It wasn’t the right time to get a cat. Not only was I in denial about a suspected animal allergy, but I was sharing a tiny rented flat in Dubai that barely had enough space for our handbags, let alone a pet. When I saw a local cat charity begging for someone to foster a three-legged kitten on Christmas Eve, however, I couldn’t resist. With so many volunteers away for the holidays, he urgently needed a place to stay. Tarmac, as they’d named him, had been found in a car park missing one of his front paws. The vets had no idea how he’d lost it, but said he’d need an operation to remove the remainder of his leg as he grew older.
The charity advertised the kitten for adoption, and in the meantime he came home with me. As a tiny, rescued kitten who had experienced trauma, he could have been shy and frightened – but he had other ideas. From the moment he came out of his carrier, he was instantly playful and he would constantly climb into my lap for cuddles. As he hopped boldly around my apartment, I renamed him Roo, which suited his curious nature and bouncy walk.
