Target is a wonderful nurse.
Cats are stigmatised as unfeeling or selfish, interested only in what we can do for them. I've never agreed with this prejudice, and last week that belief was tested.
Normally the cats are awake at dawn. They are martinets, the three of them using furry-purry headbutts to bully us out of bed. Once they have had their breakfast, they play, Tic Tac goes for a walk, and then the cats go back to bed, leaving us bleary-eyed humans to get on with work while they nap.
It's a wonderful life and I'm frequently jealous. So earlier this month we decided it was our turn to have a lovely lazy time. We planned a proper break, settling on visiting Whitby, a famous seaside town with lots of history, including inspiring Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Afterwards, we'd join friends for a visit to the pub and if it were sunny the day after that, a barbecue.
On the first day, we filled up the kitty crunchie bowls, kissed the cats goodbye, and went adventuring. When we returned that evening, we were unusually tired. By the next day, I burned with fever and chills.
Target sprang into action.
When dawn came, I hid deep under the feather duvet. Instead of being bullied, my old boy curled up next to me. There were no furry headbutts, just a sympathetic lean of his furry face against mine, his green eyes full of sympathy.
Purring loudly, Target stretched out, and pushed his paw into my hand. Comforted, I fell asleep and straight into fever dreams.
I was being crushed under a rock while falling off a cliff, when I woke up with a start. Curiously, the crush persisted. Inkie was splayed out on top of me, his 8kg furry frame a dead weight.
Target was on our pillow. Spotting my open eyes, he got busy giving my eyebrows a good clean. With cat tongues being rough, it felt like being sanded down.
Tic Tac was on my other side, licking my hairline. From the way she nibbled, she was also checking for fleas.
Shifting carefully got Inkie off my back. But as I had a fever still, the three furries persisted in grooming me.
Cat grooming is the subject of much study because it’s a complex behaviour. Cats lick each other because they're happy, because they're being helpful, or as a friendly greeting. It can be an expression of hierarchy too.
In our home, all the cats kiss each other with a quick lick on the face or an ear but Tic Tac is the one who does most of the intensive work.
Tic Tac always cleans Target's ears and the back of his neck, especially now he's older and finds it a struggle to twist around.
She also cleans Inkie's face because she did that for him when he was a kitten. Our naughty boy is now quite capable of using his own paws, but he pretends to be helpless and cons her into doing it for him.
Our princess isn't fooled. Although Inkie squeaks like a kitten, she often finishes by nipping his ear – a perfectly catty way of calling him out.
With us being close, the cats treat me like an honorary furry. However, it's usually just a quick token lick because they understand my grooming involves running water and soap. They don't approve of showers but having scolded me about my funny habits for some years, they've given up trying to teach me better ways.
But now that I was ill, they got to work. Maybe the fever made me smell funny or maybe they decided that I was in no state to contaminate myself with water and soap.
Whatever it was, Target put a firm paw on me, scolding like an old boy managing a rambunctious kitten when I protested. Tic Tac acted as if I'd rolled in a muddy puddle, working on my arm and hand. Even lazy Inkie got into it.
Cats have spiny tongues, so feline care is uncomfortable. Gathering them up in a hug proved a clever distraction. We settled in a big heap and enjoyed a snuggle. A long snuggle, as it turned out. My cold was complicated by shingles, and the two combined hit me like a tonne of bricks. I was out for four days.
My cat nurses worked round the clock the first 24 hours. After that, the two young ones worked shifts. Tic Tac slid out for her garden adventures, persuading Tom to accompany her. She danced back with cool fur and cold paws, full of frisk and tales of birds and bugs.
Inkie then vanished to monitor the pigeon that's building a nest in the tree. From his kekekek, the bird was testing Inkie's defences by sitting on the window sill.
While the two furries took timeouts between snuggles, Target stayed. He nipped down for a mouthful of tuna or to use his litter box, but aside from these unavoidable trips, nurse Target was indefatigable.
Day and night, he was the one I saw when I opened my eyes. More so, every time I turned over, looking for the cool part of the pillow, Target got up and moved with me.
He was tireless, quietly shifting so he could rest his furry forehead against mine, and purring every time I opened my eyes or had a bad dream.
It was incredibly comforting and I'm convinced it helped me get better faster. On the fifth day, I was able to get up. Watched narrowly by a very disapproving Target, Inkie and Tic Tac, I showered, after which they accompanied me downstairs.
Once the columnist felt better, Target sat on the sofa and chatted with her. Photos: Ellen Whyte
At this point, their catliness bubbled up. Swearing they'd been starved for days, they herded me into the kitchen where all three feasted on tuna followed by treats. Greedy Inkie had thirds.
Afterwards, I dozed in front of the television, with Target sitting next to me, "chatting". It took another day but exactly a week after Whitby, I woke up to brilliant sunshine – and Target nudging me for his breakfast. Just beyond his orange shoulder, Tic Tac meowed imperiously while Inkie performed his expert impression of fainting from starvation.
Trooping downstairs as usual felt unreal. The cats stuffed down their breakfast, Tic Tac danced out for a walk, and within an hour, I was alone. Walking softly, I went upstairs and checked our bedroom.
There, in the feather duvet, I spotted a pink nose. Target was burrowed deeply, hiding from the sun. I didn’t need to check to know that Inkie was in the back of the wardrobe and Tic Tac under the bed.
The message was clear. Life is back to normal, with the cats living in luxury while we work to keep them that way.
But if I'm in trouble, Target, Tic Tac and Inkie have my back.
Photo: SPCA Penang/Lily Leng
Adopt Me
Crystal is a pretty girl who was born mid December 2023. She is healthy, fully vaccinated and already spayed.
Crystal loves to play with people as well with any friendly cats. She adores attention! Crystal is also a cuddle-cat who loves snuggles and treats.
Interested adopters please contact SPCA Penang, Jalan Jeti Jelutong, 11600 Jelutong, Penang. Phone: 04-281 6559. Website https://spca-penang.net
