A peaceful hot April afternoon made me want to nap that time. I was enjoying the excitement of vacation and the peacefulness of the Holy Week when my sister woke me up from my nap. Of course, the first thought that I had back then was to feel mad at someone who just disturbed my serene afternoon, but my sister suddenly spoke “may kuting sa baba. Napulot ko sa labas” (There’s a stray kitten downstairs. I just picked it outside).
I rushed downstairs to check if it was true, and what I saw next was a small kitten, so small that it could actually fit in a small cup. Long discussions happened between us siblings and my mom on whether to keep the kitten or not, and the final decision is, of course, to keep it.
Small milestones were achieved, from having his first name, Uloh, to his first birthday celebration. All of those were cherished, up until his last day. Sometimes, others will think if it was even worth it to provide such “luxuries” to a PusaKal (a Filipino term for a stray cat) when you can just provide leftover foods to them. My answer is “Are basic necessities only provided to those animals with “breeds?”
Rescuing strays may seem a simple act of picking a stray animal in the street, providing them food, toys, shelter, and medical attention, and just playing with them. But in the eyes of the furry kind, those are already equivalent to love and being valued. Being valued not only because they are cute, but being valued because they are worthy to be alive and worthy to be valued. I sometimes think what if someone asks me what I get in rescuing a stray. I don’t know to be honest, but here’s the thing: I know to myself that act of rescuing is a fulfillment to myself, fulfillment in such a way that I know to myself that this kitten that I rescued is safe, healthy, loved, and is worthy to be kept in a loving family.
