Our Squirrel
Written and photography by Katherine Orr
Squirrel (more grandly known as Philippe) joined our family by way of Ursula Hope from Lynmeyer Community Animal Rescue Association in Johannesburg. LCARA networks lost, found and stolen animals, rescues, TNRs and supports outreach in the South of Johannesburg.
When I asked Ursula for a little more background on Squirrel’s back story, she said “it’s boring” – he and his siblings were found at a school in Alberton where feral cat feeders have been supporting a fully sterilised colony. This is a very common occurrence, people dumping unwanted kittens thinking that they’ll be integrated into the colony and live happy lives. What happens instead is that tiny babies are left to their own devices in a very hostile environment in which they’re totally unequipped to cope.
After a couple of weeks in foster care with Ursula, this tiny ball of tabby fluff came to join our family. He was nervous, had a few scratches and scars still from his ordeal, and was a little overwhelmed by the huge changes that had already happened in his short life.
We did try hard to stick to the name Philippe, but he’s stuck with his nickname since his fantastic and spectacular tail has far surpassed the rest of him as he’s grown.
To most people he probably looks like just another tabby cat, bog standard and totally unexceptional. But under this woolly exterior is the kindest and sweetest little cat that you could ever wish to meet.
Just after he joined our family, we had Granny staying for a few weeks to recover after a hospital stay. He was a super little companion to her (and her cat), sleeping on her lap, or being a clown and lifting her spirits.
He’s just as happy in canine company as feline, and is an exceptional tree climber. Living on a smallholding means that he has quite a vast terrain, but when called, he comes sprinting from the far reaches of the “wilderness” with his squirrely tail held high!
I simply couldn’t, don’t ever want to, imagine life without him.
