I am a cat lover. What started me to love these feline fur balls was "FREE FOOD". Not for me but for the stray cat in the neighborhood I stayed. I used to feed them every night.

Through these years of feeding, I learned one great and important lesson about cats and their territory. Which is, never introduce a new kid-on-the-block to an long-time resident.

Daniel, the new kid, was a stray who came to my neighborhood on one of the nights I was feeding the bunch of "old-timer" cats. I was watching the cats eat when I noticed Daniel swagging toward me. He came over from the neighborhood across the street. Both neighborhood were connected by an over-head bridge. Daniel spots a black and white coat. He was quite a stocky male cat by comparison to a normal stray. I'll never forget the way he walks. He walks the style and attitude of a renegade. At the moment, I thought I saw James Dean with fur.

Sensing the intruder, my old timers was immediately on guard. The male cats resounded a low growl, especially Fat Cat. Fat Cat is one of the oldest among the group. Daniel backed off to a corner when he sensed the hostilities. Me, being the self-appointed ambassador of free-food-for-all-regardless-o f-whatever-animal-you-are, offered him some food. This started our first liaison.

After our "first date", Daniel comes back every night for food. He will stay in his corner, away from the old timers. As time passed by, the rest of the cats did not bother much about Daniel. But Fat Cat never make Daniel feel welcomed. Still, Daniel come and eat his meal quietly. When done, he would swagger off in his well-practiced James Dean walk.

Peace had stayed only for a short while. On one fatefully night, one of the old-timer, Fat Cat, feels that the ration ticket should stop for Daniel. While I was preparing the food spread for Daniel, Fat Cat sprung a surprise attack on Daniel. Fat Cat walk over growling loudly at Daniel as if to send a invitation for a duel. Daniel immediately accepted the invite by growling back. I've never hear such deep and angry call before. I was literally frozen to the ground! I didn't know what to do.

Daniel and Fat Cat paced in circle eying each other. Both threatening each other with it's fearsome growls. In a flash, both crashed towards each other. Claws and ear-piecing 'meows' and a giant fur ball are all that I can remember. Of course, like any action movie, plus the chasing.

As fast as both roll together into a giant fur ball, they pushed and kicked each other apart. Daniel turned and sprang. Fat Cat gave chase. And me? I grabbed the water bottle, a bag of 1 kg dried cat food and cans of cat food and run screaming after them. It was the run of my sweet and spoiled princess life! A screaming trio of cats and woman chasing each other. Thinking back, I am very sure it makes a very hilarious sight to an onlooker.

After that 'fight' night, I didn't see Daniel again. He didn't come for the free food anymore. Fat Cat was quite badly injured from that fight. But that didn't stop me from giving him the worst scolding of his furry life plus a slap on the bottom for bad behavior!

Learn more about this author, Frances Be.
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