A group of strangers came together to save a pregnant cat falling from a second-floor balcony in Dubai. The group acted fast, using a bedsheet as a safety net just in time.
One of the men, Mohammed Rashid, captured the harrowing moment on video, which went viral. The men came from diverse backgrounds and had never met before. As the cat dangled from the balcony, the men lifted the bedsheet high. Another man held up an empty box just in case. Fortunately, the pregnant cat fell right into the leopard-spotted sheet. Then, she is seen receiving pets from the men and, astonishingly, seemed almost as if nothing happened.
Atif explained, “We all simply got together to help the cat.”
The cat may be seen eating and seems to be OK in a video (see below). We recently published a viral video from Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, in which a cat plummeted 60 feet.
On Twitter, HH Sheikh Mohammed, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai shared the viral cat video.
“Proud and happy to see such acts of kindness in our beautiful city. Whoever identifies these unsung heroes, please help us thank them,” he tweeted.
The guys were rewarded with monetary rewards by the Ruler of Dubai once they were found. According to the Khaleej Times, they each got Dh50,000 “for their fast thinking that saved the cat’s life.” 50,000 Dirham is now worth around $13,612 in US dollars.
In this video from the Khaleej Times, you can see what happened:
It’s heartwarming to see the cat saved and the men rewarded for their heroic actions. However, in recent years, Dubai has come under fire by animal rights activists for its many stray cats. Petitions have gathered thousands of signatures due to the cruel treatment of thousands of stray cats and dogs.
According to Reuters:
“Dubai has a large number of stray cats, with many abandoned on the streets by their owners. In 2018 UAE authorities made it illegal to abandon animals, but animal welfare activists in Dubai have for years called for a large-scale trap-neuter-release scheme and feeding programs to bring numbers down humanely.”
In August, a Dubai municipality reinforced fines for people who feed stray cats. According to the policy, feeding stray cats “increases the spread of diseases.”
The Ailuromania Cat Cafe, which established in 2015 as an adoption center to aid homeless cats, is a bright light for cats in Dubai. The word ailuraomania is a pun on the word ailurophile, which refers to cat lovers. You can have a cup of “Catuccino” there.
“Anyone who is stressed just has to find a cat. All your stress will go away,” said Omnia Fareed, whose sisters opened the cafe.
Recently, the cafe reopened after lockdown due to the coronavirus.
See more about The Ailuromania Cat Cafe in the cute video from Curly Tales: