Meet Arya, my daughter, and Luna, her granddaughter on Luna's birthday.

As I walked into my house today around 3 p.m., Arya walked up to me, eager to show how much she had missed me. It's extremely hot in Karachi right now, with temperatures soaring as high as 45°C, so Arya likes to seek refuge in the passageway between the main gate and the stairs.

She had been in a deep sleep but, upon hearing my footsteps, she drunkenly made her way towards me and affectionately rolled between my legs

This moment made me pause and sit with Arya for a few minutes. I haven't been able to pay much attention to her lately due to my busy schedule, and I know she has felt it too. But, oh Arya, what choice do I have? You are a witness to the limited time I spend at home and the low energy I have when I come in, only to leave again a couple of hours later.

Today, however, was different. I decided to sit with her as she purred and nuzzled against my face. It's been a few weeks since I last bathed her, and she's showing signs of aging. While sitting with her, I reminisced about the many moments we have shared over the years. Arya has always been there for me, her presence a constant source of comfort and joy.

4th January 2018 is when I got her from a stranger's house, petrified inside a small box, shining bright eyes full of fear and uncertainty. At that time she could fit in my palms. I raised her like my own daughter. Pets weren't allowed in our house so for 2 months I had to shift to my uncle's house and keep her there hidden from my family. How I loved her. Made food for her at 3 am in the morning, slept with her whenever she wanted, cuddled her, fed her with boiled boneless chicken placed on my palm.

Arya is now seven years old, which equates to roughly 58-64 years in human age. She is old, weak, and fragile, often preferring to spend her time in solitude. Despite this, she recognizes me like no one else, and I know she loves me deeply. Arya has always been an introverted cat, quite different from others. While most cats would create a mess, Arya only eats from her assigned bowl and always uses her designated toilet. She never disturbs anyone, always minding her own business and living in a manner that is almost human-like.

Her disciplined behavior sometimes astonished my mom, who found it hard to believe that a cat could exhibit such traits. Arya’s human-like qualities even scared her at times. I trained her, of course she'd be at her best behavior at all times 😉

Out of all the blessings Arya has brought to our house, one that I truly cherish is her granddaughter, Luna. I named her on mother's name who unfortunately passed away. Luna (the mom of Luna) was the first born of Arya, and Luna (the daughter) was the first born of Luna. Does that make sense? I'm sorry if it doesn't, I'm half asleep writing this post. Luna died during the delivery leaving her daughter alone in this world.

Luna is nothing like her granny. Since her very first day she was extremely mischievous, wreaking havoc in the house at every opportunity she gets. She was weird from the very start, for example she started walking wayyyy before any other kittens yet she didn't open her eyes for a month. She was very small and weak when she was born.

Last October, she fell terminally ill. Her lungs were severely affected due to this illness and multiple veterinary doctors told us that she'll not make it and that I should spend the rest of her limited days with her comforting her. It's July now, she stood up against all odds and is as healthy as ever, though she coughs sometimes which makes me anxious. I pay regular visits to the vet for her checkups.

I'll post her reports some day, in a different post here, you'll get to see how many injections this poor soul had to endure during that time period.

Today is Luna's birthday. June 25th, 2022 is when she was born. In these past two years she has brought so much happiness to our house and specially I cherish her for the companionship she has provided to my "touch-me-not" Arya. I'd be accepting birthday wishes from you guys on her behalf :')