This month I thought I would share a story about my own little street cat Mao. When I first moved into my current apartment just over eight years ago, I was asked if I would feed Mao as she has lived in the area for about ten years.
I am very hands on with dogs, however; I have always been a little afraid of cats. At the time I had my own dog Ollie, but I bought Mao her own dish and left food and water every day outside my door.
It was strange that Ollie was very relaxed around Mao and would even tolerate her when she would cheekily skip past us to get into the apartment.
About a year later a neighbour told me that the cat was unwell. He lifted her up and there was an open wound on her tummy. I borrowed a cat box (though my neighbour had to lift her to put her into it) and took her to the vet. The vet said she had a tumour and operated on her. I picked her up on the same day and knew that she would not be able to be left out on her own as she was still groggy. She stayed in my apartment that night and the next morning she was up and looking to go out.
A year passed and back in February I had to have my own dog Ollie put to sleep. About two days later Mao skipped passed me into the apartment. I felt guilty, but I decided she could move in. She immediately jumped up on the chair and made herself comfortable. It was then I noticed that the tumour had come back.
Thanks to Paws and Claws (our local animal charity) arranged to have her treated. I must thank John and Sue Fitzgerald for the many vet runs – Mao was taken to a different vet and had a much bigger operation with plenty of aftercare. It took Mao about a week to recover, and 6 months on she is doing well – loving the life of a house cat.
She is a very gentle cat and has never tried to bite or scratch me. She will sleep on my bed and wake me up with a gentle pat of her paw if she wishes to go out. The first time she did this I bolted from my bed thinking that she was going for my throat. I can now pick her up, rub her belly and rub noses with her without any fear. She has two toys which she spends hours playing with (usually in the middle of the night) and I hope and pray that her tumour does not come back.
Source: The Ege Eye
