One day, while casually browsing on Xianyu (a second – hand trading platform), as I often do to look at cute little animals, I stumbled upon a post. It was a person who claimed to be allergic to cats and was looking to sell their feline friend. Instantly, I was drawn to the picture of the cat. At first, I was a bit hesitant. I had heard so many stories about cats being difficult to tame, scratching and biting people, and shedding hair everywhere. Given that my mother is a bit of a clean – freak, I was really worried about bringing a cat home.
I discussed it with my boyfriend, and he suggested, “Well, we don’t have much to do anyway. Let’s go and take a look.” So, we went to visit the cat at its current owner’s place. The moment we saw her, we were both smitten. When I first touched her, I was amazed at how incredibly soft her fur was. I couldn’t help but think, “How can it be so soft?” Before this, I had only touched dogs, whose fur is usually much coarser. When I picked her up, she desperately burrowed herself under my armpit, clearly terrified, yet she didn’t scratch or make a sound. The previous owner told us that after buying the cat, they discovered they were allergic to cat hair. With the Spring Festival approaching and no one to take care of her, they were eager to find her a new home.
My boyfriend and I examined her.She looked so docile and pitiful that we immediately decided to bring her home. Before taking her home, we took her to the vet for a check – up. The doctor commented, “This cat is really skinny. There’s a Malassezia infection in her ears, her mouth has bad breath and is a bit inflamed, and it seems she had ringworm before. Are you sure she’s not a stray?” In a way, she was like a little “stray” in her previous home. The doctor prescribed a bunch of medications, and as two novice cat – owners, we nervously carried her back home.
By the way, my research direction as a postgraduate is coating corrosion. So, we named the little cat Tuteng, which is related to my field of study. Since bringing Tuteng home, our lives have changed in wonderful ways. At first, she was very timid, hiding in corners and being afraid to come out. But as time passed, she gradually became more comfortable in her new environment. She started to explore every corner of the house, curiously sniffing around.
We carefully followed the doctor’s instructions to treat her various ailments. We cleaned her ears regularly, fed her the prescribed medications, and made sure she had a balanced diet. Slowly but surely, Tuteng began to gain weight. Her fur became shinier, and her eyes sparkled with vitality. She also developed a very sweet and affectionate personality. Now, whenever we come home, she runs towards us, meowing happily, asking for hugs and attention.
Tuteng has truly become an important part of our lives. She has brought so much joy and warmth to our home. Despite the initial challenges of taking care of a sickly cat, seeing her grow healthier and happier makes all the efforts worthwhile. We look forward to many more wonderful years with our dear Tuteng, creating countless precious memories together.
Leave a Reply