Maanu the Cat and the City That Turned Into a Jungle

Maanu the Cat and the City of Humans

BY: Ubaid

My name is Maanu the Cat, and for the past few days, I have left the jungle behind to explore life in the city. You may ask, why? Because I never liked jungle life much. But oh dear! Right now, my stomach is growling so loudly that it feels like a whole army of rats has died in there.

As I wandered through the streets, my eyes caught sight of a butcher’s shop. Perfect, I thought, maybe I’ll find something to eat there. But what I saw and heard made my fur stand on end. The butcher was mixing fresh meat with spoiled meat. His young helper, worried, said softly, “Master, if you do this, people will fall sick.”

The butcher turned and slapped the boy hard across the face.
“Why do you care if they get sick? People are already dying. If not from this, then from the coronavirus or something else. What difference does it make if a few more die?”

I was horrified. My whiskers trembled, and without a second thought, I ran away from that place.

As I continued along the road, I noticed an old woman struggling to cross the street. She muttered desperately, “Oh God, how will I reach the doctor? How will I pay his fees to save my child’s life?”

Cars were parked everywhere in the wrong places, blocking her way. But her motherly love gave her courage. Somehow, she managed to cross, though in the process she brought traffic to a halt. Angry drivers hurled insults at her, and cars swerved dangerously. My tail flicked nervously as I realized—here in the city, patience and kindness seemed to have vanished.

Just then, another cat appeared before me, carrying a large piece of meat in her mouth. She came closer and spoke warmly, “Hey sister cat, you look new here.”

I nodded shyly.

“Well, then you’re our guest! Hungry? Take this piece of meat.”

I hesitated. “But you brought it for yourself.”

She laughed and said, “If we don’t look after each other, then who will? Even cats must live by loyalty.”

Her kindness filled my heart with warmth. I devoured the food, grateful beyond words.

After eating, I decided to take a walk to clear my mind. Soon I came across a young boy, his clothes torn and dirty. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he whispered, “Mother, I’m so hungry.”

My heart ached. I thought, Don’t worry, child. That man at the burger stall will give you something to eat.

But what happened next shook me to the core. Instead of compassion, the stall owner slapped the boy repeatedly.
“Get lost! Go die with your parents if you’re hungry. Don’t bother me!” he shouted cruelly.

The little boy ran away, sobbing in a way that pierced my soul. I had always heard that humans were creatures of love and kindness. But here, I was seeing the opposite.

As I walked further, I suddenly heard gunshots. Screams filled the air. People cried out, “They’ve killed everyone! No one was spared!”

Later, I learned that unknown attackers had opened fire in the marketplace, killing innocent people before escaping. My paws froze. How can humans kill each other so mercilessly?

Back in the jungle, every animal—though wild—respected the balance of life. Yes, we hunt to eat, but we do not kill out of hatred. Here, in this city built by humans, I saw hearts harder than stone.

I remembered my mother’s words:
“If love disappears from the human heart, it becomes a wild beast. True cities are built not with bricks and roads but with compassion and kindness.”

Looking around at the bloodshed, the cruelty, and the selfishness, I realized something shocking—this so-called “city” was more of a jungle than the one I had left behind.

And my jungle, where animals shared and lived in balance, was more like a real city—a place of harmony and care.

So, with heavy steps, I turned back toward my true home, the jungle.

Before leaving, I wanted to leave a message for the humans I had observed:

“Dear humans, this is a wake-up call. Your nation, your society, your very future is in danger—not because of natural disasters, not because of animals, but because of the lack of love in your own hearts. If you want peace and happiness, start by spreading love. Care for the hungry child, respect the elderly, speak the truth in your trade, and protect one another. Only then will your cities truly shine as cities, not jungles.”

And with that, I padded away into the forest, carrying both sadness and hope in my heart.

Because love—only love—can heal.