“A driver is trying to warn me there’s a problem. A kitten running alongside the traffic”
Stuck in a long tail-back of traffic on the bridge spanning the Arade, TJ had to bite the bullet and wait. “Like everyone else, with Christmas looming ahead, patience has its limits.” Through her rear-view mirror, she spied the driver behind, gesticulating. “At first, I thought he wanted me to do a miraculous take-off, like a jet or something.” TJ’s grin turns to a frown. “He’s trying to warn me there’s a problem. A kitten running alongside the traffic.” Sure enough, a very tiny dash of white and a streak of blood. “It was scared, bloodied and terrified. It then leapt under my car up into the hot under-carriage.”
Together with the driver in the car behind, TJ managed to locate and extricate one very damaged tiny kitten. Hair standing on end, soaked and absolutely crazed. “There was little I could do, apart from jam the poor creature into my shopping bag and ram a towel over it.”
The traffic had started to move, so the rescued cat and TJ moved off and made their way to her hair salon outside of Praia da Rocha. “Luckily, I managed to settle the cat down, arrange for a visit to the vets in Porches and then try and get on with my morning appointments.”
Looking back on the whole fiasco, TJ was given an early Christmas gift. Ardent APAA supporter, she has helped to re-home several animals herself and on behalf of Association for Protection of Animals Algarve.
“Deciding on a name was difficult, trying everything in the book. Finally realising it answered to ‘Kitty’, most likely because of the food, that is what she became.”
Unfortunately, TJ’s gain meant that Kitty’s tail had to be removed, having been badly burnt and irreparably damaged. She is now learning from an early age to do without. “I can only think that the cat was either travelling with its owner and jumped out of the car.” She pauses. Or … dumped? Nevertheless, the ‘Kitty-Cat’ has a loving home.
Jenny Clarke, president of APAA, was only too happy to hear the story – “which proves animal lovers will take every opportunity and shoulder some of the responsibility for abandoned animals, looking after our four-legged friendly friends when they need help the most.” Thanks especially from Tailless-Siamese ‘Kitty’.
Dates for your diary
- February 21: ‘Pop-Up’ Shop at The Jolly Bar Alvor, near campsite, from 11am to 2pm. A huge range of goods for home, garden and patio. Homemade jams and cookies. Fi-Line Fashion and Gill Goode’s prints and cards.
- March 9: Ferragudo car boot sale, second Sunday of every month, from 8am to 12 noon.
- March 10: ‘Pop-Up’ Shop, chicken piri-piri day at O Tasco restaurant, in Senhora do Verde, Portimão, from 12pm to 3pm.
- March 22: Another Paul & Pasi Health Day (further details soon).
Charity Auction: Algarve emporium Facebook
By APAA
