A Feline's Unfortunate Fate

Until today, very few people know that I’m a softie when it comes to harmless and helpless animals.

Earlier this morning, after my mom, brother and I bought some foodstuffs from the Marikina City wet market, we went to Macky’s to buy some goto for my dad. While my brother and I waited in the car, I noticed a thin kitten straying very dangerously along J.P. Rizal Street. It looked confused, lost. The street wasn’t that busy, but now and then a number of vehicles would speed through. Then and there I feel worried for the poor thing, wandering aimlessly, clearly disoriented. It was like watching a suspenseful movie. I dreaded what might happen next.

And it did. A jeepney unavoidably ran over one of the kitten’s legs. I cringed at the sight. I saw it cough blood. I also saw a few people at the other side of the street watching the kitten passively, silently. It was as though they were waiting for another vehicle to run over it completely. I was half-wishing they would do something about it. But they didn’t. That irked me. I finally couldn’t stand it. Then and there I got out of the car, dashed for the kitten and picked it up. At first I placed it at the far side of the sidewalk, but I reconsidered, thinking that it might drift once more into harm’s way. So I left it almost squarely in the middle of a small grassy lot, not far away. At least it wouldn’t die on the street. When I got back into the car, my brother had just told my mom what had happened.

“Cat savior ka pala,” my mom remarked. She sounded as if she never expected that of me.

I won’t be surprised if others also didn’t expect that of me. But I felt I have to do something. Why stand by and watch something bad unfold when you can do something about it? The whole thing reminded me how we have become way too used to becoming passive, silent witnesses to things far worse than that. And I think we’re all the sorrier for it, more so than that kitten.