Eris Meets Cat

The black cat was now getting up in some years, not giaratric but no longer a kitten. Much less likely to get adopted by a bleeding heart who loved cats. He sauntered near the busy city streets watching the humans and witches pass him by, hoping for a hand out of food or a scratch under the chin.

“Choo.” he sneezed. For the past few days his eyes and nose began to run and now he had developed a sneeze. He breathed partially through one nostril and partially through his mouth, the other nostril clogged with snot. Even if a handout was given, eating would be difficult to perform in his condition. The cat rubbed his face with his paw trying to wipe out the excess goo that had developed in the corner of his eyes. This too made it difficult for him to see.

No one stopped to give him a pet and no food was left in front of his paws. The black cat felt hopeless as a dark thunder cloud rolled in. The pressure in his head throbbed as the pressure in the air dropped and the air cooled. All he wanted now was a safe place to hide to ride out the storm. The street seemed especially cruel today with no overhanging awnings or sidewalk umbrellas. He spotted a potted planter whose plants had long been forgotten to be watered, they hung lifeless outside the pot. This would be as good a place that he would be able to find. With the little energy he had, the black cat climbed into the potted plant and snuggled himself in the dirt and dead leaves. Rain started trickling in the afternoon air and the passersby opened their umbrellas, covered their heads with whatever they carried in their hands or ducked their heads under their coats.

A child passed by being pulled by her mother spotted him, “Look mommy! A cat!” A wave of hope rushed through his heart as the two buzzed by, never stopping a beat. He watched them leave and his heart sank again just as the rain started to pour.

Cue song

The black cat resolved to get wet, not just wet, but soaked. He had no energy to move or hope to be saved any longer. He knew if he survived the storm he was going to face the rest of his life as a lonely roamer. The cat hid his head under his paw in a last effort to breathe without the rain rushing into his mouth and nose.

The rain seemed to stop the sound of rain pattered above him. This must be the end, perhaps there is no rain in the afterlife, although the cold must have followed him. The cat removed his paw from his face and looked up through blurry vision. A witch looked down at him warmly. Her short brown hair was plastered to her head as the rain splashed and soaked the young girl. Her shoulders and arms already sopping with rain.

“Hi!” She said cheerfully, her mouth and eyes smiling. “You wanna come home with me?” Cat looked into the eyes of the young witch, she seemed kind and he hoped desperately he wasn’t dreaming. For a moment the girl's eyes became a portal to the universe, galaxies and stars, blackness and violence, her face went slack and lifeless. He felt pulled to them, as if space itself was drawing off of the planet to a dark and cold doom.

In a feverish frenzy the cat blinked and a normal witch stood over him, umbrella out, shielding him from the rain. She scooped him up and zipped him inside her jacket. The warmth of her body pressed to his cold matter fur.

“I’m Eris,” she said, smiling down into his eyes. He poked his head through the top of her jacket and looked into her eyes, normal eyes that didn’t bekon destruction and chaos. Loving and kind eyes. Eyes that gave him hope and made his heart sing.

“I’m gonna call you” She paused thinking “Cat! It’s nice to meet you, Cat! I’m a witch you know so having a cat is prrrrfect!” She snickered and snorted at her own joke.

Eris cradled the cat in her jacket as a pregnant mother would her belly and carried the damp, sick cat down the street. As she walked towards her apartment Cat never took his eyes off her. The rain began to lift and the sun came out. The sky was pink and blue and grey on that fateful summer's day.

“So I got some tuna and some water and some chopped up hot dogs if you’re hungry.” Eris presented Cat with the entrees. “And I uh, don’t have a litter box so I hope this cardboard box with shredded newspaper will do.” She stood in the doorway of the bathroom in her white tank top and striped jammy shorts.

Eris placed the box on the floor next to Cat. She had set up a small private place for Cat to feel comfortable in her bathroom. Eris didn’t have much space and she felt the closet would be too “kidnap-ie”. Somehow the bathroom, which would be a shared space, seemed to make the most sense. Plus it had a window so still less kidnap-ie. Cat inspected the food on the plates. As a courtesy he licked a piece of hot dog. He kept his eyes locked on hers the entire time. Still not sure if this was a fever dream or reality.

Cat, still keeping his eyes on Eris’s eyes, sniffed the cardboard box with the shred up newspaper that Eris presented as a place for Cat to potty.

“Yeah, it’s all I got, but tomorrow I’ll get you something better.” Eris worried that Cat would find elsewhere to potty that wouldn’t be so easily contained.

Cat, still keeping his eyes on Eris’s eyes, slowly and gently placed his left front arm into the box, followed by his left rear leg, followed by his right front arm followed by his right rear leg all in a slow mechanical way. His arms and legs disappeared under his body and his tail wrapped around his loaf and the tip covered his nose and mouth.

“So over there is a blanket that I shaped on top of a pillow to make it a cozy bed.” She pointed to the cozy pallet. She was a little disappointed that the thoughtful gesture of a cat bed was going to be wasted on the cardboard box with shredded newspaper.

Cat contained his loaf state and stare.

Eris paused. “What’s going on with this cat?” she thought.

“Choo” sneezed Cat.

“Oh hey, you don’t look like you’re feeling well. I think I better take you to a doctor. First thing tomorrow buddy.”

Cat maintained his loaf state and stare.

“Look, I just want to say that I’m really glad you’re here and I can’t wait to get to know you so, just so you know.” Eris put her hand on the bathroom door watching Cat, hoping to get an acknowledgment of some sort. A mew, a purr or even a slow blink would be nice.

Cat maintained his loaf state and stare.

“Good night!” Eris flipped off the light switch and closed the door. “Oh my stars, did I just bring home a feral cat?” Eris closed the door to her bedroom and turned out the lights.

So it turns out that Cat was not feral.

Just as Eris said she made an appointment for Cat the very next day. She used a make-shift spell to turn a laundry basket into a cat carrier and rode her bike to the Family Familiar Magical Veterinary Hospital.

Eris checked in and was told to take a seat by a friendly woman behind a desk, the doctor was running a little behind. From the look of the waiting room she thought it may be a while.

“It’ll be just a little wait Cat.” Eris said to the huddling black mass of fear and eyes in the back of the literal make-shift carrier.

Cat watched the sick and scared animals in the waiting room. Nervous, excited and fearful energy swarmed the room. Dogs whined and whimpered, cats yowled and hissed, birds squaked and whistled and the humans and witches talked amongst each other about their fur babies in tow. He hunkered down even more in the carrier, trying to make himself as small and unnoticeable as possible. A big white dog inspected the carrier with his big black nose, inhaling the air around Cat. He panicked. What if this dog were to inhale all of the air? Cat squished himself even further into the carrier, wrapping his tail around his body and covering his nose and mouth.

“Sorry!” apologized to the dog's mom and pulled him away.

Among the barking, chirping and hissing Eris’s voice almost didn’t reach Cat’s ears which were now pinned to the back of his head. “You alright there Cat? Just a little bit longer.”

Cat responded by not responding. Eris stuck a finger inside one of the vents of the carrier for comfort. She wanted to let him know that she was there for him.

Cat looked at her finger, unsure what the gesture meant. So he stayed in his position, a solid loaf with big yellow eyes. His only defense he had now was to continue his state of loaf. Perhaps if he were still enough he could outsmart any of the other animals in the room into thinking he was a stone. And so far it was working.

“Cat and Eris, the doctor will see you now.” The nice woman at the desk said. “Room 3 please.”

Eris hoisted Cat and walked past the menagerie of sick and wounded, friendly and fiendish other animals in the waiting room. Another confusing mix of energy for Cat. There was no way for him to read the room right now. At this point, he wasn’t sure what he was getting into with this witch. What was the outcome of this situation for him? He was sick after all, was this the end for him? Did witches pick up stray animals and take them to a weird sick animal facility to do terrible things to them? How did he fall into this trap? And all he could do in a time like this was loaf. Hopefully he would out-wit them all. Nobody could hurt a stone.

Eris walked into room 3. The room was dimly lit with candles scented in catnip and lavender. The door closed behind them and dark purple curtains covered the door and blocked out the noise from the other animals in the lobby. A pink crystal ball sat in the middle of a small round wooden table on the floor. A short woman in a white shawl and round glasses with her hair pulled back into a high bun sat on the other side of the table. She smiled and greeted the two in a low, calm voice.

“Hello, Eris and Cat. I am Dr. Ruddle, it is my deepest pleasure to meet you.”

Eris sighed, feeling relief from leaving the loud and stressful lobby. “Nice to meet you Dr. Ruddle, this is Cat.” She placed Cat on the table and sat on the floor across from Dr. Ruddle.

Dr. Ruddle peeked into the carrier and smiled. “If you would, please allow Cat to roam the room as he pleases.”

Eris opened the carrier door but Cat didn’t budge. Eris reached her hand in to pull him out.

“That’s alright.” said Dr. Ruddle in her calm and soothing voice.” She lifted her wand and the top of the carrier lifted. Cat remained in his stone-loaf position. “So you just adopted Cat and he seems to have a cold?” The doctor looked over her round glasses.

“Yes, just yesterday. I found him in the rain in a flower pot.”

Dr. Ruddle looked at Cat with half closed eyes and slowly blinked at him. Cat’s tension eased slightly and he sighed. “Ah yes, his spirit is one that is not a stranger to trauma. However, he is very resilient. Always looking on the bright side of things aren’t you?” More of an observation than a question. Cat blinked and relaxed more.

“Well I haven’t had him for that long so I’m not really sure-”

“Of course, you just met yesterday.” Dr. Ruddle slow blinked at Eris and her shoulders relaxed.

“Just so you know it is my duty to make sure Cat here isn’t missing his family. Since he has no form of identification on him, I must read his history.” The crystal ball lit up in the middle of the table and the room grew dimmer. Dr. Ruddle placed a finger in front of Cat’s face which he responded by touching his nose to it. “He has given me approval.”

“Oh, okay.” Eris felt anxious. She hadn’t thought that Cat could be missing a family. She just assumed he was going to be her cat from now on. She held her breath and hoped he didn’t have a family waiting on him.

Dr. Ruddle looked into her crystal ball. Eris saw herself from Cat’s point of view from last night in her bathroom to when she found him in the planter. The memories moving backwards.

“Nothing so far,” Dr. Ruddle observed, “let’s try a little further.” She ran her finger in an upward stroking motion on the crystal sweeping Cat’s past faster. “I am searching for his most prominent memories, family moments tend to show up.” She stated.

Cat’s life showed to be one of an outdoor cat, fending for himself and finding his own food. Running from other cats, dogs and chasing after birds and mice. A pet by a stranger here and there or a handout of food, but no one seemed to keep him as a pet.

A parade of worms wriggled backwards, a rainy night under a car then running out backwards when the rain started, climbing backwards out of a tree in a park with a dog close to on his heels, a dead grasshopper being reassembled from Cat’s mouth then hopping away. The memories stopped as Dr. Ruddle released her finger and the lights in the room raised back to the comfortable dim in candlelight.

“I believe it’s safe to say that he is not looking for his family.”

Eris sighed silently. She looked down at Cat and smiled. Even though they had only spent a short time together, Eris had already made extensive plans for their life in her head.

Cat was beginning to feel relaxed. The catnip and jasmine scented candles made his head buzz in a delightful way. His pupils and eyelids relaxed and his ears turned forward again. All the tension around his forehead melted and he fell in love with Eris and Dr. Ruddle. He watched the two witches talk back and forth above him.

Eris looked down at Cat and smiled. She placed her hand on Cat’s head and slowly stroked from head to mid back to the base of his tail. Cat’s rear sprung from his loaf, tail waving high in air as a flag in the wind. He melted his head into the carrier and plopped on his side, rolling on his back he swiveled his hips to his head from the left to the right.

Suddenly, Cat remembered why he loved humans and witches so much, they were perfect backscratchers! Their hands and fingers designed for booty and chin scratchies! From Cat’s point of view the room was a glow with pink beautiful energy and sparks twinkled around the two witches.

“Well he definitely has a fever,” stated Dr. Ruddle “I am very sensitive to the animal's body temperature and he is warm. But, just to be sure.” She removed a small eyedropper from the drawer hidden under the table and sucked up a sample of snot from Cat’s nose. Using her wand, Dr. Ruddle levitated an empty glass bottle and two bottles of potions, one pink and one green. She pinched a drop of snot into the empty bottle then added one drop of each potion to the snot bottle. The snot bottle with the added potions turned orange. She added one of each more to the bottle, a layer of yellow floated on top of the orange. Another drop from each potion created a deep purple, another drop light blue, the final drops turned clear.

Dr. Ruddle looked over her round glasses and grabbed the sample in her free hand. She pulled out a small chart from her pocket and compared the sample to the page.

“He has a fever of 102.5.”

Eris gasped. “Oh my stars! Is he going to be ok?”

“Of course,” She said cooly, not taking her eyes off the sample. “A normal, healthy temperature for a cat is around 101.5.”

Eris sighed and relaxed. She looked down again at Cat in his makeshift carrier, still on his back with his belly exposed. The tip of his tail swished lazily from side to side.

For a moment Eris imagined how amazing it would feel to place her whole head on Cat’s belly like a pillow.

“He’s about 7 years old, no chronic diseases and he’s been neutered. He could use some more taurine in his diet, and he’s a little dehydrated..”

“Taurine?”

“Yes, I will recommend a diet for you. I’ll create a potion for his cold as well.” With a flick of her wand the 3 bottles tucked themselves into the drawer under the table. “I will now look at Cat’s eyes”.

The soft spoken doctor scratched Cat’s chin with one finger and lured him into a sitting position. She placed her round glasses closer to her eyes. She closed her left eye and looked into his right, then opened her left and closed her right and looked into his left eye. “As I have said before, he has some trauma. However, it’s nothing that a loving home can’t mend. He is a rather happy-go-lucky cat, even when he’s down he gets back up.” Dr. Ruddle smiled and scratched Cat’s chin again. Cat smiled and leaned in. “Besides, we can’t have the bad times without the good, the light doesn’t exist without the dark. Now,” Dr. Ruddle looked directly at Eris ”in order to give Cat the best life possible is going to require dedication, love and trust. Cat has the type of personality that needs close physical touch. I could see him riding on your shoulders or in a backpack. He will also need plenty of play things, anything that would imitate the movement of an insect, it’s best to play with him in dim light or at dusk when he would normally be hunting. It would be wise to hide his food so he can find it, it will keep his mind stimulated.”

Eris looked a little lost.

Dr. Ruddle blinked, “I will make you a list.”

“Thank you.” Eris relaxed.

“You’re very welcome. Now, I will start to create his potion.” The doctor turned around and pulled back a dark purple curtain to reveal a small, candle lit room only big enough for one person. A winged caduceus statue surrounded by various clear, pink, purple and blue crystals sat atop an altar. The doctor placed an empty green glass bottle in the center of the altar and lit a stick of sweet smelling incense. She blew out the flame and swirled the smokey stick around and inside the bottle. Glass flasks of colorful liquid, jars of herbs, and a plastic jug of distilled moon water was conjured from her sacred space above her. The doctor whispered incantations, closed her eyes and took deep cleansing breaths as the liquids and moon water were dropped and swirled into the glass. Dr. Ruddle reached for her mortar and pestle and directed various herbs into the mortar.

She opened her eyes and peeked behind the curtain, “ Do you think Cat would prefer fish or chicken flavor?”

“Uh,” Eris looked at Cat, he looked at her but offered no comment. She recalled Cat taking an interest in the hot dog she offered him the night before. “Do you have anything hot dog flavored?”

“Yes, I can accommodate that flavor.” She ducked behind the curtain and continued to crush the herbs together.

A burst of energy puffed through the curtains and Dr. Ruddle returned with the green bottle in her hands. She placed her wand to her mouth and spoke, “Give one dropperful orally twice a day for 3 days. Keep in a cool place and out of direct sunlight.” As she spoke a label printed from the crystal ball, she tore it off and placed the directions on the bottle. “ After he is finished with the potion he will be completely healthy and hydrated. I also noticed that he does not have a protection spell so the potion will help with that, although I do advise that you create one for him yourself. It will be much stronger if it’s from you. Do you have any questions?” She handed the bottle to Eris.

“ No, I think I got it, thanks!”

“You’re very welcome. I have all the literature we discussed at the front desk. It was my great pleasure to meet you and Cat. Please do not hesitate to call if you have any questions.”

Eris was back in the lobby again. The peace and tranquility from meeting Dr. Ruddle still buzzing in her head but slowly coming back to reality.

Eris picked up the information, swung her leg over her bike and rode off to her house with Cat attached to the handle bars. The wind blew in their faces as the sun began to set. Butterflies tickled Eris’s stomach as she peddaled her bike that felt light as air.

Cat was going to be ok, he wasn’t looking for his family and she couldn’t wait to see what their relationship had in store.

Cat felt lighter too, the residual effects of the catnip and lavendar candles lingered in his head. The cool summer air refreshed his feverish body and he was happy to be away from the confusing energy the lobby of the hospital brought.

“Choo”, he sneezed, then rubbed his eyes with his paw.

A quick stop on the way home for the recommended cat food, toys, litter, dishes and a litter box. Eris stuffed the belongings into her sacred space and the two were on their way home.

Back home Eris and Cat looked around the small one bedroom apartment. The glamour package she bought from the magical furniture store didn’t offer any furniture for a Cat and Eris wanted to do something about that.

“What can I make-shift here?” Eris asked the room.

Up against her kitchen wall was a small table with two chairs, in the living room sat a cozy push red couch with inviting throws pillows and afghans.

“Well I guess I don’t need two chairs.” Eris said to Cat. She drew her wand from her sacred space and beckoned the chair to come to the middle of the living room where she stood. The chair wobbled and scooted across the floor to her presence. She piled a pair of blue and magenta pillows ontop of the chair and stood back. “Yes, this will do.”

Eris swished her wand in front of the pile of pillows and chair. “Cat tower”, she commanded as the furniture unhinged and ripped at the seams and began to build something new in front of her. An idea popped into her head, “With a catbox cubby!”

The assembling materials stopped and began to swirl and build in a different direction until it configured and contorted into the idea Eris had in her mind. A simple two teared cat tower wrapped in plush blue and magenta with a litterbox cubby stood before her. She reached out and pushed on it.

“Seems sturdy.”

With another flick of her wand the tower lifted and floated into a sunny spot in front of her living room window.

“Look what I made you Cat!” Eris said enthusiastically to Cat. Cat looked at Eris with big round yellow eyes.

“Meh.” He replied.

Eris blinked at the reaction. This was the first time she heard Cat’s voice. Her heart melted.

Eris strode across her living room in two quick steps to the make-shift cat tower and patted the top of the tier, “Come try it out!”

Cat looked at Eris and the tower for a moment. Cautiously he walked toward the tower and gave it a good sniff. It smelled like Eris. He found the dark cubby for the litter box slinked inside. Two wide yellow eyes looked out at Eris.

“I think he likes it!” she thought to herself.

“Hey, are you hungry? It’s way past dinner time.” Eris opened her sacred space and pulled out the cat toys, food and the litterbox she had bought earlier. She popped open a can and set it in a dish.

While Cat devoured the dish Eris snuck in a dropper full of potion from Dr. Ruddle. Eris wondered what she had meant by the “trauma” Cat had endured in his past life. There were no scars on his body that she could see, no gashes or tipped ears. Eris wasn’t sure what she meant. When Cat finished he looked up at Eris and licked his lips, he already seemed to feel better.

“I won’t let anyone hurt you bud.” She said to the black Cat at her feet.

Cat blinked at Eris before returning to the cubby in his tower.

Eris left her bedroom door open that night in the hopes that a certain black mass of fur and yellow eyes would come visit him. She had tried luring him in with the promise of chin and booty scratchies along with a nice warm bed. Cat had turned into a loaf in the cubby and Eris gave up.

The night called to Cat and he was awoken with an urge to hunt. His sense of smell was returning as well as his strength. Just as the doctor ordered Eris had hidden a few piles of dry food for Cat to find which he did easily. He poked around the house hoping to find a moth or insect but sadly, her home was void of any fluttering creatures.

Cat had avoided Eris’s bedroom but the darkness beckoned him like the void of space. She was asleep, her breath light as she lay on her back. Without a sound Cat gracefully jumped on her bed and paused, waiting for her to stir. She remained still and Cat slowly crept towards her face. She looked peaceful and calm, a regular witch. He wanted to search her eyes for the depths of space and time and chaos like he had seen the day before. He inched closer to get a better look and placed one paw on her chest, careful not to wake her. Nothing there. Another paw and a closer look. Just the face of a sleeping witch. She stirred slightly and Cat froze. He waited for a few moments after she settled before moving in closer until they were face to face and he was crouched like a gargoyle on her chest. There was nothing. She was just a witch. He sniffed her breath and licked his lips then let out a sigh. He felt the warmth of her body beneath his feet. He once again turned into a loaf and closed his eyes. He began to rumble, suddenly feeling grateful to be with this witch. Eris stirred slightly and stroked Cat once down his back. His purr rumbled through the night, sharing his vibration with his new companion.