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)

Cat Blog 4c

Trapping a wary cat

If a feral or community cat is wary of a trap, it could be that he or she has been trapped before, or that they’ve seen other cats being trapped. Trapping a wary cat requires time and patience. You may also have to use different methods and/or traps.

• Begin by leaving a regular trap at or near the cat’s feeding station for at least a week. (Chain it to something if you’re worried about theft.)
• At first, remove the trap door if it is a loose one. If it is attached to the trap, tie it up in the open position. In this way you’ll be making sure that it won’t slam shut at the wrong moment.
• 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) inside and around the trap to help set the cat at ease.
• Use yummy, strong-smelling food as bait, but place the food dish outside the trap for the first day or two.
• Then begin placing the food dish inside the trap, but just beyond the mouth of the trap. This will enable the cat to eat while most of his or her body remains outside. Move the food deeper and deeper into the trap on consecutive days without actually setting the trap.
• Once the cat is comfortably eating inside the trap, set the trap in the usual way. If possible, use the ‘stick’ method (https://iamcat.blog/how-do-i-trap-community-cats-part-1/). Be careful not to sprinkle Happy Cat near the stick, because some cats will roll in the powder and knock the stick over.

Should you have no joy with a regular trap, try trapping the wary cat in a ‘drop’ trap. A drop trap often works because it has no floor. This means that cats don’t have to enter it as they would a regular trap. You can trap a number of cats at once in a drop trap – usually at least two.

Once you’ve caught the cats, cover the drop trap with a blanket to help calm them. You may also have to weigh the trap down to prevent them from crawling out. Then use a ‘transfer’ trap to move the cats one by one from the drop trap to normal traps. (If you’ve caught only one or two, you can usually transport them in the transfer trap.)

A transfer trap has a sliding door similar to that of the drop trap. Once you’ve positioned it next to the door of the drop trap, remove the blanket from the drop trap to cover the transfer trap. Then slide open both doors. Cats usually prefer to move from the drop trap into the transfer trap, as it now seems like the darker, safer option.

If you’re having no luck with a drop trap either, try feeding the cat in a large cardboard box for a few days. Once the cat is comfortably eating in the box, place a trap inside the box without setting it. Move the bait food deeper and deeper into the trap on consecutive days as described above.

I recently trapped an impossible-to-trap cat in this way, thanks to this great tip I received from Charlmaine Perreira from Jozi South Feral Cat Carers (https://www.facebook.com/jozisouthferal/).

After reading the guidelines about trapping a wary cat above and those in Cat Blogs 4a and 4b, check out some videos on trapping on the internet. This will give you a better idea of how trapping works in practice. See for example https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wF_omFE7Etc

You now have all the information you need to start trapping feral or community cats humanely and effectively. Wishing you much success in this important undertaking!

Cat quote of the week

Perhaps one reason we are fascinated by cats is because such a small animal can contain so much independence, dignity, and freedom of spirit… He demands acceptance on his own terms.

Lloyd Alexander

Cat Story 7

NCat – an unusual cat welfare organisation

This group is very close to my heart, as I co-founded it 12 years ago, and I’m still very involved with it today. We’re a registered non-profit organisation (https://ncat.co.za/content/view/welcome) that was formed with the intention of offering cats and their carers something different.

We act as a kind of networking portal to help cat carers get the help they need for their cats – mostly sterilisation, cat food and sometimes veterinary treatment. This means that cat people from across the country contact us for help. We then network on their behalf to put them in touch with the resources they need. Since our inception, we’ve been instrumental in organising thousands of steries countrywide. We’ve also helped scores of carers feed more cats – especially in these challenging times.

On one or two occasions though, when all other options had been exhausted, we’ve gotten involved in protest action – mostly in collaboration with the amazing BAT (Ban Animal Trading – https://www.bananimaltrading.org/).

Whenever possible, we love getting involved in teaching children about cats. On one occasion we worked with SARAC (Soweto Animal Rescue and Advisory Centre – https://www.sarac.co.za/) to tell kids how to respect and care for community cats.

We’ve now also joined forces with another group, Speak (Society for People, Environment and Animal Kindness – https://speak-up3.wixsite.com/speak) in producing and distributing a colouring-in storybook – Khosi and the Little Cat.

Our only constraint is … money! If we had more funds, we could do infinitely more for our beloved cats. (Every cent we receive, goes straight to the cats. We don’t use it for salaries, petrol or any other expense.)

Will you help us do more?

NCat, FNB Sandton, branch code 250655, account 62362218440, swift code FIRNZAJJ, ref ‘Steries’ or ‘Food’ and your name.

Cat Blog 4b

I’ve trapped a feral cat – what now?

Don’t stress if the cat seems to be very afraid and begins to jump around in the trap as you start moving towards the trap. It’s always hard to see a cat in distress, but remind yourself that you’re doing the cat the biggest kindness possible. If it’s a girl, she will never again have to use scarce resources raising young. And if it’s a boy, he will be less inclined to fight with other toms.

• Approach the cat from the side so that he or she can hide behind the towel or blanket that is already in place. While talking reassuringly to the cat, cover the trap completely with the towel or blanket. Cats can injure themselves in their frantic efforts to escape from a trap. So make sure that you never to leave a cat uncovered in a trap. (The towel or blanket should remain in place at the vet’s as well. You could leave a small peep-hole open to enable the cat to orient himself or herself.)
• If the door of the trap is inclined to slide open, you can secure it with a piece of string or wire.
• Now move the covered trap to an area where other cats can’t see or hear the cat you’ve already trapped. This will help ensure that the other cats don’t become afraid of the traps.
• Before leaving the premises, examine the cat for lactation to determine whether she is perhaps suckling. (Place the trap on a higher surface and try to get a good look at the cat’s tummy.) If the cat is lactating, ask the vet to sterilise her as soon as possible and to administer a reversal of the anaesthesia afterwards. Release her four or five hours later, after ensuring that she’s awake and alert. This will enable her to return to her young.

• In the car on the way to the vet, play soothing music. 
• When delivering the cat to the vet, you may want to provide the assistant with a cardboard lid that could be used as a temporary litter box. Alternatively provide a thick layer of newspaper. While the cat is sedated, the vet’s assistant will place food and water in the trap together with the ‘litter box’ or newspaper. (You needn’t remove these when collecting the cat, although you may want to syringe out the water.)
• Ask the vet to tip the cat’s ear during the procedure to show that he or she has been sterilised. This is very important to prevent the cat from being trapped again in future.
• Point out to the vet or his/her assistant if they need to re-secure the trap door with wire or string after replacing the cat in the trap.
• If a reversal has been administered, you can collect the cat four or five hours after the procedure.
• When picking the cat up from the vet, check as best you can whether everything is in order with his or her wound. There should be almost no blood on the newspapers, for example. If you can manage a peek at the wound itself, so much the better!
•  Unless a reversal has been administered, release the cat on the day following the sterilisation only. Make sure that you release the cat in his or her familiar territory – if possible in the same place where you trapped them.

More about how to trap a wary cat in Cat Blog 4c!

Did you know?

 

Cat quote of the week

A happy arrangement: many people prefer cats to other people, and many cats prefer people to other cats.

Mason Cooley

Cat Story 6

The magical, true story of Tao the Siamese cat

(Pics are unfortunately not of Tao himself, and names have been changed.)

Bringing my car to an abrupt stop, I jumped out and grabbed the empty carrier I always had with me. I knew that no cat would be lying in that spot unless he or she were in trouble!

Slowly and carefully I approached the beautiful cat while making soothing sounds. He didn’t seem phased by my presence, but he was panting – a sure sign of distress. I knelt down beside him, and his panting turned into purring. This was also a sign of stress, but he seemed to sense that I was there to help him. It became clear very quickly that he couldn’t move the bottom part of his body.

I placed the carrier next to him and opened it. Then I gently grasped his scruff and began drawing him into the carrier very slowly. He kept purring. When he was all the way in, I closed the carrier and carefully placed it on the passenger seat of my car.

I felt a great sense of urgency to get this poor cat to a vet as soon as I could. For some reason I decided to take him to a vet some distance from where I was, which I intuitively felt would be the right one in the circumstances.

When I arrived at the vet, I explained the situation to the receptionist. Within a few minutes the vet was carefully examining the cat.

‘He’s probably been hit by a car,’ he said after a brief examination. ‘His pelvis is fractured, so he may need surgery.’

The next morning the vet’s assistant called me. ‘We found the cat’s owner,’ she said, completely unexpectedly.

I was delighted but also puzzled. ‘What, already?’ I asked.

‘Yes,’ she responded. ‘The lady and her daughter brought a missing poster they wanted to put up in our waiting room. It was only a short time after you had brought the cat to us. They could hardly believe that their missing cat was here, as he’d been missing for several weeks already. They were ecstatic to see him! The cat’s name is Tao, and his owner would like to meet you and give you a reward.’

I was elated – Tao’s humans had been found, and I would be meeting them and seeing Tao again. AND I would be receiving a reward, which my organisation NCat (http://www.ncat.co.za) would be able to use to sterilise a few more cats!

A few months earlier, Rina and her husband had gone on holiday. While they were away, their daughter visited Tao daily. But then New Year came, with its terrifying fireworks, and Tao must have taken fright and gone into hiding somewhere.

Rina and her husband, Wouter, cut short their holiday and returned home, desperate to find Tao. Every day they walked and drove up and down in their area, calling and putting up posters.

After several days of futile searching, Wouter made a pledge to Rina. ‘I will find Tao if it’s the last thing I do,’ he said solemnly.

The very next day, Wouter had a massive heart attack and died.

Upon hearing this, I was filled with a feeling of wonder. I knew immediately that it had been Wouter who had led me down the unfamiliar turnoff on the day I found Tao. It had also been Wouter who had guided me to the one vet that his wife would be visiting that same day.

You see, he was keeping his promise to Rina. He brought Tao back to her.

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Cat Blog 4a

Don’t worry if you’ve never trapped community cats before. If you’ve been able to beg, borrow or buy one or more traps, and you follow the guidelines contained here and in the next Cat Blog, you’ll be fine. And if you commit some blunders or have some disconcerting experiences in the process, you won’t be alone! All of us have experienced those at some time or another.

Preparation

• Rinse the trap out beforehand in a weak solution of bleach (i.e. 1 teaspoon Jic on a bucket of water) to sanitise it. Long-handled brushes such as dish-washing brushes work well. It also helps to set the trap on its ‘bottom’ to reach inside more easily.
• Check that your trap mechanism is working properly. If necessary oil the sliding surfaces with oil that doesn’t have a strong smell.
• If the trap doesn’t have a solid floor, cover the floor with folded newspaper.
• During the week or two before trapping, feed the cats treats every day at the time at which you would like to trap them.
• Don’t feed them at all the day before the trapping, except perhaps a small amount 24 hours beforehand.
• Make a tentative appointment with a vet that is accustomed to working with community (feral) cats. Also check whether the vet will charge you welfare rates.

The trapping itself

• If possible, use the ‘stick’ method of trapping instead of the automatic method.  This entails not setting the trap on the automatic function. Instead, prop the door of the trap open with a sturdy stick, and attach a long string to the stick. This gives you more control over the process and enables you to trap more than one cat at a time. Try to make sure that no other cats watch the procedure, to prevent scaring them off.
• Sprinkle Happy Cat (obtainable from some vets and shops and from Takealot – https://www.takealot.com/all?_sb=1&_r=1&qsearch=happy%20cat%20stressfree&via=suggestions&_si=a9fde250aa8c61bc1cc212afb2f58adc) inside and around the trap to help set the cat at ease.
• Use flat plastic dishes such as the lids of tubs for your bait, and keep ants out by sprinkling baby powder or diatomaceous earth around them. (https://www.feelgoodhealth.co.za/blogs/pet-health-blog-natural-health-blog-dogs-cats/diatomaceous-earth-dogs-cats-health-benefits.) Some caregivers report that smearing petroleum jelly on the outside of dishes also works wonderfully. Use strong smelling soft food as bait – something fishy or a chicken mousse. Place a teaspoonful in the mouth of the trap to lure the cat in, and the rest in the dish you’ve placed right at the back.
• After setting the trap, test whether the door of the trap is working properly and won’t catch on anything. If you’ll be using the stick method, also check whether the stick will slide out smoothly. It is also a good idea to attach a small amount of ‘Prestik’ to the top and bottom ends of the stick. This helps to ensure that it won’t easily slip and scare the cats off at a crucial moment.

• Cover the trap partially with a towel or blanket, in such a way that only the sides of the trap are covered.
• Once you’re ready, don’t call the cat or reveal that you want him or her to enter the trap. Cats are clever and intuitive, so pretend that you don’t care whether they go in or not. And try not to stare too intently!
• Avoid trapping any community cat while other cats (that also need to be trapped) are on the outside looking on. When cats witness other cats being trapped, they will avoid the trap in future. Be patient and wait for the ideal situation.

More about trapping in Cat Blog 4b!

Cat quote of the week

I believe cats to be spirits come to earth. A cat, I am sure, could walk on a cloud without coming through.

Jules Verne

Cat Story 5

Trapping anecdotes

Caregivers who regularly trap community cats have their fair share of frustrating and/or hilarious experiences. Here are a few of them:

• Rita from CAT Garden Route recounts how a security guard that she had informed about the trapping beforehand locked her into a building. She’s also been apprehended while trapping in Pollsmoor’s high security section!
• Another time Rita annoyed the ladies of the night when she was trapping at Cape Town harbour. They thought she was stealing their ‘spot’!
• Christopher from Edenvale Ferals tried to trap an injured cat on an abandoned property and found himself not only arrested but thrown in jail for 2 nights!
• Joanne from Harties Ferals remembers all the different non-feline animals they’ve caught over time, for example hadedas, chickens … even someone’s little dog!

• Beata, active in Joburg in association with NCat, had a boy sterilised but managed to trap him a second time. This time she was under the impression that he was a pregnant female. She was astonished when the vet informed her the following day that the cat was not only a male but had already been sterilised. You will find too that some cats will be trapped repeatedly!
• Louise Holton from Alley Cat Rescue in the US tells how she was almost arrested because they were trapping in an area where drugs were being sold. Another time they cut the locks at an apartment building because cats had been locked in a basement without food or water on a hot day. Fortunately the kind cops let them off with a warning!
• My funniest was when I spent multiple hours trying to trap kittens at Weskoppies Psychiatric Hospital in Pretoria after a patient alerted me to their presence. I didn’t manage to trap anyone, and I was getting very concerned. Then another patient took pity on me and broke the news that patient no 1 had made up the entire story!

If you cannot trap cats yourself, won’t you consider supporting your local NPO or welfare group financially? The more funds they have, the more community cats they can trap and sterilise!

Sending you thanks, blessings and purrs – until next week!

Cat Blog 3

Moving house with my cats

So you’ll be moving house with your pet cat or cats, and you’re feeling stressed? I’ve been there myself, more times than I care to remember. And as if the entire mission of packing up and moving everything you own to a new location isn’t stressful enough, you’re also very worried about your 2/3/7 beloved feline family members. Will you be able to relocate them safely? Will they adjust happily to the new home?

Fortunately I can reassure you: If you follow the guidelines given here, you’ll have absolutely nothing to worry about, and moving house with your pet cats should run like clockwork!

1 Prior to moving day

Prepare one room in the new house for your feline kids before the big move. Choose a room that you’ll be using often – perhaps your bedroom or your study. Then place some of your cats’ beds, blankets, toys etc in this room before moving day. As we know, smell is terribly important to our felines, so don’t wash any of these articles in advance. This will ensure that they retain their familiar smell.

Sprinkle powdered valerian root such as Happy Cat (https://iamcat.blog/feral-cats-how-can-i-help-them-continued/) everywhere, and perhaps add a Feliway diffuser. Your vet should be able to supply you with this useful aid, or you could order it online (e.g. at https://www.petheaven.co.za/feliway-diffuser-refill.html?gclid=CjwKCAjwv4SaBhBPEiwA9YzZvLUR-6-pbnsXkG4aa1hUTY0Jh5jH-DWbHBnRAGY1bhLQrHklkfG4ZhoChtwQAvD_BwE). 

Place litter boxes (one for each cat) in spots away from where food dishes will be. If your cats aren’t used to using litter boxes, sprinkle some garden soil on top. Close all the windows securely and leave them closed for at least the first 2 weeks (see below). If this will make the room too hot, consider installing screens in front of any open windows.

It is also very important that you add some vertical interest, for example a jungle gym.

You’re now well prepared for moving house with your pet cats!

2 Moving day

On the morning of the move, make sure that you confine your cats to a room in the old house. Bathrooms are usually good, provided no one will be able to enter the room for the entire time that people will be moving furniture, boxes etc out of the house.

Once all your furniture, appliances, boats, bicycles and what-not have been moved to the new home,
you can take your cats there. Use secure cat carriers in which you’ve sprinkled some more Happy Cat (https://iamcat.blog/feral-cats-how-can-i-help-them-continued/). At the new house, place the carriers in the designated room, preferably near a bed or other piece of furniture the cats will be able to hide under if they feel anxious. Make sure that the door and all the windows are tightly closed, and that no one (e.g. a toddler or a forgetful spouse) can accidentally open them. Now open the carriers, but allow the cats to emerge at their own rate.

3 The first 2 weeks

Strictly confine the cats to their special room for at least the first week. Spend as much time with them as you possibly can, and reassure them continually. Don’t wash any of their blankets during this time, to preserve the familiar smells. 

After the first week, allow them to start exploring the rest of the house for a few hours a day, making very sure that all windows and doors are securely locked. At night, return them to the primary room.

4 After the first 2 weeks

At the end of the first 2 weeks, start introducing your pet(s) to the outside world, an hour or so at a time, preferably singly and under supervision. It’s also a good idea to teach your cat(s) which window to use to get into and out of the house by physically guiding them in and out of the window several times. When your pet is completely settled in, keep this window open at all times. Alternatively, have a pet door installed in one of your outside doors.

If you would like to know more, I whole-heartedly recommend that you watch a video on moving house with your cats by the inimitable Jackson Galaxy. You’ll find it here: https://www.google.com/search?q=How+do+I+move+house+with+my+cat&rlz=1C1CHBF_enZA982ZA983&oq=How+do+I+move+house+with+my+cat&aqs=chrome..69i57j69i60.10694j0j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:fcc46945,vid:a8Gb2Riqle4

And now you should be able to relax completely, at long last, and really begin enjoying your new home together with your beloved cats!

Cat quote of the week

         There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats. –

Albert Schweitzer

Cat Story 4

The ‘Angel Child’ of Petrusville

This week’s story is about another remarkable woman called ‘Ingilkind’ (Angel Child) by the people of her town. Here is her story.

Elize had always loved cats, and when her grandmother began feeding the alley cats in Hillbrow, Johannesburg, the 8 year-old Elize was eager to help.

Years later she began working with a feral-care group in Johannesburg, where she learned how to set up feeding stations and trap cats to have them sterilised. She often had to raise bottle babies.

Six years ago, Elize moved to Petrusville in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa. She resolved that she was done with rescue work – and besides her own 47 rescues had made the big move with her.

She hadn’t been in Petrusville long when she spotted two cats along the main road. When she followed them into the veld, sheand found 17 more. Needless to say, she reverted to rescue mode without missing a beat, and the rest is history.

Later she discovered two more colonies totalling 74 cats, with numerous kittens. She began to sterilising them, slowly. She didn’t have a trap and used cat carriers placed on their sides with a string attached. One by one she trapped them and drove all the way to Orania, 55 km away, to see the vet who visited on Tuesdays. Elize now cares for 96 feral cats and 59 at her home – all sterilised and healthy.

She feeds ‘her’ ferals every day, come rain or shine, using 150-170 kg per month. She uses litter boxes as food and water dishes, and cardboard boxes covered in black plastic bags as shelters.

Then she began noticing the township dogs, and she simply couldn’t turn a blind eye. It’s a struggle, but she tries to feed them every day as well. She cooks pap (corn porridge) mixed with vegetable skins and inexpensive dog pellets for them.

And now she also cares for sick animals: all the residents of Petrusville as well as the nearby small town bring their sick animals to her. She tries to keep as many medications and remedies as possible on hand for cats, dogs, goats and sheep.

She says: ‘My main focus is my cats, always will be. But the other animals also need help. I am the only one that helps here. Many of the people are very poor, they cannot afford to pay anything towards the meds. I then give it to them, I do not want the animals to suffer.’

Her greatest need is food. She buys food from a store in town at R350.34 for 10 kg, but should anyone wish to courier food to her, her address is:
40 Kerk Street
Petrusville
Northern Cape
8770

Always needed are any old bowls, towels, blankets and beds, and meds such as Protexin, Frontline Spray, and Antesol dewormer. She also needs dips for dogs. And then, of course, financial help to pay vet bills and have new arrivals sterilised. If you can help, please pay any donations into the NCat account, and we’ll make sure it reaches Elize asap! (NCat, FNB Sandton, branch code 250655, account 62362218440, swift code FIRNZAJJ, ref ‘Petrusville’ and your name.)

But the Angel Child didn’t stop there. She also helps the children and the elderly in the community, as they truly have nothing. If you can help with clothes, blankets, anything – it is all welcome. ‘I believe God brought me here,’ she says, ‘and with His help I somehow do it all.’

Cat Blog 2b

1 Feeding and ‘watering’ community cats

This is the second instalment of our Cat Blog about how to help feral or community cats. See https://iamcat.blog/feral-cats-and-how-to-help-them/ in Cat Blog 2a for the intro.

As you can imagine, a dependable source of food and water makes a huge difference to the lives of community cats. If you would rather not feed them yourself though, you could help the volunteer organisations in your area do the job by donating food and/or funds. 

If you can’t get to a colony every day, set up a feeding station that you service only every few days or once a week. We recommend that you use the following:

• Use metal feeders (3 kg or 5 kg) under cover. You’ll find these in pet shops, and in South Africa they’re often sold by the side of the road. Raise the feeders off the ground if necessary. Sprinkle baby powder quite thickly around the feeders to keep ants out, and if necessary, attach feeders to posts or pillars by means of chains. A wonderful natural product to use instead of baby powder is diatomaceous earth, which has many other uses as well. See for example https://www.feelgoodhealth.co.za/blogs/pet-health-blog-natural-health-blog-dogs-cats/diatomaceous-earth-dogs-cats-health-benefits. Some caregivers report that smearing petroleum jelly on the outside of dishes also works!

OR

• Or you could place feeders or bowls in square plastic crates with lids and cut a hole in the side to let the cats in. Then you can simply lift the lid when you need to refill the feeder or bowl. To keep ants out of the food, sprinkle baby powder or diatomaceous earth around the bowls, or place the bowls in trays that you fill with water. In the latter case, make sure that the trays are level (use wedges or flat stones to ensure this), to protect the food against ants. Also make sure no twigs or sprigs form ‘bridges’ to the food.
• Place the tubs in such a way that bowls containing food are protected against rain.
• If possible, place the bowls on rubber mats.
• Always provide community cats with water. You could place the water bowls under or outside the tubs.
• If birds such as hadedas are a problem, try to get hold of ‘bottom feeders’, which are bird-proof. At first use strong-smelling soft food and pulverised valerian root (eg Happy Cat) inside and around them to lure the cats inside. Phase them in slowly to help the cats get used to them. (Happy Cat is a wonderful calming product for cats. Order it easily from Takealot at https://www.takealot.com/all?_sb=1&_r=1&qsearch=happy%20cat%20valerian&via=suggestions&_si=85588e7042023ace10649761ec46b47f

You will also find interesting info on feeding stations on Google, for example at https://www.alleycat.org/resources/feeding-station-options-gallery/

2 Providing community cats with shelter

‘Your’ community cats would love you to provide some shelter for them against rain and cold, but here too are a few principles you need to keep in mind:

• Choose your shelters with care, again ensuring that they are neat and in neutral colours. Their placement is very important: try and place them as unobtrusively as possible, for example behind a bush or under a low overhang.
• Fill them with dry hay or straw and sprinkle a little dried valerian root powder (eg Happy Cat, see above) inside to lure the cats in.

See also https://www.saveacat.org/providing-shelter.html for another wonderfully snug shelter idea.

3 Sterilising community cats

Sterilising community cats is even more important than feeding them. Sterilisation will benefit them immediately and for the rest of their lives: they would no longer need to use all their resources to raise litter after litter of offspring. It could also make the crucial difference between a landlord allowing them to remain or not.

Your best bet is to contact one of the welfare organisations in your area for help. You could also borrow traps and take it on yourself – but that is a subject for a later cat blog!

A wonderful site I can recommend about caring for community cats is that of Alley Cat Rescue in the US – founded by South African born Louise Holton. Louise is also one of the staunchest supporters of local South African cat caregivers and cat-care groups. Check out the site and download their guide at https://www.saveacat.org/how-to-help-community-cats.html.

Cat quote of the week

Cats know how to obtain food without labor, shelter without confinement, and love without penalties.

WL George

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Cat Story 3

This is one of the many uplifting stories that cat lovers joyfully repeat to other cat lovers. My thanks to the inimitable Rita Brock, founder of CAT Garden Route, who shared the story and pics with me. Learn more about them at https://www.facebook.com/catgardenroute and support the essential work they do if you possibly can!

Little Tom was born intro a life of squalor and neglect. His ‘family’ didn’t even allow him indoors, and they didn’t touch him either, ever.

But one day his life changed forever. He was rescued by Coriza, a member of CAT Garden Route. (Coriza visits the poorest, and sometimes the least safe, parts of communities daily, alone, fearlessly, to save cats.)

On this day, Coriza cleaned Tom up lovingly and whisked him off to his new life.

Soon afterwards, another miracle happened for Tom. He was adopted by a wonderful family. His life is now filled with love, cuddles, good food and snuggly beds. In fact, he is in cat heaven.

Of course CAT Garden Route cannot help cats like Tom without our help. So, if you can donate cat carriers, or blankets, or anything cats need, please get in touch with them. And if you can donate vital funds, here are their banking details: CAT Trust, FNB, acc 626 1567 0800, branch code 210114.

Many thanks, purrs and blessings from the beautiful Garden Route in South Africa!

Cat Blog 2a

‘How we behave toward cats here below

determines our status in heaven.’

Robert A Heinlein

1 Getting involved

Have you ever spotted one of the shy feral cats and kittens who tend to live around shopping centres, hospitals and office buildings? Perhaps you felt a twinge of anxiety, wondering whether the kitten or cat belonged to anyone and whether he or she was ok.

If so, you probably have the huge heart of a feral caregiver in the making. And that kitten or cat you saw? He or she most probably does need help.

2 What is a feral or community cat?

The dictionary defines ‘feral’ as ‘wild, untamed’, but the term is often used to describe any unowned or community cat living on the streets of our cities. Some are strays that have become separated from their owners. They may have been abandoned, or lost their way, or they may have escaped due to abuse or neglect. Many are born on the streets from either formerly tame or wild mothers. They therefore don’t come into close contact with humans during the first two months of their lives, and remain ‘wild’. In other words, they’re afraid of humans.

The best way to find out how you can help, is by chatting to any of the security guards on the premises. They almost always know whether someone is caring for the community cats in the area. They will also know where the feeding stations (if any) are.

Perhaps you’ve found such a feeding station, often consisting only of a few feeding bowls and a container of water. You might want to leave a note under one of the food bowls to make contact with the caregiver. You could introduce yourself, offer to help, and provide your contact details. Or you could leave the details with the guard you chatted to.

3 Principles to bear in mind when caring for community cats

• Keep it unobtrusive. When caring for community cats, try to keep it as unobtrusive as possible, as there will always be people who don’t like cats and may object to their presence or even demand their removal. Place any dishes, tubs, crates or igloos as unobtrusively as possible, and use only neutral colours such as dark green, grey or black. In some situations, you may not be able to use bowls or igloos at all, but perhaps only one or two inconspicuous water dishes.
• Don’t remove community cats from their own environment. If possible, don’t relocate community cats, but leave them in their own environment, where they are happy and feel at home (even though it may not seem ideal to you). Also make sure as best you can that they are fed and sterilised. (Contact me or your nearest NPO if you’re experiencing problems with body corporates or landlords wanting the cats gone.)
• Enjoy them. Caring for community cats has been one of the greatest joys of my life. I don’t regret one minute or one Rand spent on them, and would gladly do it all over again!

More about food, feeding stations, shelter and sterilisation in Cat Blog 2b!

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Cat Story 2: Huge colony in Limpopo, South Africa, need all the help we can give them!

There are approximately 400 community cats living around the University of Limpopo. For years they had to fend for themselves and were in terrible condition. Some of the kind students and members of staff did what they could to feed some of the cats. But over the long December breaks, many of the cats and especially the kittens didn’t make it.

Then, a few years ago, a compassionate and resolute woman accepted a post at the University. We’ll call her Angel. She made it her mission to feed and steri as many of the cats as possible. Every day after work, she visited 44 feeding stations, using about 40 kg of catfood daily. This labour of love took her about 5 hours every single night. She also arranged a number of steri campaigns with the help of NCat and a few awesome colleagues and outside sponsors.

Eventually though, Angel had to leave the University, and very understandably she was no longer able to support the cats financially either.

Enter the two intrepid ladies of Urban Feral Cats Polokwane, who have been valiantly trying to continue sterilising the cats at the University. This task is made much harder by the fact that they live 30 km from the University. They’re prepared to travel there twice a month to sterilise and feed when funds are available, but they’re entirely dependent on donations by the public.

They need our help!

So: If you’re able to sponsor any amount monthly towards the feeding and sterilisation of the UL community cats, the members of Urban Feral Cats Polokwane would dearly love to hear from you. Please won’t you include a comment here to let them know you will help long-term? No matter how small your contribution will be – it will make a difference! I will be sure to pass your message on to them, or to let you have their contact details so you can chat to them directly. See https://www.facebook.com/urbanferalcats for more info on them.

Banking details: NCat, FNB Sandton, branch code 250655, account 62362218440, swift code FIRNZAJJ, ref ‘Limpopo’ and your name. Any amount thus earmarked will be passed onto Polokwane immediately!

Many thanks, purrs and blessings – and please subscribe to receive an occasional email or notification!