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Paws for the catman

ABU DHABI - The hoot of a horn is heard in the distance. The cats perk their ears at the familiar sound and start gathering at their designated feeding area for their afternoon treat.

Saddique opens the boot of his car and scoops dried food with his ice cream jar. He tops it up with chicken skin and leftover bones, sprinkles some fresh sardines and distributes them equally to the eager felines.Saddique (not his real name) is a familiar figure in the demolished labour camp in Mussafah. He moves with a purpose, no time is lost on chit-chat or on his own meal.

“I don’t want to waste time; I have many more areas to cover so I didn’t eat my lunch today. If I eat I will be late,” he said.

With 32 feeding stations — 20 in Mussafah, seven in Mushriff and five in the Mina area — Saddique has to be fast, as his little furry friends are expectant. The truck drivers who now use the old labour camp as base are also familiar with Saddique.

Saddique, an Indian national who works as sales supervisor, came to know of the plight of the cats from a Pakistani truck driver last year. “He said the camp is being demolished here and after the people left no one is feeding them so I came and since then I come here every day,” he said.

Saddique moved with his wife to Abu Dhabi six and a half years ago. The devout Muslim was touched by the sad plight of the stray animals after hearing a cat wail for food outside a closed garbage bin by his villa.

“I gave it food, then the next day it brought along its three kittens, then more cats came.” What started out as pity for one cat became a mission for Siddique who now spends about four hours every day after work to feed over 450 strays cats, dogs and birds.

It costs him Dh5,000 a month, a sum he cannot afford. “Ninety per cent of my salary is spent on cat food,” he said.

A bank loan payment of Dh10,000 is due on April. In addition, his house contract is up for renewal next month and he has to come up with Dh18,000 to cover his six-month rent.

There are expenses back home in India as his wife delivered their first son four months ago. Saddique is desperate to see his son but needs to settle his debt first.

“I need help to clear my debt,” he said. “If not cash, at least someone to donate food permanently for the cats.” He fears his feline friends will go hungry if he is not around to feed them

“I can find people who are willing to feed when I am not here, but they want money,” he said ruefully. “Saddique is a very honest man, he is doing this from his heart. He’s a very special guy,” commended Mariom Koot, another animal lover who donates food and cash and helps raise money for Saddique.

olivia@khaleejtimes.com

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