A Feral cat colony in Mumbai being fed by a common Mumbai cat enthusiast.
by Rudolph.A.Furtado
(Mumbai)
On Sunday (29-5-2011) I happened to be at "B.P.T Botanical Garden" in Colaba for a guided botanical tour of the garden by the B.N.H.S (Bombay Natural History Society).
As I had arrived earlier than the scheduled time of 0800 hrs, I visited the nearby famous "Sassoon Fishing dock", clicking photo's as usual.
Suddenly, outside the B.P.T (Bombay Port trust) botanical garden gate I happened to notice a group of stray cats running towards a lady.
The lady opened her bag and laid some food on the streets which the cats relished, listening to her commands akin to pet dogs.
The main "Black cat" which resembles a "Bombay cat" in appearance was a 3 legged cat, its hind right leg being totally amputated from the base of the thigh.
Black cats in India are considered unlucky amongst superstitious Indians and hence was surprised to note a feral cat thriving on the congested streets of Mumbai in spite of a severe handicap.
It proves the fact that cats are great survivors, hence the term "9-LIVES" in cat folklore and human superstition.
This particular ordinary low income woman has been feeding these cats regularly in the morning since the last 5 years.
It's rare to see people feeding stray cats in Mumbai, most of them preferring stray dogs, hence this particular woman's pet philanthropy was something unique in a city which doesn't have "social welfare" nor much of pet or animal rights activism.
This pack of feral cat colony are very lucky to have a human benefactor to feed them as street cats might not be so lucky, most leading miserable short lives. Remember the "Animal Farm" quote by George Orwell, quote, "Some animals are more equal'!
It was an excellent Sunday morning, having accomplished a photo shoot at "Sassoon Fishing Dock",a feral cat colony and its human benefactor and an education in Botany and tree conservation by Prof Dr M.R.Almeida and his students of "B.N.H.S".
Rudolph
