A UAE-based anthropologist, studying the impact of stray cats on society, has found that some residents spend more than half their salary on caring for these animals. Dr Neha Vora, a professor at the American University of Sharjah (AUS), has been exploring the sense of belonging among the diaspora in the country and has found that stray cats play a vital role.
For her, one of the biggest takeaways from her ongoing study is the amount of effort that people pour into caring for the strays. “What stands out to me is how much people get sucked into this kind of care and how much dedication it takes,” she said. “Let’s say somebody is making a salary of Dh5,000, they spend more than half of it on cats.”
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“When I walked through the streets of Bur Dubai, Deira and Karama to do my research, I found many security guards and restaurant workers who regularly feed stray cats,” she said, speaking to Khaleej Times. “In fact some of them would even take shorter vacations or defer their holidays so that there is someone taking care of ‘their’ cats in their absence. There is a certain sense of belonging.”
However, according to the UAE law, feeding stray animals is a punishable offense. In Abu Dhabi, residents are advised to contact the Centre of Waste Management Abu Dhabi on their hotline 800555 and inform them about the location and number of stray cats or dogs. Dubai Municipality runs veterinary clinics where strays can be taken to. Officials have previously confirmed to Khaleej Times that those who feed stray animals can be fined for doing so.
On Tuesday, July 16 at 7pm, Dr Vora will host a workshop titled ‘Let’s Talk About Cats: A study of non-human place making’ at the Al Serkal arts foundation. The event, which encourages participants to observe how cats are integrating themselves in society, is completely sold out. She said the popularity of her session was a testament to how deeply people cared about cats.
Family of cats
Even though she is in the early days of her research, Dr Vora said that there was ample evidence that cats helped residents feel connected to this country. “A lot of people are here without their families and they find solace in the relationships they form with stray cats,” she said. “Feeding them and taking care of them gives them a feeling of belonging to this country.”
She shared the story of one Abu Dhabi resident who spends an hour everyday feeding cats. “He doesn’t have a car so he carries cat food in a wheelbarrow and walks around the neighbourhood for an hour,” she said. “Over the weekend, he spends between three to four hours and covers a wider area, feeding cats in other neighbourhoods too.”
She said for many residents, there was a sense of belonging to the UAE but also a sense of insecurity. “There is a lack of permanence in the country and for many the relationship they foster with stray cats produce a different layer of belonging for them,” she said. “For example, for a night watchman who is looking after a building all night long; the kinship with stray cats makes their work slightly easier.”
After growing up in the US, it was in 2005 that Dr Vora first arrived in Dubai to work on a dissertation project. “I just fell in love with the place,” she said. “It was so vibrant and I enjoyed myself. So when the job opportunity to work at AUS came up, I did not have to think twice. My research area would become my backyard and I could not have been happier.”
Effort and friendship
During her fieldwork, Dr Vora began to observe that cats were everywhere. As a cat lover, having five of her own, she noticed that there were many friendships between people of various social classes that were formed due to love for cats.
“From extremely wealthy people living in huge villas to people with studio apartments to watchmen, they all bond over their common love,” she said. “There are many informal groups in communities that care for the strays in the area. In one of the bigger communities, the developer tried to ban engaging with strays but the group pushed back and continued to do things like trap, neuter and rescue (TNR) to ensure their safety.”
She said volunteers dedicated their money and time for the cause. “There are lots of folks who volunteer to take stray cats to the vet,” she said. “They spend hours and hours every day filling feeding stations and so on. It is something that tugs at them.”