VISUAL PROMPT

A character from a dystopian future where all non-human animals are extinct reads an ancient text about something called a 'cat'...
The Cat
I’ve uncovered something in the histories that may change everything. Before the great cleansing was ordered by the overlords there were a great many species on this planet. This is common knowledge. However, in all my years of research I have never come across a Creature as curious and ambitious as this one. I can’t believe I have only just discovered it. It was called a feline or a cat. This species seem to live two lives simultaneously. I know the annals describe our forefathers, as having worked with certain other species for mutual gain. For instance, Cows for milk, horses for work bees for honey , dogs for various tasks, such as helping, the blind or just plain companionship. However, this C-A-T doesn’t seem to fall into any of these categories. It was given everything it needed for survival such as food, water, and (they even cleaned up when it relieved itself.) Even though it clearly needed no help from humanity to survive. In some cases, it was even given toys to play with, and if I’m not mistaken, an herb in which to get high on! Catnip, they called it. Now if I’m not mistaken our overlords have made it a crime to possess any herb that makes you feel good. Even before this, as far as I can tell in the time of the ancient humans, this was still a crime. Yet this species has somehow managed to almost super naturally get the ancient humans to do it’s bidding. While at the same time being allowed to roam, free, living its own life not confined to a life with the humans, but rather just checking in whenever they felt like it, and they seem to offer almost nothing in return. Am I the only one to find this suspicious? Certainly I cannot be, but what I am saying next borders on heresy or treason at best, and it’s no longer safe to do research from the lab so from now on, I will be working from home.
Working from home now I think I know how the overlords first over took us. I shouldn’t be putting this to paper, but at the same time I feel I have an obligation to. I believe these creatures were sent here over a long period of time as a sort of scout to look out for the overlords to study us, report back our weaknesses and allow the overlords the initial takeover that changed the course of humanity. Think about it I know the ancient humans kept so-called pets, but usually those pets, depended on their humans for their survival. Of course the humans depend on a plethora of flora and fauna alike for their own survival. Cats do not. However, they were given gifts anyways. Even though they were vicious, killers, hunting down, smaller creatures, even toying with their prey the way the overlords have been known to toy with us. The resemblance is uncanny the methodical way in which they stalk their prey. The way they expect to be taken care of without question, and you will not believe this last part, but I have read it in several different accounts these creatures were said to have not one, but nine lives!can you imagine? Now, wether they regenerate, or their consciousness moves to another body remains unclear. The annals are murky on this at best. However I did find one case in which a scientist did an experiment which seems to support the former. This Peter Gerard of the 21st century committed some serious atrocities to achieve his goal however. Including but not limited to dropping the poor subject as a new kitten into a rushing river to see if it would drown. Bear in mind that this particular species has a known aversion to water of any kind. They keep themselves clean with a sort of sandpaper like tongue. Using only its saliva to keep both itself and its young free of debris. Another interesting fact is that while in comparison to say a dog, whose bite may be viscous and painful that animal carries an enzyme in its saliva that kills bacteria. So if a human were to be bitten it would actually be somewhat protected from infection. This allows the “dog” to eat meat safely etc. The “cat”, on the other hand has a mouth so dirty that infection is almost always guaranteed to the victim of a VPN bite. I am still trying to figure out how they too have the ability to eat their prey. Perhaps because they do so before any microorganisms have a chance to set in. I may have glossed over this issue before when turning my sanitized report over to my supervisor but feel I must bring it up again now that all of my off hours, of which there are little, are devoted to figuring out the mystery of this species. They are quite obviously sentient but before the cleansing most things were. And here is where I tread into dangerous ideas. Sigh. They are methodical and cruel by nature. Rather than simply chasing down their prey and going in for the kill, I have seen, that’s right this Peter Gerard had use of video in his day before they were outlawed. All apologies, I’m losing my train of thought. This situation has gone from a benign curiosity to an extremely difficult and stressful obsession in a matter of days. As I was saying I have seen images of these “cats “ not only capture their prey and keep them alive but seemingly mock them. Make sure they are aware of their fate. Dangle smaller animals from their paws and scratch them with their insanely sharp claws which are normally kept concealed. That’s right just like you know who, they seem to keep their claws retracted until such time as they are needed. I have been unable to ascertain if this is a deliberate act of subterfuge or just a side effect of their incredible survival instincts. As you know this is not my area of expertise and I am missing my partner now more than ever. Amazingly this animal’s will to survive seems to be of paramount importance as the baby cat that Mr. Gerard was working with was