Meet Anoush!
Name: Anoush (which means “sweet” or “sugar” in Armenian)
Breed: Feral Armenian short hair – if such a breed exists.
Likes: Being very close to people, especially her human mom and dad. Eating freshly cut tomatoes and Russian canned salmon with tomato sauce. Sleeping on top of the convertible’s rag-top. Playing with rolled-up socks.
Dislikes: Her kitten-son, Avik (who is now 6 years old) and her American cat-brother Charlie (who is 15 years old).
About Anoush: Anoush was born in Yerevan, Armenia, probably in 1997. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Armenia was in chaos and Armenians scarcely had enough food and shelter to live. Since the country has no animal welfare organizations, the Armenians were forced to turn their pets out on the streets of Yerevan. Sadly, the city is filled with homeless animals. While hungry dogs wander the streets, hungry cats have taken residence in public buildings – often to escape the hungry dogs. In the freezing March of 1999, Anoush was living on the streets, pregnant, and desperate for food and warmth. She attached herself to an American English teacher working in a university in Yerevan. The teacher thought this skinny little cat was a male, so was very surprised when the little cat began having kittens in her office. Two of the 5 kittens were placed in the home of an American couple working at the American Embassy in Armenia. But on the 4th of July 1999, Anoush and her other 3 kittens – Simone, Avik, and Tigran (Armenian names) boarded an airplane bound for the U.S. They traveled with the teacher and her husband, in 2 cat carriers inside the passenger section of the plane. Anoush is not only sweet, but also extremely intelligent. She remains grateful to this day for her rescue. Her 6 year-old offspring however, who have only known pampering, are very spoiled.