THE difference between cats and dogs in African communities is an open book. This is clearly in sharp contrast to what obtains in the western world. I have often found it very difficult to explain to my western colleagues why we attend as vets, more to dogs in Africa than cats. Although it is also admitted that they see more dogs, the difference however is not in the league of the number that we routinely see. Whereas theirs can be 60%-40%, dogs to cats or even 55% -45% dogs to cats, ours is a scandalous 99%-1% dogs to cats. This percentage can be slightly adjusted for cats in a positive way in areas where expatriate communities are domiciled. It is always a struggle to expect to see cats on the clinician’s table in a typical Nigerian veterinary hospital on a typical day. You have to pray for that.

In most pet stores abroad, you will also probably see more of cat things than that of dogs or at best, they struggle for the same space. This, I believe, is a direct correlation of the love of the people for both animals. In fact, in some communities, vets see more of cats than dogs. However, the same can’t be said of the situation here, as vets pay very little attention to cats and their issues.

This sometimes explains why vets do not stock their vaccines, peculiar medications and accessories. It thus becomes very difficult to save cats; sometimes, at emergency. Usually, investments are never skewed to their side by vets. It also takes the grace of God to see a feline specialist as it is rampant abroad.

I do not want to belabour the traditional reason for the avoidance of cats in our homes or why we place less premium on them in our practices. I have heard all sorts of strange stories about cats and witchcraft, wizardry and general evils. I also do believe that there is no smoke without fire being ignited somewhere. I am beginning to believe that our attitude is a product of our imagination that has refused to go, generation by generation through oral history, and some of us in this modern world still latch on to the unconvincing position.

Do you know that I looked very stupid each time I had to tell my western colleagues our reasons for not having a lot of cats as patients? They always ask of the proof we have to consign their beloved animal to this ignoble status.

I do not want to delve into the realm of tradition or what I do not really know much about; having heard lots of those stories from people about the exploits of cats in the unseen world – I really want to be ambivalent but the recurring questions about cats disturb me and I feel very concerned that I can’t help myself each time the question props up. Can you help?

Do you know why these beautiful, furry animals are despised in our clime? Can you provide me with a convincing reason why the cat is the choice animal to perpetuate evil? Or is it just a question of calling a dog a bad name in order to hang it?