Kitty Litter

Some time ago, people I saw remarked on the number of Band-Aids on my left hand. It was my fault. Our fat cat Siopao had “thalump-kablug-ed” at my feet. (“Thalump-kablug” is what we call it at home when cats plop at your feet and roll over, thus exposing their bellies). Siopao has a very plump belly, and every time I see him, I have to suppress the urge to pinch, poke, tickle, grab, or otherwise molest him. Nakakagigil kasi e.

But that day, I did not resist the urge. I bent down to stroke his head, then moved towards his belly. In retrospect, the flattened ears should’ve warned me off. He grabbed my hand, quickly yanked it down, and bit it.

Anytime I am in pain, the whole neighborhood knows it, as I screech with the full force of my formidable lungs behind each syllable. You bet even the badminton players across the way knew about it; I believe this is known as the vocal power of the wussy.

He dug in deep with his teeth, and the bite on the fleshy part of my hand ached the whole day. Not even grocery shopping, an event that gives me great fulfillment (unless Polar Bearball is in one of his “I’m-going-to-compute-my-savings” moods, in which case it becomes excruciating), could take my mind off the pain.

I know people who don't like being touched, even by friends. I should've known that even animals have personal space and limitations on that space. Yet because I felt like teasing the cat, I suppose I got what I deserved.

I took standard precautions and flushed the wounds out with agua oxigenada (the water hereabouts being of questionable quality) then swabbed it with generous amounts of Betadine. Later, another friend would point out that agua oxigenada actually kills all things in a wound, even the healing white blood cells. The remedy is worse than the injury, ne?

Now I tend to avoid Siopao, even though the whole thing was my fault. Nobody likes having their personal space invaded, least of all me, and I should’ve thought of that before I started teasing him. Guess he’d had enough, and you can't really blame him.

Too many people I know take animals for granted; even cat-loving me is guilty of this. But to deliberately go out of my way to cause pain and suffering for an animal is something too many Pinoys think is normal. Kids tie tin cans to cats' tails, tie up dogs on short leashes, or treat the animal as an exotic accessory...and this last one is, in my opinion, the most offensive. A miniature dog isn't a fashion statement; it's a living being that needs consideration for its special needs.

I guess that's what Siopao was trying to remind me of: I am not a stuffed toy. And perhaps I'll remember that the next time I want to go after his soft, white, round belly.