Mali is not used to having other animals to play with, so coming here was a bit of a surprise for her, something to get used to. She doesn’t seem to know what to do about this puppy that just loves her, but she has taken a liking to Moishe the cat and visa versa.
Moishe had her kittens taken away at only 6 weeks, so she has been most upset since that day (a week ago Sunday). It was a horrible day for us because we understood how frantic she was, but those who took the kittens seemed oblivious about her emotional state. They took 3 of the 4 kittens from the nest while Moishe was out hunting. One was in the nest meowing for her Siblings, and the three kittens outside were meowing to get back home. Mom came back at one point, realizing something was wrong because of all the meowing and went in search of her babies. She found and brought home two of them, as the third was being taken to Otavalo to it’s new home.
Once she got the three remaining kittens settled, she left again to hunt, not realizing at first there was still one missing. It was some time later I saw her bring up a mouse, taking it to the nest and then a few minutes later I saw her go back downstairs with the mouse because her babies were now all gone. They had taken them once again while she was hunting and brought them to new homes. Moishe was frantic, looking everywhere for her babies, not understanding where they were or why they were taken. It made me cry to watch as she ran back and forth, up and down, in and out of the nest, no babies to be found.
Understanding rings in my center for the knowledge of what it is like to be taken from those you love too soon. I was just 2 years old when they came to take us away, everything that was beautiful and good about my life, gone in a flash of time. It was difficult not to feel the depth of those emotions as I watched Moishe running back and forth looking for her treasured family. I was angry at those responsible for taking the babies, their lack of concern or compassion because I couldn’t understand why they did not see what I did. But as the days passed, I had to let that anger go realizing that we do not all share the same stories, understanding comes when we face the experiences in front of us. I just have a bigger well to draw from than some when it comes to loss and sorrow.
She was the best mom, so completely devoted to her babies, and she was definitely not ready for the kittens to leave her, nor were the kittens ready to go. She has been mourning for them ever since. I swear she can hear their cries as she sits near the nest or wanders to the places where the old nests were (she moved them twice). The first 5 days were the worst because she was so engorged with milk and wanted to feed them. She would sit at the entrance to the nest and meow for long periods of time, a very sad and mournful cry. She still looks for them, over a week later, but not as often.
She has taken to spending all her time with me on the deck now, sleeping on a blanketed chair, Mali close by, seeming to understand her loss, her sympathy given freely. She rubs up against Mali often, going under her belly whenever possible. Mali seems content for the friendship and has actually defended Moishe’s food dish for her when the other dogs happen to come up here trying to eat from it. We are still buying her milk and Mali is sharing her food with her so that she will eat, as she lost her desire to hunt. It makes me sad to understand that people do not realize animals have emotions, and feel loss also, they are so much more than we give them credit for I think. Miss Moishe understood we would take care of her and is enjoying the affection given. No longer is she a ghost cat……
She is our companion and friend.
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