Minnie The Minorcan Kitten

A tiny little head peeped around the tree in spite of the splashing and high jinks in the swimming pool by the villa holidaymakers enjoying life on their week’s holiday.  Where had this gorgeous bundle of fluff come from and where was her mother?

It was very hot in Minorca in July and we wondered where the cats got their drinking water from. Probably in desperation from the chlorinated pool water with the risk of falling in. We discovered that rather like Greece, there are plenty of semi-wild thin cats looking for food, water and a safe place to sleep.  We had been warned by the villa owner not to feed the cats because they slept on the cushions and messed them up.

We had only booked a week so we told ourselves that we could not do much to help this little adorable stray. Somehow she knew we were friendly humans amongst the not so kind! Quite how I dont know. She was so adorable like a little Disney character with the cutest grey and white face.  We saw an adult cat, clearly her mother with the same markings, but she ran off disowning the kitten.  What to do?  We were told that a woman on the island fed the cats.  But how could she feed them all and know where they were.  we saw one bowl in the bushes but it was a fair distance from the villa and plenty of thin feral cats also looking for food to get passed. We rang the rescue society but they suggested donating to the RSPCA.  We didn’t really like that idea as to how would we know where our money went.  It was too expensive to take her home and no time. Also living on a farm we had more than enough animals to look after.

Minnie became more daring and friendly peeping at us through the hedge, round the tree etc. She was no match for the big Toms so we decided to give her water and a little bit of leftover food. How could we resist?

On leaving we left a note in the visitor’s book saying that this kitten did at least need water! If not food. Sadly it was time to go home all too soon and we were very sad and upset to leave this little bundle of fluff to fend for herself, like so many animals in other countries too.