memorablemeanders.blogspot.com

Sunday, May 20, 2012

A new cat progeny

Amanda also loves animals, especially cats, which is why we probably get along so well! 

Last week Amanda came with me on my Shinyanga shopping trip. One of our last stops was at a shop which sells upmarket kitchen utensils, crockery, cutlery and small household appliances. It's the same shop where one of the assistants had a white cat which I helped her care for. When I returned from leave, the cat had been removed. The assistant told me she'd taken it home to earn its keep.  Apparently she had many rats and the cat was an excellent hunter.


A few weeks later, I visited the shop again to buy a new egg whisk and spatula, when the assistant showed me her new kitten. It was identical to the previous cat, and yes, it was also hungry. I dashed out to the supermarket around the corner and bought a small tin of fish. When the proprietor saw how the little cat gobbled the food, he said he would make sure the cat was fed properly.
When the kitten sees me, it wants food, not gifts from my cats!


Nevertheless, back home I went through our cats' grocery cupboard (they have a whole cabinet for their supplies!) and found eleven tins of cat food called Puddi-Kat. Before I'd managed to find the brand that my cats insist on, prefer, will eat, I'd bought this food in the hope that these lads would accept it. No way. I opened the first tin, filled each cat's bowl at which they turned their respective noses up.  Ginger actually turned his back on the food bowl - only cat owners can relate to this - so I gave the contents to the dogs in the garden. At least now I had a supply which I would take to the "duka ya paka"/cat shop as we've dubbed it, in single deliveries. 
The shop proprietor showed great interest and asked if he could feed the cat

Of  course, the first time I dished some food for the kitten, it dived in nose first and gobbled up everything on the plate. I explained to the owner and her boss that if sealed, this food would last in their refrigerator for several days. I also said the cat has to be fed regularly and must have a bowl of water nearby. (*Sigh* don't they remember that we went through the exact same procedure, not so long ago,  with the previous cat?) They promised faithfully that they'd continue to feed the cat. The proprietor even asked me where I'd bought the food and said he'd get some next time. However, not one to leave anything to chance, I took an extra tin of Puddi-Kat and a large tin of Whiskas which my cats also rejected,  and asked them to feed the cat until I return from leave in the middle of June. I sincerely hope they'll do this.
 This was the first square meal the kitten has ever had. Poor little mite! 

For more pet posts around the world, click here

12 comments:

  1. You are truly a tender-hearted woman, Jo! I think you will have cats as pets in heaven! I know there will be animals there because the Bible says, "The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together;...The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together and the lion will eat straw like the ox..." (Isaiah 11:6-7) Isaiah 65:25 says almost the same thing.

    ReplyDelete
  2. You are good at helping out the local strays, and the people that should be taking care of them.

    I had a cat that wouldn't eat "Penny Wise" for three days. Then she filled her mouth with the stuff and spit it on my foot. Lesson learned. Hope these folks learn too.

    ReplyDelete
  3. awwww so sweet....



    Woof woof
    from Bozo
    Pets forever

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hehe ... good for you Jo ... wherever I stay at hotels or guest houses, the cats gravitate to me ... so I usually carry some pellets in the car ...

    ... but aren't they such fussy creatures hey ... and they're so good at training us humans ...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Cute kitten. Its really strange that many people believe that cats and kittens can "fend for themselves" easily - catch birds or mice. And they also think that cats will catch rats better if they are hungry which is also daft as they catch them much better when they feel big and strong and well fed.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh Jo! Don't they know to feed the cats?? It's Such a different world there...The kitten is gorgeous! Thank God for You!!!
    hughugs

    ReplyDelete
  7. I think you're really kind to those poor kitties! I bet yours never go hungry!!!

    Sam Schnauzer

    ReplyDelete
  8. Ah---that is sad --yet great that you were there to help that precious kitty. I hope they do feed the kitty until you return.

    You are such a wonderful person, Jo, who thinks so highly of others --including the sweet little kitties.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oh, yes, Jo, you are a hopeless case. LOL
    Did you really go through the same procedure with the previous cat? And the people don't remember? Very sad. But don't you be taking it home now. Three is already a crowd, you know.
    Love, K

    ReplyDelete
  10. I can only call you Cat Mother Teresa !

    ReplyDelete
  11. What a sweet little kitten! Glad it found you Jo, and hope it's doing well when you get back! Hugs from Niger!

    ReplyDelete

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