memorablemeanders.blogspot.com

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

It had to happen...

The Khartoum Hedges have acquired a cat!
On Sunday evening while drawing the bedroom curtains I watched Grant walk across the street to the Spaza shop. He was off to buy fresh juice for our evening relaxation on the balcony.  As he approaced the counter (which is  on the street) he bent down and picked up a cat. Now, in Khartoum it is  imposible to get near any cats let alone touch them. When he came indoors again, I asked him about the cat. He told me it was a small kitten, ever so friendly. As far as he could ascertain, it belonged to the storekeeper, Mohamed who wanted me down and see his cat.

Of course, I went across to the shop and returned with the cat! Mohamed had told me to "take the cat" which is what I did.

Licking the butter off her paws. You can hear her thinking: mmm, I like this place; I think I'll stay!

As soon as I got the cat indoors, I put butter on her paws. Although this might be concidered an old-wives-tale, I have always done this and the cats always stay... This little one was no exception. She (Grant says it's a female) immediately began to lick her paws.

A few minutes later, after inspecting her new environment, the cat started playing with a piece of paper Grant suspended under a chair.

Half an hour later, she fell asleep while we sipped our ice-cold juices on the balcony (She had to be chastised for terrorising the budgies)

While we had dinner, she tested the sofa
On Monday morning she discovered the ironing blanket which Miriams uses on the floor
Mum's handbag is just as good a place as any to catch a catnap!


We're rather perplexed about something: at this young age, the little cat is so confident and ultra- intelligent. The conditions under which she would have been born (behind an old crate or  on the roof of a building) is not condusive to such calm and obedient behaviour.

Oh ...she sleeps on our bed at night; Grant and I have taken to hanging off opposites sides of our Kingsize bed while the cat stretches out between us. She knows where her sandbox is and follows me around all day (when she's not sleeping). She eats the raw minced beef I put down for her and enjoys nibbling the mini-cat cookies in her dry-food bowl. 

She still has no name; Grant, who names all our pets, has to come up with a suitable monniker for this little girl.

All  I know is that she has slipped into life in the Hedges Kitty Hotel on the Nile with ease and panache which belies her background. 

14 comments:

  1. Starting another menagerie? She's so tiny yet with Big ears. You two have such Big hearts. Bless you.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Aww, this is such a cute kittie. She is so adorable and acclimating rather well to her new home. I'm sure she will bring you and hubby a lot of joy.

    ReplyDelete
  3. She is so cute, Jo. What a dear little face and sleeping in your purse is priceless. Maybe you should call her Cleopatra - haha!
    ☼ Sunny

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh, Jo - how wonderful that you've given this little sweetie a home ! She is really beautiful, too ... and VERY lucky to have landed with her paws ...er ..... bum ..... in the butter ! My ferral cats here in East Africa always have HUGE ears as kittens, sometimes they stay that way. Must be something to be with adapting to life in the 'wils'. I, too, have had cats from kittens who've had the most AMAZING personalities and have wondered how they could be so tame etc when brought up in the 'wild' & still so young ... and likewise, have had ones which remain timid and quiet their whole lives ... I guess it's down to genes/inborn charachter traits ! Bless you for taking this little sweetheart into your hearts & home. (Come on Grant, we're all waiting to hear what you call her ;)

    ReplyDelete
  5. No wonder she has adapted well to the Hedges hospitality. It would be A1 caring. She is so tiny. Do you have to get them wormed and whatever else cats have done to them when they are new house pets?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thank you for giving Miss Kitty such a great home. She looks like a sweetheart!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I also wondered Gaelyn;) With the budgies who might increase and now the kitten...

    Hi Joyful;) it's already such a pleasure having this little creature here.

    Hi Sunny;) one of my favourite names suggested for her is Cleopatra!

    Hi Lynda;) Grant thinks she may be the cat downstairs' kitten. But that would be impossible. That tortoiseshell cat, although waiting for her food morning and evening. is still so very wild. She hisses and runs away if we so much as get too near. I'll pass your message onto Grant. She needs a name now!

    Hi diane;) she is minute. Yes, we're trying to find a small animals vet. There are many farmer vets so we're still looking. She will need shots and deworming.

    She is a sweetheart, Lori!

    ReplyDelete
  8. What a lucky kitten ! at least one had such a chance ! That's so nice that you adopted her ! I am like you I couldn't resist either. It's such a cute kitten !

    ReplyDelete
  9. "Miss Mohamed" is a beauty!
    'n Mens se lewe is net voller met 'n gedierte in die omgewing - geniet haar!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Gattina:) I knew you would also understand!

    Hi Ida;) dankie. Dit is nogal 'n verantwoordelikheid. As ons in twee jaar hier weggaan sal ek haar terug moet neem na Suid Afrika. Dis goes om jou te sien. Is dit al koud in Marquard? liefjo. xxx

    ReplyDelete
  11. I've never heard about the butter on the paws. How funny! She knows what side her "paws are buttered!" I bet she stays - I would! What a sweet thing. You are going to have quite a little zoo going on there!

    ReplyDelete
  12. She is so cute! I never heard that tale about butter on a cats paws. I am so happy that you have a new kitten!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Ahhhh Jo, what a Sweet Kitty! It seems to be Very much at home!
    Happy name hunting!!
    hughugs

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi Andrea;) good to see you! Thanks for popping in

    Hi Grant;) well, the butter-treat has worked - she is here to stay, I know it.

    Hi Donna;) she is too cute for words. The name hunting has turned out to be quite a challenge!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for visiting my blog and taking the time to leave a comment. I appreciate your feedback. Jo