Dead Cat

Two weekends have passed since we started smelling the stench of something dead in our house. I thought it was just a rat and we did search for it. But searching for a rat, as most people would know, is very difficult due to its size.

Yesterday, the stench has become so unbearable.My mother was unable to sleep, which she badly needed to have as she's flying off to somewhere. I slept early as the location of my computer desk (the dining room table) was one of the smelliest areas. My room wasn't as affected because its window was not directly above the source unlike my mom's.

When I woke up this morning, I just had to check again. It is trash day today and it would take three more days of living with it if I waited. I checked our stash of recyclable materials and there it was on a nice perch, protected from the wind and the rain. It was as if it went there to die.

It was a big cat. It probably died of old age or obesity. The normal plastic bag we use for our trash (SM Hypermarket yellow-green large bags) could not contain it. I used the transparent plastic bags our laundry came packed with.

It took me more than ten minutes to clear the carcass of the cat. I had to use an air freshener repeatedly so I would be able to clear it as it made me vomitous. Or as Filipinos would say "nakakasulasok".

On my way to the curb where the garbage men regulary pick up our trash, carrying the trash bag, a white cat dropped down on its back and showed its belly. I found it weird as the cats in our street usually just stay on the side, not blocking your way and doing whatever the cat did. The cat then followed me as I brought it to the corner. When I brought the second batch of our trash to the curb, two dogs and the cat were there, as if reminiscing on their times with the dead cat.

It was just a few days ago when I read about DJ Chiko Garcia's experience with dead cats. I never thought it would happen to me.