Domino Effect

Domino Effect

**Please do not, not read because it appears long. It is short sentences with “big” line breaks. With this poem, it felt natural to do. It’s also about my cats if that entices those to read it** 😂

I knew nothing of cats.

But
I knew how to love.

True to his name,
twelve years old,
Grey.

One old cat,
specifically avoiding
any younger than that.

Days before,
I was informed
Mr Grey had a girlfriend.

Katy.

Selfishly,

I feared the commitment.

Of so many years ahead
with a cat so young,
that I had not yet weighed.

Off we went home.

Day by day,
my unwanted Katy
stole my heart away.

One apartment to the next.

Life carried on.
We were happy.

My carefully crafted cat plan?

Entirely gone.

Then Grey got sick.

Feline leukaemia.

I wanted to burn down
the organisation where they came from,
so they could taste
the same kind of numb.

Commitment—
once my greatest fear.

Now I was begging
for just one more year.

My old boy.

Kissed,
and then
laid to rest.

Katy remained,
still giving her best.

Despite her status,
she was healthy,
full of life,
full of fun.

So I decided,

why not one more?

A companion
for my little one.

How I searched.

Organisation after organisation
refused to adopt out
their healthy cats.

Katy’s diagnosis
closed every door,

while she herself
kept proving them wrong.

Time passed.

Then came the call.

*“Heard you’re looking for a sick cat? We’ve got two.”*

Alright.

Not exactly the plan,

but bring them along.

Only afterwards
did I remember to ask—

“How old?”

“Less than a year.”

How the fuck
did I end up here?

Three juvenile cats,

all leukaemia positive.

Katy.

Venus.

Rebel.

My sweet Venus,

gone within a month.

Kissed,
and then
laid to rest,

beside my Grey.

So whether
wanted or not,

every one of them
became wanted.

Every one of them
became loved.

All I wanted
was one very old cat.

How did such a simple plan
get me here?

I no longer ask.

I couldn’t be happier.