20091211

One-eyed cats


Probably because I have a cat with one eye and another with none, I tend to pay more attention to cats which suffer from sight impairment. Today I saw two one-eyed cats.

It was during my lunchtime walk. I have noticed for some time that there is this kind woman who would take some food to feed a family of stray cats everyday at about the same time. When I slowed down to observe the cats today, I saw that one of the kittens, like my furry friend Parker at home, had only one eye. Then, after walking on for another ten minutes, I saw another family of strays, and among them another one-eyed cat.

Two thoughts sprang up in my mind. First, it is so easy for cats living in the unhygienic environment of the street to be infected with all kinds of viruses, including this particular kind that leads to the loss of sight. That was exactly the condition of Parker and Piper when they were picked up from a rubbish bin by volunteers. Second, I was wondering why there were only one-eyed cats but no blind ones and I came to the chilling realisation that it would be hard for a blind cat to stand the challenge of a cruel street life. What would have happened to Piper had he not been found and adopted? Close as he is with Parker, could his one-eyed brother have been able to help him survive?

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