A Digression from Travel

In Egypt, as with anywhere people are living temporarily, there is a pet problem. People arrive in the new country and want for feline or canine companionship but, often, are unable or unwilling to take the pet onwards to their new location. In Egypt, the paperwork situation for departing with animals was confusing enough before the revolution and, I'm guessing, many people don't know where to begin now that we are in transition.

In my household there are two cats - Fluffer-nuffer (some sort of Western long-haired cat) and Squeak (a black Egyptian street cat with a face like Bastet). These were the pets of a former colleague who moved on from Egypt and found an incoming teacher (my roommate) to take them. I've grown very attached to the two little fluffers and arrangements have long since been made for their continued care into old age with their god-mother T.

Then on Monday, things got crazy. The fluffy god-mother who is to, someday, inherit the cats, became the caretaker of a momma cat and two kitties (ostensibly only until December, when their owners can retrieve them...). The very same day, my bawab Mohammed (again, bawab = doorman, caretaker, superintendent, and gardener all in one) appeared at my door with this fluffy little face poking through the lid of a cat carrier:

(not actual size)

From my fractured understanding of Arabic, I think what Mohammed was telling us was that some expats across the street moved away and left this kitty with the bawab for their building with a supply of food, litter, and the cat carrier so he would find a home for it.

Being that we already had two cats, we sadly declined. However, given that bawabs are generally living on very little income in tiny flats in basements and under stairwells of buildings, we did not know what the kitty's fate would be if no one else took him. His little face seared into our kitty-loving skulls...

You get the gist.

Two trips to the vet later (our two spayed girl cats could not have an un-neutered boy cat lingering around the apartment), Lion-O is settling in and recovering from his recent surgery. He had clearly been living in the cat carrier for some time, but is still the most docile, gentle (and soft, oh so soft) kitty I've ever had. Tomorrow, when the vet comes on a house call to vaccinate and examine all three cats, we will introduce Lion-O to his new pride. If it doesn't work out, we will find Lion-O a proper home with someone who is planning to stay a long time (or lives here), but it will be very very hard to let him go.