VN August 2023

Vetnuus | August 2023 20 Last year Sandpaper Kisses Feral Cats (SPK) was alerted to feral cats who were literally starving at the air force museum at Zwartkop when another organization, which was looking for a lost dog, stumbled across these starving cats. We could not turn a blind eye and so we approached the Captain of the Thaba Tshwane army base and requested a meeting to discuss how we could assist these cats. First and foremost was to start a Trap, Neuter and Release programme and then to set up feeding stations for the cats. After much negotiation, we were taken and shown where all the colonies were, and there were A LOT of cats and kittens everywhere. We knew there would be no financial assistance from the base but we could not simply leave these cats to continue to suffer and breed. Dr Ina of the Doringkloof CVC heard about these cats and extended an offer to assist with the sterilizations of these cats. We set a start date and fromAugust 2022 we started trapping at themainbasewherewe first sawthe cats.These catswere in very poor condition and starving, with kittens crying from hunger everywhere. Dr Ina and her team have been instrumental in assisting us with these cats, from having to end the suffering of certain cats, to dentals, treatment for snuffles, eye infections, Enucleations (full eye removal) to stitching up injuries. The cats are also given a 3 in 1 cat vaccination with Rabies as well as treated for ticks, fleas and worms. SPK are hugely indebted to the Doringkloof CVC for their compassion and kindness shown towards our feral cats. They give them top notch treatment, care and love. As of July 2023, 93 cats have been sterilized at these bases and we still have a long way to go. But we are so happy that we have been able to change these cat’s lives by having them sterilized! A huge thank you to Dr Ina Visser for getting involved with this project, we could not have done this without her assistance. She has helped to change many lives for the better. And together we are curbing the cycle of overpopulation and preventing future suffering. v An initiative of the SOUTH AFRICAN VETERINARY ASSOCIATION Non-profit Company: 1998/016654/08 Non-profit Organisation: 000-234 NPO Public Benefit Organisation: 130001321 CVC News I CVC Nuus Compassion and kindness shown towards feral cats Article written by: Michelle Raath (Sandpaper Kisses Feral Cats)