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Mallory Smith

1985-2001

Mal came into my care at three weeks of age, when her mother, a feral stable cat was killed. She was raised by myself, two elderly male cats and the staff at Cottesloe Animal Hospital where she attended daycare in her early months. Mal grew to be a big cat at about 9kg and was a splodge of colours described as tortoiseshell. Mal loved food, playing jokes and sleeping on my head when her old "fathers" had passed on. She was afraid of all birds especially the family of magpies who visited each day for crumbs of Sao biscuits. To empower herself she used to sit on the crumbs until their yells for me to intervene resulted in her being moved along. She showed very antisocial behavior at the vets and the staff at Cottesloe Animal Hospital endured many years of "feral vigour". She was a dream to nurse at home, which was a blessing when she developed epilepsy and arthritis in her spine. Mal died comfortably in her own home, thanks to the understanding of her vet, Dr.Libby Beresford, who granted her last wish not to go back to the "vets". Dr Beresford actually attended on her day off and I can never thank her enough. Mal was just on 16 years when she died.

Jackie Smith