That is what I want to talk about. Or write about.

This is not a guide about anything. It is just a story about a cat I knew.

I don’t remember what name we gave it. I don’t even remember if it was male or female.

I was pretty young then (you are right, I am quite old now!) I don’t even know what breed it was.

But it was black. That I am sure of.

It never took anything but milk. If it ate anything else, it caught itself. As for us, we only fed it milk. That is all we knew. Cats take milk. Period.

But why do I still remember and admire this cat? Because of its relationship with my mother.

Let me tell you about my mother first. She was violent. I have no other way of saying this.

She was violent with her children. Like most African mothers. To herself because she would be in a fight whenever she could, win or lose. Against her (late) husband.

Generally, she was just violent.

She is now old. And senile. Though both my brother and my sister deny this.

That is all I want to say about my mother. I was very scared of her.

I was also a smoker at a very young age. The last thing I wanted was for her to find me smoking or smell my tobacco. I was sure to get a great thrashing, the fear of which scared me.

What has the cat to do with my bad habit? It would walk around my feet just before my mother came in. I would then switch off my cigarette.

I never found out why the cat used to walk around me. Maybe she (my mother) used to kick it. Or otherwise punish it. I will never know.

I will never even know who was more scared of her, me or the cat. What I am sure of is that it warned me every time before her arrival.

Which “cats” like mine have you had in your life? Something that forewarns you about imminent danger. Or threats.

Whether you do something about it or not, we never forget that we knew. Because we were warned. By our “cat”. Whatever that might be to you.

I did not start off to philosophize about my cat. I just wanted to talk about it.

This may not mean much to you, but at least you know. About my favorite cat.

I would like to hear from you. About your “cat” or anything you want to talk about. I may not necessarily write back. But I will sure read your message.

What more can you say about a cat?

Not much more. Except your personal experience. With a cat or any other animal.

I look forward to reading about you.