Aisha Rashid, a Pakistani expatriate in the UAE, is facing eviction from her Dubai apartment after dedicating years of her life to rescuing and caring for 65 cats. Her property management has given her an October 2 deadline to remove the animals, following fines totaling Dh8,000 for keeping them in her two-bedroom apartment.
What started as a temporary act of kindness during the Covid-19 pandemic quickly turned into a full-scale rescue operation. Rashid, 39, began feeding stray cats when the original caretaker was unable to continue. Over the past six years, she has personally neutered around 150 cats, covering all veterinary costs from her modest monthly salary of Dh7,000. Nearly Dh4,000 to Dh5,000 of her income goes directly toward the care of her cats, leaving little for other expenses.
Her efforts have attracted more animals, as people in her neighborhood began leaving cats near her building. Despite the mounting challenges, Rashid remains steadfast in her mission. She now hopes to find assistance, ideally a villa or farmhouse, where the rescued cats could live more comfortably.
“Nobody wants to adopt or keep stray cats in their home. They all just want purebred and fluffy cats… Where will I go? I am really struggling,” Rashid said. Yet her commitment remains unwavering: “Even though I have so many cats and I’m suffering, when I see dumped cats, I cry. I feel bad for them.”