Dogs and cats - especially for Mara

[Toitjie]

Andrea - in some universe we are related... such a beautiful and moving story. I am a devout cat lover too...my first cat that will always be the love of my life had a similar story to yours (not as rough though)

When I was in St 6 my parents moved to the Cape, and we stayed on a beautiful piece of land owned by the AEC between Gouritsmond and Stilbaai. There were wild animals, also a caracal near the house..and a completely wild seal-point siamese. Someone threw him away when he was a baby and he managed to live in the wild on his own for around 4 years. Until he met me.. He lived primarily off moles that he caught by patiently waiting for them to surface and then snatching them, so his diet of raw meat ensured that he was HUGE!

I searched until I found him and of course he ran away. This was repeated for weeks, I left him little pieces of meat, then milk, and then I managed to lure him to the house. Eventually he allowed me to touch him and weeks later he came into the house, and eventually was tame enough so the whole family could pet him.

I named him Sylvester, but we was still a wild animal and one day got into a fight with a caracal. He was so badly injured and completely covered in blood and goo that my parents said he would have to be put down. That was an argument I can remember and they gave in to my demand, and Sylvester lived.

But ultimately, when we moved back to Pretoria, they won and he was put down. It was a long time before I talked to them again, but maybe it was for the better. He would not have adapted to the city and maybe he would or maybe he wouldnt have survived in the wild again, after living with us for a while.

Cats are such clever, wonderful creatures. Sylvester only ever approached my dad when he wore a denim, and he ran up his leg. Wearing working clothes, Sylvester didnt try it