Dispatches from a Dahab Cats volunteer - part 1

On 7 November 2020 we welcomed a new volunteer to Dahab Cats. Ismay settled in straightaway and is a great asset to our small team. Here is the first part of her story…

Friday 30th October:

So here officially starts the journey, I have just booked my flights and wrangled my way through all the complicated double negative wording of the insurance company’s covid policies. Some will cover me, some wont, most will take my money either way! I finally settled on the first one that I called (of course).

The flight is booked for Saturday the 7th, I have even more phone calls to sort out cancelling my car insurance and various other silly little things, but the flight is booked and that the import thing at this moment in time.

Earlier this week I created an amazon wishlist with some bits and bobs on it such as tick tools, treats, worming treatment etc... but most importantly some valerian drops and spray which the ladies over on the frontline have said might be handy for calming very upset kitties. I shared this wishlist on my facebook a couple of times and my wonderful crazy cat friends didn’t let me down so I now have a small collection of goodies to bring as offerings to the purry gods of Egypt.

Sunday 1st November:

Last night we had an announcement, to say I didn’t predict it would be a lie, but we are being locked down again... as of yet I have not been told my flight is cancelled.

A few friends messaged me out of concern for my plans, I have faith however that the flight will go ahead, the guidelines say that travel for work is still allowed so Gillian and myself have put together a letter should I need it for proof to allow me to travel.

No sense in worrying at this point, so I have already started packing, and by started I mean pretty much finished packing and tomorrow I scrap my beloved car, RIP Pootle!

Saturday 7th November:

Its flight day – I have been packed for about a week now, upacked and packed again. There was a few documents and stuff that needed to be completed to travel and of course they pretty much didn’t ask me for any of them!

At Gatwick airport I got speaking to a Canadian lady called Michelle who has lived in Dahab for 15 years, she was really nice and I have taken her number so at least I will know someone there once I arrive. We were both super lucky as our flight was the last one that wasn’t cancelled.

Saturday 14th November:

I have now been here one week, arriving in the middle of the TNR was super hectic and I jumped straight in administering ear and eye drops to a soppy black and white cat who came straight up for cuddles.

The TNR went really well, I forget the figures exactly but I think It was 60-something cats that were captured, neutered and released. One black and white cat who was brought in to be done, the vets said her insides were all yellow so we were very worried about liver disease but turns out she’s just eaten something that has dyed them (turmeric maybe?) and this will go away. She was however anaemic and needed a week of good food and pampering before being wormed and released but to a hotel called 7th heaven where she was captured – she enjoyed her stay with us so much that she wanted to stay and tried to follow us back to the car!

Friday 20th November:

Last night I had my longest and best sleep since I have been here, I have finally managed to (mostly) get Mr. Shouty Pants the kitten eating solid foods, before this week I was having to wake up all night to feed him milk and help him go to the toilet, he still screams non stop however... but I think hes just spoilt now, had the pleasured of taking him to the vet today and him having to had his anal gland drained of pus, I can forgive him for the screaming on that occasion.

In total I am now looking after 18 cats at the house, most are kittens which is lovely but to say it is all sunshine and rainbows would be very misleading!

There has been a virus going around that’s causing a lot of cats in Dahab to have very sore weeping eyes, runny noses, sneezing and diarrhoea. As you can imagine this is exhausting to try and keep on top of when you have 18 cats, just when you think you have them all in good health then suddenly something else is wrong – but I AM winning the battle and they are all looking so much better now than they did two weeks ago.... even if I do now have double the amount of them, the most recent additions being two beautiful grey fluffy kittens with green eyes who were both a complete state when they arrived, one has been here a week (Smokey) and is looking great now and is out and about with the other kittens, the other (Storm) has only been here two days and still matted and covered in poop and super skinny so will need some more time in isolation.

Thursday 26th November:

Dominique arrived 4am today, its going to be great to have an extra pair of hands to help me, means I can actually have some time off too!

In sadder news Calicivirus has found its way into the population at the other cat house, Gillian lost 3 cats this week with more still really unwell, I put out an appeal on our facebook page for funding to help us buy the vaccines and overnight we raised a staggering amount of money. Amazing - thank you everybody.

To be continued…..