# A big Meow from Malta



## silvio (Jul 20, 2006)

Hi,

Just joined the forum and am greatly impressed with the love and devotion people give to their little friends.

I am from Malta, right in the middle of the Mediterranean (you need to crank the magnification up on the maps to see us).

We, my wife and I, are the proud owners of two beatuiful persians. A 14 month female and a nine week male. Shasza and Casper. She's a bicolour with the majority being a sort of very light brown (like tea with milk) and her underside is white including all her belly and hind legs.

He has a greyish-white head and front paws and belly but the rest of him is a darker grey with greyish-white specks. More like a light ash grey with greyish-white highlights.

Will post some pictures when I'll get a decent camera.


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

Hi, Silvio, and welcome! We'll look forward to those pictures. I'd like to see some pictures of Malta, also!


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## silvio (Jul 20, 2006)

*A Big Meow from Malta - 2*

Hi,

Follow this link and on the map click the village/town names. I come from Rabat and the link provides you with a taste of my little home village. http://www.searchmalta.com/cgi-local/ph ... &sentname=

The village of Rabat has about 15000 in population and an ocean of history. We are very proud that St. Paul resided here for 3 months when he was shipwrecked on his way to Rome to be beheaded in about 80 A.D. Rabat has a about 7 churches (Malta is 95% Roman Catholic), we have catacombs dating from the first Catholics (100 A.D.). Before the Romans there where the Turks, the Arabs and the Phoenicians.

We speak a language called Maltese which is a semitic (comes from the Arab language) BUT written in a Western alphabet. Maltese is a mix of Arab words, Italian, some French words and some English.

In recent history Malta was under British rule until 1964 when we became Independent. The Maltese fought the Second World War alongside the Allies (mainly the British forces who had a major force stationed on the island). During 1942 Malta was awrded the George Cross for bravery. This is a medal that used to be given to exceptional heroism and was only given to a whole country once. To us. By the then King of England, George VI.

Thanks for the interest and I hope you enjoy the Maltese photos.


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## Lisa 216 (Oct 25, 2004)

Fascinating information about Malta, Silvio. Thanks for sharing. I am particularly interested in what you shared about the Maltese language, because I am studying linguistics. That's quite a diverse mix of influences in your language!

Glad to have you and look forward to seeing more of you around the forum


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

What a beautiful place to live! Your weather must be ideal.  Thank you.


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## DesnBaby (Apr 18, 2004)

Welcome, can't wait for pics


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## kitkat (Sep 22, 2003)

Thank you for the pictures and a little bit of the history. Welcome to the forum Silvio


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## silvio (Jul 20, 2006)

I will upload the pics we have from my wife's mobile phone on some free space on the net. This morning my wife took both of them to the vet. The female to be spayed and the young one to have his ears cleaned and his eyes sorted.

Just phoned my wife and she told me Shasza, the female, was so frieghtened at the vet's that she was panting, rigid as a door frame and shivering. Now she's being operated on, at this moment. The vet had to give her two injections to make her sleep as with only one she could not. She was so frightened, poor thing.


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## Lisa 216 (Oct 25, 2004)

Aww, poor baby  Some cats just do not do well at the vet. Best of luck with both of your kitties' visits.


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

I hope she's doing well now.


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## silvio (Jul 20, 2006)

Sorry for not posting before. 

Friday afternoon after the operation we were really worried as she started to pant like a dog after a run, complete with hanging tongue. she was also doing a lapping sound with her tongue. Her pupils were also dilated. Her head was also lolling big time. After calling the vet, we were asssured that its due to the anaesthetic. On Saturday she rose from the towel but her hind legs were still about 50% responsive and she kept falling. She continued to gather strength and startied to drink.

Now she's eating but is still somewhat withdrawn. Sort of distant. When Casper, the young one approaches she makes some funny growling noises, like a leopard or one of the big cats. Yesterday she came near me and rolled on her back so I could scratch the inside of her back legs. She's ticklish there, although I cannot do it like before since she still has the stitches from her op.


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

I hope the poor baby recovers soon!


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## silvio (Jul 20, 2006)

She's getting there. This morning I threw her her favourite toy, an empty saline bottle, and she immediately lowered herself to the floor and prepared to run for it. During the winter months she used to go fetch it and bring it to me in her mouth so I throw it again. I don't know how it happened, but she would come trotting back with it in her mouth and drop near my feet so I could throw it again.

This morning I was so happy to see her run after it that I mistakenly threw it and she just kept kicking it with her paws and ended up by colliding with her water/food bowls! It was hilarious, and I felt so happy for her that she is starting to enjoy herself again.


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## KittyGirl14 (Aug 14, 2006)

It's always a joy to see your kitties happy and playful. My sister's kitten, Isabel, is very jumpy. If you sneak up on her very quietly and then touch her or say something really loudly, she literally jumps three feet into the air!


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