The months of July and August were exceptionally cats’ months. It started on the last week of July when we decided to bring a pest control company to our house to spray the kitchen as it was becoming infested with cockroaches.
We called the usual pest control company that we dealt with before for our termite and ants’ problems. They’d always insisted on an inspection — days before every spraying session — and used pet-friendly products. This time, they went through the usual pre-spraying drill but went wrong with the choice of the pesticide.
Wearing the usual beige uniform with the unique letter “K” on the breast pocket, their worker started spraying early morning. The smell was super strong and I kept asking him — through the helper as he only spoke their mother tongue — if the product was safe for cats, to which he kept responding affirmatively. Other than language barrier, his manner of spraying indoors was dubious. He kept spraying the kitchen table tops — yep you read that right — and the whole floor leaving it glistening. By the time he reached the top floor, Mansoor — my old fat cat — started vomiting (which was unlike him).
Hours after the worker left, mum started complaining of heart palpitation and the helper of a severe headache. By eight o’clock in the evening, all hell broke loose as the signs of poisoning started showing on kittens. Juma — the cute kitten — was running around the house in a panic mode and bumping into things. With the aid of the helper, I was able to trap and push him into a carrier. He had lost control of his hinder legs and I assumed that he was hit by a car. However, his moves were jerky and he kept falling on his sides — which was not consistent with a broken leg.
I went out again to find his brother Jameel acting aggressively, chocking on food and walking funny. Witnessing that, I finally realised what was happening with the kittens. Jameel joined his sibling in the carrier and I called the veterinary clinic emergency line. I reached there by eight thirty and admitted both kittens — Juma had temporarily lost his sight — and went back home to find that their sister Jameela had also lost control of her hinder legs. I drove back to the clinic and was home by ten.
The nightmare continued the next day as three more kittens displayed similar signs of poisoning: aggression, infected eyes and loss of control of hinder legs. They were rushed to the other veterinary branch. In the evening, Rayhana —an adult cat — joined the admitted gang after having a wobbly gait.
It was my first poisoning experience and I felt emotionally drained. The worst part was not knowing how it might end. Thankfully, the kittens’ full recovery varied between a week or two. The sad part was having to put Jameela down after suffering from a chronic pneumonia.
However, the saga continued for another two weeks. I had to trap two more kittens that were showing minor signs of poisoning (only one survived). I’d like to thank the staff of Al Qurum Veterinary Clinic for their continuous efforts and support of my endless feline tribe for the past thirteen years (especially the heroes of this story: Dr Daisy, Dr Lucy, Dr Vladimir and Super Maria!). And guess what? A week after spraying, the cockroaches appeared once again! Next week, I’ll be discussing a less stressful topic (I promise!).
It will be about August, the month of the new-born kittens dumped in my garden (by their own mothers and humans alike!). Stay tuned!
Rasha al Raisi is a certified skills trainer and the author of:
The World According to Bahja.
rashabooks@yahoo.com
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