CHENNAI: Coming home to Kiba is the happiest and the most peaceful moment of the day. When I open the door, he comes running, wagging his tail. He licks my hands and toes and revolves around me, making me feel alive after a long tiring day. He doesn’t leave me till I give him a head-but, a lot of petting which is then followed by his cat food.
Oh yes, I forgot to mention — Kiba is my seven-month-old cat, or ‘tiger cat’, as he is called by everyone.
I was always a dog-person. I have a lot of friends who have cats as their pets, but none of them ever facinated me. Until I met my friend Allan’s cat, ‘Cat’. She is a black beauty with a fancy lady-like aura. Since then. I have been open to the idea of adopting a kitten.
But I was unsure. I even found a kitten up for adoption on Facebook. But, something kept holding me back, I constantly felt like I was not ready for it. I couldn’t garner the courage to do it, my fear took over me and I called off the idea. A few months later, Allan’s friend’s cat gave birth to a litter and the kitties were up for adoption. I saw the picture of the three kitties, there were two ginger cats and one tabby cat. As soon as I saw the naughty glaze in the eyes of the tabby cat, I knew that he was mine. I immediately got in touch with his foster parents and told her that I wanted the tabby cat. She said he was named shadow. My indecision and fear crept in again, so I called her once again and told her that I would adopt any of the three kitties that would be left for adoption, after a week’s time.
At the end of the week, she called and said that only shadow was left for adoption and that if I wanted him I go over and pick him up the next day. I finally made up my mind and decided that this is it. This is my cat and I need to get him home.
With Allan’s help, I travelled 29 km to pick up my baby. When I reached, I could feel the adreline rush up my spine and the butterflies flutter in my stomach. We were told he was in the garden playing. We went there and saw the little tiger stuck on a tree, meowing away, not knowing what is the way down. Allan pulled down the screeching naughty little kitten. With the first sight, I knew he was mine. In my 24 years of life, this was my first love at first sight.