My cat, Luke

As ironic as it may sound, even as a vegan, I never longed for an animal companion. My work schedule and personal projects require me to be out and about and I wasn’t sure if I can tend to a pet properly. But in late August of 2020, a young stray cat stumbled to our front steps and I didn’t have the heart to abandon him. He was stuck in a bush and incessantly crying. When my nephews, my husband, and I were able to get him to safety, he darted out to our backyard. Scared and shy, he hid under a shed. For days, he would only peek out when he’s hungry or curious to see who were these humans that rescued him.

My nephew named him Luke, as in Luke Skywalker from the Star Wars movies (we were binge-watching the trilogy). Luke must have been only five months old, a budding teenager in cat years. He had a sweet gaze and he loves going up to our lap, letting a long purr that vibrates throughout his body. His shyness dissipated and he would patiently wait by our backyard door for us to let him inside the house. He would cry and whimper, begging us to let him be part of the family. But as much as my family felt bad for him, they were hesitant to let him in.

Back in the Philippines, most Filipinos treat stray cats as pests, the same way Americans treat raccoons. Cats there scavenge for food and sometimes steal the food on the kitchen table. As soon as the cat scoops out the food with its mouth, it darts away. Because life in the Philippines is already hard, Filipinos would get very upset when our last remaining dinner gets snatched away from us.

Aside from the stereotype that cats are sneaky, Filipinos also see them as unattractive. Stray cats there usually look very skinny with wounds either from catfights, diseases, or injuries from the punishment of stealing food. Filipinos would throw slippers at the running cat, and sometimes worse, pour hot water to finally teach them a lesson. With wounds and burns, stray cats do not look as fluffy and cute as their “exotic” and imported counterparts. As ruthless as it may sound, Filipinos somewhat still cared for them. We would place our leftover food outside our house and call on them to finish the remaining bits. We would even give them endearing names like “Muning” or “Mingming”. In the end, as long as they keep to themselves and stay outside, they can co-exist with us.

The preconceptions we had for stray cats remained with us even after migrating to the US. As much as Luke won us over, my family hesitated to adopt him. It didn’t help that my sister had a scarring memory of a stray cat pooping on her sheets, leaving a very bad odor lingering in her room. I tried to convince them that cats can be potty trained even better than dogs. I also reminded them that cats are neat freaks. Still, our cultural upbringing is hard to shake off. We thought it might be best to have Luke up for adoption.

I asked around my circle if they would like to adopt Luke. Having been emotionally attached to him, I wanted to make sure I personally know who will adopt him. Unfortunately, no one took the offer for the same reason that they couldn’t tend to Luke fully.

The only lead was my brother-in-law who wanted a companion for his pet cat, Lucky. Unfortunately, Luke got so stressed when he stayed there overnight that he chewed the tip of his wounded tail (he got the previous wound from living outdoors). Good thing my brother-in-law had the foresight to make it a test run only to see how it would go. Luke badly chewed on his tail that the tip was almost cut off, with the last bit of skin hanging on for its dear life.

I took him to the vet to heal his tail. Our growing bond and attachment made it hard for me to surrender him to an animal shelter. I had to know for sure that he will be adopted and taken care of better than I can provide for him. Also, I wanted to make sure that Luke would love his new environment and family. Winter and cold temperatures are approaching so I made an executive decision that Luke will be staying in our garage as well as with me and my husband in our bedroom. He will be an indoor cat.

As time went on, Luke proved to be the complete opposite of what my family fears from a stray cat. Luke goes only to his litterbox to pee and poo, and he doesn’t try to steal our food. As silly as it might sound to some people who grew up having a pet cat, the stigma against stray cats is real and hard to shake off. I’m glad that my family was able to recognize their negative bias. Eventually, they also recognize that what stray cats do in the Philippines is just out of necessity and survival. My family has not only eased up to Luke but even welcomed him to freely roam around the house, even gifting him a hammock and a place to stay by the window to watch the birds. They not only let him be, but they also spoiled him like a prince.

In the beginning, I was afraid that Luke’s clingy nature would impede my work. But I later realize that even after he falls asleep, I would mindlessly scroll my social media, wasting my time. Being with Luke made me aware of my inefficiency when I’m not with him. Ironically, adopting him has made me a more productive person. It’s somewhat yin and yang. I needed restriction to realize how much freedom I have.

Now, when I walk him in our yard (he still loves being outdoors), I make the most out of it by listening to my favorite audiobooks and podcasts. I soak in the sun and notice the tall grasses and plants waving as the wind gusts by. Sometimes, I unplug my headphones and listen to the birds chirping. Our morning stroll is no longer just for Luke, it was also a treat for me. It has become my walking meditation. The next thing I know, an hour has passed and it’s time to retreat to the house. He whimpers in protest but quickly slips into his nap once I placed him on his hammock. Once he snoozes, I try to efficiently knock all my errands and work commitments.

Most of my work has been remote because of the pandemic. But soon, my husband and I will have to travel back to the Philippines to pursue a business. As much as how my family loves to spoil Luke, they admitted they cannot take care of him fully because of their work schedule. My nephews will return to school too once the quarantine lifts. So, even though cats hate to fly especially in the cargo area of a plane, I thought that not taking Luke with me would be worse.

I’m not sure what the future holds for Luke in the Philippines. He may not be able to keep his beloved routine of a quiet, calm stroll in our backyard. As much as he loves being outdoors, the slightest rustling sound terrifies him, which can be a problem if I dare walk him in the streets of Manila. Maybe he would just have to stick to his hammock by the window. One thing is for sure -unless someone proves Luke is better off somewhere else, I will do my best to keep him and make him happy. Besides, he makes me happy too.

Not just me, my husband also grew fond of him especially when Luke snugs next to him to sleep. Although my husband didn’t grow up in the Philippines, he too had a negative bias against cats because he didn’t grow up with any pets at all. But over time, Luke has slowly but surely won all of us over. While I invested time, energy, and funds in Luke, he reciprocated with pure love and affection. He has also taught me the value of being present and making each minute worthwhile.