AMMAN, Jordan – From a dying cat next to a dump in the streets of the Jordanian capital Amman to a cat living a luxurious and healthy lifestyle, Fattosha, with her clean and neat fur, sits on a comfortable pillow, after devouring a hearty meal that his rescuer had prepared.

Fattosha was one of 28 cats that Uday and Heba Abu Hadid rescued from homelessness and took in.

Fattosha’s rescue inspired the couple to open a cat hotel in Jordan in August, to house rescued cats or keep cats for those whose owners cannot care for their cat due to travel or other reasons. commitments for a daily rate of $ 7.

The Mau Hotel is located 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of Amman in the New Badr area and can accommodate 16 cats who receive full hotel services with food, drink, games, and veterinary services.

Uday told Al-Monitor that the hotel “provides the cat transport service from its owners’ house to the hotel and vice versa, after communicating with them via Facebook or Instagram.”

The hotel is also home to cats that have been rescued from the streets.

“My wife Heba and I were successful after reading about cats, rescuing them and taking them to the vet for a long time. Cats can only express pain and fatigue through the sounds they make. We saved different types including local cats, Angora, Shirazi and Russian Blue, ”he said.

He added: “We have about 28 cats that have been rescued, in addition to separate hotel rooms that can accommodate 16 cats.”

To maintain a safe and healthy environment for all cats, guests should be fully vaccinated.

The hotel has a large room with individual cages, and it is spacious enough for cats to play and sit on windowsills, sofas, and drawers.

Uday said, “The cat owners love the hotel and say they can even sleep there themselves, not just their cats, because of the five star service.”

The spacious hotel serves a diverse clientele, from the middle class to the wealthy, many of whom leave their cats in the couple’s care while traveling. Others want to give their cat a luxury for the day and let them play with other cats.

Ruba al-Nasser regularly confides in the couple the cat she saved from the street. She got to know Heba through a local Facebook group that takes care of and rescues cats, and praised the services provided and the kind and compassionate treatment the cats receive at the hotel.

“It reassures me to have a clean place for my cat and people with experience and skills in dealing with cats. I advise other cat owners to come to the hotel when needed, ”she told Al-Monitor.

However, in light of deteriorating economic conditions and high unemployment in Jordan, made worse by the coronavirus pandemic, some view the cat hotel as luxury and overkill.

Laith Daoud, owner of a cat, believes that the idea of ​​the hotel is unnecessary. He told Al-Monitor: “Cats have always lived on the streets, as far back as we can remember. There is no need for a hotel.

Lina al-Momani, who has owned a cat for two years now, told Al-Monitor: “Cats need such places, but they may not be suitable for the economic situation of many cat owners. I prefer to leave my cat with a family member or close friend when needed.

Lama al-Hammouri disagrees. “It’s comfortable and reassuring to be able to leave my cat in a hotel designed to serve cats while I’m away without worrying about anything happening to her,” she told Al-Monitor.

Uday believes that anyone who has a pet should be responsible and provide for their needs. “Mau guests – regardless of their financial situation – don’t bring their cats to hotels for entertainment, but rather to protect them while they are away from home, when they are not able to look after themselves. of these animals. ”

He noted: “Caring for cats is a social responsibility shared by everyone, regardless of their culture, status and lifestyle. ”

Although the name of the hotel might be thought to be inspired by the sound cats make, in fact it was chosen in reference to the Arab cat family, Mau, which dates back to Egyptian civilization.

Heba and Uday seek to develop the hotel despite the financial difficulties. They hope to raise awareness in the community to take better care of pets, and they are working to allocate a portion of the hotel’s income to animal rescue societies and to meet the needs of all cats.