Ulysses

I arrived in Bettubela’s backyard a long time ago, alone. I don’t know what happened to my mom and my siblings; they just disappeared one day. I hope they are fine and have been as lucky as me. Since I was a kitty I learned to watch out for    predators and develop skills and strategies in order to survive.

Hunger made me  hunt anything that was within my reach; birds, chipmunks, bunnies. This task  made me very tired and  only made  hungrier, but I didn’t have any other alternative. All of a sudden,  my luck changed  on a warm summer day.

My feline guardian angel gave me a hand. An unknown woman crossed my path and called to me: “kitty, kitty, kitty”.  I got scared and ran frightened into one of the bushes; she disappeared. When I felt safe I left my hiding place and I smelled something delicious. The strange thing was that it wasn’t one of those little animals I used to hunt. I ate it voraciously  and took time  to groom myself.

The next day the same scene was repeated: she called and I hid. Were playing cat and mouse; I didn’t trust anyone. My only concern was to end this eternal hunger and devour  those exquisite dishes. Summer and autumn passed by. When snow arrived, Bettubela disappeared  and with her my daily meal. Why did she forget about me? I was thinking all day long. I couldn’t understand the change. Above all, how to explain this to my tummy?  Once again I became a hunter. Hunger is so overpowering that I had any other option.

The snow melted and Bettubela  appeared with  the warm spring sun. Surprised by my gaunt appearance, she said: “Ulysses I thought you had an owner . That’s why I stopped bringing you food. Please, forgive me, my little kitty”. Bettubela rushed to offer me that delicious dish she used to bring me. I was so  relieved to end my hunger.

Bettubela named me Ulysses. According to her, this  character  is very important in Greek literature. She can call whatever she pleases so long as I don’t suffer more cold and deprivation. It seems she is going to take care of me. What I don’t want is to suffer cold and hunger again.

Since that  spring day, Bettubela hasn’t forgotten to feed me once. Finally, I can  enjoy the sun and take long naps.

Time passed and snow made its arrival once again. One  windy and cold day, I was freezing. Bettubela invited me into her home, but I was afraid to enter  an unknown place. This time, the chill was stronger than my pride and my stubbornness.  How different felt inside her home, although three gray cats hissed at me ferociously, defending their territory like my species does.

I couldn’t care less about their unwelcome growls and made myself comfortable at home. “Like or not guys, you have to get used to me”, I replied , hissing in return.

A few days later, Bettubela took me h in this terrible place. My trust in her returned when I saw her talking with a man. According to her, he would look after my health.

I’m now the most domestic housecat in the universe. I drive more than one Penelope female cat in the neighborhood crazy. I share the house with others that look like me, but I hate Frida. She is an arrogant and tail-less cat. Annoying her is such fun.  Bettu always comes to her  rescue when I “attack” her and hiss at  her: “Next time, I’ll scratch you and Bettu won’t come to your rescue, you’ll see”.

Frida wants to tell you  about her life and about her brother Diego . Let’s hear if they came from such humble beginnings.