In this Cat Blog we look at helping a stray cat that has been visiting your home. See Cat Blog 1 at https://iamcat.blog/hey-cat-lover-this-is-for-you/for the intro to this series. And please do leave a question or comment at the end of this blog. In fact, without your questions this blog will become very one-sided!

Cat Blog 7

Helping a stray cat visiting your home

A strange cat is most likely to visit our homes in search of food − either because he or she likes your food better than the food they gets at home, or because they are homeless.

First we need to try and find out whether the visitor belongs to anyone in our area. If he or she does, ask the owner to consider giving their pet the favoured food. If this doesn’t work and the cat is in good condition, you can probably assume that he or she is someone’s pet and doesn’t need help. Try spraying them with water or making a loud noise when they come near your home (or both).

If this also has no effect, get a special cat trap from a humane organisation or vet. Then trap the cat outside the window by which they usually enter (keeping your own pets inside). Now try to establish two things: 1) Is the cat tame or wild? (A wild cat will be terrified when you approach, and will hiss and/or spit and even lunge at you in the trap.) 2) Is his or her condition good or bad? Then take one of the following steps:

• If the cat is tame and in good condition, they are probably someone’s pet. Hopefully being trapped on your property will keep them from returning. If not, you could try to catch or trap him or her again and take them to your local vet, volunteer organisation or humane society. Make sure they are scanned for a microchip. If they aren’t microchipped, advertise for their owner in your area and in your local newspapers.
• If the cat is tame but in bad condition, he or she is probably a stray. You could release them and carry on feeding them outside while you try to find their owner. Alternatively you could take them to your local vet or welfare organisation to check for a microchip and for safe-keeping. You could then help the vet or shelter to advertise. If the owner can’t be found, you could help find the cat a new home by advertising and/or giving a donation.
• If the cat is wild but in good condition, she or he is probably a community (feral) cat that is coping well. You can probably assume that they will find another food source if they can’t return to yours. Once again, the experience of being trapped might very well discourage them from returning to your home. You could either release the cat immediately or have her or him sterilised before releasing them back into their familiar area.
• If the cat seems to be wild and is also in a bad condition, he or she is probably a community cat that can no longer fend for himself or herself and may also be ill. Consider taking them to your vet or to the SPCA for examination and treatment or even possibly euthanasia. (Make very sure that an expert checks whether the cat is lactating. If she is, have her sterilised and return her to her offspring as as soon as you can. If possible, carry on giving her food and monitoring her.)

In the next two blogs we will look at how to help feral kittens and their moms.

Cat quote of the week

It is impossible for a lover of cats to banish these alert, gentle, and discriminating friends, who give us just enough of their regard and complaisance to make us hunger for more.

Agnes Repplier

Cat Story

CatPals in Pretoria, South Africa

CatPals, or Friends of the Street Cat (https://www.facebook.com/CatPalsStreetCat/), have been making a difference in the lives of cats for 20 years. Founded in 2002 and registered as an NPO in 2006, they’ve been instrumental in the sterilisation, feeding and treatment of thousands of homeless cats in the greater Tshwane area.

Every day of the year, their passionate, committed members move around the streets of the city, feeding cats that would otherwise have gone hungry, often at their own expense. And if they’re not feeding cats, they’re trapping them for sterilisation and/or veterinary treatment.

Caring CatPals fosterers have also rescued hundreds of community kittens from the streets in order to socialise them. When the kittens are ready for life as a member of a regular family, they’re put up for adoption. Most of them have found their loving ‘forever’ homes, thanks to the commitment of CatPals members.

And of course their feral feeders have their share of scary or funny moments. One of them, Carina Zeelie, was feeding ‘her’ community cats early one morning when she was mistaken for a homeless person!

As with so many non-profit organisations, however, CatPals is severely hampered by a lack of funds. With more financial support, they would be able to feed more cats, sterilise more cats and home more cats.

Would you consider helping this remarkable little group of passionate and committed cat carers? If their story has spoken to you, your help would make a real difference!

Banking details: Standard Bank, branch no 011245, savings acc 137399642

Great to have you join us! See Cat Blog 1 at https://iamcat.blog/hey-cat-lover-this-is-for-you/for the intro to this series. And please do leave a question or comment at the end. In fact, without your questions this blog will become very one-sided!

In this Cat Blog we look at the heart-wrenching subject of finding a missing cat.

Cat Blog 6

Your cat didn’t come home last night, and worry kept you awake for hours. This morning she’s still not back, and your heart is gripped by fear. What on earth do you do?

Finding a missing cat

This is one of a pet owner’s greatest fears. If your pet goes missing despite the precaution of a microchip, there are, fortunately, a number of things you can do. This will ensure that your pet is one of the many that are reunited with their owners each year.

The guidelines below on finding a missing pet have been compiled by NCat and an SPCA branch. I hope they will help you bring your beloved feline home.

Tips from NCat

• Ask around the neighbourhood in case someone has locked your pet into their garage or tool shed. If not, and if your cat is still missing after a day or two, place leaflets in post boxes around the neighbourhood. Provide a picture of your cat on the leaflet if you can, as well as a description, and of course your address and/or telephone numbers. Also offer a reward. You don’t need to mention a specific amount on the flier. You can decide on an amount once your cat is returned to you, depending on the circumstances. Do mention that your family is heartbroken – this may help if someone is considering keeping your cat.
• Call your local SPCA or other shelter to enquire whether someone has brought your pet in. If possible, visit the shelter yourself every few days, since a description over the telephone is not always sufficient. (If your pet has been microchipped, there is a very good chance that the shelter will call you even before you’ve realised that your pet has gone missing!)
• Place ads in the local papers, and keep it up for at least a month if necessary.
• Keep up to date with the information in the ‘Found’ columns of your local papers – some kind person might advertise if they have found your pet.
• Contact schools in your area. Some schools are prepared to make announcements about missing animals at assemblies.
• Register your cat’s details with Petfinders, Pet Finda and Pets Lost and Found at respectively admin@petfinders.co.za, petfinda@gmail.com and www.petslostandfound.co.za. Also see   http://www.missingpetpartnership.org/recovery-lostdog.php (for dogs) and http://www.missingpetpartnership.org/recovery-lostcat.php (for cats). You’re most welcome to advertise on the NCat and Cats of South Africa Facebook pages. Most other cat pages will also allow you to post.

You may wish to contact a pet communicator. Someone I can recommend is Megan at 073 2299 685.

And see today’s Cat Story below for details about remarkable pet detectives using highly trained search dogs to find missing pets!

Tips from a local SPCA

Upload your missing pet’s information on the following websites:

• www.petslostandfound.co.za
• www.petfinders.co.za
• Your local SPCA’s website – NB add a pic!

and the following Facebook pages:

• Missing Pets SA
• Barking Mad

Remember to include the following important details on all posts:

• Type of animal (eg dog, cat, bird)

• Date your pet went missing and area they went missing from

• Breed (eg poodle, Persian, parrot)

• Description of the animal, including:

• Gender, coat type, tail type, colour, any special markings, whether they have collars or microchips

• A clearly visible photo & CONTACT DETAILS

 Other things to do:

 Check all vets in the nearby area

• Put up missing posters in your neighbourhood, at local shops and at vets
• Don’t just call – visit all local branches of the SPCA as often as possible!

MOST IMPORTANTLY: Remember to update all the places where you searched once your pet has returned.

Cat quote of the week

The memories and paw prints of a beloved cat remain in our heart and soul forever.

Unknown

Cat Story 10

Healthy Hound – exceptional pet detectives

When I heard about Healthy Hound, I was elated. Imagine highly trained canines finding our missing pets! And the more I learned about them, the more excited I became.

According to their Facebook page, Healthy Hound is the first and only missing pet canine search unit in Africa, with the only qualified pet detectives in Africa! And they’ve trained their dogs specifically to find missing pets. In fact, the dogs are experienced in tracking not only cats and dogs, but also wildlife and more.

They’re based in Gauteng, but they’ve travelled to other provinces too – they’ve even searched for a dog on Table Mountain!

Their amazing team will help and guide you from the moment your pet goes missing, and they will not abandon you until you find your pet.

Interestingly they’ve been involved in the rescue of some high profile pets, and have featured in local and national media numerous times. But for them, every pet is equally important!

The team was formed in August 2020, when canine Zizou, who had been trained in anti-poaching activities, became involved in pet search and rescue. She had always excelled as a search dog, even in difficult circumstances. Subsequently the team added former explosives detection trainee K9 Khaos as well as former SAR dog K9 Axl. Jett and Red are up-and-coming search dogs. The team is also in the process of training additional canines and pups as MARN qualified search dogs.

With a success rate over over 80%, Healthy Hound is a great choice should your pet goes missing! See more about Healthy Hound on their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/healthyhoundsa.

Introducing a new cat to existing pets is our focus today. But first, I’ve been asked to introduce myself, so perhaps some of you missed the intros in the first blog. I’m Anneke Malan, and I live in Johannesburg, South Africa. I’m passionate about all animals, but especially cats. More bio details are to be found in Cat Blog 1 – https://iamcat.blog/hey-cat-lover-this-is-for-you/.

In these Cat Blogs, I would like to share everything I’ve learned about our beloved cats with you. I’m doing so in the form of responses to questions I’ve received in the past, or questions that I receive from YOU! So please keep your thoughts and questions coming! Each Cat Blog also contains a Cat Story about specific cats or cat colonies and about new or on-going cat welfare projects in South Africa.

Cat Blog 5b

Introducing a new adult cat

You’ve taken the leap of kindness and brought a new adult cat home. Firstly, thank you and bless you! There are so many adult cats sitting for months or even years in shelters, waiting in vain for that special person. Thank you for being that special person!

Preparing a room

To ensure that this adoption goes well, keep your new cat strictly indoors for at least two weeks. This is essential for their safety. Begin by confining him or her to one tranquil room of your house for several days – perhaps a guest room or a study. Remember to keep windows completely closed – cats can, and will, escape through the smallest crack! Sprinkle valerian powder all around the room (sold under the trade name Happy Cat – https://www.takealot.com.) More info in Cat Blog 3 – https://iamcat.blog/how-do-i-move-house-with-my-pet-cats/ Don’t let him or her come into contact with your existing pets at all. Negative first impressions can be difficult or even impossible to correct later.

Provide the new girl or boy with fresh food and water and a clean litter box, and if possible a radio. Spend as much time with her or him as you can without neglecting your other pets. After several days, slowly introduce your new cat to the rest of your house. Don’t let her or him come into contact with unfamiliar pets yet, however, until they’ve become used to all the smells, sights and sounds of their new home.

Go slowly – very slowly

When introducing a new cat to existing cats, the biggest mistake we can make is rushing things. Begin by exposing the ‘old’ cat to the smell of the ‘new’ cat by rubbing a piece of cloth over the new cat and letting the old cat smell it. Then rub another piece of cloth over the old cat and let the new cat smell it. Subsequently apply both smells to the same cloth and present it to both the old and the new cat. Keep doing this until neither of them react to it. Lastly add your smell to the piece of cloth (push it down your T or bra and keep it there for a while).

Your next step is mixing a teaspoon of used litter with the other cat’s litter.

When the new cat has settled down a little, allow the old cat and the new cat to see one another for short periods. Try to ensure that this happens through a barrier of glass or mesh. (Installing a mesh door in the room the new cat is in or in a passage is an inexpensive yet effective method. This allows the cats to get used to each other without feeling threatened.) If possible, sprinkle Happy Cat (see details above) on both sides of the barrier. This will ensure that the cats associate a blissful, calming experience with one another.

Then give both cats treats in full view of one another, to ensure more pleasant conditioning. (Make sure they’re hungry beforehand.)

Later, apply ‘timesharing’ overnight. Keep one cat in the room and let the other one out in the rest of the house, and swap them around the following night. Allow them to see each other through the barrier of glass or mesh for gradually longer periods until they settle down completely. At last, after several weeks, remove the barrier – and try to remain calm yourself!

Introducing your new cat to your dogs

If you have dogs, introduce them one by one to the newcomer after the initial settling-in period described above. Keep boisterous dogs on a leash at first. Make sure that you are present when the animals first meet as well as for the first several weeks thereafter, until you’re completely sure they’ve accepted each other.

If you’ve been planning a holiday, it’s a great plan to put the old and new cat(s) in a cattery together. Do this before bringing the new cat home. Cats tend to accept one another much more easily on neutral ground. Remember to explain the situation to the cattery owner, though, so that he or she can keep an eye on your pets. Then, when you take all your cats home, keep the new one indoors as described above. You could then allow the ‘old’ cat(s) to visit the new cat several hours a day.

Introducing your new cat to the great outdoors

After several weeks, start introducing your new cat to the garden, an hour or so at a time, under supervision. It’s also a good idea to teach your cat which window to use to get into and out of the house. Physically guide him or her through the window several times. Once your pet is completely at home, keep this window ajar at all times. Alternatively, have a pet door installed in one of your outside doors.

Lastly I can really recommend that you also watch the inimitable Jackson Galaxy at https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=jackson+galaxy+introducing+cats#kpvalbx=_ELJwY-KcIKeEhbIP9eiIuAE_25 and on other sites.

Now all that remains, is for you to enjoy your new cat!

[Our thanks to Dr Quixi Sonntag for her valuable contributions.]

Cat quote of the week

One cat just leads to another.

Ernest Hemingway

Cat Story 9

Harties Feral Cat Rescue and the story of Maya

This is a feel-good story, but like many feel-good stories, it begins badly.

Maya was found in a rubbish bin with her siblings. She was the only survivor. So we won’t dwell on how they came to be there or who had left them there. Rather we will look at what happened to Maya after she was rescued. Because then her luck changed completely. Her kind saviours took her to the home of Joanne Kontaxopoulos-Rabe, founder of Harties Feral Cat Rescue. This truly remarkable woman and her team had taken on the care of the community cats in the greater Hartbeespoort Dam area in South Africa.

After lovingly nursing Maya back to health and happiness, Jo decided that she was ready to join the other kittens that were up for adoption. But there was a problem. None of the kind people who came to adopt kittens noticed Maya. It seemed as though she was simply not remarkable enough – the other kittens always seemed to outshine her.

Of course Maya is only one of the thousands of kittens and cats that Harties Feral Cat Rescue have helped since their inception in 2017. Their achievements are myriad. Caring for approximately 1200 community cats in the Harties area, they have already sterilised over 4000 as far away as Brits and Rustenburg. This in itself is truly an almost super-human achievement! They have also homed 500 kittens rescued from their colonies.

The organisation is fully volunteer run – a registered non-profit, public benefit organisation devoted to stop the uncontrolled breeding of free-roaming cats.

They formulate their vision as being to live in a community where no kittens are born on the street and where no free-roaming cats lack food, water and shelter. Their mission is ‘to improve the lives of feral cats and eliminate the suffering of uncontrolled breeding by humanely trapping, neutering and returning (TNR) them to their outdoor homes’ (https://hartiesferalcats.co.za/).

‘We will never give up the fight to provide them with a better life,’ they vow.

Can you help them? See https://hartiesferalcats.co.za/donate/

Contact details:

Harties Feral Cat Rescue
072 681 5556
info@hartiesferalcats.co.za

Cat Blog 5a

Introducing a new kitten

So you’ve seen a plea for kittens needing homes, and you’ve opened your heart and mind to the idea of adopting one of them. You’re even considering introducing more than one new kitten, so they will keep one another company. You feel the stirrings of excitement but also of anxiety. What if your hubby/partner/children are not happy about your decision? Or if the cats and dogs you’re already sharing your home with, don’t accept the new kitten(s)? (See more about how to adopt a kitten in Cat Blog 1 at https://iamcat.blog/hey-cat-lover-this-is-for-you/.)

Fast-forward to a week later. You’ve brought your nearest and dearest around, you’ve passed the home check, and you’ve prepared your home for introducing the new kitten. (See Cat Blog 1 – https://iamcat.blog/hey-cat-lover-this-is-for-you/.) The day has finally come – your new baby will be arriving today!

Before his/her arrival, sprinkle Happy Cat (obtainable from some vets and shops and from Takealot – https://www.takealot.com/all?sb=1&_r=1&qsearch=happy%20cat%20valerian&via=suggestions&_si=85588e7042023ace10649761ec46b47f) all around the house. It would also be a good idea to set up one or more Feliway diffusers in one or more rooms.

Don’t be surprised if your older cat reacts with great hostility at first. They will sometimes hiss and spit at the kitten for several weeks. They may even be terrified of what they see as a very unsettling apparition. Don’t scold your ‘old’ cat for this kind of behaviour. He or she needs a lot of extra love to reassure them that you’re not replacing them in your home and in your affections. Practically ignore the kitten in the older cat’s presence, but touch both cats often in order to transfer their smells to one another. Giving the older cat all your attention will also help the kitten to understand that he or she should defer to the older cat.

After a few weeks though, the older cat(s) will realise that the kitten is there to stay. Their curiosity will also get the better of them, and they may realise that it wouldn’t be so bad to have a pal.

Only allow your kitten to move around freely with existing pets once you’re very sure they’ve all accepted each other.

During this time, don’t suddenly change your habits. For example, don’t kick your older cat out of your bedroom so that the kitten can sleep with you. It is important to disrupt the older cat as little as possible.

If you have small children, it’s vital that you ensure that the kitten remains safe. He or she must also be given enough time to sleep. (Remember that kittens need to sleep for up to 20 hours a day.) Take care that your toddler treats the kitten with love, care and respect. This will ensure that a strong, healthy bond develops between them. We suggest that you try apply the following two ‘rules’:

1)   That the child may hold the kitten only when the child is sitting still, not when s/he is walking or running.

2)   That the child learns to release the kitten as soon as he or she begins to wriggle.

Keep your kitten indoors for several months before allowing him or her to begin exploring the outside world. Then start introducing them to the garden, an hour or so at a time, under supervision. Teach your kitten which window to use to get into and out of the house by physically guiding him or her in and out of the window several times. When he or she is completely settled in, ensure that you always keep this window ajar. Alternatively, have a pet door installed in one of your outside doors.

Now all that remains, is for you to enjoy your new kitten!

Cat quote of the week

The smallest feline is a masterpiece.

Leonardo da Vinci

Cat Story 8

A place called Cat Village – heaven on earth

Then there was her feistiness – she is and always will be a fighter for cats. And in conversation with her some time later, I realised her extreme tenderness, which she reveals mainly to the cats. ‘I sing to them every day,’ she told me. ‘I can’t sing, but they don’t mind. So I sing to them.’

Irma and Herbert dreamed for years of establishing a sanctuary for homeless, neglected and previously abused cats.

In 2004, they found the perfect property, and converted the 2 hectares of unspoilt, natural vegetation into a safe haven. So Cat Village was born, and today 1300 cats have found heaven on earth here.

There are no cages at Cat Village – only Wendy houses, and the cats roam freely. Some cats are in large enclosures to ensure that they enjoy a safe, happy and stress-free environment.

Non-profit and pro-life, Cat Village receives no financial support from government. This means that they depend completely on kind donations from people like you and me, who share their passion. Cat Village is a registered PBO and any donations made to them are tax deductible; tax receipts are issued on request. 

We can also support them in other ways: by sponsoring specific cats, or by volunteering. See more on their website at https://catvillage.org.za/.

I’ve been to Cat Village numerous times, and each time I’ve come away buoyed by the care, goodness and love I encountered there.

Irma, you are an angel walking the earth – we love you and we salute you!

(Sources: With thanks to Cat Village – https://catvillage.org.za/; Joburg.co.za – https://joburg.co.za/cat-lovers-here-is-something-for-you-cat-village-in-benoni/ and Heather Seagers)