Billu

“Billu”

A cat was wandering around in a colony of the city in a worried state. She was looking for a deserted and empty place where she could give birth to her children and keep them safe. While roaming here and there she finally found a house. Sometimes someone used to go to the back side of the house only for cleaning, otherwise it was just a storeroom of junk things. The cat quietly understood everything and decided to build a house there. She found that place very safe for her children.

In the morning, when Geeta, a member of the family, went to clean the back of the house, she was left speechless. She rushed and took the other members of the family along with her, urging them to walk slowly without saying anything. There, the cat was very quietly busy feeding milk to her little babies and was a little scared of seeing the people of the house. Everyone came inside quietly and now they started discussing seriously. What should be fed to the cat, what should be given to her to drink? Etc. etc.

“Hey Amma, tell me what I should feed the cat?” Neha asked.
“If there is any milk in the house, give it to her. Add some mashed bread to it. She will be satisfied,” mother advised.

Quickly a big bowl was taken out, milk was poured into it and mashed bread was mixed in it and the bowl was slowly placed near the cat. “Billu, take it and eat it.” Neha said.

Seeing her new name, new home and welcome, Billu also started feeling a little reassured. She gave her approval by saying “meow” and started drinking milk quietly. After drinking milk, she also ate bread. Now the people of the house had a new responsibility. What should Billu ji be fed? How should she and his children be protected from the sun? Etc. etc.

Billu’s children were not yet fully awake and were dependent on their mother’s milk. Billu never left her children and didn’t go anywhere. All the family members were making arrangements for their food and drink. Billu was also not afraid of them. When called Billu, she would respond by saying “meow”.

Slowly the time started moving ahead. Billu’s children also opened their eyes. Slowly they started drinking milk from the top. Now Billu started teaching her children to hunt. Many times she would leave the children outside and when she returned, she would return with a big prey. Then she would teach her children to hunt. Billu’s children would create a lot of ruckus in the courtyard, sometimes they would drop a box, sometimes something else. Billu was so intelligent that she would not come inside the house and would wait for her food from the courtyard itself, but her children would definitely come inside directly if they did not get milk and food on time, as if asking, “where is my food?”

Not only this, they would jump out on being told “Let’s go outside”. Billu would sit at her place and quietly watch the antics of her children and sometimes growl at them as if scolding them.

Till now I had heard that animals are intelligent. I got to know one more thing about cats that they do not stay at one place with their children. The aunty next door once told me, “Oh, she will go away with her children. A cat changes seven houses with her children.”

“Oh yes, I had heard it in my childhood too.” My mother supported her.

Now everyone thought that Billu would go away with her children. But this did not happen. Perhaps she did not find any other house safer than this one or she trusted the people of this house more.

Slowly one and a half months passed. Now Billu would sometimes disappear for the whole day and sometimes would return in two to four hours. As soon as the children saw her, they would run to her and start drinking milk and then playing with her. One day, Billu ji was missing the whole day and night. Now all the members of the house were worried. Geeta and Neha were more worried.

“Mother, what will happen to the children now?” Neha asked her mother.
Mother advised, “It doesn’t matter, the children have grown up now, they will grow up.”
“Really mom.” Neha was the most worried.
“Yes, yes, I said it.” Mother said.
The next morning Billu ji was again found present with her children. Seeing her, everyone heaved a sigh of relief.

Gradually the children grew up. Everyone was confident that all Billu’s children were saved and now they have no fear. Now they can live alone as well. But there is a thing called “Honi” (destiny) which never lets us know what will happen and when?

One day in the morning when Geeta was sweeping outside, she heard a strange sound. At first she thought it might be the sound of the TV. Then she quickly ran towards the backyard where Billu’s children were. Today again Billu ji had not returned and the children were alone. Geeta saw a fat cat standing with a baby in its mouth. On seeing Geeta, it left the baby and ran away by jumping over a five feet high wall.

The child was screaming badly. The inner bones or nerves of his neck were damaged. Geeta immediately brought the child inside and after asking the mother, turmeric was applied. Then Neha took him to the animal doctor where the doctor gave him an injection along with some medicines. This also gave him some relief. After coming home, he slept the whole night. Billu had also returned but she was not able to understand anything. Who knows what she was thinking, when her injured child was taken to her, she started beating it. Now Billu’s child was being kept inside but Billu was constantly watching him. Injections and medicines were given for the next two days also. The doctor himself came to the house and saw him but Billu’s child could not be saved.

As if Billu had realized the death of her child, she kept crying for many days, ate very little food and now she also reduced going out anywhere leaving her two surviving children.

Gradually both her children grew up. They could no longer go anywhere but would definitely come home on the second or third day. Billu Rani was also happy to see her children self-reliant. She too would definitely come once in a week or two and as if she was saying “meow” with full authority and who knows what she was saying.

Dr. Sarla Singh “Snigdha”
Delhi