The queen of cats

RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE

Muffin is not just a cat. She’s the queen of cats. Appearance-wise she’s nothing special — a common grey tabby with long white whiskers and round mossy eyes. She loves soaking in the sun, mewling for her meals and fastidiously grooming herself until her coat glimmers. Yes, she’s pretty much like any other feline.

Muffin came to us as a four-month-old to act as a companion to our adult cat, Tintin. Deeply resentful of the new family member, Tintin hissed, clawed and spat before succumbing to Muffin’s winning ways. The two girls became great friends, exchanging “nose kisses” and playfully chasing each other around the lobby.

A fortnight later, we were in for a shock. Muffin was expecting in spite of not having reached maturity. We learnt that she might have experienced “induced ovulation”, a phenomenon in which even a prepubescent female cat gets impregnated when in the company of male cats.

Since Muffin’s pregnancy was detected late, termination wasn’t an option. As our little mite grew bigger and drowsier, my mom and I worried about how she would get through the ordeal of delivery. To our utter surprise, Muffin managed the process with her characteristic strength and poise and gave birth to three males and one female. Whilst being devoted to her offspring and their needs, Muffin took time to interact with Tintin, reassuring her that their friendship was still intact.

As the kittens grew, the males got adopted by loving families. With Tintin having absconded never to return, Muffin was now left with her daughter, Pari. While raising her sprite-like kid, Muffin manages to be on an achievement spree. Much to our horror, she expertly hunts pigeons, huge toads and unwieldy lizards which she brings home to us as fond gifts. Even after becoming a master hunter, she asks for her cat food with the same humility as before.

Muffin spends a few hours on the terrace every evening with Pari and comes charging down the stairs whenever I call out her name. Every ring of the doorbell has Muffin walking up to the door and vetting every visitor before allowing them in. Most of our guests pass her inspection; the fortunate ones are honoured with a snuggle in their laps.

Muffin isn’t particularly afraid of dogs; she watches them from a safe height and distance with an air of academic scrutiny. And boy, is she loving! On cold wintery nights when she snuggles under my blankets, Muffin purrs louder than a roaring motor. The warmth emanating from her can melt the hardest of hearts.

There is many a smart creature, I don’t deny. Like Paul, the Octopus blessed with divination skills, chimps that can successfully manipulate the environment and dolphins with fantastic problem-solving skills. But to me, there’s only one queen of creatures, humans included. And that’s my Muffin.