People sometimes say of people who argue frequently: "They live like cats and dogs." The meaning of this phrase is clear to everyone. But that's only at first glance. For me, it means something completely different. Any two people can live together and respect each other's interests, even if they're completely different. I believe this because I experienced a very unusual incident in my life.
Every summer, my parents sent me to stay with my aunt: to enjoy the fresh air, drink my fill of fresh milk, and get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. At the time, she had a cat. A regular-looking mongrel: his ears and tail were frostbitten, and half his sly face was missing whiskers. And he was already very old, even by cat standards.
One day, the cat stopped leaving his bed altogether. My uncle would occasionally take him and his bed outside and place him on a bench so he could breathe in some of the fresh, frosty air. At home, he lay sad and weak, unaware of anyone. This continued for several days. He didn't drink or eat, and didn't even ask for anything. He just lay there. Then my aunt took him to the vet, who gave a grim prognosis. "The cat is simply living out his last days," he said. "The years are taking their toll."
At the time, the frost outside was so severe that it seemed the air leaving their mouths instantly turned into ice and fell to the ground. On one of those freezing days, my aunt and uncle spotted a small puppy on the street and took him home, protecting him from the cold. Within minutes of arriving home, the puppy ran to the kitchen. Imagine his surprise when he saw the cat bowls there, untouched and chock-full of food. He immediately pounced on them and began greedily devouring the contents.
The cat visibly perked up. Seeing the stranger brazenly stealing his food, even from his bowls, he perked up and rushed headlong to confront him. He completely forgot that just minutes ago the dying man had been lying there, completely motionless. Approaching the puppy, the cat began hissing at him, trying to drive him away from his property. When his plan succeeded, he calmly sat down near the bowls and began eating, lest his enemy get any.
Ultimately, thanks to the little foundling, the cat postponed his departure for another five years. During this time, he vigorously chased the dog away from his bowls, even when the dog had grown considerably, chasing him around the apartment, making sure he maintained order. During this time, they eventually managed to become friends, although the cat forbade him from eating from his bowl, just as he had on the first day.
That's why every time I hear the phrase "Like a cat and a dog," I always remember this miraculous case of the healing of an old and sick cat who met a small, freezing puppy.
