A Long Road to Happiness

The story of Etela’s cats I took in two years ago has already been told and there’s not much to add, as most of the little heroes that miraculously managed to live through the tragedy are still here, happy, secure and carefree. First the ravaging blaze which

had devastated the cat and dog shelter they lived in, and then weeks of fending for themselves on the site of the fire must have been the biggest challenge any animal could be forced to experience, but the strongest and the most fortunate ones did survive, they

reached safety here and hopefully have many good years ahead.

Unfortunately, not all of them went straight from their ravaged home to some place where they would be able to recover and maybe even to forget. The news of the

tragedy at Etela’s shelter shocked everyone at the time, there was a lot of sadness and confusion, emotions were running high and it wasn’t easy to keep a clear head on finding solutions for all of the animals left behind. By the time I went there to pick up

the cats, three of them had already left that place of horror, but for all three of them, to their misfortune, being rescued was just the beginning of another nightmare.

They were placed, with recommendation, into

some wild shelter near Belgrade, which was described as a wonderful environment with a wonderful woman who was taking care of them. Three months later it turned out the environment was not that wonderful and all three cats – Speki,

Katana and Misti were brought to me, emaciated and sick, sad living proof of utter neglect. Full of worms and fleas, with ear mites and fungal infection, they looked much worse than any of the cats I picked up at the burned out shelter months earlier.

In fact, they had so many health problems that it wasn’t easy to decide which one to address first. Speki had already been castrated but he arrived here with the wound infected, so he had surgery again. Katana wasn’t even spayed, they had never been

vaccinated, dewormed, deflead, nothing. It seemed so unjust, they endured so much, watched their home burn down, succeeded to stay alive and then end up…where?

I was trying to keep them separated from the other cats the best

I could, but in spite of my efforts, ear mites spread through the shelter, as there wasn't any proper quarantine room, and that problem persists and erupts every now and then. Although I was told all three of them were shy and withdrawn, they were anything but; Speki is

perhaps the friendliest tomcat I’ve ever met and both girls are just a little less affectionate and lovable. Katana is blind in one eye but I have no idea when and how she got hurt, Speki also has blurred vision in one eye, which is probably a result of some old

injury and they are both ear-tipped. Misti was horribly skinny but otherwise apparently healthy when she arrived, even though her prominent bones, angular face and sunken in cheeks were clearly telling a story of long months of starvation, just the

same. Their history remains unknown.

All in all, Speki, Katana and Misti are now living the lives they deserve, with full bellies, pampered and loved, without a care in the world. They went through hell and back but surprisingly never lost hope and

trust in humans, as if they knew that brighter days would come and the sun would begin to shine upon them. With the amazing ability to forgive and an unshakable belief in a better tomorrow, they kept their charm and loveliness through the deepest darkness, not

letting the misery extinguish their light. When they arrived here, their time to shine had finally come.