Meet the latest addition
to the Critters of Casa de Verde,
Na’at Maukat.
Critters of Casa de Verde (House of Green).
Right to left:
Delight, Brunhilda, Apophis, JTG, Na’at, Dorcas, Zorrita, Fenris, Anubis.
Na’at is named for the Egyptian goddess of JUSTICE. Her surname, “Maukat”, comes from the Egyptian word for cat, “Mau”, combined with the suffix “-kat”, I used to produce “Maukat”. Na’at Maukat joins her kitty cousins Anubis Maukat and Apophis Maukat, as well as the other Critters of Casa de Verde.
Na’at came to me one recent summer day when I walked out onto the front porch. I had been putting cat food on the front porch because one of my other cats, Anubis, had not been coming into the house due to the invasion of Delight’s puppies. Anubis is a big chicken cat. When the puppers run to him to give him puppy love, he runs away and has not been in the house, as far as I know, in about six months. In order to keep him alive, I’ve been putting food out on the front porch, which has the side effect of feeding feral cats as well. This has had the effect of the local ferals being much less aggressive than they used to be because they have enough food to eat without fighting and even eating each other, as they had historically done.
So I walked outside and I spotted a grey and white blur that dashed into a rolled-up carpet on my porch awaiting disposal. I reached inside and pulled out a fuzzy bit, which turned out not to be the kitten I saw. I tried to hold onto the kitten I had captured while trying to get at the other kitten, but the grey kitty was struggling so much I realized I could not catch the other while holding onto the first, and so I let the other go. I heard a MEOW and I turned and saw the mother cat and two kittens run away from the porch.
Na’at and Dorcas with Human
I took the grey ball inside. My first concern was to protect it from the puppies. Last summer, one of the puppies had brought in a bloody and chewed up kitten which I rescued and saved and went on to be adopted by another Kossack. This year’s kitten was older than last year’s kitten, but still rather small. Last year’s kitten required kitten formula since it was so young, but this one was fine with solid food. I had several cans of cat food left over from last year and so I started feeding it. I kept it in a large pet-carrier, with a pan of litter and water. I took it out regularly and introduced it to the puppies, one at a time until after several weeks, all the puppies had gotten to know it and vice versa.
Na’at shows her kitty cousin Apophis who is Boss as Delight looks on.
I considered several names for the new kitten, and in keeping with the Egyptian pantheon naming pattern, I decided on Na’at, the Egyptian goddess of JUSTICE.
Na’at and her kitty cousin Apophis took to each other right away and are now very close. When I see one, whether in the house or outside, the other is usually nearby. This is good because, without her mother, who still lives in the front yard, she needs a feline mentor to teach her how to cat.
Today I am having Na’at spayed at the local SPCA because I don’t want any more kittens, at least not from her. She will not only be spayed but be getting all her vaccines, dewormed, defleaed, and chipped, which all comes to $170. This is a lot but is much less than any local vet would charge, and much-much less than the cost of raising a litter of unexpected kittens.
Delight’s unexpected baby puppers
I learned that I need to get my critters neutered early because of my experience with Delight and her puppies. I had little funding at that time and as Delight was in the backyard and I didn’t think she could get out nor any males could get to her, I thought she would be safe. However last spring (2017) there was a local windstorm with 60ish MPH winds that blew down the fence, and the neighbor’s dog got to Delight and the result was PUPPY LOVE.
Na’at has become a central figure in my household. She has become fearless around the puppies, which is a big advance from the days when I was afraid she might be killed by them. Even when the big boy Fenris runs at her, she pretty much just takes his antics in stride.
#jtg
P.S. I can always use help with pet food and supplies as I am a substitute teacher and that doesn’t pay very well. You can help by going to my Amazon Pet Supplies Wishlist and send something for my critters.
Thank you.
Cosmic kittah
Na’at in a sunbeam by her kitty cousin Apophis (left edge of photo)
Zorrita and Na’at wrastle.