Mr. Bob
Mr. Bob is what they call me, but among our kind we do not use
names—only images, memory, and emotion, triggered upon seeing another
individual. Through my many years I have come to recognize countless beings,
feline or otherwise. Some have been kind and others have been crude; I love
them differently but respect them all the same. My years have taught me that
there is a quiet dignity in forgiveness for those who have wronged me. I have
been in situations that as a kitten I never thought I would experience. What
does a little kitten, nuzzled against his motherÕs soft belly, know of the
cruelty of the world?
My memories are fuzzy. My past does not play back in clear
pictures; instead experiences are felt, and interactions registered as positive
or negative. I cannot fully describe to you the way that cats remember. I can
only tell you that once I was cold, and hungry for months on end. I was weak
and barely able to scavenge enough food to keep myself alive. Before that,
there were families. Warm people, warm smells. I
remember the feeling of being loved, but if I tried, I couldnÕt
quite picture their faces. IÕm not sure how things changed so drastically.
I remember my days tenderly. The memories are fond not because
they were pleasant, but because they are wholly mine, never again to be
duplicated or shared in the same capacity by any other being. For that I am
grateful, as all cats are. Each of us harbors a tremendous heart of peace
because we understand that no matter the terrors weÕve been through, our unique
experiences are what mold the clay of our beings. There is the unshakable sense
that each of us is never to be born again, and in that, we are all special and
deserving of all the niceties of the world. All felines are born into this
sense, and it can never be lost. Some humans believe it to be pride, or
haughtiness—but to us, it is simply our way of being, and it is all I
have ever known.
I donÕt know when I became an Òold catÓ. It happened in secret,
right under my nose. I receive many compliments from visitors, but each is
hesitant to adopt me because of my age. Well I donÕt know how long my life will
be. Do you? All I can say is that I feel healthier than I have in ages. There
are days when I feel like launching myself through the little window in my room
and racing in little whirlwind circles around the cages. Most times however, I
am content to watch the people go by. I keep my mind sharp by imagining what
life would be like with each person who stops by to pet me or takes the time to
meet me. I imagine them taking me home, and feeling that warm feeling
again. I imagine clean litter boxes and wet food and ample cuddles whenever I
please. I imagine a warm spot in a sunbeam for napping—a real home.
Sometimes I catch myself purring when I think about someone taking me home; I
want that so badly. I have all the necessities to sustain my life here at the
shelter, but I am unable to fulfill the most powerful of my desires: to share a
deep bond with another being. There is that shadow of a beautiful life waiting
for me, in someoneÕs home somewhere. I have experienced my share of pain in the
world, and now IÕm waiting for my share of joy. I long to show off the
impeccable etiquette IÕve perfected over the years to somebody who will
appreciate and allow an old grizzled cat into their heart.
Sometimes
when IÕm extra lonely, I like to lock eyes with someone across the room. I do
this on purpose, stare at them, because IÕve noticed it makes them interested.
It sends them my way. ItÕs my little way of earning some nice petting at the
very least, maybe a hug if the human is particularly affectionate. ItÕs amazing
how responsive these two-leggeds can be. I scan the
hall, trying to find someoneÕs eyes—Ah! Now here comes somebody.
Can our eyes see cats with the same clarity in
which their eyes see us?[1]
Mr. Bob lay like a cheetah across his bed, scanning the horizons
in contentment after a sublime meal. His confidence and tranquility immediately
touched my heart. Most people pass by grown cats and adopt kittens from
shelters because they are so irresistible. However, there is a special role for
older cats that is easy to overlook if you donÕt take the time to feel their
quiet energy. There is a certain mystery to them in that nobody can ever tell how
much they have been through, and in that, they command a level of respect. The
volunteers told me Mr. Bob was found starving and close to death—but when
I opened the door, he came alive and showed such a positive response to my
affections that I couldnÕt bear to leave him. I knew that this was the cat I
wanted to help because even after his brush with death, he hasnÕt lost his
capacity for love and joy. He is such a respectable and well-mannered cat and
will burst with absolute gratefulness when somebody finally adopts him. His
gentle presence was a comforting feeling even through the window of the tiny
room he lay in. I was completely moved by his enduring trust in humans who
nearly killed him. It is obvious that he was at one point a beloved pet. It
broke my heart to see such a handsome, affectionate boy deprived of something
as basic as a family. I took him into my arms—he was a lot lighter than
he looked. Although he was steadily gaining weight, he was still quite
skinny and I could feel his bones through his slender frame. Mr. Bob is a cat
with an angelÕs heart of forgiveness and deserves to grow fat in someoneÕs home
and drown in cuddles and kisses. One look into his eyes would tell you that his
long life is not over yet!
Trying
to extend my sympathetic imagination to Mr. Bob forced me to adopt not just a
catÕs perspective, but an old catÕs perspective. There is no way I can fully
experience the hollow pain of being close to death from hunger, but at the same
time I can only try to partake in the jubilance of
finding salvation from such a low point. As Kahlil
Gibran wrote,
ÒYour joy is your sorrow unmasked.
And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with
your tears.
And how else can it be?
The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can containÓ.[2]
With such words in mind, I was
able to glimpse an immense peace within the old cat in front of me. His joy of
being was not expressed in exuberance as in the style of a younger cat, but in
a strong, calm sense of exactly the moment. It was as if he were
acutely aware of his catÕs heart within him, closing his eyes and giving thanks
for every beat of his lifeÕs drum.
Meeting Mr. Bob allowed me to extend my circle of awareness
more than ever before. I have always loved my pets, but I have never thought to
spend time inside their consciousness. My whole life I have always appreciated
animals from a distance, noticing their beautiful symmetries and idiosyncrasies
but never really dignified them, so to speak, by allowing my brain to gift them
with my own language and culture. What kinds of things would they express, and
in what fashion? Completing this exercise has forced me to look at animals
in a different light.
In the beginning of our class when we watched ÒEarthlingsÓ, I was
particularly moved by a particular line, ÒLike us, they are not only in the
world, they are aware of it. Like us they are the psychological centers of a
life that is uniquely their ownÓ.[3] I appreciated
this phrase upon hearing it, but only now do I understand it completely. In
retrospect, I have consistently been guilty of demeaning animals in by viewing
them as objects of affection and cuddles. Although this is not a wholly
negative view, it is incorrect. Animals do not exist to look ÒprettyÓ or ÒcuteÓ
to humans, and they were not given life solely so they could be our companions.
They, like us, have their own reasons for being.
That is not to say, however, that animals exist completely
separate from humans. Animals, especially domestic animals, come into contact
with humans every day. A domestic cat will crave love and attention from a
caring human. Although she does not exist solely to be pleasing to humans, the
cat is not alone in the animal kingdom to desire the bond of friendship. While
the traditional companion to a cat is another cat, a human can serve this
relationship quite nicely. An old Belgian poem from a cat to her master starts
with a list of forbidden niceties, but ends with:
ÒDo not, I beg, abandon me, I have a sense of fidelity.
IÕll return your love for me, I have a sense of true devotionÓ. [4]
The needs of the cat may be
different from our own. For example, a cat may require more privacy and more
moments of solitude. However, the underlying similarity is that they have a
deep desire to love and be loved in return—though we need to understand
that this is a catÕs love, and though itÕs certainly worth no less than a
humanÕs ÒloveÓ, it is different.
Scientific research has proven empirically that animals
interpret the world in a way that is similar and yet distinct from ours. Dr.
Yang Dan of UC Berkeley was able to translate signals from a catÕs optical
cells into binary code to be displayed on a monitor. They found that the cat,
when shown a human face, was actually seeing something very similar to a cat
face.[5]
This is profound in that it proves what we have suspected all along—that
we cannot possibly have an accurate idea of the true nature of our world,
because just as the images of the human face were distorted through the lens of
the catÕs eyes, our own pictures of the world are distorted through human eyes.
This is the great handicap that sustains the rift between humans and animals.
Like cats, we see the world from a speciest view.
Unlike cats however, we have the ability to recognize this and thereby stop
taking advantage of it.
A screenshot of the sensory input before and after translation by
the catÕs brain. If you squint just a little, the right side
image looks almost feline.[6]
We need to realize that animals are not just people in fur coats.
If we think of them in that way, we will start believing that they are somehow
dysfunctional for not being able to read, write, or reason in a human fashion.
We begin to think of them as broken sub-humans, inferior because they canÕt
measure up to what we define as intelligence. Instead, we need to extend our
awareness and see that they are distinct from us; they are mysterious beings
with completely different perceptions and ideas, like little aliens right in
front of our eyes. They enrich the Earth with their unique talents and
personalities. Animals need to be appreciated as they are, and to do so we must
try to move beyond the human perception of them, and try to envision their own
perception. The discovery and appreciation of the ÒothernessÓ of the animal,
away from human conceptions and intentions, will lead to an incredible shift in
paradigms. One day I predict humans will see our current condition as something
of a dark age—similar to how women or Africans were once believed to be
somehow inferior. Through exploring the sympathetic imagination, itÕs possible
to achieve a higher level of awareness and compassion for the animals we share
our lives with. With this understanding, I am newly confident that one day we
will see some semblance of peace on our little blue planet.
Word count:
With quotes: 2138
Without quotes: 2020
URL of blog: https://courses.utexas.edu/webapps/blackboard/execute/viewBlog?course_id=_138738_1&blog_id=_52874_1&blog_course_user_id=_2779834_1&type=blogs&group_id=&gml_reload=&callBackUrl=
Appendix:
Mr. Bob-- Sensible, Affectionate, Contemplative Mr. Bob is a cat
who has seen a lot
in his 11 years, and that has given him a very mellow "been there, seen
that" kind of personality. He is quite the gentleman and is taking his
recent displacement in stride. Going through two foster homes has been hard on
him but despite all this he remains extremely gentle and sweet. Mr. Bob is
friendly to everyone, even when you wake him up from a nap. Even though he is
an older kitty, he is in great health and still has many more years of love to
give! Here is a kitty who will be purrfectly happy
with just your companionship, a nap in a sunbeam, and a small can of wet cat
food at the end of the day. Mr. Bob would love to sit by your side as you relax
on the couch-he'll let you pet him until your hand goes numb. No hormonal
teenage mood swings here-Mr. Bob is mature, stable and a lover through and
through. When you're not petting him or giving him attention, he will be more
than happy just to nap by your side. This sweetheart older kitty deserves a
final, forever home!! Mr. Bob sports a handsome blue and white coat. He looks a
lot like Tom from Tom & Jerry. One look into his deep yellow eyes will make
you wish you met this sweet guy sooner! Mr. Bob has been missing his human families
and his warm spot in the sun. Mr. Bob would do well with other cats or as an
only cat. Your lap and your heart will be much warmer this autumn with this
four-footed love-machine laying across it! All APA! foster
kittens/cats are litter box trained, tested for FeLV/FIV,
spayed/neutered, vaccinated, treated for worms/fleas, microchipped
and come with a 30-day health insurance plan. If you have additional questions
about Mr. Bob or the adoption process, please send an email toadopt@austinpetsalive.org
Tina- Bold - Curious - Comical
Make no bones about it, Tina is a big girl. No no,
it's okay, you can say it out loud! She's not at all self conscious-in fact, she wears her weight with confidence and struts about
with an excessive air of pride and self-respect that only a cat can have.
What's that you say, put her on an exercise regimen? Nope, Tina is not amused
by your silly man-made cat teaser. Put her on a diet? Perhaps, but that sweet
face is going to be hard to turn down when she's meowing at you for treats!
She is the first to greet strangers and make them feel at home. What a brave
kitty! Although she does not love to chase toys, she is active and runs to meet
you, especially if it's feeding time. She loves her kitty treats and her soft
fluffy cat bed. If you let her, Tina would love to watch TV with you while
spilling over the sides of your lap. At 9 years old, she still has a lot of
love to give. She is even friendly with other cats!
Tina keeps her beautiful dilute tortoiseshell coat meticulously clean and
shiny. She can't understand why she was recently returned to the shelter, but
she holds on to the hope that there are many better times waiting for her in
the future!
Sometimes her weight makes her tail look short and stubby. The other cats talk
about her behind her back. It doesn't bother her though, because she knows in
her heart that the perfect owner is out there somewhere, who will make her feel
like the princess she knows she is! In return she will give you endless pillow
cat snuggles and is guaranteed to make you laugh every day with her ridiculous
self-assurance and adorable boldness.
All APA! foster kittens/cats are litter box trained,
tested for FeLV/FIV, spayed/neutered, vaccinated,
treated for worms/fleas, microchipped and come with a
30-day health insurance plan.
If you have additional questions about Tina or the adoption process, please
send an email toadopt@austinpetsalive.org.
