Ramadan and other Events

 On the first day of Ramadan, the holly month, approx. 1 year old beloved gentle Safir's suffering ended. It was caused by neighbourhood thugs who burnt a hole into his cheek, bacteria penetrated and the vet unfortunately couldn't heal my brave little angel s (see also "living with cats"). Sadly animal abuse is not  uncommon in this part of Souse.Those  who consider that of no great importance (plenty of other problems to deal with....), may well wake up one day and discover that kids/teens growing up without empathy, respect, basic values, have turned into horrible adults - not good citizens, caring husbands and fathers! Quite a few men on "death row" in the USA started their career torturing animals. On Sunday, I happened to view  a boy, approx. 10 years old, trying to hit and possibly kill my lovely Honey (who already had lost her tail under unknown/suspicious circumstances) with a big stone, while she was sitting underneath a car. Luckily he missed her, when he saw me he ran like the devil (I must train fast running like those thugs here.) Honey lives with me and likes to be a bit outside as well - which appears to be very dangerous when hooligans, detached from civilisation, are around. Several youngsters with equally low I.Q./ education were watching and laughing, demonstrating their sick sense of humour and that they are a disgrace to Tunisia! No decent civilised person would consider such evil acts as "funny", feel strong and superior witnessing my helpless fight against windmills. - At 5 o'clock this morning, following a loud night (this is Ramadan), 6 kids decided it's time to play football. I really miss those noise restricting (silent rest hours) laws from Europe. A neighbour managed to stop them, thank heaven. Lack of sleep doesn't have a positive effect on brain activities. Some people believe wearing a head scarf and fastening during Ramadan makes a good muslin, I believe it is at least as important not to abuse animals, teach children that animals are not toys and this idiotic stone throwing must stop. Books are better teachers than the street.

Create Jobs

 As in other countries too, successful environment protection offers a lot of scope for additional employments. No money? If more people are tasked with charging those who ignore regulations/laws, e.g. not to throw wrappings or other litter onto the streets, not to use a mobile phone while driving, etc. there would be plenty of money coming in. These jobs could be self-financing! Some streets look more or less clean now, yet in other areas it is obvious that old habits die hard. Some folks may even not be aware that these new laws are also valid for them. I view all sorts of rubbish on the streets whenever I open my front door. Kids never knew any different, what you don't need, just drop it, where ever you are. One boy advised me: This is Tunisia, it's normal here, constant yelling also. If you don't like it you can lump it! I replied: "No, such bad behaviour does not exist everywhere in Tunisia. Why are you running Tunisia down?" Poor people cannot pay fines? Most kids here  have mobile phones, usually even with Internet. I saw children riding motorbikes, is this okay? At the crossroads here, between 20 -30 children meet every day, those of one age group gang together, either kicking balls against any house wall, or climb onto them, chase cats, throw stones, they are out on the street all day until late at night. Those who attend school arrive more or less straight afterwards.  When stones are considered to be toys, and animals are not seen as living creatures, elderly not worth listening to, etc. this means plenty of work for  street workers and urgent need of kindergartens, infant-schools for kids from poor families. This would give these youngsters a chance to become good citizens. I hear the German Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in Tunis/Marsa supports a Kindergarten in Tunis, perhaps they could be approached or other sources. Another point, these youngsters don't seem to know the beautiful world books can open to them. They read school books that's it. Mobile libraries in buses to promote reading would be great. One can learn so much through good books. Parents who read fairy tales to their little kids stimulate their intelligence.

Living with Cats

Lately I noticed several cats with (so far) non-fatal head injuries that don't look like the effect of fighting with other cats, but rather like contact with persons suffering from withered brains (when boredom, ignorance and lack of empathy come together). Safir, a lovely gentle cat, after whom I've been looking ever since he was approx. 3 months old, always stayed close to my house whenever he went outside. One day I discovered a bleeding hole on the right side of his check, teeth visible. The vet informed me, he must have got burnt wilfully with a lighter, the wound worsened through bacteria. As hooligans, always up to no good (don't I know it!) like to sit on the steps of the unoccupied house next door, I am convinced it was one of them who did it. Proud to be stupid and destructive! The vet stitched the wound twice; it didn't last long. She advised me a third time would be no good, I could try to clean the wound, but this would mean "Betadine" getting into Safir's mouth, and there was always some wound liquid seeping out. Poor Safir decided to make the best out of his hopeless situation and ignored it as long as possible (now approx. 5 months), continue to go out on the street for a couple of hours a day, chase the ladies....., cuddle with me, never lament, I admire his courage! For 4 days meanwhile he withdrew himself, doesn't eat, drank only a tiny bit, I fear he's going to die. I am so sad.
If there is a paradise, I can only say that in this part of Souse I know more cats than people who deserve it. Gloria, the most beautiful cat I have ever seen, came as usual for her breakfast, but didn't eat, I was surprised to hear her mourning, then I discovered she brought her dead baby kitten (approx. 3 weeks old) to me. I tried to comfort her by stroking her gorgeous fur. Not sure she's got a house, she always looks very neat. I felt sorry for the poor mum. There was a time when Tunisians recognised the value of cats, as they protected them against scorpions, cockroaches, mice, rats etc. I see cats as a present from heaven, little fur angels, a ray of sunshine. Why do even toddlers here try to chase them, throw stones....? It must be the bad models they are watching, one way children learn. I try to set a good example, different behaviour is possible. Silence is a sign of consent. You don't have to be rich to teach your children respect, good manners, empathy. If you believe in God/Allah, what right have you to abuse his creatures?

Food for Cats

Often cats are fed with the remains of Tunsian food & other dishes. They seem to even like couscous, macaroni, etc, but it shouldn't be spiced too hot nor with much salt; ideally not the only food offered. Tinned cats' food is available ( not very cheap), there are 4 types of sausages, produced in Tunisia and mend to be for cats and dogs alike, though cats need "Taurin" & dogs don't, the sausages don't allow for this. Still, I remember when such animal food was not on sale. The folks here call those sausages 'Salami". I explain to the children that these are not suitable for human beings. Dry food (crocants) seems to be specially designed for cats and there are different products for dogs. My Vet advised me that the cats' stomach is very sensible and a change of food often causes diarrhoea, for very young kittens this can be fatal. Suitable food to stop diarrhoea is: rice with finely chopped carrots & boiled chicken, perhaps with unspiced thin chicken broth; or cottage cheese/ low fat Ricotta with mashed potato. Much fuss for those little darlings? Life will be tough enough for them later on. I remember taking a kitten in a taxi to a vet (it was bleeding from the anus, possible cause: fish bone) the taxi driver was very impressed: "Can't you adopt me, it must be great to live with someone with your attitude."

More about Cats

Cats living on the streets, every day more or less fighting for survival, age quicker. We would too. There are several really beautiful cats here, unfortunately not much protected or appreciated. Kassimir, a big, strong tomcat with soft golden coloured fur, loved to cuddle with me. And so did his son, Sunnyboy. I could do with a big garden, space for all cats that want to come, but that is just a dream and therefore I have to accept that I can only help within limits. Anyhow, both cats seemed to age over night, Kassimir appears to be dead, suddenly no longer around, sad. Esperanza, a chinchilla gentle cat, that used to live mainly underneath my Yucca tree, was poisoned by disturbed people and died close to my house two days ago. She never harmed anybody. Even some of the children here loved her, but were not allowed to take her home. There was a time when cats were regarded as precious as gold, a present from heaven, protecting folks' cereals and doing their part for vermin control. With our new life style no longer required? If you walk with your eyes open, you won't say so. Besides, why not just enjoy their beauty, inside and outside. Many famous people loved /love cats. A woman was prepared to take one of my cats, providing I have the cat examined and vaccinated by a vet. I can't provide such a service, I am a one-person organisation, with a little bit of none-financial help from time to time. Well meaning people/children some times drop cardboard boxes with kittens in front of my door. This depresses me, if separated from their mother too young, they can't survive, Until lately it was impossible to buy milk for baby cats. Doubtlessly several folks consider this an absolute luxury, not cheap the milk powder, 75 Dinar, includes a milk bottle, which my 2 kittens just love! I have to fight with them to get it back. Strangely the 3. kitten (arrived later with another one, badly wounded on head & neck, one leg crushed, died the next day) doesn't want the bottle. My vet advised me that cow's milk needs to be mixed with mineral water, 1: 2 if fed to baby cats. They seem to do well, a lot of work for me. Don't know how to teach them one day everything a cat needs to know. How to catch mice? Filou, my tomcat in Germany, one day brought a field mouse upstairs to my flat in order to teach me to do just that. He was successful, I caught the frightened little mouse with my hand, but didn't eat it. I put the mouse back where it belonged, when Filou wasn't watching. Didn't want to disappoint my "teacher". I would think a similar scene is highly unlikely in Tunisia. The kittens are now approx. 4 weeks old. I wondered how to train them to use a toilet - a square plastic bowl filled with some sand - surprise, surprise, they understood immediately, without words! Cats are individuals, not all alike. While some are happy to live in a team, others would prefer to be the "only child".  Bad experiences makes them shy and mistrust children here. Quite different in Europe. The company of a cat is relaxing, stroking it helps to lower ones blood pressure. I noted cats sometimes have eye problems, one eye closed, as if sealed. At the pharmacy's are 2 products available at low costs that work wonders, Physiol Chlorure de Sodium and Orecyline Pommade Ophtalmique. If nothing is done & with perhaps pus in the eye, the poor cat can loose her eye. Another big problem are ear mites, Oridermyl Vetoquinol Pommade Auriculaire helps, but needs to be applied more than ones. As the cat is very sensitive reference her eyes and ears & doesn't understand what you are up to, the treatment is not all that easy and it is helpful to wrap her in a towel so she can't use her claws. Jasmina, a beautiful street cat, was just about to give birth, right in front of the entrance door of my house. I very quickly created a bed for her, minutes before she gave birth to 5 lovely kittens. One died weeks later for unknown reasons, seemed to be healthy. So far Jasmina doesn't seem to be keen to look for another shelter for her family, prefers this "hotel"; I guess as a street cat she never had it so good before, waitress and toilet woman inclusive. Jasmina is a great Mummy, I noticed before that cats are very loving mothers with the effect of gentle relaxed kittens. We can learn from cats the importance of good parents. I know, as a rule the cat fathers are not on the scene, but some tomcats also care for kittens.In Germany I encountered an adult street cat with 4 little ones. Everybody thought, mother with her young ones, but no, it was a caring father.