We have a lot of cats at home. It all started when we found a stray kitten at school that often wandered around and didn’t have a home. Rex asked me to take it in, so I agreed and brought it home. We named it Naruu, which means “long” in Dusun, because of its long tail. I had always wanted a cat, but never had the chance. We needed a cat to protect our car from rats, which were causing damage. Once, rats chewed through the wires near the engine, and it stopped the car from working. Another time, they cut the ABS wires. The worst part was when they made a nest in the front bonnet, urinating everywhere and even getting into the dashboard, making the car smell terrible. This problem had been going on for years, but since Naruu came, we’ve had no more rat issues in the car. Naruu is a female, and during her mating season, male cats from nearby homes come to visit. That’s how we ended up with more cats. I keep them outside in a store room near the car garage because my wife doesn’t like cats, and Rex has asthma. I feed them there, and they spend most of their time playing and hunting naturally. I’m impressed by how well they hunt, catching lizards, birds, and, most importantly, rats! Naruu has had several litters, and now we have up to 11 cats. Sometimes they don’t live long, as stray dogs can be a threat. One of Naruu’s kittens, named Cuti, went missing. I shouldn’t have named it Cuti, as it means “take leave” in our language, so now it’s on a long leave! I miss Cuti, even though it wasn’t as tame as Naruu. Sometimes, it would come back when it needed help giving birth, and I’d make a safe space for it and its kittens. There are many challenges in caring for cats that roam freely around the house. Once, I didn’t realize a cat was hiding under the car. I always check under the car before moving it, but sometimes they hide where I can’t see. Sadly, once, a cat that had hidden on the fuel tank jumped out and got run over by a car behind us. But Naruu is still going strong. She has had four generations of kittens, and even grandchildren now. These cats are our car security, and I don’t hesitate to buy them the best food.
Lately, our children have been taking turns getting sick with coughs, runny noses, and colds. Papaya has really helped them recover. I read somewhere that papayas have more vitamin C than oranges, and they’re great for colds and preventing flu. I believe this is true because my kids get better faster when they eat a lot of papaya. We’re lucky that it’s papaya season now, and we have a few papaya trees that are bearing fruit. They ripen one by one, so we always have a fresh supply! This is one of the benefits of my hobby of growing plants!
