One breezy Saturday afternoon, I decided to visit my sister at her cosy house on Jakarta's outskirts. She had always been an animal lover, her home bustling with the meows of her four beloved cats. This time, however, something new caught my attention. As I stepped through the doorway, I noticed a fifth cat lounging comfortably on the couch. It was a delicate-looking creature, its milky, clouded eyes hinting at a story.
"That's Mayombe," my sister said, smiling warmly. "She's half-blind. I adopted her from the Jakarta Animal Aid Network last week. The vet told me she's been like this since she was a kitten, but she's developed some incredible senses to adapt."
My nieces, Seraphine and Cherubine, both animal enthusiasts like their mother, perked up at the conversation. Cherubine, the younger of the two, leaned in excitedly, her dark curls bouncing as she spoke. "Blind cats are fascinating, Tulang (Bataknese for uncle). They learn to use their whiskers to sense changes in air currents. That's how they know if something is nearby, even if they can't see it. Their paws are super sensitive too, so they can feel vibrations in the floor, like if someone is walking."
Seraphine, her older sister, picked up where Cherubine left off. "And don't forget their ears," she said, her tone a touch more serious. "Cats can hear frequencies that humans can't. A blind cat like Mayombe would rely on her hearing to understand where things are. And, of course, her sense of smell is remarkable---cats have a scent memory that helps them recognise objects and people."
Their detailed explanations seemed complete, but my sister interrupted, her voice tinged with her usual superstition. "That's why even blind cats can see ghosts," she said matter-of-factly, as if this were common knowledge. I raised an eyebrow at this, but before I could respond, Cherubine sighed dramatically, clearly prepared for this conversation.
"Mom," she began patiently, "cats don't see ghosts. It's just that their heightened senses make them aware of things we miss. They hear sounds we can't hear, like the faint creak of a house settling or the hum of a distant machine. Their sense of smell is so strong they might react to a scent left behind by something long gone. And they're incredibly attuned to changes in the environment, like a draft or a shift in temperature. That's why they sometimes seem to 'stare' at nothing or act strangely."
Her scientific tone gave way to a hint of amusement. "People just mistake those behaviours for something paranormal."
I couldn't resist asking, "What about earthquakes? Can cats sense those?"
