Hello kitty

I maintain cordial relations with members of the animal kingdom. I keep a birdbath out on the terrace for the benefit...

I maintain cordial relations with members of the animal kingdom. I keep a birdbath out on the terrace for the benefit of pigeons, sparrows, mynahs, bulbuls, crows, and squirrels. I also smile at passing cats and dogs, irrespective of their caste, class, colour or beliefs. Usually they smile back. Many condescend to have their ears scratched or their bellies tickled. Thus do I humbly practice the sacred principles of tolerance, peaceful coexistence and secularism.

Among my old acquaintances is Mr Cat: a small russet chap with tiger stripes, liquid green eyes, and a slightly quizzical expression on his face. Mr Cat is a neighbourhood stray, and a regular suitor for the affection of two lovely tabbies who reside in my friend Amol8217;s house down the block. He is also a fairly frequent visitor to my terrace; hoping, no doubt, that the birdbath will provide him a surprise dinner. Our dealings have always been clean. Picture my horror, then, when one fine day about a month ago, I found that Mr Cat had left an odoriferous digestive offering for me right in the middle of the bougainvillea pot on the terrace.

A passing misdemeanour, I thought, but it happened again the next day, and then again. Borrowing lessons from the Kargil war, I put up a border fence made up from loops of steel wire; but I had not counted on the aerial reconnaissance and ballistic launch capabilities of the feline. For three weeks, I tried changing the design and extent of the fencing, to no avail. When I found a particularly awesome gift reposing right on top of my beanbag last week, I decided to seek third-party mediation and called on Amol. Mr Cat sat by and listened intently while I summarised the facts. 8220;Have you got any new plants recently?8221; Amol asked. 8220;Nothing,except two lemon grass plants,8221; I replied. 8220;Aha!8221; he cried. 8220;There8217;s your answer! Most animals chew lemon grass to help their digestive processes. That8217;s why Mr Cat is dropping in and8230; er, dropping on your terrace!8221;

Imagine, lemon grass works like a morning cup of tea or coffee for Mr Cat! Armed with this insight, I8217;ve gifted Amol one of my lemon grass plants and dismantled the border fence. Hail the spirit of vasudaiva kutumbakam!