If the Cat Fits

Chrystal Sharp lives in the Eastern Cape where her husband runs a busy veterinary practice. As dedicated conservationists, much of their free time is devoted to the rehabilitation of marine and other wildlife. In the first five years of their married life, they have encountered a variety of creatures - feathered, furred and even scaled. Some pass through their lives, while others insert a toe in the door and hang on tooth and nail. Often literally. With many of them coming from what social workers might describe as "dysfunctional backgrounds", a fair amount of chaos is to be expected. There is the greyhound who, unlike Greta Garbo, does not want to be alone. Then there are the cats - one suffering from delusions of grandeur, an epileptic, a snake collector and another recently discharged from a reformatory - not to mention peacocks of royal lineage, oiled penguins and a lost albatross. These are but a few of the creatures who fing their way into the couple's home - and their hearts.