Maryam al Balushi, the woman of nearly 500 Omani cats. “I was in a hole and they were my lifeline” – News

Cats and dogs vie for the attention of Maryam al Balushi, who distributes treats to the animals at her home in Muscat, the capital of Oman. Despite complaints from neighbors and rising expenses, the 51-year-old former state official, now retired, has taken in around 480 cats and 12 dogs.

“I think animals, especially cats and dogs, are more loyal than humans,” he says, as the little cats jump on a pole to sharpen their claws.

Orphaned since childhood, Maryam al Balushi expanded her family more than a decade ago – and says she identifies with her furry companions, many of whom saved from a difficult life on the streets.

Oman, a Gulf country known for its towering mountains and picturesque valleys, has seen an increase in the number of abandoned animals in recent years, according to local media. For this reason, animal welfare advocates support a neutering program to reduce their presence on the streets.

With the help of her friends and her followers on the social network Instagram, Maryam al Balushi spends around 6,500 euros a month to feed, wash and take care of her protégés, 17 of whom are blind.

In your house there is a room full of cages. Animals can go out, have fun and exercise in turns.

“Lifeline”

“It all started in 2008 when my son bought a Persian kitten,” says Maryam al Balushi, with her pink abaya dressed up and her face painted.

“Like many mothers, I refused to take care of him because he didn’t like animals and my son didn’t care for him [do gato]”But two years later he found a cat and his life changed.

“I was totally involved. I took care of her, fed her, bathed her and spent a lot of time with her,” he recalls.

Maryam al Balushi’s new love for animals has grown thanks to expats who leave the country and often leave their pets at their door.

In 2014 he bought a house to take care of his animals, as up until then the neighbors of the buildings where he lived had made several complaints.

Maryam al Balushi also says she was inspired by an old neighbor who gave leftover food to street animals.

But the story goes further: Maryam says her impressive “collection” of cats and dogs helped her overcome her depression, as well as gaining her a significant number of Instagram followers.

“I was in a hole and they were my lifeline,” he says.