Supermoon Monday: Calming a Kitten

3rd July 2013

“He will outlive me,” said the elderly feeder candidly, as she approached the shelter for help with her kitten. She had found the little one on the road with eyes still shut, but no mother in sight.

The day Hermit arrived at the shelter was also the day he opened his eyes.

Last Thursday as I held him in my palm while the shelter’s litter boxes were being cleaned & refreshed, I felt his heart pounding wildly against his rib cage.

As his cries got increasingly frantic, I steadied my breath, and place the kitten against my chest.

The last time I held a kitten the size of an iphone was 20 years ago. In my younger days I used to put a small alarm clock among the beddings of abandoned kittens to simulate their mother’s heart beat, and hope this illusion would encourage them to live.

So Hermit leaned on my heart while I recited the Medicine Buddha mantra. Nestling just below my chin his head felt the vibrations of my vocal cords, and his ears received the words leaving my mouth.

Soon the wriggling & meowing were replaced by loud purring. He also found comfort in nursing on the skin between my thumb & index finger. In no time Hermit the Kitten was fast asleep.

Meanwhile, Caddy, the orange cat who had been napping on the sofa opposite us woke up. Some neurological issues had given this gentle creature a slight head tilt. Despite his condition, he was not without purpose or intelligence. Caddy hopped onto the table and made his way towards us as if to parttake in the peace.

As Hermit snoozed on & Caddy watched me, I thought of the hardship faced by animals, and how learning about their struggles can inform the way we live our lives.

I thought of the nursing cat and dog moms scavenging for scraps and being shooed off with broomsticks, kicks and even hot water. I thought of the mom hiding & giving birth in the monsoon drain, only to watch her kittens wash away by sudden rain. I thought of the mom at Whampo Market carpark looking on helplessly as a lorry backed up & ran over her remaining kitten.

For every happy pet we see on social media having a spa day, countless animals continue to struggle to get by day to day.

So may I wish upon this Superfull Moon for Hermit, the lucky kitten to thrive, and to go to a good home. And may all animals meet humans of wisdom, compassion & ample means to help them. 🙏

For adoption enquiries on Hermit, Caddy and any of their loving shelter pals, please contact Mettacats & Dogs Sanctuary ❤️😊