What gets you?
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Cats gets me. As in - they get to me in a deep inner way. This morning I went about my Sunday morning with camera in hand as I like to do most Sundays. On Sundays I like travelling around the island taking photos of all sorts of things. Today I went to a place with lots of old shutters - full of charm and atmospheric patina. It's all very pleasant and enjoyable. Only as I go about my morning I'm aware of a slightly uneasy feeling, so I know something is in store - only I don't know what.
After a while I pack up my camera and slowly head out of town. Just as I roll out of the narrow streets I spot a back-yard with a small colony of cats. A very familiar scene only there's this black little guy sitting in front of them all and his skinniness instantly troubles me. Most cats are adults and looks sort of allright but the little black kitten is clearly emaciated. I get out of the car to leave a bit of food and to check if there's any water in the two plastic containers left of the wall. There's no water at all in the plastic containers (and it is seriously hot at the moment) so I fill them both to the brim. I leave some food as well but the little guy goes straight for the water. He's obviously dehydrated. Afterwards he disinterested nibbles a bit of food. Maybe it's a sign that someone feeds these cats but I can't quite figure then why this little one is so emaciated. I can't approach him as he's a little feral so I sit back in the car and take a few shots with my camera.
As I sit and take a few shots this other little guy appears out of the shade from somewhere. And with this one it is serious. He (or she) has this pained, rigid and very slow walk. Like there's nothing left in the tiny body to keep the limbs going. As I step out of the car to get a closer look he staggers back towards where he came from so I instantly step backwards again. I get the sense that he urgently needs water so I place one of the plastic containers as close as I can and step further back. He doesn't drink but finds the food and grabs one pellet with his mouth - and lets it drop again. It appears there's no strength left.
I'm left in a huge contradiction as I want to help these two little kittens - and I want to do it now. But I've go no transport box and they're too feral (meaning they could go into some sort of chock if I try to catch them in this extreme heat). I feel genuinely concerned about the little white and grey tabby and decide to come back in the evening when it's cooled off. His state is just such that I don't know if he'll make it through the day.
As I drive away I'm aware that a morning full of "perfectly pleasant" has completely subsided. These kittens "got me." Cats in need gets me. I cannot stand their pain. It stays with me until I've figured what I can do to help them. And it's a strange feeling - a peculiar contradiction. I feel like God gave me cats. It brings me into contact with inner chambers of myself. It's a place where I like to be.
I know a crisis psychologist who travels around the world whereever major catastrophes takes place. He once described how much he loves his job because it makes him feel alive and how he just loves the way peoples humanity instantly kicks in when a catastrophy has occured. Everyone helps everyone. I can utterly relate to the feeling why he loves his job.
What gets you?
P.S. I will go back later today and see if there is anything I can do.
Comments
it seems some people in some countries have a completely different way of looking at and after cats- or basically don't look after them at all.I rememeber walking through Rome, and seeing a dead cat just lying on the pavement- how could that have happened with people around? Just lying on the pavement? And a huge amount of totally emanciated cats in a park in Marseille.Your heart breaks when you see it.The cats have been treated so badly by humans that you can't even do anything for them as they are terrified of any human.
Joan, I also wanted to thank you so much for your kind thoughts and comments about my wonderful cat Gibson, whom we had to put to sleep as he could no longer be helped or cured . You are right, in the end it is about them not suffering, but it is very hard.
XOXO Bea
I feel so impotent about making a big difference when it comes to help animals in need, and that definitely gets me.
xo Catherine
kind regards Mieke( returned from holliday)
purrs
>^,,^<
♥Abby♥
This story is very sad, but thanks to people like you, this world will be much better for those little creatures, even if you help one at a time, it makes the difference. I really admire you because you have such a great heart. I hope you can be able to help those little cats.
Thanks for visiting my blog my dear friend,
I send you a big hug
Laura =D
It's me...again =)
Just to let you know that I already joined to the swap and I put their button in my blog, this is going to be fun, thank you so much for let me know about it.
Hugs,
Laura =)
I feel a spiritual affinity with you. Cats gets me always. Here you will not find such skinny creatures (normaly). I think, the two babies are sick. I hope so much, you can help them.
Best greetings, Johanna
Oh my, wish I was there with you! Can't stand such suffering. How can people be so cruel to ignore all this???
Lots of love,
Mariette
What 'gets me' is the gradual loss of the unborn instincts in us and your wonderful post "Who Can possibly look into eyes like these and overise the unborn instinct to protect?", February 23, 2009, have opened my eyes to see this clearly, as all your posts have opened my eyes to see more.
What 'gets me' is that we dó not have an unified understanding that there exists a broader specter, multidimensional and deeper for each and every value and that there is much unexplored concerning the most important life enhancing energy sources on earth - the human values.
Why should we humans need catastrophes to connect naturally to the inborn instincts in us? Animals uphold values instinctively and we might learn more about ourselves and our latent potential by spending time to dwell and contemplate them in a compassionate way. "The true story of Damini and Champakali", your deeply touching post from February 22, 2009, is a story about intact instincts and about natural care, protection and affection implanted clearly in God's Little People. We humans have lost that there is so much unknown to the specters of care and love and compassion for all living. We think we know of it. And it gets to that we don't, not really.
There is so much more to be to and for all living souls... and we might get to new approaches, prevent and find cures for many illnesses if we could listen to these natural inborn values for life. Would not have been able to get to many new perceptions and thus free my narrow limits of self if not reading your posts. There is much more to get to and God's Little People's blog with your posts help to get to that there is so much more to life...