stupid human tricks

If you've ever been to Israel, you know that the place is plagued with cats. That's right, the world's favorite housepet, millions of them, roaming the streets among the Bedouins of Beer Sheva. Lately I have been inspired by some of the cats, as they slink down the alleys with grace and agility, waiting quietly before pouncing into a new situation. I have also seen a great number of baby kittens, which are so precious, cute, small, furry, and fragile. Every time I see a baby kitten I am filled with exceeding levels of exuberant joy. I often stop to pet them, and sometimes pick them up and let them sit in the palm of my hand. The other day my friend Sean and I found 4 baby kittens in a hole outside of his dorm building. The mamma cat came over and made these outlandish noises towards Sean, as he was holding the babies in his pockets, and they attached themselves to his shirt with their tiny claws. Who will protect the precious babies without their mother, from other cats and scary humans?

Alone in Israel, I am like a small baby kitten surrounded by strange cats. Too young to speak the language of the other cats, and unprotected from the perils of the neighborhood, I rely on basic instincts and innate defenses. My little claws grasping for whatever they can hold on to. My little cry, barely heard over the societal norms which I am not prepared to face in this unknown territory. Who will help the baby kittens? So precious and fragile, so special to their families, but so alone and defenceless.

Housepets are often known for performing tricks, or expected to conform to the standard "sit", "stay", and "lie down". Sometimes I feel like Im expected to fit into this mold of unrealistic submission. I must slink down the alley stealthily as they perform their stupid human tricks. Since I'm not one for tricks, I pause to lick my wounds before retreating to the shade for my afternoon catnap. The other cats see me lying there and try to pounce on me, but just as they descend into my personal space, I stretch out my paw and greet them with my tiny little claw. Don't step on the kittens. They are precious... little perhaps, but mighty.