Maru the Cat

Meet Maru, the funny, playful cat, who's got a weird passion for cardboard boxes!

*The last part of this video is the funniest thing I've seen in ages!! Epic!!*

More boxes!!!

 

I hope you've enjoyed these videos as much as I have. This cat really made my day!

I knew it!! I just knew it!

So.. my theory proved to be correct. Even if you decided you want to live in a cat-free environment, the decision is not yours to take!!

It is not up to you to decide, it just simply isn't.
The little rascals would know you have a soft spot, and they sure do know how to take advantage of that!!!!
Those illegal immigrants have settled right in front of the kitchen door, and now they live there.
They're a family of four feral kittens.

I think they came as a gift from God. Feeding them and caring for them (even if they just live in your backyard) is a blessing that I should be grateful for. I just worry about their future. Because I know that every cat-love story we lived did not end well. No happy endings.. (although Babyface and his family did end up in a loving home, the unhappy ending was on our side.)

Gone Baby Gone

They're gone.. just like that.

They moved out this morning. I drove them to my friend's house, which is about an hour away.
It was an extremely stressful ride, for both them and me.They were meowing non-stop and trying to open the metal doors of the cages. If you have (or had) cats, you would know how stressful a car ride is to them, especially if it lasted for about an hour!

I won't get into the details of this very emotional trip from my house to my friend's, but I'll simply say it wasn't easy.

Now that I'm back home, everything around the house is reminding me of them. The white sofa in my bedroom Muthu used to sleep here, underneath the kitchen sink.. here's where I used to place their food, Babyface used to sleep in that corner, the balcony.. he used to enjoy sitting on the rail...
My throat is chocking, the waterfalls won't stop, and I just feel so numb.

I know they're being cared for, in a safe place, healthy and alright, but they're not here...!

My keyboard is being soaked with tears as I write this, so I think I'll just end this post, make myself a warm cup of cocoa, and go cry myself to sleep.

This is what my babies did on their first day in their new home..

A Week to Say Goodbye

Less than a week, five days to be exact.

I knew this day would come, it was almost inevitable. The day when I would have to give my cats away.
I made a promise a while ago that I would not allow myself to get so attached to a cat again (ever again!), because I know we (as a family) could not have a cat (or a fur ball to be more specific) roaming around the house shedding hair in an environment where almost everyone is deathly allergic to cat hair! So imagine six.

We've had cats before, and lots of them! It got to a point where their number reached 36. But most of them were outdoor cats, with the exception of a few favorites, who were allowed inside the house (and when I say few, I mean about nine!), and that's when things started to get out of hand. My siblings and I were suffering, literally.

We moved from that house to the one we occupy now, and we had to find new homes for the 36 cats that were living in our garden. Some stayed, since they were used to living as outdoor cats in that area, and some went to shelters, and to new homes from there. It was really hard to part with them, hence the promise that I made.

But alas! If you are a cat lover, a cat is bound to find a way back into your heart, whether you like it or not!

It was Lula who started it, she was found wandering on a pavement by my mother at the age of three weeks, and honestly, who can leave a helpless kitten who has not yet developed hunting (or scavenging) skills and would therefore die of hunger? She was lost, and hungry, and missing her mommy! We looked for her mommy, but she was nowhere to be found, and so it was decided that she would come home with us.

Babyface then joined the family, since Lula was feeling lonely and in desperate need of a companion.

Having more kittens was not part of the plan. But we were too late, and Lula became pregnant before we even knew it.

The allergies were under control before the kitties arrived. But somehow it has developed into some sort of mutant monster that was getting out of hand!!! My nose (and my brother's as well) isn't functioning properly any more, I lost my sense of smell, due to it being blocked all day long. Even when it isn't, the strongest of smells cant seem to get recognized by my brain. Not to mention the asthma attacks, the constant sneezing, wheezing and coughing, etc.

And so came the decision to find a new home for the cats. Luckily, my friend (who is as obsessed with cats as I am) offered her house as a new home for them.

 

 

*sniff.. sniff*

They're moving out this weekend (insha'allah)...

Now here's a great ad!

Don't you just love this!?

I know I do! ♥

"Cats?! .. EWW!!!"

Is it normal for me to feel offended when someone tells me they don't like cats? Or better yet, they HATE them? (while putting so much emphasis on the H)!
It's just that I'm really sick of people responding with "Uh.. cats?! I hate 'em!" and "Seriously? You have 6 of them?! I can't STAND them!" when they find out I have 6 cats!

You wouldn't go up to a parent and bluntly tell them that you don't like other people's kids! Or that you find their kids really annoying! So why do people think it's OK for them to speak to me about cats in such a manner? A simple "I am not a cat person" would do, if it is of utmost importance to them that I know they don't really like cats!
And I seriously don't understand why they consider it a horrible thing to be living with cats under one roof. I'm sorry but I'm really fed up with getting these same responses with every single person that I meet!!!


We as humans (AND muslims) should have enough room in our hearts for all of God's creatures!
It is your problem (and loss) if you don't like cats, but at least you should not HHATE them.. sorry if I sounded offending with my last sentence, but those people never gave a damn whether their hateful comments were offending or not, so why should I..

I just had to write this post, despite me being VERY busy..

[50/52]

This is week 50's entry.
My cat is really sick, he's been ill for almost a week now, since he is not eating anything, nor drinking water.
I had to take him the vet yesterday, the "journey" to the clinic took us four hours! It is not really easy to find a reliable vet here, the only one I trust is at the far end of Cairo, plus, it was rush hour, so you can imagine.
Poor Babyface!! He lost half his weight!! He is very weak and dehydrated. I have to give him water by force, and he doesn't like that one little bit.
But thankfully he started eating again this morning, although he only ate a tiny bite.

Bambinos!

Lula gave birth!! Finally!! Four healthy babies! Three girls and one boy.
We called them Mushu (the boy) Bambina, Cami, and Narinj.
Poor Lula! She was in so much pain!! She is still a baby herself!

What Happened Last Night

It was really cold last night. I was lying on the couch in the living room smothered in warm blankets watching TV. She came to me curled herself in my lap and started purring loudly. How I love it when she does that!! I placed my hand on her big belly, I'm sure they're sleeping soundly now, I thought to myself. But I was wrong!!! I felt a bump! Oh the babies are moving!! Another bump.. now I can feel them moving from one side to the other!! I couldn't contain my excitement!! I called to my mother.. come quick!! Come feel the babies!!
It was a magical moment... Lula was still purring. She looked at me with her lazy eyes, as if she was telling me... yea.. those are my lil babies!!

[46/52] Expecting!

Yes.. we're expecting new babies!!
Naturally, this photo should have been of Lula, the mommy-to-be, but even now, when her tummy is the size of a football, she is always jumping around and doing all sorts of crazy things, and she won't stay till, even for a moment for me to photograph her. She hates posing, and if she is not sleeping, she's running around like the little monkey that she is! What a great role model for her future babies!
This is babyface, or should I say daddyface? He's really confused, he can sense that there is something different about his Lula, and I think he is a bit jealous! She's been getting a lot of attention lately (.. and it's not like he's not getting any..) and he doesn't like that! But he still loves her :)
You can see how serious he looks here, of course! He's going to be a daddy!

Warm and Fuzzy!

Day eighteen... dated Dec/01/09

Having a pet is a privilege. Having two.. is a great blessing! My mother always says, a house without cats is not a home. It's true! A cat-less house lacks warmth. Just watching them cuddle or groom themselves fills your heart with a warm fuzzy feeling, especially during winter, when any source of warmth is always welcome.
Having a cat(s) makes you less stressful, and more lively. You talk to them, pet them, cuddle them and play with them, and they always appreciate your attention. Sometimes I enjoy the company of my pets to most people around me (besides family), they understand you, which sometimes surprises you. As a friend once said, its degrading to call them animals, when sometimes they can have a kinder heart, love you unconditionally, and be more considerate, than some humans.
The way they love and care for each other is a whole different story. I could write volumes about this, and it makes us humans ashamed of ourselves to see animals behave in a way that we are supposed to.
I'm grateful for Lula and Babyface!! They are my sunshine, my little warm fuzzy babies!

Writing a Story

So I had this idea the other day. Why is it that when writers write stories about animals, it has to be comedy? I thought of writing a story of a pampered cat that has been abandoned. It is not comedy, it's tragic.
I tried putting myself in that cat's place, and write about her feelings, her fears, and her struggle to survive in a harsh environment, completely new to her, the streets.

It always makes me angry that most people take animals' suffering sarcastically (especially here in Egypt)! Caring for animals does not mean that I should not care for less fortunate people, and that their suffering should not be my concern!! Both deserve my charity! I'm obliged to help both.

So I've created a new blog, will be posting the story there in chapters inshallah.
Any comments and criticism are welcome!

[40/52] Babyface the Romantic

[40/52] Babyface the Romantic
Originally uploaded by Midnight.Silver

Babyface has been with us for over three months. He and Lula are best buddies now! More than best buddies, the cutest couple ever!!! I was really worried when I first adopted Babyface, they were always fighting, growling, and hissing at each other, but now they're in love!
His personality is a lot different then hers. He's romantic (yes! romantic!), very sensitive, kind and caring. He enjoys walking in the garden, smelling flowers and chasing butterflies. She is the trouble maker! Always jumping on the kitchen counters and breaking things, biting and scratching (playfully of course). But somehow they've managed to love each other, and I'm really thankful for that, she was really lonely before he came!

[25/52] Lula: "Don't you understand the whole concept of the afternoon snooze?? And what part of 'leave me alone' don't you get?"

[25/52] Lula: "Don't you understand the whole concept of the afternoon snooze?? And what part of 'leave me alone' don't you get?"
Originally uploaded by Midnight.Silver

Its been a week now since Baby Face joined the family. He and Lula are getting along well, not cuddling together yet, but they're getting along. Baby Face is really playful, and LOVES to cuddle. She is more of a quite kitty. She loves to play, but in her own weird way. But ever since he came and she's been acting like a grown up. She thinks she is the intelligent one, he really annoys her sometimes! He's a purring machine, and he has such a strange way of meowing, and he meows a lot! And for some reason she finds that really annoying.
But eventually I think she will love him, he is really lovable, and he is trying to gain her love. He comes to her and licks her ears, and tries talking to her with a soft purring sound. Her heart will soften sooner or later :)

[23/52] .."I've been thrown in the streets, tortured, hit by cars and almost starved to death, will you take me home and give me the love and care I deserve?"

[23/52] .."I've been thrown in the streets, tortured, hit by cars and almost starved to death, will you take me home and give me the love and care I deserve?"
Originally uploaded by Midnight.Silver

Last Tuesday I went to visit a cat shelter here in Cairo looking for a companion for my cat Lula. There are about four or five shelters in Cairo, and I heard that recently one of them got shut down. (I don't understand how a cat shelter can get shut down, but never the less). The shelter I went to visit is run by a very kind lady and has over 200 cats. She also rescues dogs, and foxes. At first I didn't understand why foxes needed to be rescued, but then the lady explained to me that foxes are being hunted down by fur traders.
The shelter, called "Touch of Life" is in fact the lady's house. Its a three story building, and has about seven rooms. When I first entered, it seemed like a totally different planet in there! There were dozens and dozens of cats everywhere!! For me it was like a child in a candy store! The cats are free to roam the house as they like, they're not locked up in cages. Its like a big HUGE cat family. It was really heart breaking for me to hear the stories of the rescued cats, some have been in really horrible situations.
When I asked the lady how she receives donations, I was really surprised to hear that she doesn't! The whole place is funded by her monthly income!! I felt like it was my obligation to let people know about the shelter and help her raise funds, So if anyone here in Cairo is interested in helping, let me know!!

This is Snoopy, a very kind and loving male cat. He was also rescued from the streets of Cairo. He is a Mau mix breed. Mostly known as Tabby, or Baladi in Egyptian.

[14/52] Camouflage!

[14/52] Camouflage!
Originally uploaded by Midnight.Silver

Most of my family members have cat allergies (including me!!), therefore some of the rooms in this house are forbidden for Lula to enter. But its known to the world that cats are one of the most manipulative creatures. This sneaky little kitty always finds a way to do what she wants. Once she is inside the room, she hides until I’m out of sight, then jumps on the bed and starts to cuddle on my favorite pillow; I just can’t find it in my heart to disturb her little snooze and wake her up. She always gets away with it!!!

..In her dreams she is a princess...

[13/52] ..in her dreams she is a princess...
Originally uploaded by Midnight.Silver

I’ve always envied kittens and babies. They live in a world filled with love. Their little minds know nothing beside pleasant things. But sometimes, you watch them sleeping, and wonder, what could they possibly be dreaming of? What do kittens see in their dreams? Do they have nightmares? You see their heart beating fast, and their ears twitching, and you wonder, is it the boggy monster chasing them again? Or are they having a pleasant dream? Probably eating some yummy sardines, or chasing butterflies in the backyard?

I Miss You Kitties!

It all started six years ago, with Mickey, a black and white, chubby, cuddly cat.
Mickey first started showing up near our house, and of course on seeing him the first thing we did was feed him some of the left over chicken. Day after day he would show up at the kitchen window, taking advantage of his baby face and making us love him even more! After almost a week, a shy little kitten started appearing behind Mickey, making his way into our hearts too, we named him Figaro and he was an Egyptian Mau baby. Mickey loved him as if he was his father (he might have been his father) and soon Figaro's brother Kimba came with them too. It didn't take long before all of Mickey's friends found out about this gold mine, since we were the only cat lovers in our area.
A new face was noticed, a fluffy golden brown kitten, we called her Nouny. She was a unlike all the others, she was very fierce and aggressive with other cats, but very very sweet with us humans! She was the only one allowed inside the house, the others were just outdoor cats.
Honey and Flea found out about us, and came in to join the clan, they were very young, about 6 months old, and it looks like they had lost their mother. Its really strange, but somehow all those cats were living together in harmony, unlike most stray cats. Usually stray cats don’t get along much, especially male cats.

One day I woke up in the morning and felt there was something unusual, when I asked what has happened, I was told that last night Honey was found on the sidewalk, hit by a car!!! I cannot begin to express how I felt at that moment!! Flea, her brother was left alone... I could see the hidden tears inside his eyes; I could see he was devastated!! He lost all he has in this world, his loving sister. Naturally, he was allowed inside the house, fearing that what happened to his sister might happen to him also. From that day on Flea held a very special place inside my heart and my parents’ also. He was very weak, and always had fights street cats that were not ours, and mostly he would lose the fight and come back home with injuries. Once he went missing for seven days and when he came back he was injured so bad.. the skin on his head and left ear was all ripped off! He lost so much blood and his condition was terrible. I thought he would not make it, but thank God, in a week he was already starting to recover and the wound was healing, two weeks and it was like he never had this injury! It was a miracle!

In about that time, I discovered that Nouny was about to have babies! It was very exciting!
I started all the preparations; I made her a tiny little room under my desk, with a little cozy bed. Everyone in the house was excited about this, even the other cats.
In about three months Dbdoob (means teddy bear in Arabic), Kitty and Bunny were born! The babies and Flea were going along very well, he would even baby-sit them when mommy would go out for a walk.
A month after the new babies were born, Chiggy, (a stray cat who also joined the clan) gave birth to a litter of four in the garage. Tommy, Cocoa, Vara (strange name! It originated from the word Fara which means in Arabic ‘Mouse’, he looked like a mouse) and Qau (instead of saying meow he would say qaaau! so we called him Qau).

When the kittens were about two weeks old, a horrible accident happened.
Our German neighbors were walking their dog... when suddenly the dog would go lose and run into the garage and attack Chiggy and her kittens. He bit Cocoa by her tummy like she was one of his little toys!! The poor little kitty died of her wounds! She was still very fragile and small, she could not make it!

Those arrogant neighbors did not care at all to what happened to this poor little thing! They were supposed to pay a fine for walking their dog unleashed, but unfortunately, they wouldn’t even apologize for what had happened.

Chiggy the mommy was living in terror for almost a week, until she felt the threat was no longer there, poor poor cat lost her baby right in front of her eyes! I cannot imagine how cruel a human being can be!!! (it is not the dogs fault.. after all he is an animal!)

Days went by, the little kitties were growing up, the indoor babies were allowed to play in the garden every once in a while, and sometimes the mommies would go hunting and bring back food for them! (I thought it was gross, but that is nature!!)
I would cook food for them, and they would all eat from the same plate, and the best part is when I call them for their meal, they would be playing in the garden, some even outside the fences, and once they hear me clapping for them... a flood of cats would start running towards me! Cats of all shapes and sizes!

Well... it was all going well until once when I went out to serve them breakfast, Dabdoob was sitting in a corner all alone. I went to him to see what was wrong and he looked perfectly fine. I picked him up and took him to the plate so he can eat with his friends, but he could not stand!!! I held him up again but he kept falling and could not stand on his feet!!
I took him inside the house and called my mother's uncle who was an expert on cats, he said that I better call a vet, this could be serious. I called the vet and he said that he would come right away.

A few hours later the vet came and he said that Dabdoob could have eaten something poisoned and that he was paralyzed! He hoped that this would not be permanent.
Later that evening I noticed that another cat (Vara) was having the same problem!
It was clear to me that some of the neighbors were doing this on purpose ( and by the way, they all had dogs!!). The two cats were kept inside the house, treated and taken care of until they got well again.

I have never seen two cats love each other like those two, Dabdoob and Vara! They were like twin brothers. Vara imitated Dabdoob in everything that he did, and that’s how I think he got poisoned too. Miraculously, they both recovered and started walking again. It was one of the happiest moments of my life when I saw Dabdoob stand up on his two feet once again!

Nouny and Jiggy were pregnant again!
This time Nouny had four, Garfield, Dolly, Brownie and a kitten that died when he was still a few days old. Chiggy had five babies, Dumbo, Mickey II, Cocoa (named after her late sister) Spikey and the lovely Honey! Imagine a house with 8 kittens!! It was crazy!
When relatives would visit and would see what the kitties were doing... they called us crazy, especially when they see my hands and arms all scratches and looking like I have been to battle!!
But I loved these scratches... they were a sign that I had 8 little monsters roaming around!!

Kiri, Bugsy and Bunny came later on that year, they were also Nouny's kittens, but they were born outside the house so they were not as friendly. They were wild, and when I say wild I mean WILD!

Almost a year later Nouny had another litter of four, all girls, Caramel, Vanilla, Mocha and Fudge. Chiggy also had four, Danny, Snoopea, Spotty and Leely! The family of cats that started with Mickey grew to become a family of 39 cats!

Unfortunately, the same person who has poisoned Dabdoob and Vara the first time, was fed up with my cats, and decided that he did not want them in the neighborhood anymore, if I only knew who he was!!! I lost almost all of them! One after the other they would go missing, and none of them were found.

I could not take it anymore, I could not lose the rest of them... I decided to put them up for adoption. But since those cats were not of pure breed (here in Egypt they prefer Siamese or Persian) no one wanted to take them... or what’s left of them…
The cats who were Mau’s went to EMRO cat shelter (a shelter for rescuing and sheltering homeless Egyptian Mau’s) and the rest (Chiggy and one of her daughters) were adopted by a nice lady.

This is a summary of the story of how I became obsessed with cats. It was an experience I will never forget, and it made me learn a lot about the lives of our little fluffy friends. As in human world, there is the good and the bad, there is the good and the bad in feline’s world too. And every single one of them has its own unique character; even their voices are very different. I could tell which cat it is only by hearing its voice.

I don’t have any cats right now, but someday, my house would be open again for all those kitties who need a home, and someone to love them.
I miss you kitties.. and everyday I dream of seeing you again in the next life!