When I make a new friend, it’s usually a cat. I met Ghost in a storm.
Rain was beating down in MASSIVE sheets, in the middle of the day. It was one of those afternoons that look like evenings because of how dark it is. The sky was full of dark clouds and lightning was threading its fingers through the clouds every few seconds, thunder booming. I went out onto my porch to watch because storms have always fascinated me, especially really intense ones. That’s when I saw a gray scraggly cat pitifully hiding under a chair on our porch trying to get away from the rain-spattering wind.
I brought him a towel to sit on and set some meow mix out for him (but he didn’t eat any). I went out to periodically check on him, and he would look out from under the chair, crouched on the towel. Still good. Later I learned that this stray mostly stayed at our neighbor’s house, and his name was Ghost. This was the most appropriate name for a cat I’d ever heard because after that, every time I would open our front door, Ghost would be there, somehow, pushing his nose through the door and yowling at me with his loud, scratchy meow. He would always appear out of nowhere at random times.
I began getting used to him, and sometimes I’d close the door loudly to watch his skinny legs quickly scuttling down the neighbors' sidewalk and over to our house. “Ghostie Ghost!” I’d greet him. Not being able to afford an indoor cat, he made me happy every day to have him greeting me whenever I stepped out of the door or arrived home. And even though I knew my landlord didn’t like Ghost being around, I couldn’t bear to stop feeding his scrawny, yowling, friendly little cat body.
A few times he disappeared for a week at a time, but as soon as I thought he was gone for good, he’d reappear again. I’d give him scraps from our cooking and sit out on the porch with him, talking and tearing off strips of lunch meat to feed to him.
No matter how much he got fed, he was still very bony and scraggly. He definitely had something wrong with him, some kind of disease. He didn’t really like hands petting him except the top of his head and he walked very carefully. I would cry because I didn’t have the money to take him to the vet, even though he was just a stray, but I couldn’t stop imagining how much better he’d probably feel with a vet visit and some medicine. I contented myself with the fact that I was giving him a few happier moments with my attention and food.
When I moved out of that place, I moved into a nice apartment with a roommate who had a gray cat. This cat was also very friendly and loved to lay with me in bed, walk over my stomach, and sniff whatever I was doing. He had the softest, cleanest, dark gray fur and greeted me at the door when I walked inside. He had the cutest high pitched squeaky meow that was adorable. With his mechanical litter box, scratch chair, and run of the house, clearly this cat has not had a hard day in its life (which is what I would totally do with my future cats).
We are now friends too (this new cat and I), but I can’t help thinking about my Ghost. When life was tough, we’d sit out on my porch steps together, and I’d feel like I had a friend I could relate to. Sometimes all you need is that one friend.
Even if he is a creeper.
I know you're in there! (This was a normal occurrence for us.)
Anyone else have any stray cats they've befriended? Or maybe adopted?
There is a nice documentary about cats in Istanbul and the connection locals have to them. It's called Kedi. You should check it out! I have a hunch you'd like it.
@gurney Wow that's awesome! I'd never heard of it before, but I looked up the trailer. I would love to even make something like that!