There is a blind white cat that begs at my table whenever I eat at the Malay place.
It is a strong male. Its pale blue eyes were seldom open whenever it was seated near my chair legs. I suspect it is at least partially blind. It compensates the lack of keen sight with an acute sense of smell. Without looking at our plates, it knows which of us has fish on the plate. Accordingly, it is right beside the person with fish meat to spare.
Yesterday I did not sit in my usual place. It was about to rain. I chose a corner seat under the wide awning. The white cat walked along the side where our usual table was and right across the front of the shop. It did not spot me. Anyway at that point the fish dish was just being cooked. I chose to keep quiet.
Sure enough, half an hour later it came back. I called it and it walked right up to where I was to claim my fish stomach pieces. It was the cat's lucky day since the fish was not cooked in a spicy sauce. It is interesting that given enough time, an animal in a familiar territory is able to learn enough to survive even if it is slowly losing its sight. It probably recognises me by placement and sound. Should I sit in an unfamiliar seat alone and kept quiet, it would walk right past me without recognition. With a unique voice signature, it remembers me as a friendly food provider.
