Stray cats, knowing the day they become family

The boundary between "stray" and "family" taught to me by Note creator Komugi

Boundary Note | Ranpo's Walk

Stray cats are free.

That is what I thought.
They go where they like,
and sleep when they like.
Bound to no one.
That is the kind of life they lead.
But are they truly free?

Reading Komugi's article,
I couldn't help but laugh.

Young Lord.
Mother.
Old man.
It was just like a period drama.
Even though they are cats,
they are more human than humans.
As I read on,
before I knew it, they weren't just characters,
they were cat-aracters.
And then,
the atmosphere changes in the final few lines.

The Young Lord who suddenly disappeared.

Had he been in an accident?
That kind of anxiety.
But,
he was on the other side of the window.
He had become a house cat.
Even though it was just that simple event,
my heart felt warm.

I love cats.
In my home, too,
there is Chai,
and Shirocchi.
Perhaps that is why.
When I see a stray cat,
I can't help but wonder.
Did they manage to eat today?
Are they okay in this heat?
Did they manage to endure the cold?

People often say,
"I rescued it."
But,

it might be different for the cat.
"This house will be okay."
Thinking that,
perhaps they are the ones choosing the person.

A boundary is
not just a national border.
It exists in life as well.
Stray cat and house cat.
That boundary
is not a collar.
It is not a roof either.
It is whether or not there is a place where they can sleep in peace.
I think that is the difference.

Komugi's self-introduction was also interesting.

The Nyarleone family.
Godmother.
Underboss.
Advisor.
The world of the movies,
the cats are seriously acting it out.
It makes me laugh.
However,
deep down,
a deep love for the lives they have rescued is hidden.
Those who can write with humor,
are actually kind.
That is what I feel.

Cats do not speak in words.

Therefore,
they look like they are not thinking about anything.
But,
in reality, that is not the case.
Danger,
and kindness,
they distinguish them properly.
Much more quietly
than humans.

People think they have saved the cat.

However,
the cat, too,
is saving the person's heart.
A day when you return home tired.
A cat sleeping on your lap.
Just by that small weight,
there are nights when I am saved.
Life is
not just about supporting.
It is also about being supported.

Is family a matter of blood ties?

Or is it
a being with whom you can mutually provide a place
where you can think, "I can be at peace here"?
Even if people think they are keeping a cat,

perhaps they are actually being taught how to live by the cat.

The boundaries that small paws cross are,
much deeper,
and much warmer,
than we humans imagine.

There are still many boundaries in the world.
Today, I walked across one of those boundaries again.

#cat

#life_with_cats

#rescued_cat

#stray_cat

#essay

#creative_writing

#family

#kindness

#life

#boundary_notes