Animals are noble and grateful to those who treat them with love. They give us their unconditional nobility and loyalty, and it is there where our responsibility lies to return the great favor they do us when they are with us and manage to make us so happy.
This is the story of a sweet stray kitten who was found wandering the alleys of the Tuzla neighborhood in Bosnia Herzegovina by a young woman named Asja. She is a pharmacy student and animal lover and at the time of the encounter, Asja was already living with another kitten named Sophie.
However, the fear of people was evident in the kitten, who seemed really nervous about people passing by. She would run away in terror from them out of mistrust, leading to the assumption that she was treated with contempt in the past.
“The kitten always walked down the street meowing very loudly. Whenever anyone tried to approach her, she would immediately run away because she didn’t trust anyone,” said Asja.
Certainly, who would later be christened Gigi, she was very apprehensive. Not only was she terrified of people, she also reacted to any noise or sudden movement, always on the lookout, always alert.
So Asja, with her experience in raising kittens, took matters into her own hands. Despite Gigi’s reluctance to approach humans, there was no way the young woman was going to allow her to spend a single minute more on the street, without the warmth of a good shelter.
“I felt sad for Gigi and made the decision to do everything I could to save her. I started leaving food on my balcony, which I could reach by taking the stairs,” Asja said.
Thus, the young woman set about the task of improvising a sort of shelter, which she set up in the hope that Gigi would return in search of food. She knew that hunger would lure her back at any moment. It was an irresistible offer and so the kitten did so with increasing frequency.
“She was very hungry. No matter how much I fed her, she always wanted more,” Asja added.
Although Gigi was still wary, and at first ate warily and from a safe distance, as the days went by she grew fond of Asja, who treated her as her best friend.
Despite initial misgivings, the affection began to take effect and, perhaps for the first time in her life, Gigi felt loved, respected and valued. She liked that feeling and decided to move in permanently with Asja and her other cat, Sophie.
The tabby kitty experienced a change from heaven to earth. She was no longer shy, no way, she was quite a character. She would stand on tiptoe on her hind legs and lift her head, eager to be scratched and petted. Today she lives happily purring along with Asja and her little sister Sophie.
Regardless of their species, people have an ethical obligation to animals. We must give them back in the same selfless way the love they give us every day. This is a debt we must not forget to pay.
Share this story with your friends. Ultimately, if we do not value this debt, let us value the smarter behavior: caring for that which is best for us and, without a doubt, pets are it.
