In the shit

My cat, Perdita ('little lost one') always chooses the Persian carpet I brought back for my sister from Syria to shit on.
I cleaned up the shit.
As I did so, I thought about what it was that I would do wrong to make me get in the shit with my sister: it would be the manner that I disposed of the shit, the way I cleaned it, the place I cleaned it, the cloth I used...
I was right. I just forgot one further think about the cat's shit that would me me in shit with my sister: I didn't call her immediately to involve her in making decisions about the shit.
She accused me of making a shit decision.
What began with the sick cat being left alone in the house and innocently shitting on the carpet, ends with me defending my manner of dealing with the shit.

Family are not always good at dealing with shit. One of my favourite films, called Solas or 'Alone' involves compassionate cleaning of others' shit. It is a very moving film about shit and families and loneliness and love.
My mother was once sick and I had to clean her shit. I felt a huge wave of mercy wash over me and I knew that is one of the highest things one human can do for another.

But the cat? She is sick, and she shits and feels no guilt. That is her natural way.