She walked across the rainy autumn street. She was cold and hungry, after all, she had wandered around the whole day to no avail. But there was this one place she could always return to. That’s where the kind old lady lived, who always left something delicious for her, who petted her, stroked her, and whispered soothingly pleasant sounds with her beautiful, calming voice. She was content, even though she hadn’t caught anything. Because there was this place, this little paradise…
She had always been outside and longed for the freedom she could enjoy there. There were new things to discover and observe every day. Smells, sounds, strangers who sometimes petted her. But there were also other people who threw stones at her or chased her away. Particularly bad at times were those who had children. „Flea carrier,“ „She spreads diseases, don’t touch her.“ And if she got too close, she was simply shooed away. She didn’t really understand why, but in the end, she didn’t care. Most of the time, she could sense when she was welcome and when she wasn’t. She had good instincts, and in the end, there was still the old lady who loved her…
Only three blocks left, and she would be back in the warming safety of the apartment. Where no one would throw stones or drive her away. And the unsuccessful hunt would quickly be forgotten. The old lady would put something tasty out for her and take delight in watching her enjoy it. Actually, she wanted to make the way home without any interruptions. She had had enough for today, and the rain wasn’t exactly pleasant either. But then she suddenly noticed something, a smell. It was beautiful and completely captivated her.
She looked around and followed her nose to the source of the scent. A rectangular box with a door in front of it. Yes, that’s where the smell was coming from! Who would forget to place such an interesting thing in a backyard? She cautiously approached and sniffed curiously. The door reminded her of the flap she slipped through when she returned to the old lady in the evening. From the cold streets back to the cozy safety. To the lady who loved her so dearly…
The smell was so wonderful, and this flap, with all the memories it awakened in her – she slipped through it and rubbed herself against the scrap of fabric lying inside. She gave herself completely to the scent, forgetting time and place. All she cared about at this moment was that piece of fabric with the delightful scent!
Until suddenly the flap closed, and malicious laughter and screeching sent fear coursing through her limbs…
The flap opened, and something that looked like a hand, but smelled entirely different and felt strange, grabbed her roughly. She bit and hissed, but the hand-thing seemed unfazed. She was shaken violently, and she felt the pain shoot through her neck. She screamed many more times that night and fought as hard as she could, but it was no use, and no one came to help her.
She didn’t understand. She hadn’t done anything to anyone, and now? Why were they causing her so much pain? She was innocent…
The next morning, children came to play in the backyard and were drawn to her pitiful meowing. She was no longer able to defend herself or do anything other than quietly cry out her pain into the world, as she lay leaned against a wall, having soiled herself out of fear and agony. She couldn’t even weep for her suffering anymore, her empty eye sockets dry. But she understood that the old lady would never feed her again or stroke her, or call her name. She was so sorry. So terribly sorry…
The children began to cry when they found her. One of the boys ran home to get his mother, who carefully picked her up, wrapped her in a towel, and took her to a veterinarian.
There was nothing more he could do for her other than put her to sleep. Since she had no tattoo or collar, he couldn’t locate any owner. Her battered little cold body was sent to a rendering plant, and she was never seen again.
A few days later, posters appeared on lampposts. They showed a small cat, contentedly sitting on a blanket licking her paws. A small, fragile being that was missed because it had been loved…