the black cat at KL airport

Sleeping cat, not healthy, is it still with us ?

An hour to kill before I have to go through passport control.

Too many poeple, too many trolleys.

I need to get out and do something.

Ok, check out the Tune Hotel, take a look.

"It's hot, humid. What's the point of walking to the Tune Hotel, you have to book it online anyway ?" I argued with myself.

But I went.

"Central ?" the guys at the bus stop ask.

"No,"I point ahead.

This is the main walkway to the busses, restaurants and Tune HOtel.

It's sweltering, I'm sweating already.

On my left is a sleeping black cat, quite young.

I take a closer look: it's really really skinny, and it's paws gummed up with infection, ears eaten away.

It looks on it's way out.

By the time I get to the Tune Hotel, I'm really hot and sweaty. It's clean, zen like in its simplicity. Everything from towels to aircon by the hour can be purchased. Prices are up front and no extra hidden charges. Unlike  the swish places, where they charge by stealth.

"Breakfast is 55 Ringgit plus plus.."I was told when I asked at the Swish hotel.

"Plus plus ? what's plus plus ?"

"Oh, Value added tax, service charges...."

"Ok I get it. All that stuff." I wave it all away.

Ok well I know what to expect from a Tune Hotel now, a bit like the Formula One Hotels in Australia.

Might as well have lunch and take some food back for the cat, if it's still there and still alive. 

I choose stuff the cat might like, egg, rice, fish and set a little bit of each on an old business card, hidden under a paper tissue.

Yes kitty is still there, still sleeping.

After the first dose of fish

I feel a bit self conscious, like some stupid do-gooder, or some idiot.

My time as a loon club member doing embarassing things on purpose helps me out now.

I put the business card next to her face.

Will she eat ? is she strong enough or too close to the other side already ?

"Meeeeeeeeowwwwwww"

She gets up, wobbles around and looks at the food.

The scientist in me watches and wonders what she'll go for, the egg, rice or fish ?

Fish.

Only fish.

All the fish.

Rats, I'll have to get some more now.

I hear people stop and talk about the crazy foreigner and the cat.

I feel selfconscious and silly. Stupid do gooder.

Here's this guy in a biz jacket feeding fish to a stray cat on the side of the walkway to the busses.

I've ignored the people who stopped wheeling their luggage cart and watch me, talking in some unknown  language.

The cat is eating, the last of the fish. Mission accomplished 007.

I get up enough courage to look at the audience. An elderly Chinese couple are watching with fascination, smiling and talking to each other.

"your cat ?"

'My cat ?' I think, 'would anyone bring a cat on a trip and feed it outside like this ? Look at it, it's half dead and just skin and bones,' thoughts like that flash through my mind but I say nothing. They mean well.

I smile, "No, just found her here."

I took all the free bottles of water from the hotel, so now I have water to spare.

I pour some into the lid.

She doesn't drink but she starts to clean herself.

One side of her neck has no fur any more.

I leave to get more fish.

"Take away fish.“

“Rice ?”

“Just fish."

I get a white styrofoam container and a plastic fork.

“No, no bag,” tell the cook, “enough plastic already.”

The cat looked  more lively as I left her,  she might have wandered off by now.  So I hurry back.

Still there.

She  sees  me coming and  starts  meowing.

Like a typical cat she gets in the way as I unpack the food, walking between my hands and brushing up against me.

I  try not to think of what infections she has.

“Meoooowww!”

“Ok, Ok, just wait a bit.”

I pull  all the meat off the fish with the plastic fork, spread it out on the hot concrete.

Flies gather from all around.

She  starts eating.

Good.

One of the guys working on the busses  comes over to watch.

He says  something, I can't  remember what.

He's interested though  and he's watching me feed the cat.

Good.

I stand up and pull out a ten Ringgit note, give it to him.

"FOr the cat."

“No, no,” he backs off.

“For the cat,” I repeat and wave at her eating.

“Buy her some fish,”  I point to the restaurant and then to the floor where the cat is busy.

He nods then, he's got the idea.

When I push the note back to him he accepts and smiles, he has totally understood.

Those guys work here, they are the best ones to take care of her.

That's the best I can do for her.

“Thank you,” he calls out after me.

He really looked pleased to be handed the responsibility for the cat.

He smiled from ear to ear.

And I'm happy to have found someone.

Much better than just walking off to catch my flight.