A Greek Orphaned Kitten – The Legacy of Tabitha
75Greek Cats: An Orphaned Greek Kitten and the Legacy of 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.
In the Taygetos Mountains, there are no good or bad decisions, no right or wrong, just the ceaseless cycle of life and death. The hot and dry summers, and the bitter mountain winter, allow only the fittest, the strongest, and the quickest to survive. Observing Greek cats is like watching Darwinism in action and, like the Ancient Spartan society, nature rejects those who are weak.
Tabitha – The Story of a Greek Cat
We met Tabitha a few months ago, a pregnant feral cat who discovered that some humans provided food and security. Slowly and inevitably, she came to trust us, and realized that we bore no malice towards her. This beautiful Greek cat understood that we were not going to hurt her, and graciously allowed us to share a small part of her life. From the little cat that hid behind the plant-pots, waiting until all was quiet before striking to bolt food from the cat bowls, she became bolder and more confident. Tabitha had the intelligence to exploit the situation and use it to her advantage.
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.
Tabitha's Legacy – The Orphaned Greek Kitten
A few days ago, we were out in the garden when we heard a small, weak mewling from across the road. This was no cat, but a kitten, and long extinguished hope flared again. We spent the rest of the afternoon in a frantic search, trying to navigate the thorny plants that tore our clothes and skin to shreds. Eventually, we saw it, a small brown bundle of fur huddled amongst the grass, so well camouflaged that we almost overlooked it.
We tried everything to capture the kitten, from tempting it with food to laying elaborate ambushes as I tried to drive it towards the waiting Denny. This proved to be fruitless and we despaired, wondering if we could devise some sort of trap or scheme. Inspired by the Fates, Denny tried making mewling noises, in a last vain attempt to lure the little mite. Against all hope, the ploy worked, and the kitten ran hopefully towards her, straight into the ambush. I pounced and gathered it into my arms and, at the end of its strength, the kitten went limp. Exhausted, it had given up and succumbed to the inevitable, another casualty of hard Taygetos.
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 fortitude 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.
The Spartan Cat and the Fates
For the first night, understandably, the little creature was terrified, although it gratefully accepted the meat and goat’s milk. Fortunately, he was weaned, because we had no way to bottle-feed a small kitten. After a while, its fear dissipated and it began to understand that it was safe, happily nestling into the crook of my arm. We shut him in the porch for the first night, away from the other cats, placing him in a basket with soft blankets and fleeces. In the morning, we could not find him, until we looked amongst the coats hanging from the hooks. There, sprawled across the top, was the kitten. We figured that he had probably climbed trees for safety in his time alone, lying in the branches, resting away from the dangers.
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.
Already, this tiny Greek kitten is developing a unique personality, and we hope to have the honour of his friendship for many years. Losing Tabitha was hard, but this beautiful kitten shows that some good can arise from adversity, that the Greek Gods can sometimes be benevolent.
Some Wildlife Links
- Greek Animal Rescue Home Page
The Greek Animal Rescue Home and Index Page - GAWF - Greek Animal Welfare Fund
- Hellenic Ornithological Society - Birds, birding and conservation in Greece
Discover the birds of Greece! In these pages you will find a large collection of news, images, articles and On-line books with fascinating information about the life of birds, their habitats and environmental protection. - Ελληνική Εταιρία Προστασίας της Φύσης | Ελληνική Εταιρία Προστασίας της Φύσης
A charity dedicated to preserving wild areas and wildlife - http://www.archelon.gr/
- Ελληνικό Κέντρο Περίθαλψης Άγριων Ζώων
EKPAZ - Hellenic (Greek) Wildlife Hospital, ΕΚΠΑΖ Ελληνικό Κέντρο Περίθαλψης Άγριων Ζώων. This charity does great work treating and releasing wild animals and birds. The pages can be viewed in Greek or English. - http://www.mom.gr
The Hellenic Society for the Study and the Protection of the Monk Seal.
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Comments
Wonderful story!
Thanks, Cathy - Glad that Kaos touched your heart, and we will give him an extra fuss from you. He really is a character!
Thanks for dropping by, Steve - always good to see you, and glad that you enjoyed the story. Coming from you, that means a lot :).
How wonderful! I always seem to have a cat, and several have come to me as opposed to the other way around, kind of like this one you took in. I'm really glad for you, and for Kaos! A friend of mine used to say, "People with weak egos keep dogs. People with strong egos keep cats." I think there's something to that. Good luck! :)
YES! If not even one of the kittens had made it, I think I would have cried my eyes out. Good on yer, wee kitty Kaos! And you're lucky to have found such a good home.
Thanks for this lovely tale.
Thanks Pam - I must agree. I love dogs, but they are always pleased to see you. Cats are a great crusher of the ego - they know how to make you feel really small. We seem to attract cats - we have five, including Kaos, and two who turn up at feeding time!
Hi Teresa - Glad that you enjoyed the happy ending. Kaos is a little character and has been trying his best to wind me up, as any self-respecting cat should.
Oh Mart, that's sooo lovely. Tears definately came to my eyes........ Bless the little kitty, so sorry about Tabitha.
All the best to you and Denny too for being there for all that need you.
Love Lxxx
Thanks, little sis - glad that you could stop by. Get your arse in gear and come and visit us again - Suleyman took a shine to you :D
Hope that life in sunny Lancaster is going well,
Love Me xx
Sufi - I was glued, right to the end. What a wonderful wonderful tale ... and all true! I love animals and have nearly always ended up fostering rescues down the years.
I sincerely wish you guys a whole world of luck! I hope Kaos remians a part of your family and your life :)
What a cute story!
Thanks, Frogdropping - Glad that you enjoyed the tale. He certainly is a character, and is settling in just fine :)
We seem to attract all of the waifs and strays, although no dragons or other legendary creatures, as yet. Not even a small Basilisk :(
Thanks advisor4qb - Thanks for dropping by and spending the time to read about our little kitten! :)
Loved this story, even though it brought tears to my eyes. I too am a cat lover. All of my pets, cats and dogs alike, were all rescues. Nothing nicer than a warm, fuzzy four-legged creature to bring such joy. :)
What a touching story, I'm so glad you rescued the kitten.
This is just a wonderful hub. I know your little Kaos will have a wonderful home. I too have all rescue pets and never have regretted it.
Thanks for the kind words, Trish - there are many furry animals needing a home and they do bring such joy. Kaos is curled up on my lap as I type - he has really settled in.
Good to see you, UW - Glad that you enjoyed the tale. In these times when the news is full of trouble and wars, there are still some good things happening :)
Thanks for the lovely words, Mardi - He seems to be settled here, although he certainly lives up to his name. Rescue pets are the way to go, although five cats is more than enough!
So happy that little Kaos found his way to your home.
We had a feral cat that delivered kittens in our shrubbery many years ago. Found homes for her little waifs and then trapped her and had her spayed. She lived with us for many years although we could never pet her.
Hope you get yours spayed and neutered. At least there will be less live kitties for the wildlife to eat!
I like how you compared this tale to the Spartans! Clever writing! Thumbs up!
Thanks for visiting and for the kind words, Peggy. We are glad, too - another addition to the family!
We spay and neuter our house cats, but can do little about the rest. Cats are part of the ecosystem here, and have been for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Sometimes, we wish that we could help all of the waifs and strays, but that is impossible. The harshness of nature :(
The cats here certainly are tough - well worthy of being called true Spartans!
Oh, I love this story. I was sad about Tabitha but Kaos seems so precious! I had 7 cats at one time, sadly, I am down to 5. This was a wonderful Hub Sufidreamer, I enjoyed reading it very much. Thank you for the pleasure!
OHHHHH!!!! What a beautiful, lovely story. I am so sad about Tabitha, but what a beautiful ending. I am constantly rescuing feral cats (I tell you, they just find me), so I have a weak spot for my fellow animal lovers/rescuers. So well-written, Sufi. I am enchanted.
Nice cats! :)
Thanks, Moonchild - he is a precious little guy, although he is turning into a furry bundle of mischief. Three of our cats are from the rescue centre, the rest found us. Glad that you enjoyed the story :)
Good to see you, Wordscribe - thanks for the kind words. We have lots of feral cats here, and some of them inevitably find there way to our house!
Glad that you enjoyed the photos, quicksand - Greek cats do have a certain charm!
I wrote on here last night but it has disappeared, my computer is ready for the bin...
I thoroughly enjoyed this true love story, so kind you both are to find the kitten, and to look after all the cats..... tinged with sadness, as all true love stories are..... That cat's eyes are indeed wild.... are the kittens the same....x
Thanks Brenda - the joys of the electronic age, so thanks for taking the time to comment twice!
A lot of the cats around here have wildcat blood - Tabitha and Kaos certainly do. They are resourceful and fiercly independent, but also sleek and beautiful. There is always sadness here - it is a hard and uncompromising part of the world.
Aweee, sufidreamer, what an awesome hub!!! Kaos sounds so adorable. I'm so glad you were able to come across him and that he didn't have the same fate as his mother. :)
Good to hear that you spay and neuter your own housecats. At least you are doing your part in holding down the overpopulation of animals. I have always heard that Greece is overrun with cats. Must be that others are not as responsible as you with regard to pet ownership.
I have heard of some organizations over here that try and trap feral cats...spay and neuter them...and then release them. Would be a daunting task!
Enjoy your beautiful 4 legged creatures and enjoy your beautiful place of abode. You certainly lead a charmed life!
Thanks, Debbie - he is an adorable little guy and we are lucky to have him. He fought the odds and deserves a chance.
Peggy: We try our best! It is a tough moral question over here. On the one hand, the mountain cats are part of the ecosystem and were here long before the days of Leonidas. The city cats, on the other hand, have a very short and brutal life - I think that the charities here concentrate upon those.
Still a few issues - although it is illegal, some people still put poison down to kill foxes and, a lot of cats fall foul of that. Hopefully, that will soon become a thing of the past.
We certainly will continue to enjoy the company of our friends! :)
Glad that hopefully this tale has a happy ending. Some of the Greek cats look worryingly undernourished. It seems to vary from Island to island
Hi, Ethel - thanks for dropping by. The islands certainly do look to be very tough for cats, and some are better than others. The people here would not harm a cat, and do feed them during the winter - however, they do not take them to the vets if they are sick. That is slowly changing!
Mind you, even our cats look undernourished during the summer - they lose a lot of weight to deal with the heat and then bulk up in the winter!
i seriously loved this hub! I mean you kind of reminded me of our wild cat that left her kittens in our garden and simply left ( i think she died ?P) anyhows i really loved the pictures ...especially the young litter very unique! Thumbz up :D
Hi, Uriel - Lovely to see you. Glad that you enjoyed the Hub - it must have been difficult bringing up an entire litter. Thanks for the kind words!
Aww.. that was a nice one. :)
Thanks, aquasea - I am glad that you enjoyed the tale!
Its awesome to see people taking in such things. I don't have any animals around me right now but I always love to adopt. Sorry to hear of Tabitha's passing, but glad she left a new friend!
Hi, Hack Retis -
Thanks for the kind words - it certainly is nice to have animals around. Adopting is always good, and there are many needy animals without homes.
What a beautiful story, Sufi! Kaos, looks so adorable! All the best with him! :)
Several of our cats were purposely hit by our neighbors. I love your cat stories and pictures though.
Hi Jodi - Great to see you.
Thanks for the kind words, and I am glad that you enjoyed the story.
Hi Sweetie - That is a sad turn of affairs: Some people can be so cruel. Glad that you enjoyed the story and kitten pictures!
Oooh, it's so nice to read this heartwarming story on a cool saturday morning. It made me think that life can be so funny, sad and hopeful and interesting! Thanks for sharing this story. :-)
Thanks, Ripplemaker - Happy that the Hub gave you a nice start to the weekend! Life can be strange, and sometimes the fates seem to play tricks with us.
Enjoy the rest of the weekend :)
Hi sufi, likewise ! :-)
I will try - it is sunny, and a day for Greek Salad and Ouzo :)
Sufi
what a tearjerker and I kid you not! stories about animals always make me all squishy. may artemis bless you for your good heart - and great storytelling! thanks for sharing :D can i cry now? LOL
Beautiful :) Rescue cats can be the greatest of all. I had a Qatar-cat called Mi-mi (she told me her name) and a Malvern roadside rescue called Nefertiti. Cats rule.
Thanks Cris - from a master storyteller, that means a lot. Feel free to cry, and I promise to put some flowers on the shrine of Artemis, in Sparta, just for you :)
Thanks, Paraglider - Rescue cats are always the most fun - they seem to have big personalities and intelligence. I can imaging that the Qatari cats are resourceful and resilient.
Anyway, Sufi's orphanage continues to grow - we now have a nest of abandoned Pipit chicks to look after!
Found, pics and all! Mazeltov.
sweet
i love animals most of all chinchillas
Thanks, LondonGirl - Glad that you enjoyed the photos!
Thanks, Alex - Chinchillas are beautiful pets!
Hi Sufi,
Exellent stuff. Always enjoy reading your work. Thanks for looking after these animals!
Thanks for the kind words, bwpotman - great to hear from you. We must all do our little bit!
this reminded me of - Summer 2008 a kitten began to call at our holiday studio; I guess we were not the first couple to stay there who shared their breakfast time with him. He visited us morning and evening, near the end of our holiday; we went on a long day out came home and missed him. The next morning he did not call; but then I heared a pitiful cry, he had come to us but was too hurt to get to the door. I thought his feet had been burnt but he had been hit by a car or quad bike the night before, we got help for him. When we asked after him he was too badly hurt to save. I still feel sad when I think of it; he was such a character.
Thanks, 2uesday - that is a really sad story. It is devastating when that happens, even if they have only shared a small part of your life. A cat's life is often difficult and it is nice that he had love around him in his final moments. So many people would not have bothered finding help - you did your best to help the little guy.
All the best :)
Cathy says:
5 months ago
Oh I love it!!!! These types of Hubs really peek and keep my interest, and my heart. Bets of luck to you and Kaos!