This past week I warmly received a new addition to my home, a small kitten! She was the pick of the litter from my souq town Had Draa, meaning of course I found her sitting alone on a wall and shoved her in my bike bag! No joke, I actually consider myself to be a bit of a humanitarian (or felinitarian?? Who knows) for rescuing her from her stoop, but a sad fact of life here are the many unwanted stray dogs and cats in Morocco and their progeny fending for themselves on the streets of every city, town, and village. This was a decision I have been pondering for a while now, since before arriving actually, and could not be happier having finally made it. She, Grace, the Kitten, is a nice addition to my home, which she has taken to quite quickly. Why would a PCV want to have a pet while serving? Well, probably the main reason is a companion to get you through those low moments we all face from time to time. Another could be that is it just too difficult seeing a small kitten or puppy all alone on the street and not be so overwhelmed with pity that you quickly pack them away from a new life with you. Personally I was a little from both columns. I haven't really faced a big low moment yet, but when I do she better live up to the task of keeping me company or out the door she goes!
The inhabitants of my wonderful little settlement (I wouldn't go so far to even call it a village) greeted the new member of our town with a bit of surprise, a bit of curiosity, but mostly confusion. I could just imagine what they were thinking: Why is he carrying a cat in his bag? Strange enough that he lives alone and does not want to marry any of our daughters, it is all starting to make sense now, he's nuts! You see, no one really keeps pets here. Dogs and cats do live in their homes, dogs on the roof to scare thieves and cats inside to eat bugs, but never as a "pet" as people in the States understand it. What blew their world even more was when I brought to town a bag of cat from Essaouira, the kids were so curious that I had to keep them from tasting it! (The stuff isn't cheap).
Early the next day I hear a bang on my door accompanied with little chatter (tall-tale sign there is a pack on children outside). I sneak up to the roof to see who is there and as I thought there were the kids but holding two more kittens! Apparently they brought them so I could give them food from the bag I bought the day before. Being somewhat of a pushover hearing the kittens meow I bring a small handful to the door not knowing that it would create my mission for the rest of the day. I handed over the food and the children quickly set down the kittens and set out feeding them, then suddenly something else down the trail catches their attention and they all run off, leaving two kittens sitting out front of my house. Now, my house is somewhat set apart from the rest, sitting on a wonderful little hill with a commanding view of the valley. Unfortunately, this makes it an impossible task for the two kittens to make it back to where ever they came from (I have no idea where that may be). To try and solve this problem (who wants three kittens!), I start to beg the each little girl to remove them, to no avail. Then it came to me! I make the announcement: "First to remove these kittens gets a handful of almonds!" Like a flash of lightening they kittens are gone, just another day in life in Morocco J.
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