The Cats Who Came with the Rain A memory from Taman Sri Bayu It began with the rain. One wet day, a thin tortoiseshell cat, worn from a hard life, came quietly into the garage of a terrace house in Taman Sri Bayu. Her teeth were all gone, but not her will to survive. She found shelter — not because someone invited her, but because someone kind didn’t chase her away. Later, she gave birth. The neighbor where she delivered didn’t want her. They placed her in a box, with her tiny kittens, outside that same house. “We don’t like cats,” they said. But the house opened its silence to them. The rain fell, and a new story began. Two kittens grew strong — Lily, graceful and gentle, and Blackie, calm and clever. They stayed with their mother, the old tortoise, who had made this house their home. Later, five more kittens were born. For a while, they played in the corners and chased shadows. But one by one, they left. The last to go was Leo, a quiet male who lingered before stepping away into...