Veterinary Vignette - Adopted

Originally written

1-31-22

            There was once a lonely young man who lived in a medium-sized house by himself. He spent his days at work, and afternoons tending to his small garden in the front yard. He loved his garden dearly, but was annoyed that he could never reap the benefits of his hard work, as rodents and birds would eat his bounty while he was away.

            He placed wire, sound disruptors, and all manner of scarecrows and silhouette predators to chase them away, but the pests would always come back. 

            One day, the man stumbled upon an orange cat who was watching him from a tall oak tree in his garden. He bid the cat a groggy hello, left out some food, and drove to work. When he got back home, the cat was napping in the tree, and to the man’s surprise, his fruits were intact. Cucumbers, tomatoes, and lettuce were all vibrant and healthy when he knew they would surely have been destroyed when he got back. He thanked the Gods above for how he may finally enjoy a small salad, which he savored for dinner that night.

The next day, he heard a meowing at his 2nd-floor window. The orange cat from the other day was meowing so very loudly and scratching at his window with his long claws. The sound sent shivers up his spine. He begged the cat to please stop. He looked in confusion as to what it wanted, before realizing he slept in and was going to be late for work. He rushed out of bed, threw on whatever clothes he could find, grabbed a piece of bread, ran out the door, and drove to work.

            When he returned home, he took a deep breath before hearing another meowing out of his front door. He opened up and saw the same orange cat, standing in his garden next to a lovely bunch of grapes. The man smiled, grabbed the ripe grapes, and savored each one as he thanked the cat. Before going to bed, he left out some meat for the cat in thanks for helping him that morning. As he lay in bed, he thought to himself how peculiar this cat was acting. 

            The next few days followed the same routine: the man would go to work, and he would watch as the cat guarded his garden while he was away. When he returned, the cat would be standing in the garden next to the ripest fruit. After eating, he would give the orange cat fresh food and water, and some scratches on the head before going to bed.

            That weekend, the cat would meow all morning from the outside window, waking the man up who was trying to sleep in.

            “I do not work today, I want to sleep,” he told the cat. But the cat continued to relentlessly meow until the man gave in and walked around the house.

            The cat followed him from outside, making sure he could see him at every entrance and window. Confused, the man went outside and questioned, “Why do you follow me so much? Are you okay?” The cat meowed before turning around, scratching the tree, and sitting in the garden.

            “You are a very strange cat, perhaps a Doctor can explain this behavior.”

            The man gently picked up the cat, brought him to the car, and drove to the local veterinary clinic.

            “Doctor, I am confused,” the man sighed. “This cat follows me around the house, scratches my oak tree, sits in my garden, and meows at me when I try to sleep in. What’s happening?”

            “Oh my,” the Doctor chuckled. “There is nothing wrong; you have merely been adopted by this stray cat.”

            “How can a cat adopt me?”

            “Cats are companion animals and will adopt humans they find pleasant. He learned your schedule and wakes you up so you are not late for work. He meows for you to tend to the garden to get you to come outside for fresh air, and sits near the ripest fruits to ensure you are eating properly. He is trying to take care of you.”

            “Wow. Is that true, you are taking care of me?” The man questioned while looking at the cat.

            The orange cat purred loudly, brushing his face against the young man’s hand while wrapping his tail around the arm.

            The young man thanked the Doctor, taking the cat back home.

The young man placed the cat down in his garden and said,

“I’m willing to keep you around if you continue to help protect my garden. Deal?”

The cat wrapped his tail around the man’s leg once more, climbed the oak tree, and lay down on a sturdy branch overlooking the garden. The man laughed before putting on his gloves and tending to his garden with a smile.