Welcome to Benzy’s Corner — a new little space on this blog, right alongside Personal Stories, PhD Journey, and Travel & Experiences.
A quick note on what to expect here: Benzy’s Corner is where I write about the animals in our lives — cats, dogs, backyard birds, and anything else that wanders in, from our house or my sister’s just five minutes away.
Since it’s the animal that started it all, it only felt right to kick things off with her. So let me tell you about my cat, Benzy — and what better way to start than by introducing her properly?
Where It All Began
Benzy came into our lives along with her brother, Bento — both gifted to us by my elder sister. They arrived as a pair of tiny, wobbly kittens, and from day one, it was clear they’d bring a whole new kind of chaos and joy into the house.
We’ve had cats before. Quite a few, actually. But none of them were ever like Benzy.
The Cat Who Waits for Me
If you’ve ever had a pet that genuinely seems to wait for you, you’ll know exactly what I mean. The moment I step out into the garden, Benzy somehow knows. I don’t call her, I don’t make a sound — she just senses it. Within seconds, she comes bounding across the yard, tail up, straight to my feet, and starts rubbing against my legs like she’s been waiting all day for exactly this moment.
It’s such a small thing, but it never gets old. There’s something deeply grounding about being greeted like that — like no matter what kind of day it’s been, someone’s genuinely glad you walked outside.
She’s also wonderfully punctual about her meals. You could set a clock by her. The moment feeding time rolls around, she’s right there, reminding us in her own unmistakable way that it’s time.
The Harder Chapters
Not every part of Benzy’s story has been easy to write.
A year ago, she gave birth to two kittens. Neither survived, and Benzy herself fell quite seriously ill around the same time. Those were worrying weeks. But she pulled through, slowly found her strength again, and eventually returned to being her usual, affectionate self — food-obsessed and always ready for a cuddle.
The next time around, she had just one kitten, whom we named Goldie. Goldie was around for a few precious months before disappearing one morning, without warning or explanation. It’s one of those quiet heartbreaks that comes with loving an animal who lives half in your world and half in the wide world outside — you don’t always get closure, just memories.
Where Things Stand Now
Today, Benzy is a mother again — this time to three kittens who’ve already grown quite big. Their story deserves its own post, so I’ll save the details for another day.
For now, here’s a photo of Benzy with Goldie, from back when it was just the two of them. This photo means more now than it did when I took it.
If you’ve ever had a pet who somehow always knows exactly when you need them — or if you’ve loved and lost an animal the way we lost Goldie — I’d love to hear about it in the comments. Benzy’s Corner is going to be full of these stories, the sweet ones and the harder ones alike.
More soon. 🐾