I used to give cats the right of way whenever one crossed my path. I did not do so out of respect for the animals but out of fear. Outside my house large numbers of cats gather every day at the garbage containers, searching for food which is always available. The cats bother me, and many time, I have wished that someone would solve the problem in the usual way — taking them to some distant place and dumping them there. Miraculously, my prayers were answered and suddenly there were no cats in the neighborhood. I waited to make sure they had actually disappeared. Of course I wondered where they had gone but it didn’t really matter as they were surely gone. I was happy that the problem had been solved and the animals taken away.

My happiness, however, was short-lived. I soon read that a man named Jack, who seemed to be a gentle and compassionate person when it came to pets, had spoken about the emotional torment he suffered finding himself obliged to put his beloved rooster, which had died, into a plastic bag and burying it in his garden. He spoke of the sadness that dominated his life and how this had led him to think of building wooden caskets for animal burial. The caskets are decorated and have a place on top to hold the animal’s picture. I must admit that I have no idea why anyone would put a picture on a casket that is going to be buried several feet underground.

Looking carefully at Jack’s picture, I had the impression that I was looking at an evil man. It is a far cry from my own picture, which I hope gives the impression of a nice and docile person. It is said you shouldn’t judge people by the way they look. Jack may be a sensitive man while I may be cruel. On my way to work, I see dead cats in the street having been killed by cars.

I admit that instead of stopping to remove the dead animals and put them in a casket or a plastic bag, I simply speed away. I hope Jack will forgive me and I promise him that from this day on, I will be more caring when it comes to cats and other animals. I will even ask the traffic authorities to include cats in all future traffic awareness campaigns. The slaughter of cats on our streets must stop.

Arab News From the Local Press 4 March 2003