Circumstances Can Change Plans

"It is the hell of the poor that created the paradise of the rich." Victor Hugo

We did a lot of travelling, not so much in Africa as it seemed to make sense to do so after settling in North Africa. Then lovely Amira arrived, not much later presented us four cute little bundles of joy, tomcat Tiger and his sisters Bijoux, Sandy and Soleigh. That was the start. When I discovered pretty three-coloured Honey near the refuse pit, I noticed that for unknown reasons her tail was missing and there was a scab mixed with tiny stones instead, which later on fell off, she started to bleed, a new scab developed, fell off, and so on. I thought it is time to act if she allows me to do so. I picked her up, she accepted this, great, Honey seemed to understand that I wanted to help her. Taking her in a transport box to a veterinarian clinic was so easy. They did a good job there and Honey become our tailless special darling. She likes to be outside on the road but eats and sleeps at home. When I call her she comes running, this is real love on both sides. Also when I don't see her and call her name, she's suddenly there. Honey doesn't seem to like us leaving the house, even when she herself is outside, she follows us for a bit and complains, sounds like "don't leave me...." Seeing homeless cats at the rubbish pit looking for food, I started to take some down there for them, when one woman suggested I feed them in front of my house. Thought it sounds like a good idea and the cats soon discovered my "cats' table. " They arrive punctual for breakfast early every morning (at a time when our local hooligans are still asleep).  This lead to folks asking us whether we would take one or two cats inside. Then kids also brought us kittens, unbelievable beautiful little sweeties and in addition wounded cats, victims of accidents or abuse. We ended up with neither time nor money for visiting other countries..... exploring Africa. Luckily our vet charges much less than those in central Europe (where I had three cats, but only one at a time) and she makes allowance for us offering shelter and helping so many cats. Several years before the revolution they cats we saw here were very skinny certainly not pedigree cats, no cats' food on supermarket shelves, I used to bring croquettes from Europe. Relatives and friends seeing photos of nowadays beauties stated they rarely saw so many gorgeous cats. Wonder where they all come from, being such darlings (most of the time) they must have come straight from heaven.