July 19, 2014

July 19, 2014

Nothing works here.  As a card carrying existentialist I can understand changes in one’s life, but this is ridiculous.  Ever since the bombings it has been difficult for me to find kitty food for my Siamese mixed with a Persian.  She usually likes meow mix, but lately due to the explosions and the sense of dread around the area, she hasn’t been eating properly.   I used to get wet and dry food, but now it is very difficult to find any wet cat food in the market.  Usually I would try to get it from Egypt, but even that is drying (no pun intended) up.  Her favorite was tender favorites® with real salmon in sauce, but now, if I can find it, she will eat Tender Centers Salmon & White Meat Chicken Flavor, but that as well, is not that easy to find.  In fact, even having water for my cat is difficult.  I’ve been hearing rumors that the sewerage system either is or was placed on the verge of collapse, that groundwater contamination is in the enclave.

I invested in owning a bird’s cage, because I had birds as well, but under these conditions it’s very hard to keep them alive.  Nevertheless the bird cage is suitable for me to put my kitty inside, when I have to continue to move around, in case of bombings or attacks.  My cat’s full name is Felix the Cat, but of course I call her Felix.  I was inspired to call her Felix because of the cartoon series. Over time, or ever since I was a child, I would lose a lot of property, and I was intrigued by Felix, because of his “Magic Bag of Tricks” that could assume an infinite variety of shapes and forms at Felix’s request.  I would imagine if I had to leave my home right away, all I need would be the magic bag.   I think Felix (the cartoon character) influenced my interest in having a cat.   Also to open up a pet store here in the Gaza Strip.

It’s a tricky business, because let’s face it, what I offer at the store is a luxury item, and without political or financial stability, people are not thinking of getting a bird or a cat.  I have approached some parents, especially mothers that a child can find great comfort in owning and taking good care of a cat.  Birds are good as well, but their survival rate in the current situation is not all that good.  So, my main inventory is cats, but it is a very difficult business.   Also with the lack of pet food in general, I'm feeling guilty obsessing over my cat over the other cats in the inventory.

Sometimes I feel like I should let all my cats free, because I don’t think I can stomach the idea that my structure can be bombed and lose all my animals in such a fashion.  If somehow they disappear on one night, at least I can have the fantasy that they are somewhere in the area surviving like the cunning beasts that I know them to be.  My Felix has a good personality.   One can hope that she will use her bag of tricks, and make a flying carpet, so both of us can float over the landscape and marvel a world that is down there, and me and Felix are not part of that world.