Rainy Days and Mondays: Mildred and Sabrina

Mildred and Sabrina are twins. They came from a single mother cat whose lover left her just before the two girls were born. The two girls are very close to each other. Just a few weeks old and they seem to be so attached one goes to where the other is. But there is one single catch. Both are extremely jealous over their mom Susan. Almost always, they compete for their mother’s affection. Susan on the other hand, careful a mother cat as she is appears to have given her favor to one. And the one who is greatly favored is Sabrina.

Sabrina is the naughtier between the twins. She bites and scratches and do damages to things, maybe because of her dark fur and not so handsome face. Sabrina displays to be more shy and aloof. She doesn’t want to be cuddled and appears to be independent-minded and hard-headed.

Mildred on the other hand is very friendly and charming. Her fur is white, slightly dotted with gray and she likes to be petted and fussed about. She enjoys the company of kids and the kids in turn enjoys having her around. Mildred is mild-mannered and easy to get along with and she has many friends who give her food and sweets to eat.

Now why on cat earth did mom Susan favors Sabrina whose negativity isn’t so engaging as compared with Mildred’s pleasant ways?

Susan has an answer. When the twins were born in a cardboard box off the roof, Mildred was the sickly one. Exposed to the elements of heat, dust and rain, Mildred almost died from exhaustion and fever. Sabrina who was born a minute older helped in coaxing Mildred to drink milk from their mother’s breast. Many a times, Sabrina gave way to Mildred to have the more milk because she loves her and she knew that Mildred at that time needed it the most.

Mildred survived the worst with the help of Sabrina who showed to be a sensitive & responsible older sister. Mildred grew up to be a beautiful kitten, while Sabrina, out of being deficient in nutrients grew to be not as pretty as Mildred. In time Sabrina became a bit irritable and unfriendly and competitive. Sad to say, the kids in the neighborhood didn’t see what made her that way.

That is why mom Susan favored Sabrina. Because Mildred has now everything - including looks and grace that makes her endearing to the neighborhood kids. While Sabrina has her alone for a friend. Mom Susan knows that Sabrina needed her the most and that is why she is being showered more with a motherly love that the other kids cannot yet fill. In time they will see that the beauty of Sabrina lies just beneath that dark-fur of hers and Mom Susan hopes that eventually, the kids will also appreciate her the way she truly is.

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Mildred, February 2011, playing with my spectacles :)

As of today, Susan is no longer with us, she never became an indoor cat. When Susan gave birth, only Mildred stayed and both Susan with Sabrina went along with their lives as feral cats. Although Mildred almost became one (as she got busy looking for life mates), she still managed to come back and eventually gave birth too, to two wonderful kittens.