The Great Sicilian Cat Rescue - One Englishwoman's Mission to Save An Island's Cats

Book excerpt: Numerous visitors to Mediterranean countries have found their holiday punctuated by trips to feed hungry feral cats. Some try to save injured and sick felines. Not many have gone to the lengths of Jennifer Pulling with her one-woman campaign, Catsnip.Set against the beautiful and sinister backdrop of Sicily and its enigmatic people, the book charts Jennifer's journey as passionate defender of the island's often abused and ill-treated cats. With no previous experience, she raises funds and, organises teams of British, American and German vets to work in improvised and clandestine surgeries.On her voyage of discovery she encounters the gattare (cat ladies) who devote their time to saving colonies of feral cats; she challenges Sicilian bureaucracy and risks prosecution by the authorities; and she discovers an unknown Sicily, gaining an understanding of the island's history of domination by numerous cultures and the Mafia.Incredibly moving, while peppered with humour, this is the story of one woman's mission to rescue an animal she loves, as well as an insight into a unique culture and landscape.