Cats are complex creatures that are admired on a global scale, as evidenced by their prevailing online presence in the meme community.
This admiration rings truer in Egypt because ancient Egyptians not only kept cats as pets; they would also mummify them for ensured companionship in the afterlife or as votive offerings to deities with feline qualities.
Egypt’s stray cat population is widespread across all governorates, and any Egyptian with a cat as a household member would affirm that each one has a special personality, making it an intriguing endeavor to try and determine what they’re thinking.
A Facebook page titled Cats of Egypt has gotten close to achieving this feat by allowing the nation’s cat-loving community to submit first-person narratives of the cats they rescue or encounter on the street. Garnering more than 100 thousand followers, the page has become vastly popular in its attempt to give a voice to the voiceless, raising awareness about animal welfare through a humorous and creative approach.
Each story in the page is special and unique, and we’ve compiled some of the most charming ones for your enjoyment.
Mocha, who isn’t a fan of her name…
“Despite being an artist and owning this shop, the woman who rescued me from the streets didn’t have an ounce of creativity when she decided to name me. ‘I’ll call you Mocha because that’s your color.’ Yeah, thanks a lot for the effort! Clearly a better name for me would be Diva because of the way I look and walk.
I’m the prettiest cat in Garden City, but, unfortunately, my previous owner threw me out on the streets a year ago when I was only known as ‘Omm Bailey’ (Bailey’s mother), but that’s a story for another time.
Alas, here I am, living in the shop with this so-called artist and with Bailey. Anyway, enough about me; you should probably check that person shoplifting back there.”
Zamalek, Cairo.
As for Bailey…
Bailey: “I’m in no mood to tell my story, just let me sleep!”
Mocha: “Please, do it for me, Bailey. The woman’s got chicken in her bag and the scent is driving me crazy.”
Bailey: “Fine, fine. My name is Bailey, and I’m Mocha’s daughter. Shortly after I was born, I had some health issues and the artist took me to the vet, and then chaos ensued. After believing for my entire life that I was a Persian cat like my mom, I found out that my father was a baladi cat and I inherited his short fur despite possessing Persian characteristics. So, now, I’m neither a Persian nor a baladi. Somebody tell me who the heck I am, and why Mocha hid this information from me! All the cats in Mohamed Mazhar street now call me the ‘Identity Crisis Cat.’ However, rest assured that once I finally determine who I am, I’ll be unstoppable. Can I have that promised chicken now or should I just get back to my nap?”
Zamalek, Cairo.
Meanwhile at the Giza Zoo…
“The animals at the zoo don’t like us because people come play with us and forget about them; they think we’re only here for the attention when, in fact, we’re here with a message. We’ve taken it upon ourselves to end the suffering of animals. Imagine if people stopped wanting to look at animals in cages, what would be the point of keeping them trapped? The humans would then designate the zoo for cats – so long as they keep bringing us food and observing us in all our glory, that is – and the other animals would be free to return to their natural habitat. We’re sacrificing ourselves for the greater good, and, well, some extra attention never hurt anyone…”
Giza Zoo, Giza.
Coming to the topic of cat discrimination in Mansoura…
“I love hunting and sleeping. As you can see, my fur is black, and I don’t understand why it makes people afraid of me or, even worse, attack me. I love humans, and I’m very friendly, but I once heard someone call me a demon or an evil spirit, and I got very upset and rushed back home.
Since I was born, I’ve had a problem with my eye, and it made it difficult to see my friends clearly. The humans took me to a vet, and now I’m much better. The last time I ventured outdoors, I got lost until I was able to find my humans again.
I’d just like to take this opportunity to say no to discrimination. Cats have different colors just like humans; we are all God’s creatures, after all. Before I go, let me tell you the most interesting fact about me: I love tomatoes and chocolate.”
Mansoura, Egypt
And finally, the compassion that can be found in Port Said…
“I was born here. My mother came to this place a long time ago, and honestly, the people here take really good care of us. This building welcomes new people every day, but the security guy is the one who feeds us – he even lets us sleep on his chair.
He’s a very compassionate man, and he’s nice to everyone, even the students who come here for private lessons; sometimes, he lets them take the elevator instead of the stairs. I was once sleeping on this chair, on a hot day, and I woke up to find that he had pointed the fan at me while he sat elsewhere in the heat.”
Port Said, Egypt
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