WE have two cats: Zorro, so-called because of a black mask around his eyes, is the male. His sister, Canela, is a cinnamon colour; canela is the Portuguese word for cinnamon.
They are remarkably different, despite being siblings.
Zorro is very much a home body, whilst Canela likes to roam.
Unlike many of the local cats, ours have been ‘done’.
They have had some rather important parts of their anatomy removed, in an attempt to control what can, we understood, be rather extreme behaviour.
Unfortunately, some of the tissue which generates the critical hormone in Canela seems to have been missed and she undergoes some kind of dreadful metamorphosis periodically.
She begins to make a throaty, rasping sound and to ‘spray’ on surfaces. She is clearly in the grip of a chemically-induced behaviour which seems to take over her personality.
At these times, she will wander off, seeking diversion, and often stays away overnight.
This can be distressing, especially as ‘she who must be obeyed’ has an evening curfew for the animals and they generally comply, being fed and abed by twilight. Canela’s aberrant behaviour creates a mild sense of tension, as we await her return, never quite sure where she is, what might be happening to her and what state she might be in when she reappears.
There only seemed to be three options. Firstly, just accept it. This, being the simplest, was my preferred scenario.
The second, a somewhat drastic choice, was to have the poor little mite undergo further surgery, in an attempt to remove (this was by no means guaranteed, we were told) the offending remaining tissue.
The third choice, prompted by one of those random Internet searches, was to acquire some sort of tracking device.
As unlikely as it might seem, there are collars, especially manufactured for cats, which not only allow an owner to locate said feline, but to track its movements over a period of time.
This is the stuff of science fiction. It was also an expensive option.
Of course, option three prevailed. A collar was duly obtained, and so began the saga of accustoming a small cat to a relatively large collar.
The collar was placed around her neck and it was not well received.
She went into reverse, as if she were trying to back away from it.
The collar was removed.
Canela was given a little cat treat. The collar was reintroduced. She went into reverse again.
This cycle continued for a while, until I became convinced that she was going backwards just to get another treat! At this point, the collar was left on and a sort of uneasy calm descended, as she slowly became used to the weight and bulk of the offending item.
I had, fortunately, read the literature and had pre-charged the battery. She went outside and it was great!
We could go online and follow her movements.
We could track her as she wandered around.
Now we will know, when she goes into ‘wanderlust mode’, where she goes. Hopefully, we’ll be able to go and find her and bring her home.
Watch this space!
* Mike Gaunt is a former headmaster at St Christopher’s School, Bahrain
– mikegaunt@gmail.com