My last series came to an unexpected end due to a surprise event one wet and windy night. I was walking up one of the hills above Patong, the rain tipping down and the wind blowing everything sideways. The road was being “repaired” and the drainage ditches were flooded due to the dumped debris, with water rushing down them like a mountain stream.
Suddenly there was a loud shout from below my feet – not a human shout but that of a tiny kitten, very wet, dirty and shivering. It waited until I was close enough and called again several times, making sure its voice was heard above the wind, rain and rushing water. I pulled the kitten out and set it down expecting a mother cat to appear. But no, there were no other cats in the area. The kitten then waddled over and sat on my foot. I picked it up, discovered it was a female, tucked her under my jacket and took her home.
After drying her off, making a bed for her, getting some kitten food from 7/11 and preparing a small litter tray from a box and wood chips, I went to bed. In the morning there was this tiny fur ball lying on her bed. The food was gone and, surprisingly, the litter tray was used. There was no mess, no noise – just a tiny, happy face looking up at me.
Inseparable
There was no way I could keep a kitten, I told myself. Living in a second floor room with no garden, working six days a week, then writing and out taking photos for The Phuket News on my day off. I decided to search for her family and, if unsuccessful, would look for a home for her.
Unable to locate the mother, I took her to my work, along with a litter tray, food and a small bed. All day she would sleep on my chair or at my feet, just as long as she was in touching distance of me. If not, she panicked and cried. By the time I got home that night I knew there was no way I could give her away and so I named her. My little Leo was here to stay and since that day she has never been away from me, day or night.
She stayed on the balcony for the first week, where she ate and slept. She was comfortable as long as I was nearby. Perhaps she was just scared of being alone again. We visited the vet where she was vaccinated and weighed, revealing she was around four weeks old. We have been inseparable since; at work, on the beach, in restaurants or just playing near home. Her appetite was healthy as she took in everything from omelette, hot dogs and pork balls to lasagna and scrambled eggs – she even had a small bit of Christmas pudding during the festive season!
Love and devotion
Leo loves accompanying me on the walk to and from work each day, chasing butterflies and playing. She is happy on a leash and especially likes the beach, chasing crabs and pigeons and just watching the waves. She knows the longtail boat drivers, the ladies at the fish market, the staff at several 7/11s, taxi drivers, the beach massage ladies and has to say good morning to them all. A 30 minute walk takes around an hour and a half. But that’s fine. You get to see more while you walk.
Leo travels on my shoulder when she is not walking. I think she likes to see what’s going on and talk to me as we go. Strangers approach us to say hello, with many stating they have seen Leo on various social media platforms, ones that I do not even use! The initial downside of being accompanied by a cat was the fact the birds tended to stay well away and I had very little to write about. However, Leo seemed to somehow understand my love of birds and soon became an ally, regularly spotting them for me and rarely chasing them away.
Cats learn quickly and with a bit of effort you can learn cat too! Then your whole world changes forever. It is said that a meow is not actually how cats communicate amongst one another but a language they have developed to talk to humans. Any cat that meows at you is taking time to talk to you or ask for help. You may be their last hope and that meow means they still have hope. Just a simple good morning to them could make their day and let them know they have been seen and are no longer invisible. A little left over food, an old t-shirt or towel to sleep on costs nothing but will be the world to them. If you can take them in to adopt them then even better.
Remember, that stray on the street did not choose that life. They are just trying to survive. They need to eat and find a safe place away from Soi dogs, cars, bikes, snakes and certain humans. All they dream of is a safe place and full stomach. Once they have a home, food, a safe place to sleep and a bit of love, most cats will be more than content.
I’m not sure whether I rescued Leo or she rescued me on that wet and windy night almost a year ago. Regardless, I would 100% advise anyone to consider adopting or being adopted by a kitten. There are so many here in Phuket with nowhere to go that can only dream about finding a real home and the love and devotion a cat gives has no limits. I am only just seeing the start of that with Leo and cannot wait for what is yet to come.