Black cat in my garden

Recently I have been keeping a small bowl of fresh water for a black stray cat who sometimes sleeps in my garden. After seeing the cat desperately trying to drink water from a little puddle, I decided to provide fresh water for it all the time because there is nowhere in my neighbourhood where any wild animals can access to water. No pond, no water features in anyone’s garden, you see.

I have no intention of making the cat mine. Why? The reasons are: 1) I cannot afford medical fees for pets, 2) I have no one who would look after a cat if I have to be away for a while, 3) I feel I have no right to control any animals’ lives (Why make them domesticated or restrict their worlds against their wills just because I like their company?) I don’t mind any animals using my garden as their sleeping dens or their playing field as long as we can respect each other and live together happily and peacefully.

The cat has been doing fine. Now it does not run away when I go out putting my laundry up on line. I noticed that its left eye is badly damaged. Probably it’s a result of a fight or something. I don’t feed it because of the reasons mentioned the above, but it does not look starving. I usually find it sleeping most of the day, so it must be a proper stray who does not have to go along with humans’ lifestyles.

Yesterday, my next-door neighbour was asking me what I was doing when I was refilling the water container for the cat. I explained the above, and she wasn’t happy at all. She complained that a cat (not sure which cat, though) peed near her back door. (No cat does such a thing on my back door!) She complained that her little dog often had to bark too much at night because he smells and senses the presence of other animals in their back garden. Then, she said that that the cat shouldn’t be around here because it looks scruffy. (She shows no compassion for the cat’s damaged eye. She talks as if such a cat shouldn’t exist or shouldn’t show itself up in front of her!!!)

Well, I wasn’t amused with her comments and attitude, so I told her that I don’t take the cat in only because I can’t afford a pet, not because it looks scruffy/dirty/ugly. I don’t really understand this woman. After her first dog died, she started giving milk to a cat in her back garden, and then started shooing the cat madly as soon as she got a new dog. She is supposed to be a Christian who goes to her church every Sunday and read the Bible every night. I once read in the Bible said that the god ordered the humans to be in charge of the other animals. So, she might believe that she could do whatever she wants to animals. But does the god also told the humans to look down on creatures who are in less unfortunate circumstances? So much for the country of animal lovers!!!!!!

Anyway, my girls and I named the cat “Kuro-chan”, and we will keep being friends with it whatever the neighbour says.