Land of Meow...!
When I first stepped in to the city of Male', I've got bit curious about the dogs' lives, as I'm a dog lover. Even though it's a Islamic country, I did not realize that I will not see a single dog in this island. I've been living in this island for over 6 year now, but till today I have not encountered any dog. My friends in Male' told me that the army and airport used to have dogs for security purposes, but later locals complaint to the government about keeping dogs at the airport (according to Islam dog's saliva is consider as unhealthy, dirty thing. So when they sniff luggage and people they couldn't tolerate it) But I think army, they still keep few dogs inside their base, I'm not so sure as I have not seen them. But for sure I can say that you cannot raise or bring a dog to this country as it is prohibited. So if you are planning to visit Maldives with your pet dog, then you will not be able to cross the airport doors as they will send you back in the next flight.
Even though I was bit frustrated as I cannot see or pet any dogs in Male', my husband already took in one tiny little stray cat to raise in our small apartment. I'm basically an animal lover, more than people I'm close to animals and do talk to them, like 'hi, how are you?', and random things I do talk with animals. May be for some, you might think I'm crazy, but that's who I am. Well when I first enter to our apartment room, my husband introduced me to this little thing and well you know cats... she ignored me completely. But the next morning I made milk for her (yes she is a girl) and pet her a little bit and boom, she is on my lap. Her name is CK. After my husband left to work CK used to sleep on my lap, sit next to me till I finish cooking and watched movies with me. But still CK loves my husband more than me, as she used to live with my husband for few months before my arrival.
Chandi
CK
After I've started working, I've used to feed CK, clean her potty before leaving for work. When return from work and open the apartment door, she used to run near the door like a little puppy. Then it's all about her for the rest of the night. One night me and my husband went around Male' to feed some stray cats and came-across a tiny pinkish white mix cat (that one is also a girl). After we fed her she came after us, then both me and my husband thought lets give shelter to this little one as well. So she became our next family member. On first day she hissed at CK rather than being friendly, so I thought she is bit feisty and named her Chandi (in my language it means fearless). After few days both CK and Chandi became best friends and used to play around like two little kids.
Later after one year we've changed our apartment. Changing apartment is a big challenge when you have cats, as most of the apartment owners do not like to give their apartments if you are raising cats. Can't blame them also, because when you raise a cat they use to scratch on furniture even they have separate place to sharp their nails, fur every where even how many times you have brushed them. I like black colour outfits a lot, but I've used to avoid wearing them as even one tiny fur will stick out on my pants or tops. I love my little girls but have to say this, we are not living in a big house with garden area, we are living in a tiny apartment.. so when a cat pee or pooped the smell is bit strong. Even though you use smell absorbing potty, a tiny smell be left inside the apartment. In the new apartment we lived with our two cats for one year, but we had to send them to my country Sri Lanka, not only because of the apartment owner's request but because lack of health facilities available in Male' for the cats.
If you are raising a cat in Male', the biggest challenge you will face is finding a good vet and medical facilities. We've used to call government appointed vet (he is from Sri Lanka) whenever the cats are unwell. But sometime there are no proper medicine. One of our friend lost their cat due to lack of medication. Most of the time when we visit Sri Lanka, we use to bring medicine to our cats. There is a cat group on FB called 'Maldivian Cataholics', and most of the requests are asking help for their cats. Over the years we were in contact with three vets. Per year one comes and serve and leave, then for few months there won't be any doctor... after few months another will come and leave after completing one year. During 2017 one doctor from Sri Lanka came and went, after that no one came. Not only cats, when there is no doctor, birds, rabbits and other pets they all suffer. The vet also used to visit other islands as well. As there is only one doctor for the whole country, when the doctor visit one island, rest of the other islands' animals suffer and emergency cases no longer become emergencies and animals tend to die in front of their owners.
This lack of medical attention made us to send our two little girls to my parents in Sri Lanka. After a huge documentation process in both countries, finally we've managed to take them with us to my country. Well they are happy in Lanka as they have ample of space to run around. But imagine other cats in Maldives, without a proper doctor they are suffering (I've heard recently there is a clinic and an Indian vet is there to treat the animals.). The other sad thing about these cats' lives is most of the owners throw their cats to the street after raising them for sometime. Most of the stray cats that you encounter on the streets used to be a house pet. Reason.... well when some people travel to another country they throw their pet cats to the street as there will be no one to take care of them, mostly foreigners do this. When foreigners come to this country for work, they tend to raise a cat to avoid their loneliness, but when they are leaving the country rather than taking their pet with them, they just throw them to the street. Other reason is when people see any illness, rather than treating to the illness they just abandoned them and take in a brand new kitten. When the cat gets old they automatically get kicked-out from the house. So basically cat's pet life of not so heavenly in Male', at the end they will end up on the street. There are very few people who actually take care of their pet cats. But most of the cat owners they just raise them out of fun and they only care about the breed... so there is a slim chance that a normal breed cat to get a good home in Male'.
There are lot of pathetic cat lives living on the streets of Male', it's heartbreaking to see them, yet I'm powerless to help them, the only thing I do is to feed them. Animal cruelty is another big issue in Male'. There were reports on brutal serial killings and beatings of stray cats in the city. Video footage and photographic evidence were circulated on social media and called for proper investigation. Animal lovers in Maldives reacted very strongly every time such crime is committed, but the law is hardly ever enforced and barely investigated.
If you are a foreign worker who live and work in Maldives, and planning to raise a cat because of your loneliness then please do not raise any... because at the end when you are leaving this country you will ultimately abandon your cat and leave. If you still want to raise one, then plan to take them with you when you are leaving the country. Your cat also has a soul, it also has feelings just like you and me. Please DO NOT LEAVE THEM ON THE STREET..!!
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