 102, I think I have grown fond of cats. But not enough fondness to make me buy my own pet.

In the past few days there has been a kitten in our backyard trying to get in the house by climbing the screen window. Its pleading meows break my heart. I have played with it once using my foot and some twigs. It was obviously hungry. But I wasn't allowed to feed it because it won't leave if I did. I don't mind if it stayed. If I wasn't too afraid to touch it, I'd think of keeping it. But it's now gone and I sort of miss it.