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A Greek Orphaned Kitten
A Greek Orphaned Kitten
A Greek Orphaned Kitten
Tabitha
A Greek cat’s life is an extremely tough one, and the local cats are as
strong, intelligent and unyielding as the famous Spartan warriors of old.
These mountains are hard and uncaring, and the Greek cat lives
constantly on the edge, battling against the elements and wild adversity.
Existence is a constant struggle to find food, and avoid the many
predators and poisonous creatures.
Soon, she started coming into the house, where she would wait patiently,
until one of us noticed her presence and opened the cupboard. Well
practiced, she would then leap onto her chair and wait for her food,
building up her strength for her forthcoming litter. She was still wild, and
she would not allow us to stroke or handle her; a quick rub against the
fingers was the only privilege that she would allow.
As the bleak and bitter winter moved into colourful spring, and the
mountain awoke from its long hibernation, Tabitha gave birth. We never
saw the kittens, but we knew that she had them safely hidden up in the
precipitous mountain slopes. Every day, morning and evening, she would
trot up to the house and wait for her meal, before returning to her litter.
We tried to follow her, but Tabitha was too smart for that and led us away
from her brood. She trusted us, but only so far.
The Greek Tragedy, The Frantic Search and the Loss of all
Hope
A week ago, our friend visited and brought us ill tidings; the news that we
had always feared. She had seen Tabitha lying dead on the road, one of
the many Greek cats that falls victim to cars. We picked up her broken
body and buried her under an ancient olive tree. Somehow, we hoped
that her spirit would linger and that she would nourish the tree, part of
the inevitable cycle of life and death that is all too apparent in the
Taygetos Mountains. We did not linger for too long, because we knew that
we had a date with the living, her orphaned kittens that were only a few
weeks old.
In vain, we searched for her litter, listening and hoping that we would
stumble across them and find them safe and warm. The days dragged on,
but we had no success and our despair grew deeper. Both of us feared
that the kittens had starved, or been taken by fox or Kunavi (Polecat).
With no sign, we gave up the quest, believing that small kittens could not
possibly survive for this long in the unforgiving mountains.
Of course, this particular kitten, although it did not realize it, was
fortunate. This little Greek cat had made its own luck, a winner in the
eternal battle for survival. It was one of Tabitha’s brood and, somehow,
this indomitable Spartan cat had followed her trail. Desperation overcame
fear, and through spirit and force of will, this special Greek kitten defied
the odds. Its intelligence, courage and indomitability had helped it cling to
life; perhaps the Greek Fates, never to be taken lightly, had decided that
this Spartan warrior had earned the right to live.
We are now in the fourth day, and the little kitten now rules the house,
demanding and playful, yet bringing joy and life. From a timid bundle of
fluff, he now attacks my feet or my hair, before falling into an exhausted
heap in my lap. He is a veritable bundle of concentrated chaos, always
demanding to be the centre of attention. At the moment, we have decided
upon the name ‘Kaos,’ although this may change as his personality
develops.
It is early days yet, and we are reluctant to tempt the fates living at the
top of Taygetos. However, Kaos is strong, healthy and quick to learn, the
last legacy of Tabitha. He showed enough intelligence and bravery to
cheat the odds and become one of the winners in the great game.