Hermione, the Feral Cat

On that rainy autumn morning,

I was rushing to my class

and saw a cat,

near the sea fig-covered canyon edge,

looking at something.

I was surprised to see a cat

in a crowded university campus,

don't they seek solitude?

I took pictures,

wondering how it ended up here.

I posted the pictures on Facebook,

and I’m not sure how,

but an admin reached out

and told me to check their page—

dedicated for feral cats

who end up on campus.

Trained volunteers capture,

neuter and spay them,

and feed twice a day.

They even bring them feasts

on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

On my strolls there,

I had seen at least six of them

in different parts of the campus.

This one was Hermione—

a female cat,

who lived behind the bookstore

and the mathematics department,

a cerebral space,

just like Harry Potter’s

wise Hermione!

I would often see her,

and greet warmly.

Then one day, I heard,

she showed interest in being adopted,

got tired of feral life, I guess,

and the volunteers made sure of that.

Now she is someone’s pet,

living in a forever home.

In a picture, seen her last,

perched on a windowsill

watching birds, with thrill.