A conversation with Miryam
Almost 60 years ago, Miryam Roth came to Israel, and she’s become one of the guardian angels of the street cats in South Tel Aviv. She kindly opened her door for us, allowing us to know her a little bit more, and welcoming us with a big smile on her face and a gentle gaze. And yet, behind her kindly eyes are the memories of a strong woman who had to overcome all kinds of adversities throughout her life.
First of all, we’d like you to tell us about yourself, so we can get to know you a little bit better.
I made Aliyah in 1963 from Rosario, Argentina, along with my former husband. My two children were born here; they are in their fifties now. For approximately 20 years, I was living in a kibbutz in the north, next to Kiryat Shmona; there, I got divorced as well. After that, I came to live in Tel Aviv.
I mainly left the kibbutz because they suddenly decided to stop my son’s consultations with the local psychologist and psychiatrist, due to a budget cut. That’s the only thing I had asked from them. My older son has had a serious psychiatric illness and a severe case of lupus since he was a teenager, so this was vital for him.
People from the kibbutz told me that I was crazy, that someone like me couldn’t live in the city with an ill son, that I’d be begging to be accepted back there. In the beginning, yes, it was difficult, since I had to take care of him and I had no means to live. I left the kibbutz with nothing. I used to go to the shuk, on Fridays just before Shabbat, and for 50 cents, they used to sell me some leftovers. I think I lost 10 kg back then. But I’m stubborn, and when I intend to do something, I manage to do it no matter what.
I got some jobs here and there, but they tricked me many times since I never got my salary in the end. Until I was offered to study to be a caregiver, to support people with mental illnesses in their homes. My goal was to finally get a proper job after finishing my studies. I told my children — who were in their early twenties — that I would have to study all day long, and both of them encouraged me to do so. My son offered to help me with Bituach Leumi from his disability, and my daughter, with her salary. Back then the three of us lived together.
I was also very worried about my son not being independent enough, especially about what would happen to him when I’m no longer here in this world. He felt comfortable staying at home all day and being treated like one of my cats: waiting for his food and walking around the city, while I was working. He needed to have a structure.
Luckily, he went to an institution where he learned some skills, like doing his laundry and making salads. There, he also managed to get a job, taking into consideration his particular capabilities. Now he lives by himself, although he visits me and calls me frequently. For example, this morning he came to visit me and brought me some cookies, and then he left. I think it was the best for both of us. If he had stayed only with me, he wouldn’t have learned to do almost anything.
How did your interaction with Tel Avivian cats start?
In the kibbutz, I had a few pets. Once I moved to Tel Aviv and before I started volunteering, I decided to adopt some cats. There was a time when I had ten cats, but unfortunately, they all died of old age. I had one that needed special care, she couldn’t move, and I had to change her position all the time. I even made a small mattress for her, until she stopped eating and drinking. Then I understood I had to put her to sleep since she couldn’t continue living that way. Today, I have five cats of my own.
How long ago did you start volunteering with the cats? And how has it been changing/evolving throughout the years?
I came to live in Tel Aviv in the 80s when I was in my mid-forties, and I was surprised to see a lot of cats on the streets. I started feeding the ones who were closer to my place. For around 20 years, I came across more and more places with cats in them, and in the end, my route to feed the cats in the neighborhood kept growing.
At first, I didn’t have the means to buy them food, so I tried to find bread and I mixed it all with the content of cat food in cans, and I gave them that. I managed to get food for them in all possible ways. Back then, I couldn’t afford to go to pet shops, but the important thing was that I could buy them food (laughs), so they could be fed. I used to do it all by myself, but afterward, I got the chance to meet people who wanted to help me to do this task.
In these 20 years, when there were cats that needed to be sterilized or neutered, I helped as much as I could for this to happen. If some cats were sick, I brought them home to be “hospitalized”, I gave them antibiotics or whatever medication they needed, until they felt good again and they could go out.
What have been the main difficulties or challenges you’ve had to face during this time volunteering?
The work itself is hard. It was also a bit tiring when I used to do it on my own every single day. These last years, due to my age, I tend to get tired quicker than before.
There were many instances as well where I couldn’t save cats who were sick or injured, and in the end they had to be euthanized, despite all my efforts. It’s difficult for me, because I want so much to save them all.
For me, those are some of the worst things I have to deal with. You feel powerless and unmotivated, it’s something very sad.
During all this time, what has given you the most satisfaction, or what brought you joy the most?
One of the most beautiful things is when a cat comes to me and licks my hand, as a way to say thanks, because he knows I did something good for him. They are thankful beings, and one can feel it. That’s what fills you up inside. You don’t feel tired anymore, all the negative things are left behind, and you feel great afterward.
For example, there was a cat that I took to the clinic for sterilization. After three months of not having any more kittens, she became prettier and healthier, and when she saw me, she came to me waiting to give her some food, then, she got closer to me, and she understood somehow that I helped her. Or when I saw cats who were very sick and I took them home to take care of them, giving them the antibiotics they needed, mixing the medicine with their food. Doing all of this gives me genuine joy.
Many people don’t see it that way, but for the ones who’ve been doing this for a certain amount of time, it’s easier to understand it and to feel it.
Is there any lesson have you learned from cats throughout the years?
One of the things I learned from them is to keep my head up in difficult moments, always. Certain people don’t act nicely, and in those circumstances, we need to show them that we’re not afraid of them. I noticed when a cat really wants something, he doesn’t give up. If he wants to, he’ll do it, and that’s the way it should be. You will fall and rise again, but you will do it in the end.
Animals (in this case, cats) are one of the only things I would fight for. I am not a problematic person really. I try to avoid arguments as much as I can. But regarding cats, it is important to me to protect them from harm. I believe they deserve to have a good life, with dignity like everyone. So many animals suffer endlessly. Luckily this is a nice neighborhood where most people treat animals with respect, but unfortunately that is not always the case.
To give an example: years ago, when I would put food up on a wall along the feeding route, I noticed that as soon as I turned my back, a man would rush from the opposite end of the street and throw the food down off of the wall. This happened several times before I intervened and spoke out, rather than just replacing the food. I like to give people three chances (laughs). Finally, I stood up to him loudly, so others around could witness, and threatened to call the animal rights groups and get my lawyer involved (I was bluffing of course. I had no lawyer.) After that, he didn’t dare continue throwing the food down from the wall. The cats are being fed there to this day.
It is important to be firm in your beliefs and stand up for them, even when you encounter obstacles.
I understand that at the moment, it’s complicated for you to continue volunteering due to health issues, maybe you could tell us a bit more about it.
It’s true, the fact I can’t do this anymore is something that’s missing in my life so much. Especially since I know I won’t be able to do it again anymore, I’m aware of it. I try to help a bit, go around the neighborhood with some little food, but I can’t carry the cart with all its weight, because if I do heavy tasks, there’s a risk that my eye’s retina will open up again, and there are so many other health issues I’m dealing with. All of this happened very suddenly. I would have wanted to get things ready for the people who would replace me and show them around.
My eye got infected very badly, from one day to another. I went to the hospital to have my eye checked, and they told me that I had to enter the surgery room right away; if not, I’d lose sight of that eye completely. In the end, they couldn’t solve the problem, and now my vision is blurred. I used to read until late hours at night; I can’t do that anymore. What hurts me the most is that I couldn’t say goodbye to the cats, due to this urgent surgery. Before entering the surgery room, I talked on the phone with my daughter and a neighbor who usually helps me, to give them some instructions, but I couldn’t do much apart from that.
We’d like to know what your main concern is about not being able to volunteer as you used to do before, how do you feel about that?
It’s frustrating because the fact I can’t do this anymore makes me feel disappointed in myself. I’m already 82 years old. Let’s say that I can do all of this until I’m 85. But in the meantime, I have to find people who can replace me. I’ll be glad to teach them all about it and show them the route. Also, they need to get to know the people I’m involved with.
There are a lot of things that I can’t do anymore, due to my vision problems. For example, I can see that cat right there, but I can’t see his eyes or ears clearly. Also, if there’s a hole in the street, I have to be careful because I might fall. There are many things I’ll need to learn to do differently, but it will take me some time. I’m not a child anymore and time passes by. This is something that annoys me very much.
What qualities should a volunteer have? And what message would you give to all those who wish to be part of this team?
Mainly, serious and committed people. In case someone’s not familiar with cats, that’s not an issue; one can always learn. I learned so many things from cats, and it’s not like I knew all of this before. But I’ve learned so much because I put effort into learning. Also, it’s important to pay attention to how cats behave and what they do.
I insist on the seriousness and being committed due to previous bad experiences. For example, someone told me, “I’ll be traveling for a month starting today”, but after that, they didn’t come back anymore and, even worse, they didn’t let me know in advance about it. And sometimes it’s hard to find a replacement all of a sudden. I take my duties very seriously, no matter what I do. And for me, this is something very serious. Some people do it halfway, they don’t do it from the heart. However, other people say, “that’s my responsibility and I will do the best I can during my assigned time”. It’s easy to notice when someone is committed.
For Miryam, it is invaluable when she meets volunteers who are truly reliable and devoted to animal welfare as she is.
Some people look outside of themselves for solutions or attempt to assign blame to others for their problems. Miryam strongly believes we must be accountable. If we encounter a problem in life, it is up to each of us to work to the best of our abilities on finding a solution.
