A box of kittens adopted me while in isolation, and taught me a valuable lesson


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I have been a lifelong feeder of stray animals (my nickname at college was Mother Aphid), and I have always worked on the basis that if a stray is prepared to approach me, it must be hungry.

This works at home, too, so if a street cat is content to run the gauntlet of my dog and numerous other cats to get to some food in the garden, then it must be hungry enough to warrant feeding.

As I sat watching Netflix, a stray cat strolled through my living room without a care in the world. My cats and I exchanged glances. 'Not with me', they shrugged

Given my propensity to offer up food, new cats appear in my garden periodically, so I was not too surprised to see a scrawny stray last week saunter into the garden at dinner time and sit in hope of some scraps. I fed her. Next meal time, she was there again. And again for the following breakfast.

That evening, as I sat watching Netflix, she strolled through my living room without a care in the world. My cats and I exchanged glances. None of them admitted to knowing her. 'Not with me,' they shrugged. Thin and sort of ugly looking, this little stray was clearly a mother, and heavy with milk; she walked bow legged, like a cowboy.

Obviously, she had a litter of kittens stashed somewhere, so none of us begrudged her the time out.

A stray kitten, barely bigger than my hand and approximately 3 weeks old. Sarah Maisey / The National
A stray kitten, barely bigger than my hand and approximately 3 weeks old. Sarah Maisey / The National

The next day it was raining, and there she was again. As I went indoors to start work, she followed me in, and spent the rest of the day moving from chair to chair, snoozing contentedly. 'Ah, her kittens are older and driving her crazy,' I thought. 'She is here to get away from them.' How could I object to a tired mother catching up on lost sleep? I left her to it. It carried on raining.

Later that same evening, I was watching Netflix (again: it's a bit of a theme at the moment), and it was gone 11pm, and suddenly the stray was in the living room again. Something was squeaking loudly, and with a sense of horror I figured it must be a mouse. As I got up and moved towards her, I realised it was not a rodent but instead a tiny kitten.

Barely 3 weeks old, this was not a sturdy little cat, but a delicate, fragile newborn the size of a sausage, and mewling in tiny high-pitched squeaks. As I got closer, she panicked and disappeared back out of the dog flap into the pouring rain.

My cats watched silently as I set about making a warm "den" in the spare room for her and her tiny cargo. I fashioned it out of a towel and a cat box, at the bottom of a cupboard, knowing she would be looking for shelter and privacy.

The dog was looking nervous. He isn’t a big fan of cats, regarding them as evil tempered, scratchy things. He already shares his house with too many of them (all rescues) and was looking none too pleased at the prospect of more arrivals.

We waited.

Slowly she came back in with her precious bundle. I coaxed mother and baby into the den. The kitten was cold and wet, so I gently dried it off with a tea towel while it wriggled in protest. As mother and baby settle down, I felt content. It was 2am. We all went to bed.

The next morning the rain had gone, and the sun was shining. I tiptoed into the spare room to check on the mother and child. As I peered into the box, I was surprised to see an additional three kittens all heaped in a corner.

Judging me to be an adequate safe house, the little stray went and retrieved the rest of her litter in the middle of the night, through the pouring rain. Feeling a little honoured, I organised breakfast.

My new kittens. Sarah Maisey / The National
My new kittens. Sarah Maisey / The National

Now, three days later, and the new little family are still here. Sadly one of the four died, but the remaining three are healthy and robust. Sharing my house with the mother, I am coming to realise that, while she is looking after them well, we have very different parenting styles.

She likes to leave the kittens for hours, flopped on chairs sleeping, while I hover nervously, checking on them (and her food bowl) every hour.

She randomly deposits one of her brood in the middle of a room, until I find it, looking small and bewildered, and take it back to the den.

Last night, just before dinner, she was adamant that the best place for one kitten was the kitchen doorway, through which every one of my animals passes to get food. Realising this was not her best move, I put it back in the den.

She brought it out again. As the hoards began gathering in anticipation of food, I moved the kitten again. She put it back.

Eventually, she realised she would have to fight every animal in the house to stop the migration past her baby. I moved it. She let me.

Today, the young family are still in the spare room. I have perfected my den-building technique, so that while they are out of the cupboard (I think she found it too hot) they are nested in the cat box, under a sheet 'tent', with a cardboard box extension. The only entrance is via under the bed, and she seems content that, finally, her family is safe.

As anyone living with multiple animals can attest, at times it feels like living in a centre of great political intrigue. Fights and squabbles are commonplace, as the cats in my house jostle for power in a hierarchy I will never understand.

The valuable real estate of the garden table is fought over repeatedly. Already masters of social distancing, cats sit exactly two feet apart – no more, no less – as a fragile truce settles at meal times, and any incursion is considered an act of war.

Yet, even as these stand-offs and screaming matches are going on, when the stray mother appears, everyone lets her pass in peace. It's as if, despite the politics and the power struggles, some things in this world are simply more important.

New life and new hope overrides everything, making other matters dissolve away.

Perhaps there's a lesson there for all of us.

Adopting a cat or dog in the UAE

For those interested in adopting a pet, here's a look at the places in the UAE that you can adopt from. Scroll through our gallery below:

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed

Based: Muscat

Launch year: 2018

Number of employees: 40

Sector: Online food delivery

Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception 

Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode

Directors: Raj & DK

Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon

Rating: 4/5

Who is Ramon Tribulietx?

Born in Spain, Tribulietx took sole charge of Auckland in 2010 and has gone on to lead the club to 14 trophies, including seven successive Oceania Champions League crowns. Has been tipped for the vacant New Zealand national team job following Anthony Hudson's resignation last month. Had previously been considered for the role. 

UAE rugby season

FIXTURES

West Asia Premiership

Dubai Hurricanes v Dubai Knights Eagles

Dubai Tigers v Bahrain

Jebel Ali Dragons v Abu Dhabi Harlequins

UAE Division 1

Dubai Sharks v Dubai Hurricanes II

Al Ain Amblers v Dubai Knights Eagles II

Dubai Tigers II v Abu Dhabi Saracens

Jebel Ali Dragons II v Abu Dhabi Harlequins II

Sharjah Wanderers v Dubai Exiles II

 

LAST SEASON

West Asia Premiership

Winners – Bahrain

Runners-up – Dubai Exiles

UAE Premiership

Winners – Abu Dhabi Harlequins

Runners-up – Jebel Ali Dragons

Dubai Rugby Sevens

Winners – Dubai Hurricanes

Runners-up – Abu Dhabi Harlequins

UAE Conference

Winners – Dubai Tigers

Runners-up – Al Ain Amblers

ELIO

Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett

Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina

Rating: 4/5

Skewed figures

In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458. 

GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

Francesco Totti's bio

Born September 27, 1976

Position Attacking midifelder

Clubs played for (1) - Roma

Total seasons 24

First season 1992/93

Last season 2016/17

Appearances 786

Goals 307

Titles (5) - Serie A 1; Italian Cup 2; Italian Supercup 2

The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer

Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000

Engine 3.6L V6

Transmission: Six-speed automatic

Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm

Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm

Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km

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Specs

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Range: 400km

Power: 134bhp

Torque: 175Nm

Price: From Dh98,800

Available: Now

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Panipat

Director Ashutosh Gowariker

Produced Ashutosh Gowariker, Rohit Shelatkar, Reliance Entertainment

Cast Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Kriti Sanon, Mohnish Behl, Padmini Kolhapure, Zeenat Aman

Rating 3 /stars

The specs

Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo

Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed

Power: 271 and 409 horsepower

Torque: 385 and 650Nm

Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000

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Specs

Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric

Range: Up to 610km

Power: 905hp

Torque: 985Nm

Price: From Dh439,000

Available: Now

Asia Cup 2018 Qualifier

Sunday's results:

  • UAE beat Malaysia by eight wickets
  • Nepal beat Singapore by four wickets
  • Oman v Hong Kong, no result

Tuesday fixtures:

  • Malaysia v Singapore
  • UAE v Oman
  • Nepal v Hong Kong
About Okadoc

Date started: Okadoc, 2018

Founder/CEO: Fodhil Benturquia

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: Healthcare

Size: (employees/revenue) 40 staff; undisclosed revenues recording “double-digit” monthly growth

Funding stage: Series B fundraising round to conclude in February

Investors: Undisclosed

What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

Captain Marvel

Director: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck

Starring: Brie Larson, Samuel L Jackson, Jude Law,  Ben Mendelsohn

4/5 stars

The rules on fostering in the UAE

A foster couple or family must:

  • be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
  • not be younger than 25 years old
  • not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
  • be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
  • have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
  • undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
  • A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

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The biog

Favourite books: 'Ruth Bader Ginsburg: A Life' by Jane D. Mathews and ‘The Moment of Lift’ by Melinda Gates

Favourite travel destination: Greece, a blend of ancient history and captivating nature. It always has given me a sense of joy, endless possibilities, positive energy and wonderful people that make you feel at home.

Favourite pastime: travelling and experiencing different cultures across the globe.

Favourite quote: “In the future, there will be no female leaders. There will just be leaders” - Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook.

Favourite Movie: Mona Lisa Smile 

Favourite Author: Kahlil Gibran

Favourite Artist: Meryl Streep