A Year in Review: Ned & Lloyd

I do not consider myself a “cat person.” I don’t dislike cats, but I’ve never really taken an interest in other people’s cats or in having cats of my own. Even after I arrived in Zambia, I watched the cat of a fellow missionary for a few weeks while she was away, and that experience did not change my feelings toward cats. Some friends here had a cat who had kittens that needed homes, and for reasons that I still do not quite understand, I agreed to take not one, but two. Ned and Lloyd were named after a container on the airstrip where we play Frisbee (and where the occasional plane will land as well). In no time at all, these little ones worked their way deep into my heart and have somehow become so precious to me. I’m still not a cat person. But I am so grateful for my two “littles” and for how they have become a beloved part of my family. This year they even got Christmas presents from Grammy!

Ned loves climbing everything and can often be found at the tops of tall trees, on windowsills, or dangling precariously from my clothes-drying rack. She is an expert hunter and specializes in grasshoppers and lizards. She loves having her face rubbed, exploring outside and playing in the rain. Every morning as I head to work, she walks down the driveway and halfway down the road with me before returning home to start the day’s pursuits in my yard.

 

Lloyd enjoys eating avocados, popcorn and pretty much anything I happen to be eating or cooking at the time, and for this reason is a full kilogram and a half (3.3 pounds) heavier than Ned! He is passionately committed to snuggling and loves having his belly rubbed. He was a clumsy hunter and climber at first, but is becoming stealthier and steadier. He recently caught his first rat and proudly carried his kill around the yard until hunger won over and the rat was eaten.  I was so proud.

At 9 months old, Ned and Lloyd remain good friends and companions for each other. In the cold winter months, they both enjoy cozying up in front of the fireplace; in rainy season, they will sometimes sit on the porch with me and watch the rain. Rain or shine, they spend most of their days outside, hunting, climbing, exploring, wrestling and napping. About twice a week, I cook Nshima (corn meal-based staple of the Zambian diet) with Kapenta (small dried fish) that serves as their daily fare. I never knew making cat food could be so easy or inexpensive (ingredients for a month’s worth of cat food costs around $6). One of my favorite moments of each day is when they come running through the yard to meet me when they hear me coming home from work. Like I said, I am not a cat person. But I can’t imagine how antic-free and snuggle-less my life might be without these two precious little cats of mine!

Ned hunting egrets in the yard

Lloyd investigating a praying mantis

Post-Script:

I originally wrote this blog post about a month ago, but I wasn't able to post it until today due to slow internet (or no internet).

Last Sunday I went in as usual to make rounds. When I returned home, I found the body of my sweet Ned lying in the grass just outside my back door. I don't know what happened, although I suspect she was bitten by a snake. My patients will often describe their chief complaint as "my head is paining" or "my leg is paining." My heart is paining over losing Ned. I never understood the loss that people feel when they lose a beloved pet. I don't think this is crazy. While the pain is nothing like that of those who experience the loss of a loved one, this pain is still real. Lloyd has had a hard week as well. Ned has been by his side since the day they were born. He can smell her around the house and in the yard, and is distressed that he can't find her.  A dear friend encouraged me with these words: "The Lord took the time to create each animal and thought it worthy of Adam's time to name each one. Not even one sparrow falls to the ground without His notice. I know He understands your loss. Mourn so you can be comforted. That is His promise." Each day, Lloyd and I get a little better at life after Ned. I am so thankful for this sweet little one who might have actually turned me into more of a "cat person" than I care to admit.