STANDING by the window in my room, with all lights switched off, I was continuously crying without even realising how long I had been standing there. I heard my mum calling me but I was to grasp what she was saying.

When I didn’t respond to her call, she came in my room and said, “Sobia! Enough is enough! This is the third day that you have just grounded yourself to your room. You have not even eaten anything since yesterday. Stop crying. He is going to be fine with the Grace of God. Don’t worry, but if you don’t eat you will become weak.”

“No mum, please leave me alone, he has not eaten anything how can I eat something? I will not be able to swallow anything until he starts eating,” I replied.

My mum said, “Sobia, be mature, he is a cat, I know you are very close to him but we have done all we can. Doctors have checked and already said that if he is not going to eat anything he will not recover.”

“Mum, Sandy is not just a cat, he is more than my life to me. I cannot even imagine living without him. He is my best friend. I share my joys and sorrows with him. And he also understands everything and responds to every emotion.

“Mum, I’ll eat when I feel like eating. Don’t worry!” I tried to explain to mum. She knew how much I loved Sandy, so she caressed my head and left the room.

Sandy had not been well since the last three days. He was suffering from food poisoning. The doctor had given him the required medicine but he also said that he will not recover until he starts eating and drinking. But every time I tried to feed him, he just threw up. With every passing day, he was getting extremely weak; he lay in the corner of my room, and the sight made me cry as he seemed so miserable. I was continuously praying for his good health and was hopeful that he would soon recover.

That very night I was sitting by his side when I fall asleep. About an hour or so later, I suddenly got up hearing a noise. It was Sandy’s frail “Meoww….”

I was so happy to see Sandy trying to get up as he wanted to reach to his milk pot. However, his weak body didn’t allow him to lift himself up so I brought the milk near him. It was such a relief to see him sipping the milk slowly.

From the next day, Sandy started to recover. I know many people will consider me a fool for fretting over just ‘a cat’. Whether you have a cat, dog or bird, animals are the cutest things on earth and we humans are suppose to love and take care of them because they are innocent creatures and their well-being depends on us.

Animals are our best friends, they have no complaints, no demands and their love is unconditional; even if you neglect your pet (which you should never) he/she will still love you and come to you.

People say that “Dogs are men’s best friend” but according to me, “not only dogs, but all pets are men’s best friends”. They are more loyal than human beings are to each other. They demand so little from us but give us boundless devotion and love.