Puddy

You might think that when there are many animals no one can be special. Well, you may be right to some extent but some of them feel that they are and know how to extract attention from you. Puddy is one such character and there is no way you can treat her at par with others.

Puddy made an entrance into our house some eight years back. We were staying in Salt Lake at that time. Some little girls staying close by decided that we were in dire need of cats. They had seen us with the stray cats and dogs and thought we would love to keep some more (we had just three dogs and three cats).The girls would just pick up kittens and deposit them at our door step! In short, every other day was Christmas.

The first to be picked up was Puddy. One late evening R ran in to say that there was a kitten near our gate who was ‘even prettier’ than Circuit. Some food was offered to her and then because she looked pathetic and there were dogs moving around she was brought in. Somehow, I don’t remember anyone really protesting about a new entrant though of course I must have made my displeasure known.

Puddy bears a remarkable similarity with Julius Caesar. It was a clear case of veni, vidi, vici. She felt at home from the first moment. When the plates were put out for serving dinner to the dogs, Puddy was there before them! How she knew the sound of plates was associated with food time only she would be able to tell. One thing I must clarify- Puddy was NOT prettier than Circy. Both are white and brown. Puddy had more fur but where Circy looked like a well-groomed school girl Puddy reminded me of one of those school girls who always have their belt sagging and have socks bunched up at the ankle! Circy and Gibly, who knew the cats of the world better, probably found her an insufferable social climber. Gibly went around for days (believe it or not) with tear-stained cheeks. Puddy ignored the cats and decided she would be friends with Spotty. To our amazement Spotty who thought cats were born to be chased, allowed Puddy to share his chair!

Puddy is a force to reckon with. She is the decision maker of all rules – whether she is playing with dogs, cats or humans.

[Those who ride the tiger dare not dismount. Yanni being liked by Puddy]

If you have made the mistake of patting/stroking her, you have to continue doing so till she asks you to stop (though this asking may be in form of a slap!) or you are inviting trouble in a major way. When Puddy decides to play, you can’t help but feel sorry for her… Puddy ‘frolicking’ around means some twenty nine cats warily watching her from a safe distance, leaving the ground clear for her. Dogs too know that their welfare lies in humoring her. They freeze (with delight?) when Puddy decides to lick.

Madam Puddy is a fraud. At times she allows one of the other cats to hound her! That is just her way of unleashing her army. She sits looking coy while the other cat is severely reprimanded for hounding her. Getting the better of Puddy is not allowed in our house. Well, can you blame us? She is after all Mother India in our house – she has the largest number of cats to her credit.

When Puddy wants something, she usually gets it. When she walks into the kitchen and rubs herself against your legs something nice has to served, (if she has just finished her meal and forgotten it then it’s amnesia time for all) the faster the better! Her usual style of waking one of my daughters up is by knocking down things systematically from the study table – keeping her eyes open for reaction. She usually gets her way.

Puddy has no love lost for me. She doesn’t think twice about landing a slap. R claims it is because she doesn’t like anyone making fun of her. Her personality does not encourage cheap jokes or teasing. Sense of humour is not her strong point.

Characters like Puddy cannot be covered in one article. I hope the other members of the family give their inputs. No one person can do justice to her Excellency!