Purrfect People!

St Gertrude needs to sharpen her pencil in readiness for this entry into her Book of Purrfect People.

I have written before about the wonderful members of my family who regularly rescue, foster, save, re-home when possible, keep if they can, put to sleep with aching hearts when sick or injured, but without exception, love cats.

My daughter and her husband are winding up their Dubai days and returning home! (Every time I think of that, I grin! In two months time they will be back on our shores, and close by, in the Cape, only 600 odd kilometres from me! More grinning!) For the last six years, Catherine has been involved with TNR (trap, neuter and rehome/release) of cats in their vicinity. Her own tally is standing at 83 and apart from that, she has fed several other homeless cats and has had four wild 'outside' ones living in the car port. When I was with her last month, she was faced with the heart breaking decision of what to do with those special four.

It was a decision that was made for her. She knew that at least two of them were FIV positive and that is a death sentence for a cat that is too wild to be homed. It means that eventually they starve to death as the mouth sores make it impossible for them to eat and in a weakened state they are unlikely to be able to fend for themselves. If they were staying, the cats would simply stay too, until their quality of life became impaired but abandoning them was not an option.

So, it was with heavy heart that I accompanied her on three trips to the vet. We knew that it was the right decision and we kept telling each other that there was nothing else that could be done, but when push comes to shove, it's hard to take a cat that looks fine to the vet, and come out with an empty basket and a heart that's spilling over. I think that week was the worst one in Catherine's life.

In the meantime, another homeless soul had arrived in their back garden. A little black and white boy with yellow eyes! They gave him the name Habibi which is Arabic for friend and is also a term of endearment.

Every evening he arrived over the wall for food and love! Very friendly, he chatted happily and purred and rolled and the problem of what to do with him was hovering in her mind. It's impossible to find homes for all the feral cats there, and as hard as she tried, nobody wanted him. 

Stuart with Habibi, a 'before' picture!

But, this story is not over! Friends of theirs who left Dubai to return to Durban have offered to give him a home! On condition that their female cat accepts him. That's Plan A.

And Plan B? If Minxie hates him on sight and they cannot keep him, he will travel up the road to Pietermaritzburg where he will be welcomed with open arms and hearts by my sister Diana and her husband Norman. They have a black-and-white cat-shaped space in their home that is just the right size for him, and the twelve existing cats will simply move over to give him room!

Habibi in Donna's home, an 'after' picture!

I have had regular updates from Catherine. His first 'house-cat' night was spent in 'my' bedroom and he apparently purred all night! Then he was off to the vet for a health check and inoculations and now he is being fostered by friend Donna until he is ready to fly. He is very settled and loves all the attention…and food….that he is getting. He will need an all-clear with regards to rabies and FIV in about six weeks time and then on July 14 he will fly direct to Durban where he will be met by Caroline. 

And then?

Ready for the easy life of a pampered feline!

Then he is home. Either way!

And St Gertrude can sharpen her pencil for the next entry.