Photo Credit: Poulomi Mazumdar

Salute mentale, impariamo dai gatti

Poulomi credeva che i gatti fossero sporchi e cattivi fino a quando non ha incontrato Bilhu, che le ha portato fiducia e serenità in tempo di pandemia.
India, Southern Asia

Story by Poulomi Mazumdar. Translated by Daniela Pratesi
Published on September 30, 2022.

This story is also available in GB kr



Il mio primo incontro con un gatto è stato nell’ottobre 2019, quando ho notato quattro gattini che si dimenavano in un negozio di alimentari e non ho potuto trattenermi dal giocarci. Ma non riuscivo assolutamente a toccarli o a prenderli in braccio. Era strano, per una donna adulta di quasi trent’anni, farsi terrorizzare da questi minuscoli micetti. Questa ‘stranezza’ può essere attribuita principalmente ai pregiudizi sociali relativi ai gatti che ho sentito durante l’infanzia: “i gatti sono cattivi,” “i gatti non sono affettuosi,” “dei gatti non ci si può fidare,” e così via. Da bambina mi veniva anche detto che i randagi sono sporchi, mordono e non li dovevo toccare. Non avrei mai immaginato che un gattino mi avrebbe cambiato la vita.

La mia gatta, Billu, è entrata nella mia vita quando stavo attraversando un momento difficile e non riuscivo a fidarmi degli altri. La mia amicizia con Billu ha avuto inizio quando ho cominciato a darle da mangiare e a giocarci nel negozio di alimentari in cui era temporaneamente alloggiata. A poco a poco, sono riuscita a toccarla e poi a prenderla in braccio. Ero commossa quando correva verso di me traballando su pile di cartoni non appena la chiamavo. Alla fine, una sera l’ho portata a casa e da lì in poi è entrata a far parte della mia famiglia. Col tempo, ognuna di noi si è adattata alle abitudini e alle idiosincrasie dell’altra. E intanto ho imparato a fidarmi di nuovo.

Qualche mese dopo avere adottato la mia gatta, è arrivato il COVID-19 a offuscare le nostre vite e a privarci del contatto umano. Durante il lockdown, la mia gatta è stata la mia unica compagnia e conforto. Bastava darle un buffetto e un grattino qua e là per sentirmi amata. Secondo la Newport Academy, “accarezzare e giocare con un animale riduce gli ormoni dello stress.  E possono bastare cinque minuti di interazione con un animale per sentirne i benefici.”[1]

Nei giorni in cui ero in preda all’ansia, la presenza della gatta era sufficiente a placare l’agitazione che mi sentivo dentro. Non ci sono mai state barriere linguistiche tra noi, per farci capire. Tutti i giorni, Billu aspettava il mio ritorno dall’ufficio e mi salutava con un “miao” a tutto volume, come per dirmi: “Mamma, mi sei mancata.” Il nostro rapporto è fiorito sulla fiducia e sul rispetto reciproco. Dopo la sterilizzazione, le sono stata accanto giorno e notte. Mi sono resa conto che prendermene cura era un impegno per la vita e, poco a poco, ho costruito la mia routine attorno a lei, cosa che ha ulteriormente ridotto il mio stress. Col tempo, tutti i pregiudizi che avevo associato ai gatti sono andati in frantumi e il nostro legame si è rafforzato.

Nei successivi mesi di lockdown, sono diventata amica di alcuni gatti randagi a cui portavo da mangiare durante le passeggiate serali. Queste interazioni hanno fatto emergere la dedizione che è in me e mi hanno fatto incontrare un altro gattino, che ho raccolto dalla strada, nutrito e poi dato in adozione. L’accoglienza è un atto di altruismo e ho capito che non tutti coloro a cui vogliamo bene riescono a ricambiare. Non solo potevo salvare delle vite, ma l’accoglienza mi ha anche donato un senso di responsabilità e di consapevolezza nei confronti degli animali del mio quartiere.

I gatti mi hanno dato quel senso di appartenenza che mancava nella mia vita. Mi hanno accettato così com’ero, senza un briciolo di dubbio. Contrariamente a quanto si dice, i gatti sono estremamente tolleranti. Riescono a fidarsi degli umani anche dopo essere stati maltrattati. Se un gatto riesce a far le fusa a uno sconosciuto nonostante le difficoltà quotidiane, il minimo che potevo fare era volermi bene malgrado tutti i miei difetti.


[1] https://www.newportacademy.com/resources/well-being/pets-and-mental-health/#:~:text=Studies%20around%20pets%20and%20mental,levels%20of%20serotonin%20and%20dopamine.


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Poulomi Mazumdar

Poulomi Mazumdar

Poulomi Mazumdar is a development sector consultant who is based in Mumbai, India. She is mainly involved in monitoring & evaluation of programmes across agriculture and social development sectors.

The mission of her life has been to bring about sustainable changes and leading by example. As a pledge towards a sustainable life, she actively serves the animals in her community, is an urban gardener, and also encourages others to do their part.

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