Medina Cats

This gallery is dedicated to the millions of cats that inhabit the old Medinas of Morocco. Their lives are mostly very difficult and short lived. As far as I know there are no federal or provincial programs which address their over-breeding, homelessness and multiple health problems.

Cats have a special place in Muslim society. Although not specifically mentioned in the Koran, Prophet Mohammed is said to have loved cats and had a special cat named Muezza. I found no reference as to its gender. Cats are allowed inside mosques because they are considered clean animals.

Most people treat cats with compassion, however over-breeding results in the majority of new born kittens dying within weeks after birth. Kittens are normally weaned for 8-10 weeks, however considering that most cat mothers are themselves malnourished and often diseased, I suspect the weaning time here is cut short. The only possible survival strategy for a kitten is to try its best to find a human being to bond with and care for it.

My own two cats are Medina cats. Kitty, now over 10 years old, I heard crying outside my door. She was probably about 4-6 weeks old at the time. I had not given any serious thought to having a cat as a house companion and initially I brought her inside, gave her a bowl of milk and put her back outside again. She was lucky that day because I could still hear her tiny meows and made a instant decision to take her in.

Kat is a very rambunctious male, now about 4 years old. I accepted him as a reciprocal gesture from the Director of the Fondouq Americain, the animal charity hospital just outside the Medina. Dr. Gigi Kay had kindly attempted to find a way to repair the wing injuries of my Booted Eagle. The Fondouq had recently stopped accepting cats as “patients” – likely overwhelmed by the large numbers of cats that were brought in for treatment. However they had recently accepted a young cat with a very special personality and I happily took him home with me.

Both these cats are semi-feral which means that while they need and accept human care, they maintain something of a more independent and wild character. Although they are male and female, they have always kept their distance from each other and regularly get into spats which are partially playful and partially savage. Both have been neutered, so their natural sex related hormones cannot function.

These photos show the endearing tender moments in their lives as well as the tragic deaths of the unfortunate majority.