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Hi, my name is Maja and I have been a vet since 2015. I qualified at the University of Zagreb in Croatia, but have been working in the clinics in the Channel Islands and the United Kingdom ever since. I became part of the Hepper family at the beginning of last year, and I’d love to introduce you to my pets.
Veterinary medicine has been my passion ever since I remember, as I knew I wanted to be a vet when I was in primary school. I’ve always had dogs and have considered myself a dog person. But all of this suddenly changed last summer, when I accidentally stumbled upon a kitten in need.
Meet Miki! He has become my favorite “person” but don’t tell the dogs. Although they seem to have figured it out, I am firmly denying it all.
Miki is a domestic shorthair male cat, and he came into my life last August. I visited a friend in a small village not far from my home, and heard a very persistent meow. Unfortunately, there are a lot of stray and feral cats in rural areas of Croatia, and much needs to be done in order to educate people on animal welfare and the importance of neutering. But that’s a topic for another time.
The meow was very high-pitched and non-stop, you just couldn’t ignore it. It was coming from an old wooden shed, somewhere near the ground level. And there he was, my soon to be most precious four-legged family member. Little did I know at the time. I tried to pick him up, but he instantly hid underneath the floorboard and I couldn’t reach him. My friend said a local cat had kittens and someone had dumped them next to his house. He doesn’t like cats and will let mother nature take his course. Kitten’s mother or siblings were nowhere to be seen, and the kitten was already past weaning age and ready to start becoming independent.
I just couldn’t let this go. For the whole day I was picturing this poor kitten being eaten by a fox, or getting hit by a car. He sounded so distressed and hungry. I went and bought some cat food and left it with my friend, urging him to feed the kitten and try and catch him for me in the next couple of days.
Next day, my friend called and said the kitten was killed by a fox. Imagine my distress and feeling of guilt. Two hours later, he was driving up to my house, and I heard a very familiar meow. My friend likes to joke and he thinks he’s funny.
That’s how Miki became a part of my family, without much planning or thought, to the utter disapproval of my mom, but nothing could predict the bond we have developed over the coming months.
The two dogs were very curious about the meowing little black kitten, who suddenly gained so much of my attention. Although there have been, and still are times of jealousy, they have all learned to get along very well. Lava, the hunting crossbreed dog, commonly known by a nickname of pure “Evil” (in Croatian it’s more catchy, “zlo”), which I took on when she was abandoned as a puppy, has learned to love Miki and is somewhat of an older sister to him.
Miki and Lava in August 2023
As naughty as she is, and that’s a story for itself, a book to be frank, she is quite gentle with him most of the time. She is a menace, you can ask anyone, but I do love her. The second dog I rescued last year, as an adult, came from Greece. Poor thing was literally skin and bone and was left tied to a tree. Now she is a very sweet happy dog, and honestly, she is becoming a little bit of a menace as well. But she loves Lava and Miki, although she didn’t have prior experience of living with other pets, as far as we can assume. And that’s my happy bunch! Quite naughty at times! Well, all the time. But never a dull moment at my house. And an abundance of dog and cat hair. Lucky me!
Lava and Hela (left to right)
If you’d like to learn more about how I became a Cat person, and how my cat keeps me and my two dogs entertained, follow my posts and prepare for some good old sarcasm.
