The Testimony Of A Cat
I am your cat. I listen when you call my name, and my ears perk up each time I hear the rattle of treats. I sit at the window, watching the world pass me by, and I'm grateful that I don't have to encounter the dangers and complexities of a universe so vast and foreboding. Still, I cannot help but wonder where people go with such haste, oftentimes in huge moving boxes of steel or standing upright on two legs. How fascinating! People have such power over their environs, and they can use their hands like tools, much more effectively than I can maneuver my paws. I often ponder whether I'm missing something. Clearly, I am but, since I don't know what it is, I don't bother to pine. I'm just happy being comfortable, loved and doted upon so often.
Birds have particular intrigue for me. I suspect that they govern the sky. Other creatures of the earth are my brethren and, sometimes, when I listen in my heart, we can talk for awhile.
I may seem aloof, at times, but this is only my way of assuming control of my territory (which is everywhere!). I reign supreme, though benevolently, feeling thankful for every breath of life and caress. I need not strive or struggle for what I want. I simply envision the manifestation of my wish and, sooner or later, I have my heart's desire.
Selflessness is an intrinsic characteristic of mine. My goal is to comfort you when you hurt, either in body or mind. I will be content just sitting in your arms and letting you know that I am there, in all hours of shadow and light. Just by being, I try to tell and demonstrate to you my knowledge of a rising and setting sun, even when your world is out of focus or sorrowful. In times of joy, I rejoice with you. I feel your blithe spirit and have a peculiar inclination to dash about, with unbounded energy. My heart beats in time with yours, with rising and falling cadences.
When you leave home, I try to imagine where you will go, always knowing that you will return to me (especially when you leave a pair of slippers or shoes near the doorway) and, when you reenter, there I am to welcome you, marking everything in my path to reestablish your presence at home, with me.
My love is unconditional, like no other you can feel from your own species. I am nonjudgmental, discreet, intuitive, and wise. Though sometimes I answer back, I do so solely to signify that I understand your message (by the way, I comprehend words far more than many believe. I'm brilliant, you know).
If I do not always pay heed to your imperatives, I do so not in defiance, but by way of deliberate, nonchalant indifference, so that I may, once again, assert my territorial totalitarianism. I do not intend to offend, but I find no other recourse. Please don't worry: I will come out of the refrigerator soon.
In closing, I must say, my Cherished Guardian, that you are never alone. I am here at your side for as long as the forces of life and my furry constitution will allow. So, please know that your kindness does not go unacknowledged and your love is reciprocated at every moment.
Thank you for your time...and please don't forget my favorite meal tonight.
Love forever,
Your Devoted Cat