Peanuts the cat

Each one of us has an aggressive drive lurking inside and we all seem to manifest it in some form or another. One can look at it as a spectrum, ranging from mild to extreme, from a simple yell to aggressive sports, to the actual killing of humans and animals.

It is incredible to think that some people derive pleasure by inflicting pain on poor innocent creatures that are powerless in comparison to human beings. The stories that I have heard leave one astounded and pondering how cruel man can be to animals. One such anecdote is about my tom cat called Peanuts - an incredible human-like cat that was killed tragically and deliberately by some heartless human.

Peanuts was an orphan when I first found him abandoned in a box under the portico of my house. Being an animal lover I immediately welcomed him into my house together with his three siblings. The kittens needed instant care and attention. So they were cleaned and fed.

Of all the four kittens, Peanuts was the one that I liked the least. I just judged him by his outward appearance but my opinion was short-lived. At the time another kitten named Honey, which had survived its mother and siblings, remained traumatised and lonesome. Peanuts, who was just a little bit older than Honey, soon took the role of mother and he cared for and nurtured this kitten as though he were his own flesh and blood. A close bond soon developed between the two and they were just inseparable. Honey was simply Peanuts' shadow.

Peanuts demonstrated such affection not only to his kind but also to humans. He just needed human contact. He followed my mother everywhere and it was incredible to see the chain of adoration that developed. Honey followed Peanuts and Peanuts followed my mother. So the three would end up on many a night all cuddled up in bed.

Peanuts not only warmed to my mother and father, but practically to any human. Anybody who entered the house would soon get to know Peanuts as he would welcome them with a cuddle or a gentle stroke and they, in turn, would instantly take to this unusual cat. Our guests found it amusing to see how such a cat would stay in any posture he was placed. In a way he was a source of amusement to anybody who entered our abode.

It was not only unbelievable to see the ways and means he put his message across but also the way he slept on his back! Peanuts had only one defect, if it could be called a defect; he enjoyed going for walks late at night and no matter how much I scolded him when I saw him roaming around in the street, he would simply run indoors and wait for another escapade in the neighbourhood. Nothing could dissuade him from doing this, not even being hit for the first time by a car. Unfortunately, a second similar episode spelt his death.

A couple of weeks ago Peanuts went missing and he was nowhere to be found. Nobody seemed to have any information about his disappearance until recently. My mother was chatting to one of our neighbours and the topic turned to animals. She was soon grief-stricken by the events related by our neighbour. Her son had witnessed Peanuts' tragic death from his balcony. A monster behind a wheel had seen Peanuts crossing the road and on seeing him deliberately accelerated and killed him.

The only question I can pose after knowing this is: How can civilised people, if they can be called civilised, treat innocent, harmless animals in such a way? It is inexplicable how some people get a thrill out of killing animals. This is a sad situation but true and unfortunately my cat had a horrible fate.

I am convinced that I will never meet another cat like him.

At home we all mourn his loss, even Honey, who is distraught and seems at a loss without Peanuts.

Just as humans are unique, so are animals, and Peanuts was simply unique, a cat whom I will never be able to forget.