My pet
(Sent by Virginia Murcia, a student from Murcia, Spain)

I have always loved animals, from small insects like grasshoppers to bigger animals, such as dogs. It was easy to be always surrounded by these little friends, as my grandparents lived in the Spanish country side, and there was an extensive area with many vegetable gardens around their house. My grandfather was always pleased to take my brother and me to the secret places where the birds had built their nests to see their babies, it was always an adventure! You could not leave anything out the spring sun on our childish cheeks, the beautiful lady birds resting on the petals of the daisies, the smell of potatoes growing inside the ground, the cats wandering around searching for some poor creature to hunt. I look back now and it all looks like a painting to me, one of those daydream, colourful Van Gogh's paintings that I so much long to have some day hanging on the walls from my future house.

But from all those little insects, all the beautiful animals you could find in the countryside from of Murcia, my home city, of course the cat was my favourite one. That enveloping feeling when I caressed their coat fur, when I stroke them feeling how their fluffy bodies bent up so that I could touch them better, their so magically relaxing purring sound showing their gratefulness to the attention I offered them. Was there anything better than that?

But my parents weren't that fond of animals as I was. I wanted to have a cat at home so badly, but it had been useless to beg during so many years. One year, approaching my 14th birthday, I got to twist my mum's arm and she contended consented to getting a pet. But she just allowed me to have a dog! Well, I love dogs, too. So I thought that quite suited me too. But when we entered the pet shop, there she was. A gorgeous tabby kitten playing with other kittens, probably her siblings. My mum was looking at the dogs, and she looked back to look for me. Then she knew the truth, a dog would not suit me as both of us thought it would.

They took that little thing out of the cage where she had already got accustomed to live. To be honest, she wasn't very friendly, she bent down so that my caresses didn't reach her. She didn't show much affection, either. But it all didn't matter to me. I had fallen head over heels in love with this little unfriendly tabby cat. And today, nearly sixteen years later, I feel exactly the same way about her. She won't sit on your lap, she won't allow too much stroking. But she will give you the pleasure of playing with her and stroke her when she is in the mood. And she will sometimes get even farther, and on a whim, will lie next to you in your bed and will purr with happiness. And I ask again. Is there anything better than that?

I love my cat.