Kittycat Issue 7 Jan|Feb|Mar 2015 by Jenni Ferreira

Kittycat Mason Starâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Battle with

Lymphoma

Breed Profile

Moggie

Kidney

Stones

Therapy for

Urine Spraying Jan|Feb|Mar 2015

www.kittycat.co.za

CONTENT

Message from the Editor

Contributors

Breed Profile - The Moggie

Living with Moggies

Kidney Stones in Cats

Therapy for Urine Spraying

Warning - Poisonings!

Ask the Vet

Mason Star’s Battle with Lymphoma

Win with ROGZ

You’ve Got Talent

Book Review

Cat show in Switzerland

How I met My Cat

Happy Endings

Blue and Bastian, A Short Story

61 67

Ice Angel Part 4

Kittycat of the Month

Rescues and Shelters

Product and Services Directory

Wishing all our readers and their kitties a very happy, healthy and wonderful year ahead. Thank you for your support in 2014. We hope you enjoyed the first 6 issues and we look forward to growing and getting more readers, advertisers, sponsors and fans in 2015. Kittycat Magazine will be published quarterly this year instead of bi-monthly so there will be four issues instead of six i.e. January, April, July and October, which will give me more time to work on Kittycat Rescue Magazine (also quarterly) and the websites. Keep a look out for Issue 3 of our Rescue Magazine which will be published soon. In this issue we feature the Moggie (Domestic cat), the most common type of cat to share our homes and lives with. We once again have several lovely stories to share with you from proud owners about their Moggies. If you would like to adopt a cat this year, there are hundreds of beautiful cats waiting for their forever homes at shelters country wide. Many shelters have many kittens from kitten season that would make wonderful pets, as well as several adult cats too. You will find a list of shelters in the Rescue section of the magazine, as well as on our website. Please ensure that your new cat is spayed/neutered. Dr Larry Kraitzick (Bruma Lake Veterinary Clinic) discusses Kidney Stones and also warns pet owners to keep their pets safe and to be aware of pet poisonings happening in South Africa. We’d like to say a special thank you to Dr Larry Kraitzick for assisting us with articles, Q & A’s and for playing an active role in our Facebook Group. Dr Kraitzick is committed to help educate and inform pet lovers about general health care and specific disease conditions in pets. Despite his busy schedule he works tirelessly to improve the well being of pets and seeks to understand the concerns of pet lovers by engagingly in constructive discussion with the hope of being able to address

COVER CAT Our cover cat this month is beautiful Sammy, a kitten rescued with his 3 siblings from an office park. He has been adopted and is very happy in his new forever home.

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Jenni Ferreira, Editor

WELCOME!!

their concerns. A huge thank you too to Helen Millar (SA Pet Pages) for sharing our links and giving Kittycat some exposure. Lastly thank you to Jeanette Breedt who has been excellent at keeping our facebook pages active and entertaining while I’ve been busy preparing the magazines. Do any of your cats spray? Dr Arnold Plotnick (Manhattan Cat Specialists) takes a look at Therapy for Feline Spraying. We hope you enjoy reading Part 4 of Ice Angel, a short story by Linda Deane. We have another 4 part short story commencing in this issue by Rose Richards. We feature Rosalie Herholdt, artist, in our regular ‘You’ve Got Talent’ section, so please check out her website and facebook page. Enter the ROGZ competition and you may be lucky enough to win a ROGZ product hamper for your cat! Be sure to sign up for the Kittycat newsletter at : www.kittycat.co.za and never miss an issue! We hope you enjoy this issue kitty lovers, see you in April.

Jenni

EDITOR AND PUBLISHER

CONTRIBUTORS

Jenni Ferreira kittycatsa@gmail.com LAYOUT AND DESIGN

Dr Larry Kraitzick BVSc Bruma Lake Veterinary Clinic

Jenni Ferreira WEBSITES Jenni Ferreira Graham de Klerk FACEBOOK PAGES/GROUP

Qualified in 1990 with Bachelor of Veterinary of Science from Onderstepoort Veterinary Faculty. In 1991 he ran a welfare clinic in Alexander Township. He went to the United Kingdom to register as a Member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in 1992 and began working at Yeoville Veterinary Clinic, which he took ownership of in 1993. Whilst running Yeoville Veterinary Clinic Dr Kraitzick collaborated with Dr Leo Reinecke (Human Radiotherapy Specialist) in treating selected pet cancer Patients with Chemotherapy. He started Bruma Lake Vet Clinic in Johannesburg in 2002. He travelled to the USA in 2013 to learn about the value of client communication and education using Media with the emphasis on Electronic and Social Media. In October 2014 he started The Old Folk Pet Support Group and was part of a group who intervened to prevent senior residents of Tweedy Park (a government housing project on the East Rand) from being forced to get rid of their pets. Dr Kraitzick is married with two sons, two cats and a dog.

Jeanette Breedt Jenni Ferreira CONTRIBUTORS Dr Arnold Plotnick Dr Larry Kraitzick Cat World (Australia) Patsy Smyth PHOTOGRAPHY Jenni Ferreira ADVERTISING kittycat.classifieds@gmail.com ADDRESS P O Box 1220 Randburg 2125 South Africa Email: kittycatsa@gmail.com Fax: 086 428 5044 www.kittycat.co.za

Dr. Arnold Plotnick MS, DVM, ACVIM Manhattan Cat Specialists

NEWSLETTER Sign up for our Newsletter at www.kittycat.co.za

Dr. Arnold Plotnick is a board certified veterinary internist, feline specialist, and the owner of Manhattan Cat Specialists. In addition to his medical work, he is an award-winning veterinary medicine writer. He is a featured article writer in Cat Fancy magazine, an advice expert on CatChannel, and authors the blog â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cat Man Do.â&#x20AC;? Dr Plotnick is owned by 2 cats, Crispy and Mittens.

The Publisher assumes no responsibility for accuracy, safety or performance of the info or products presented. The opinions expressed in the Magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Editor / Publisher or Advertisers. The Editor reserves the right to edit material submitted. All material published in Kittycat is copyrighted by Kittycat. All rights reserved. Reproduction of material is prohibited without written permission.

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Photograph by Jenni Ferreira

Photo by Ludmila Pankov | www.tessa.lv https://www.facebook.com/Tessa.lv

Awesome Bengals www.awesomebengals.co.za 3 Kittycat Issue 4 July|August 2014c ISSUE 7 3 KITTYCAT MAGAZINE 6 JAN|FEB|MAR NOVEMBER|DECEMBER 2015 2014 Photographed by Jenni Ferreira www.jenniferreira.com

BREED PROFILE

THE DOMESTIC (MOGGIE) Copyright & courtesy: www.cat-world.com.au

Photograph by Theresa Fouche

Also known as the “moggie”, the domestic is the most common type of cat to share our home. It is not a breed of cat, rather a cat of unknown/mixed origin. As a result, they come in all manner of shapes and sizes depending on their background.

Being taken away from their mother too early can have an impact on the temperament of the cat, which is why it is usually recommended that they don’t leave for their new home until they are at least 8 weeks of age. This is obviously not always possible with domestics, but definitely a plus.

Did you know that you can show domestic cats? Most cat councils have a category for “household pets”. So if you think your cat has the looks, and the personality, and you would like to meet other cat lovers, why not give it a try?

I’ve had several domestics myself and all have been friendly, outgoing with no extreme tendencies. They got along with me, with other people, with children. They were good, all round cats.

Appearance

Where to find a domestic (Moggie)

As has already been said, the domestic comes in all sizes and shapes. Mostly they are a fairly average sized cat, weighing in between 4 - 6 kg. Males tend to be larger than females.

Domestics make wonderful pets. There are always more needing homes than there are homes for them. If you are looking to bring a domestic (or two) into your home, the best place you can look is your local shelter. They will be able to show you around cats needing a home and match the perfect cat for your home situation.

There is nothing extreme about these cats, they are well proportioned. Eye colour can range from gold through to green and blue. Some domestics even have odd eyes. One green, one blue. Colours Every imaginable coat colour can be found in domestics/ moggies. Common colours and patterns found include black, tuxedo, silver tabby, ginger, ginger and white, calico, blue, blue and white and white.

I always think it’s important to consider your home situation when choosing a cat. Are you out of the house for long periods of time? If so, an independent natured cat is better suited, or even two cats to keep each other company. Do you have young children? A laid back cat is best for families with kids. Does the cat talk a lot? Some people love a talkative cat, others prefer the strong but silent type. Lifespan

Temperament The lifespan of a moggie ranges from 10 - 15 years. Just like the appearance and colour of the domestic, their temperament varies enormously. Even with purebred cats, you can get an idea of certain traits they may have (Siamese are known for being talkative, but I’m sure there are quiet ones out there). Temperament really depends on the background the cat has come from, the parents, and just how that cat is.

Care Moggies have very little needs. Regular grooming (once a week) to help get rid of loose hairs, and trimming the claws. Your cat will need to be fed twice a day, treated for parasites such as worms and fleas regularly. c

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Photography by Jenni Ferreira www.jenniferreira.com

KITTYCAT MAGAZINE c ISSUE 7 JAN|FEB|MAR 2015

Photography by Jenni Ferreira www.jenniferreira.com

KITTYCAT MAGAZINE c ISSUE 7 JAN|FEB|MAR 2015

Photography by Jenni Ferreira www.jenniferreira.com

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Photography by Jenni Ferreira www.jenniferreira.com

KITTYCAT MAGAZINE c ISSUE 7 JAN|FEB|MAR 2015

Photography by Jenni Ferreira www.jenniferreira.com

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Photography by Jenni Ferreira www.jenniferreira.com

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Photography by Jenni Ferreira www.jenniferreira.com

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Photography by Jenni Ferreira www.jenniferreira.com

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LIVING WITH MOGGIES OUR FOUR SPECIAL MOGGIES GEORGE & MELISSA JOAO

TETSUO Tetsuo’s story is a very special one and he is such a special boy. Probably the most special cat in my life for all time. I love him so very much. His name is of Japanese origin and means ‘Iron Man’. My husband and I have had Tetsuo since April 2008 . He was two months old when we got him and is now 7 years old. My husbands then job caused him to travel to many farms in the Mpumalanga area. At the time we had one cat at home, just my mums cat Phoenix. I really wanted a cat with his patterns and coloring. While visiting one of the seed farms in the area George came across Testuo who was then just a kitten. He was gorgeous and the sweetest little kitten you could imagine. He sent me a photo and it was love at first sight. He then asked the farmer if we could have the kitten as they were feral cats living

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on the farm and he agreed that we could have the little boy. George took him and because it was unplanned he had to sneak him into his bed and breakfast that night and drive back to JHB without a cat carrier. He sat the entire way cuddled up on George’s lap. He has been a part of our family ever since. He is such a loving cat and is also so friendly, not just to humans but also other animals, Always the kitty who says hello to visitor’s or climbs on laps. Always the first to walk to the driveway to greet you each night when you return from work. He is completely obsessed with biltong and you really have to hide it well as his nose always finds it! He is a ball of love, kindness and patience. c

JASMINE In October 2008 George received a call from the Kitty and Puppy haven about a cat that was extremely feral and no one was succeeding in working with her. He decided to help and we collected her and brought her home and named her Jasmine after a princess. She was absolutely stunning, and wildly beautiful but also very feral and seemed to have a lot of fear and aggression towards humans. She was roughly about seven years old when we got her and most likely had been a feral cat her entire life. George spent a very long time sitting with her quietly staring at her, sometimes ending with her on his lap. The next day however, seemed like all progress was lost and she reacted wildly when he came close. He never gave up on her though and day after day, he spent his quiet time sitting with her. Eventually, she warmed up to him, allowing only him to touch her. She started reacting positively to his voice and would come to him when he called her in for supper. It was then that George said the fostering is over and he would formally adopt her from the Haven. Nowadays, she is completely domesticated and calm. There is no fear any more and she is an absolute sucker for attention from George. She sleeps next to his pillow every night without fail. c

NINJAI George lived in Potchefstroom. He had a cat that died from a viral infection and that left a hole in his life. One morning before work, he found a fully grown ginger cat on his lounge sofa. Not knowing who’s cat he was, George left some food and water and rushed out to work. Later that evening upon returning home, the cat was still there on the sofa. George inspected him for any injuries and found him to be all in good health. After putting up posters, nobody had come to claim the boy who he now named Thomas. At the end of the year, George went on a family vacation with his parents and brothers. They all took their pets with. His brother had a grey and white female cat that was not spayed. Thomas too was not neutered and this resulted in some fireworks of the fun kind… A few weeks later George’s brother called to say Sokkies had kittens and Thomas was the guilty father. As a result, he had to choose one. George drove to Johannesburg to choose one of the kittens. The runt of the litter was the lucky one. Choosing a name was not easy. The kitten was extremely energetic and he ran and bounced off everything. George was looking for a suitable name for the ball of energy and happened on a name while watching a web cartoon called Ninjai the Little Ninja. The name stuck but he turned out to be the biggest cat we have! Ninjai is now 9 years old and the muscle in the house. c

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KITARA

Kitara is our beautiful girl that we adopted from Wollies Animal Project in Pretoria. The name Kitara is of Greek origin and actually is derived from a musical instrument played by Apollo. Kitara was found by the shelter at a hostel in Pretoria. I saw a picture of her posted on their Facebook page and immediately fell in love with her. We went through to Wollies that very Saturday and after meeting her and spending a day with their rescue cats we decided to adopt her in March 2014 and she has been with us ever since. She was roughly a year and a half when we adopted her from the shelter so is now two and a half years old. She is exceptionally beautiful with a really sweet and special personality. She was the last cat we adopted that has come into our home and gets on well with our other cats. She can sometimes be feisty and is definitely not a push over even when it comes to the boys and stands up for herself. She is a bit of a loner sometimes and loves

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the outdoors so you mostly find her in our garden in the flowerbeds or relaxing on a log. One of her quirks is that she loves milk and every morning when my husband Georgeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work alarm goes off she makes her way straight to the kitchen and asks for her morning bowl of milk. She must have that every morning. c

PHOENIX MY BEAUTIFUL TORTIE VENESSA INCE

Phoenix is a beautiful tortie that was given to me by my ex’s brother whose cats had kittens and they desperately needed to find good homes. At the time I did not have any cats but had thought about adopting one for a while.

ferent colored eyes, one brown and one blue which is quiet unusual. She is my mum’s baby and our home would not be the same without her. c

She was a stunning and very tiny kitten. We adopted her in February 2007. She however bonded with my mum strongly and she has been my mums cat ever since. She is 9 years old. She is a very vocal cat and just loves to play and loves the outdoors. She is very shy and not so affectionate. She is not overly fond of being handled of carried and is quiet feisty with her sharp claws. She has a beautiful coat that’s a mixture of black and beige and snowy white paws. She also has two dif-

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TOBAN MELANIE ROBBERTSE-SOHN

Four years ago, I discovered an established colony of feral cats in the parking area of my previous work place. I have always adored animals and thus started feeding the cat’s breakfast in the early mornings and a second meal before I returned home late in the afternoons. I also provided fresh water for the animals each day. The cats were shy and cautious around me and most of them kept their distance. However, there was a large, male Tabby, with a beautiful coat, who caught my attention due to his striking looks and tame nature. Within three or four days, he allowed me to stroke his glorious coat and this beautiful boy captured my heart almost instantly. What struck me then is that he never appeared feral like his colony counterparts and his intelligence and gentleness were unlike the other feral felines in the group. He would sleep in a pot plant near this outside eating area and would follow me after feeding him. It broke my heart to leave him outside as I continued with my work or left for home in the afternoons. I soon decided to take him for sterilization and vaccinations (as I had done with other members of the colony)

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with the intention of returning him to the colony. I wondered if I needed to get a trap to transport him to The Society for Animals in Distress. While he may have been friendly, I still had no idea how he would react when confined and then transported. However, to my surprise and delight, he allowed me to gently pick him up and put him in the cat carrier. He was also a champ in the car, not making a sound and seeming totally relaxed when we arrived at The Society for Animals in Distress. After his sterilisation, my partner and I went to fetch him and we found him alert and sitting upright and sweet-faced in a cage. Again, this gentle soul touched my heart and something in me connected to his lovely nature. During the car ride back to the office to drop him, my partner suddenly suggested we keep him. I guess he had had as deep an effect on her as he had on me. While the idea excited me, I was very nervous… I initially had no intention of adopting him. He was a very large male and, with two female cats currently at home, I feared disrupting our female’s peaceful dynamic and putting my girls at risk for injury or any diseases he may be carrying. The prospect of his spray-

ing in our home was another distasteful idea. Yet, I decided to follow my heart, take a leap of faith and see how he would adapt to our family and home. After taking him home and letting him settle in the bathroom for a few days, we slowly started introducing him to our female cats (while keeping him in the carrier). As was his serene nature, he calmly sat in the carrier, looking at our girls with gentle, intelligent eyes as they growled and hissed at him. After about two weeks of keeping them separated, we nervously decided to open the carrier and let him out. Again, we were pleasantly surprised when he jumped out and the cats smelled each other without incident. He soon found the bed and made himself comfortable. It was as if he had always been there. No fights or incidents at all. Sure, our girl’s noses were out of joint for a while, but they soon settled down and our gentle boy just ignored them during this adjustment period. We had him virus tested but thankfully, the results came

back negative. He also had Giardia which was treated quickly and easily. We named him Toban because the name sounds wise, gentle and intelligent. It is an old soul kind of name and our Toban is most definitely an old soul. He is the first male cat I have ever had. To this day, he hasn’t sprayed and he has never attempted to jump the wall of our garden to wonder. His favorite place in the world is sprawled out on our bed, sleeping and stretching contentedly. He went from living off scraps and living in a pot plant to being the king of our household and he settled into our home as seamlessly as he settled in our hearts. Sometimes when I lie on my bed and stroke his beautiful coat and feel such love and calmness with this Zen-like creature, I think of how lucky I am to have found him. Then I look into those enquiring, big, beautiful eyes and it hits me: he found me…and I thank God every day that he did. c

We are focused on health and disease /parasite control. We promote sterilization. We offer 5 star boarding (all proceeds go to welfare animals) Tel: 011 447 5275 Banking details: FNB Melrose Arch (254405) • Account no: 62068805418 www.kittyshelter.co.za

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BAGHEERA MELANIE ROBBERTSE-SOHN

A few months ago, I came across a picture on Facebook of a tiny black kitten who was being hand -reared after being dropped off at our local vet. He was tiny and had a curly, broken tail. It is suspected he was born like that. Once he was ready to be adopted, I let the vet know what I would be interested in adopting him. They did the feline virus test and thankfully the little guy was virus free. We brought him home. He settled in right away with our two existing male and female cats. We soon discovered that he had an affinity for water. He would merrily jump into a filled bath, play with a running hosepipe and boldly drink from an open tap. We decided to call our cutie Bagheera and boy what a personality! He loves sitting on our shoulders and playing with and nibbling on our hair. As he has grown, his tail has become very cute with its short and curly look. It gives him real character. Luckily, his balance has not been impaired from his disfigured tail. Not only does he love water, but he also loves fruit. Yes, fruit! He eats a variety of fruits, in small quantities of course but his favorites are watermelon and litchis. I sometimes think that this feisty little dude is as sweet as the fruity treats he enjoys! Bagheera is now 10 months old and a real ‘teenager’ who loves chasing his brother Toban around the house and garden. A few months ago, he discovered that he could get over our garden wall and decided to start wondering. We live in a complex, and I would get notes from neighbors saying that he was there, just chilling and sleeping on their bed. They did not want him in their home. He is friendly to anyone and everyone but it has its cons. We do not want him leaving the safety of our home so we now keep him inside when we are not home. When we are home we take him out in to the garden on supervised visits and he has adapted well to this routine.

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It has taken some adjustment incorporating this charming velvet creature into our home and lifestyle but I could not imagine our family without him. Having never owned a pitch cat black before, I can confidently say that black cats are the best…especially rescued ones. c

MY MOGGIES NOELIEN BADENHORST

I have 6 kitties in my household, Maine Coon.

5 moggies and 1

When he walks he looks just as graceful as a cheetah with his long legs, tail and lean body. He has a love/ hate relationship with Chatterpaws the Maine Coon.

Here are the stories of the moggies: Saartjie is the ripe age of 14 kitty years, she keeps the other kitties in line and is still quite active for an old lady. She loves to harass Milo and chase him around, according to him he is the “Boss” cat, but I would rather bet on Saartjie! None of the other cats look for trouble with her, as she will give them a good swat of the paw! Milo is an SPCA kitty who is 7 years old and as I mentioned, thinks that he is the “Boss.” He has a close relationship with Matewis, who he took under his wing and helped raise when he was just a little bitty kitty. They often groom each other and Milo likes to sleep right on top of Matewis.

Leeutjie is 4 and was rescued from my workplace and a real spoiled little madam. Even though she is the smallest kitty, she does not stand back for any of the other kitties, they are all cautious of her as she loves to pounce on them when they least expect it. I refer to her as my husband’s “mistress” as she adores him, but bites me when I want to give her attention. Pokkel is 3 and is also a rescue from my work, I got him when he was a tiny baby and had to bottle feed him. My mom and I even had to help him potty! I think we mothered him a bit too much, as he is very attached to me and follows me around everywhere. He prefers our company to the other kitties, but still likes to harass them, especially Chatterpaws who is quite a grumpy kitty. c

Matewis is 6 this year and is the most chilled kitty I have ever met. Just give him some food, scratches and a comfy place to sleep and he is content as can be.

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JESSICA’S STORY LESNA SAAYMAN

Jessica is 17 years old. I got her just three months after my wedding. I think she was about six weeks old then. Jessica was given to us by a friend’s little sister. She was in a pet shop when she heard that Jessica and her brother is going to be send to the SPCA to be euthanized because nobody wanted to buy them. She said she will take both of them, because she felt so sorry for them. Due to financial difficulties, she was not able to keep the two little kittens, so my friend took the little brother and we took Jessica. It was the best decision of my life. Jessica gives us such joy. She is such a feisty cat. My husband and I don’t have children, so Jessica became the child we never had. After 17 years, she is still my baba, even though she is much older than me in cat years! Jessica is also a hero and saved our live a few years ago. Burglars tried to break into our home. They had already broken two bars of the burglar proofing and just needed to break one more to get in. My husband woke up to a strange growling noise that Jessica made. At first he asked her to be quiet, but she kept on making the same noises. She also came into the room, stood in front of the bed and scratched her nails into the carpet. My husband then decided to investigate. As he entered the hall he saw Jessica sitting on the stairs at the entrance to the kitchen. She kept making noises and looked around the corner in the direction of the burglars.

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Then my husband saw somebody shining a torch light into the kitchen. He went into the spare bedroom, looked through the window and saw the burglars. He shouted from the hallway which luckily scared them off. If it wasn’t for Jessica waking us up, the burglars would have been in the house before we woke up. Jessica saved our lives that morning. c

MY PRECIOUS FUR BABIES CRISTINA DOS SANTOS WALTERS

Fawkes is 7 years old and was found up a tree after Guy Fawkes. Marble and Milo were the last 2 boys rescued from a pet store. They are 4 years old and Maine Coon crosses. Tigger and Jinx are rescue cats from a squatter camp and are 1 1/2 yrs old. We have 3 boys and 2 girls. Luckily they all get along. I was so worried that they wouldnt get along, but they are perfectly happy together. The girls have their moments ... as all girls do! I love our babies! c

JASMINE

CAYCOR MINING COMPONENTS

20 years ago, I walked past a pet shop and saw these tiny babies. Well, as a varsity student with never enough money, I took the little girl baby. I called her Jasmin, but her real name is pudding. She did not come into season until she was 2, and I could not afford to get her spayed, so she had a litter of kitties. I kept one, Butter (real name Wuss Puss) and 2 went to a friend. Well Pudding and Wus are still going strong, but Rumble the brother passed last December. His parents will miss him as he was a softy too. I watch my 2 old girls like a hawk, as they are so old, and I think the only problem they have at the moment is the heat. Oh, and the 2 younger members that have joined this family, also rescues. One from a pet shop at 4 weeks and another from a shopping centre. They are also both awesome babies. Jasmin has been with me through many rescue cats and dogs and still rules, like a queen.c

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PIXIE POPPET RENTIA VICTOR

For those of you who have not had the privilege of following her story from the onset, please allow me to share with you, in short, the story of little Pixie Poppet. I picked her up outside of our local Spur one bitterly cold winter night in July. I guestimate she was around 3 weeks old and afflicted with a terribly bad case of snuffles: the little eyes were shut, her nose and chest so badly congested and she even had blisters in her mouth. I took her to the vet the next morning and she was given medication, but a week later she relapsed and I again took her to the vet. At this point I was advised to have her put to sleep or else be prepared to face a very difficult road ahead. There was no choice for me: without hesitation I chose the difficult road – always, if something is worthwhile, it’s never easy. She was admitted to the hospital where she stayed for week. We’d go there several times a day to help with feeding her and giving her water. Sy couldn’t eat anything; her little nose was so blocked and infested with blisters and scabs that she couldn’t smell her food – we literally fed her with an earbud, like a little bird. We bathed her little bums with warm water to stimulate toilet habits. We taught her how to use the litterbox, we gave her water with a little syringe, slept on the floor with her; up every half an hour to feed and give her medicines. Every cat friend and mother on the fb page we belong to carried us through everything: every time our little poppet had an achievement or mastered something it was a huge victory and I shared it all – both my laughter and the tears. The first time she ate by herself and I could throw away the earbud, I thought I’d burst & nothing could make me happier. The first time she went to the litterbox by herself and proudly made her own poo, I was so ecstatic I wanted to take photo’s of it. The first time she suckled a teddy to indicate her thirst and subtly indicated that I was too slow with the syringe was a vic-

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tory. 24/7 we bathed her eyes and her bum. Poppet had another relapse and the vets still wouldn’t take a chance on inoculating her. Pure desperation drove me to buy a nasal aspirator bulb for premature babies and thus began the adventure of quite literally sucking the muck out of her little nose. By then she’d become so cute that when her little nose was heavily congested, she’d knock the aspirator over as if to say to me “Mom, I need this now”. Pixie spent her days in my lap under a little blanket whilst I was working on the computer and when I’d be chatting to all the other cat moms, she’d pertly sit and watch the photo’s on the screen. With one eye only. Because she vet told us she’d lost sight in one little eye. But even so, Poppet never missed a blink. And when she wants to kiss me, she’d hold out her little hand. I cheered with total abandon when she “hunted” the mouse pointer on my pc screen and tried to catch it: another victory! And so dawns the day when the vet declares this is it; this is as healthy as little Pixie is ever going to be; and if I was still dead set on going down that road, I might as well introduce her to big brothers Gingy and Astro. Oh, it was love at first sight!! She just wanted to play. Also she discovered she can run and boy did she gun it!; Her big brothers were forced to scamper for all their might and find high perches for a little peace. And little poppet discovers her ability to dig in her little nails and climbs up our legs! I abandon short pants on the double, but I don’t mind in the least: it’s another milestone victory! Gingy takes up the part of true big brother and teaches her the finesse of sharpening her nails on the scratchpost: I rejoice and take pictures! Pixie starts showing an interest in bright colours, the little yellow and orange balls are her absolute favourite. She chases her big brothers at full tilt and when they jump into empty boxes she’s terrifically puzzled and cannot fathom where they’ve disappeared to.

Our outside lives screeches to a halt; I just cannot bring myself to go out: Pixie takes priority over all else. On days when she’s not feeling all that well, my employer gives me time off so I can be with her and my colleagues comes visiting, bearing meds, food and little treats when little poppet feels wilted. For a month everything goes so well. But then we have to pay the vet another visit: I’m concerned and uneasy; she’s is losing weight rather rapidly, has constant diarrhea, but she’s always hungry and crying all the time - my little poppet is a mere shadow of her former self. The vet decrees the time has come that I should make the decision to put her to sleep. I bluntly refuse. Sy ís a little miracle and I can see hope within her; I’m the one spending inordinate amounts of time with her and I knów her: spunk and her fiercely fighting spirit, the vet has no idea; and knows none of this . . . Three days later I’m back at the vet, rock bottom and utterly desperate, in tears and begging, please, there hás to be another solution, something more that can be done. Stolidly still, again the vet reiterates that I need to put her to sleep, saying the single and only reason she’s is still alive is because of the deep emotional bond between us, that the love shared between us is so very strong and ties us together so tightly that it’s all that’s holding her in life and that it’s now in my hands to let her go. Everything inside me shatters in a thousand pieces and brokenly I am only able to absorb snatches of sentences: possible feline aids and probability of feline leukemia, she’s way too small for her age and won’t ever be able to be sterilized because her chest will never stand the anesthesia. I am beyond broken. It is Friday morning and a day at work still lies ahead of me. The vet says that if I don’t want to face up to sending her to heaven just then, I can keep her with me over the weekend and say my goodbyes; then bring her in on Monday. I grab at this and through my veil of tears, Pixie gets a shot for pain and antibiotics and afterwards my little poppet pluckily marches to climb into her crate. As she passes me she plants a smack of a kiss right on my nose and I can héár say: “Mom, I’m done here now, let’s go home”. That was it. At that very moment I knéw I just could not make the decision to put her to sleep. Not then. Not whilst there was still that spunky life in her. Not while she was still playing with big brothers Gingy & Astro, not whilst she was still nicking her sharp little

teeth into my nose if I dared fall asleep before her. Not whilst she was still sleeping in my neck and claiming me all to herself. Not whilst I was still showered with sandpaper kisses in the morning. Or biting my toes so hard that it makes me cry like a kid. All this that she does and I am witness to it, and the vet isn’t, he has no idea of how much life there is in her. She’d even tried at catching her first fly all by herself. Her actual very first catch had been a reel of black thread: she proudly came running to show it to me; growling at her brother to warn him off from this very dangerous threadreel. For 4 months she’s kept me awake and praying. I couldn’t come up with even ONE reason, none whatsoever, to give up on her and God now. Sunday evening in desperation and as a last bid I take the plunge and call my employer: I just cannot not do or face this alone and please could I ask the vets at work to take a look at Pixie. Yes, I am full well aware that we deal with

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monkeys at work, but these vets are the most dedicated people I’ve seen, who’d do absolutely everything in their power for even the smallest animal. People for whom the word impossible simply does not exist. They offer to come to my house examine her and even do all the tests completely free. Their tests reveals that little Pixie carries a myriad of parasites in that tiny little 1.2kilo body – even her little lungs are infested! In mere minutes they have sourced the absolute necessary medicine from Hartebeespoort. It is to be couriered overnight if my little poppet hopes to stay alive. I pray as if my life depends on it. And I pour out my heart on the fb page Katte en hulle dinge. And I am completely overwhelmed by the sheer force of their reaction. Spontaneously, in less than an hour the funds have been rounded up to cover the cost of the meds and the courier. Its delivery is secured with many telephone calls and arrangements at lightning fast speed and it is delivered right into my hands the next afternoon. With that package in my hand I think I knew exactly how a doctor would feel, carrying a donor organ - I was literally carrying the difference between life and death. In this instance LIFE! for my precious poppet. The meds are many, and it tastes vile, but Pixie rallies on and faithfully drinks and eats it; she tries to distract me by showering me with kisses; I’m patient, I return the kisses and I give the meds. When she visits the litterbox I drop down on all fours next to her and rejoice as more balls of parasites is excreted. Poppet no longer cries: she sleeps, she purrs. I am besides myself: laughing and crying all at once and I am thankful beyond belief. c

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STORY OF OUR NINA COLLEEN WATTS

We found Nina at a pet shop in Centurion Mall. She was so sick and malnutritioned that we could not even get her to eat. We took her home and had to force “Nutrostim” down her throat. She still wouldn’t eat for about another 2 days, then one cube at a time she started to eat. She chose my youngest son to be her “person” and even though she has stayed so small her personality more than makes up for it. My daughter was tireless in her effort for this to not happen to other kittens and emailed the SPCA continuously and almost daily, we are happy to see that this pet shop is no longer there. Pic 1 is Nina at about 9 weeks - her first photoshoot when we knew she was going to survive. Pic 2 her first Christmas Pic 3 Nina now I can’t imagine life without her in it! c

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DESTINY LIEZEL SMITH

We did a charity drive for Kitty and Puppy haven, and while playing in the cattery this angel greeted me and didn’t leave my side. I immediately fell in love with her awesome personality and just couldn’t not adopt her! We named her Destiny. Destiny is very shy towards strangers, but she will warm up to you after you show her some love. She has an extremely soft fur coat and loves to be picked up and kissed on the forehead! She eats almost anything, which is not good, because I don’t believe in feeding my animals anything but Hills prescription diet. She is quite the little thief! She loves her scratching posts and kitty tunnels! I also have a rather large snake (red tail boa) and Destiny would sit and stare at the snake in his enclosure for hours at a time! Another pet of mine which absolutely captures her attention is my Leopard gecko, or maybe its just the crickets that she loves! (that’s the gecko’s food) I have to constantly hide the tub with the crickets because she keeps on

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chewing holes in it and eats/plays with the crickets. She is a real sucker for catnip! She prefers the herb more than the spray! Another thing she fancies are doggy chocolate treats, like I said she eats almost anything! Overall she is such a pleasure to have and I love her to bits!! My cats are my life, they can turn a sad day into a bright one in an instant! I can sit and watch them play for hours! One thing I have learned is that if my cats do not like you...I don’t trust you, and same goes for people who dislike cats! c

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MISS MOLLY LAYLA SING LEE

Miss Molly came into my life quite unexpectedly. In June of 2013, I very suddenly lost my beloved cat Muffin. Her loss shattered me and I was angry and depressed for weeks. Exactly 3 weeks to the day, I received a call from my mum in law asking if I can take in a tiny kitten that was abandoned ( in a filthy blanket) in the cold winter rain under a tree. I hesitated as I had other cats and was still grieving. I gave in, and a few minutes later my husband excitedly came in and urged me to look at her. I opened up the blanket and what stared at me was the most adorable little kitten in the world! In ao many ways, she reminds me of my late cat Muffin. He sweet, quiet and soft demeanor. Her soft meows and the way she looks at me is exactly like my late cat. Reincarnation maybe? I estimate that Molly I now 1yr 9 months old. She’s a pint sized fluff ball who I consider my ‘Mini Coon’ or Norwegian Forest Fairy’ because of her size! Here she is on the day I found her and a current pic. c

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LUNA & MAGICK CHEYENNE TEHINI

Hi cat lover’s I have 2 kitties named Luna and Magick. Luna is the little black girl. We got her when she was just a tiny baby at Randburg Waterfront (this was before I became aware of how they operate) she was the little mischievous kitten licking all the others and we knew we had to have her! A few months later we adopted our rescue, Magick as we felt that Luna needed a friend. Magick came to us from PETS JHB where they had rescued him as a 6 week old burn victim in the townships. we still don’t know what happened to him and he still has a burned patch of skin on his back leg, but he is the spunkiest cat around and he knows it! These 2 are our first cats, and my boyfriend and I couldn’t have asked for funnier, more loveable creatures. c

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NABOO & BINKS GABI GARB

I adopted Binks and Naboo after a cat that had come to live with me and appeared to have no home, was found by her owner. I was devastated and after giving her back I went the next day to get kitties because I knew I couldn’t have a house without cats ever again. Off I went to Kitty and Puppy Haven to get myself some kittens. Binks was a tiny, beautiful and very skittish kitten. She didn’t enjoy being held or touched but was so sweet that she had my heart from the first time I saw her. I didn’t want to go home without a friend for her so I was looking at the other cats and this very sweet fluffy boy was so friendly and purr-ey that I thought he would be a good fit. Naboo and Binks weren’t related but are now brother and sister - they fight, they play and occasionally they cuddle. Naboo has grown up to be a very laid-back, friendly giant. He is super fluffy and just as purrey as he always was. His favourite thing is to come and sleep his Daddy’s back when Dad is sleeping. He is on diet because he is a bit fat but doesn’t enjoy “human food” at all. He is super friendly and anyone can pick him up and cuddle him and he will be happy.He doesn’t meow often at all but once in a while lets out a funny sound that startles me and his Dad. Binks didn’t grow very much and is still quite a tiny cat. She is definitely the princess of the house and she knows it. She hates to be picked up but will often roll over instructing you to rub

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her tummy for a bit. She tries desperately to catch birds but hasn’t yet caught one. She has caught a lizard and Parktown prawn though. Every night Binks comes to sleep on my pillow with me. She started doing this when she was a few months old and hasn’t stopped. She doesn’t purr very much but when she is sleepy and content she lets you stroke her and loves face scratches. She loves “human food” and constantly tries her luck to get a taste of our dinner. Binks and Naboo are very independent cats and do their own thing away from us and each other but at night time everyone comes home and hangs out together in the lounge. They are our babies and make our house a home! c

OSCAR JESSLYN JONATHAN

This is my cat. His name is Oscar. He is 5 months old and I had adopted him from Cataholics for my birthday. He is amazing, full of energy , loves bananas and cries at 7 in the morning for me to play mouse mouse with him. Hes has this blue mouse teddy that he carries around and when I say give mommy a kissy he licks me! He is so cute and I love him to bits. Here I took him in December to see Santa. They thought I was joking and said it’s the first time they had a pet. He’s truly a special cat! c

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OUR RUBY ALICIA & WARREN KOCH

We adopted Roo from the Kitty Shelter previously known as Cataholics in Parkwood. Finding Roo was especially moving for us as we had lost our big ginger Boy, Hugo Boss a few weeks before. To Say my husband and I were devastated after the loss of our Hugey Dugey was an understatement. He was our baby and his passing was very sudden and totally unexpected. However during the mourning process our house was just not a home and we desperately wanted a baby to come home to. We decided to go back to Cataholics as previous family cats had been adopted from there. We had also decided not to get a small kitten as my husband has sensitivity to kittens. We also wanted to give an older cat a home. While trying to find a kitty at Cataholics I was playing with the different cats and so was my husband to see if any cat came to us. We wanted to feel a bond with a special baby. I was walking from enclosure to enclosure playing with the kitties holding them and looking for a connection. Then I noticed this small, under weight tortoise shell kitty sitting by herself in an enclosure seemingly shying away from the other cats. I walked into the enclosure and she immediately came to me, purring louder than any other cat I had ever heard. I held her in my arms and that was that. My husband and I fell in love with her and ad-

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opted her right away. While she wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fully grown at 7 months she wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a tiny kitten either. However she was tiny and severely underweight. She also shedded her fur continuously which drove my allergies crazy. We later learnt that she had originally been adopted from the SPCA but was returned after her continuous shedding. She was then adopted again by another family but was again taken to Cataholics because of her shedding. We decided that no matter what we would look after her and love her unconditionally. A month or so went by and her health deteriorated very badly. We rushed her to the Vet who was almost certain that she either had FIP (a terminal illness) or cat leukemia. She had lost even more weight and her chances were not great. It was the worst week of our lives waiting to hear the outcome of the tests, especially since we had just lost our Hugo. Thank G-d all tests came back negative and it was discovered that she had septicemia. That was what was causing the horrendous shedding. She was treated by the vet for the septicemia and once she was better we brought her home and fed her hand prepared (by my husband) boiled chicken and rice. After a month or so she had put on weight, had stopped shedding and her personality started shining through.

Roo is absolutely beautiful with the most magnificent green eyes. She is a soft soul who always seems to understand when you have had a bad day or are feeling ill. She snuggles with you and lies in your arms when you are sad or sick as if to say “don’t worry I will take care of you”. She meows at my husband (who is her human. She adores him) when she wants to be picked up and loved and meows again when she has had enough. She only drinks mineral water and cries at you when her bowl is finished. My husband and I thought she would never know if we gave her normal tap water and tested her. We filled an empty mineral water bottle with tap water and tried it. She was having none of it! She goes crazy for biltong which she will take directly out your mouth if you let her. She is our Roo, our Ruby two shoes and most definitely our Ruby Tuesday! She had a terrible start to her life but is loved beyond compare and treated like the little princess she is! Our home and our lives are better because of the love we get from her! She now has a brother named Mogli who is a Bengal. They adore each other and are continuously licking one another. Where the one goes the other will follow. Such a beautiful little family! Roo and now Mogli are our little blessings and I can’t recommend adopting enough! c

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MY PRECIOUS BIJOUX MELISSA ALEXIA VRACHIONIDIS

My one eye spy is certainly not pedigree but she is my precious. A Kind doctor brought this little street urchin to Cataholics in 2010 with a rather large eye abscess which required surgery. However, she was too frail to do it immediately and therein lay the double bind. Should that abscess have burst she may not have survived but the surgery itself may have proved fatal. Thankfully she survived. One Sunday afternoon after volunteering at Cataholics I went to visit her at the vet at the persuasion of a very convinced fellow volunteer. She thought I would be a good foster for the little girly, then known as Marmite. There at the vet I met the sweetest, most gentle girl with a face that melted my heart which was at that time quite sad. I happily agreed to foster her but gave myself a stern talking to that we would only foster her until she recovered as I had plans to be a regular foster.

After a few days we decided to let her out of her room and explore the house. Right from that wee age she loved people and would always say hello by rubbing on them, purring, and wagging her tail. Not surprisingly, she went over to my dad, tail wagging, to say hello. Seen that we already had two cats I was not particularly popular for bringing her home so he was not terribly friendly and made a gesture that frightened her. She came running to me, crawled up and nuzzled in my neck where she hid under my hair and pummelled for a good fifteen minutes. That was the moment I decided that she was my precious and was not going anywhere. If she wanted to go outside she would only go if I was there and whenever I walked into the room she wagged her tail excitedly. We could play for hours as I was indefinitely amused by her antics. These were the first genuine smiles and warm fuzzies I felt in a while. It felt good to call her mine. Yes I know, classic mistake, I think I am actually hers.

Foster the kitten they said, it will be easy they said. I was assured that she would be very docile and quiet until she recovered. It wasn’t long before her precious personality sparkled through. I am what you call a fosture-fail but it is the best failure I have ever managed. This little gem crept into my heart. Her precious personality and unconditional affection towards me broke through the walls I had created around my heart.

These moments warmed my heart.

I don’t know who saved who. Somehow I felt like everything was going to be okay. The timing couldn’t have been better considering that at about the same time a tall, dark, and handsome man came into my life. Unbeknown to me was that he would become my better half with the promise of being a permanent part of my life.

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She also learnt about kisses and breakfast. Being that gorgeous you can’t possibly be expected not to be showered with kisses. The part I was not expecting was that I would get kisses back. We still do this. I say kisses and then give her a kiss and put my face near to hers. I either get a lick or a nose kiss but generally only one day no matter how nicely I ask. Even over the phone, she would nuzzle the phone when I said kisses. Yes I would call and speak to my cat if I was out for the night. Even though she is now all grown up she is not too old to give her mum a kiss. Of course when it came to breakfast time this little madam was curious about what I was eating so she sniffed it out. While I thought this was adorable I didn’t want to teach her bad manners so we pulled out a chair every morning at the breakfast table for her where she sits and waits for her taster. When I take too long to share my food with her she

licks her lips, pouts, and moves her whiskers with an occasional tap to remind me. If I spend too much time behind the books according to her she has no problem with sitting on whatever I am busy with. She invented a little game we play at least once every day. She runs into the corner under the curtain and makes little noises to call me. She wants to play through the curtain a little before bolting off to the next room where she hides behind the door and plays with my fingers through the gap. When she has had enough she turns around and waits for me to put my face at the edge of the door on the floor and peek round at her. Her response is to make a little noise and charge at my face but run past. This is to be followed by rubs with her head under the curtain and her bum as high in the air as she can manage. When she really enjoys it she tucks her head under and rolls over. Even after the worst day, spending time with her and playing her games makes it all fade away. Oh and yes, if you’re wondering she got a new name. You may have noticed several references to “precious”. Because of how unbelievably precious and affectionate she is, I decided to call her Bijoux which means jewel. Her sparkling and precious personality even won my dad over in the end. He now dotes over her too. Her sparkle can brighten even the darkest of days. c

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KIDNEY STONES IN CATS Dr Larry Kraitzick, BSVc  Bruma Lake Veterinary Hospital

Some kidney stones are inactive - they do not cause any problems. A major problem arises if the cat’s body attempts to pass the stones. Smaller stones, although painful, may be successfully passed, but larger stones may lodge in the ureter (the tube connecting the kidney to the bladder). This is called obstructive nephropathy or a blockage. This is very serious because it prevents waste products that would normally be excreted via the bladder from being excreted.This means that they build in the, kidney, blood and body .The increased pressure and stress on the kidney will lead to damage this organ if the obstruction is not cleared rapidly. Other stones may move into the ureter, then back into the kidney. This is less serious but may still cause kidney damage. SYMPTOMS Some important signs to watch out for are:

This article will concentrate on renal stones in cats. It is important to note that there are strong similarities in this condition cats and dogs. There are a few different types of stones that affect cats and dogs. Each type of stone is associated with its own specific cause. Renal calculi are stones that form in the kidneys, so they are commonly known as kidney stones.The medical term is nephrolithiasis. In cats over 90% of the stones are calcium oxalate stones, i.e. formed from a combination of calcium and oxalate. These might be calcified stones , but some cats may develop calcified blood clots rather than actual stones. The presence of kidney stones increases the risk of kidney infections (pyelonephritis), and may lead to Chronic Kidney Disease.If the cat’s body attempts to pass them, they may get stuck in the ureter(pipe from kidney to bladder) and cause a medical crisis.

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• • • • •

Bloody urination Abdominal pain Recurrent urinary tract infections Vomiting Anorexia(not eating ) or poor appetite.

In some cases, there may be no obvious signs, since cats instinctively try to hide pain. In other cases the cat may be subdued and lethargic and not want to eat. Some cats urinate more, but others exhibit reduced urination. If your cat is unable to urinate, this is a medical emergency and you need to get to a vet immediately. CAUSE • • • •

Underlying urinary tract infections or infection within the kidney Genetic defects Dietary factors or supplements Administration of certain medications

Blood tests will have to be performed. If the urea and creatinine suddenly become extremely elevated -a kidney stone may be blocking the ureter. The cat may also have elevated phosphorus and potassium levels and other electrolyte imbalances. Your cat’s kidneys may painful when your vet examines them. The kidneys may be different in size. Ultrasound and X-rays are performed to assess the number, position and size of the stones.

• Concurrent or underlying conditions or illness • Rarely Vitamin B12 deficiency Urine retention and the formation of concentrated urine may predispose to this condition.

The ultrasound may show one small kidney and one enlarged kidney. What tends to happen in such cases is that a stone moves into one ureter, blocking it, but the cat does not exhibit any symptoms. This kidney gradually ceases to function and shrinks. The remaining kidney has to take over some of its work, so it grows in size. If another stone eventually also moves from the working kidney into the ureter ,this would be life immediately life threatening because the remaining working kidney is no longer able to function. This is sometimes referred to as bilateral ureteral obstruction.

Many times the cause of the stones cannot be found . Overall, nephroliths are slightly more common in the male cat and are generally seen in the middleaged animal. They can, however, be seen at any age. There are different breed predilections for each type of stone. Studies indicate that certain breeds appear to be more likely to develop calcium oxalate stones. These include Domestic Short hair Cats, Persian, British Shorthair, Ragdolls and Scottish Fold cats. DIAGNOSIS • • • • • •

Blood Tests Urinalysis -urine examination Bacterial urine culture Abdominal ultrasound Radiography (Xrays ) Excretory Urography -imaging urinary tract after injecting a dye.

Calcium Oxalate stones have very rough surfaces and therefore cause severe pain

TREATMENT AND MANAGEMENT Treatment of this condition varies and is adapted to the individual animal and the individual condition. Inactive nephroliths may only require periodic monitoring. If the stones are an incidental finding or the pet is not having severe clinical signs, medical and/or dietary dissolution may be attempted. NB dietary dissolution is only possible for Struvite and not Calcium Oxalate stones.

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by making the urine even more acidic. You should not give your cat anything containing cranberries or any other acidic food for the same reason. Prescription foods formulated for Chronic Renal Disease are also suitable for cats with calcium oxalate stones.

X-ray of stones in kidney

These cases have to be carefully monitored by you and your vet. Your cat should have periodic urinalysis and urine culture (to make sure the cat has not developed pyelonephritis) and x-rays every few months (to see if the stones have moved). If the patient is in kidney failure or is having severe clinical signs associated with the presence of the stones, their removal may be necessary. This can be accomplished by surgery, lithotripsy - shock waves which may break up the stones so that they can be passed or other specialised procedures. Antibiotic therapy is indicated in those patients with concurrent urinary tract infections. Fluid therapy is indicated in those patients who are dehydrated, have severe infections, or have concurrent kidney failure.

Increased dietary sodium increases urine output and may decrease the risk of forming calcium oxalate uroliths due to the decrease in the concentration stone forming minerals. However, CAUTION should be used in increasing the sodium intake of patients with renal disease as increased dietary sodium MAY DAMAGE THE KIDNEYS. DO NOT INCREASE YOUR CATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S SODIUM INTAKE WITHOUT YOUR VETâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S APPROVAL. Many people become discouraged f their cats require active intervention. However, if your cat recovers and and the is sufficient remaining renal function, the prognosis is quite good. Only about 10% of cats develop calcium oxalate stones again following treatment .If they do recur the average time before this happens is over two years. DIURESIS (INCREASING URINE PRODUCTION) This means that the vet tries to flush out the stones. The cat will be hospitalised about 3 days and given intravenous fluids.Whether this is successful depends upon a variety of factors. Two important factors are the size of the stone and length it has been present. Unfortunately, only about 10 percent of stones can be dislodged using this method.

HOME CARE MEDICATIONS If your pet is on a stone dissolving diet, complete compliance is necessary.There is no room for any snacks or other food. Medications must be given strictly according to instructions and follow up visits to your vet cannot be missed.

Sometimes diuretics such as Lasix or mannitol are used to increase the flushing effect and help force the stone out.

Calcium oxalate stones cannot be dissolved through a change in diet.

Medications may also be given to relax the ureter in the hope that this will help the stone to pass through. Commonly used medications for this purpose are amitriptyline and prazosin. Lithotripsy

If you are feeding an acidifiedhi food for bladder problems , stop immediately. These foods are intended to treat Struvite stones and will make the problem worse

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy uses shock waves to break up the stones so they can be passed. This is very successful in humans.However , because

DIETARY CHANGES

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of their small size, it is a difficult procedure to perform in cats. It is only suitable if the stones are large enough to be seen on Ultrasound. There are a few facilities in the United States that perform this procedure with a fair degree of success. STENT A stent is a tiny tube placed or hollow structure in your body to hold it open . VERY SPECIALIZED SUBCUTANEOUS URETERAL BYPASS This is a relatively new microsurgery which was pioneered at the Animal Medical Center in New York City. Very Specialized! As more facilities become more familiar with and equipped for these new procedures, these procedures will become commonplace. c

A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO DR LARRY KRAITZICK We realize how busy Dr Larry is and appreciate his time, commitment, interest, opinion, knowledge and all that he does to help educate the public regarding responsible pet care and how to be better pet parents. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wonderful to see a vet with such passion! Thank you so much Dr Larry for stimulating discussion amongst pet lovers!

Kittycat Magazine would like to say a special thank you to Dr Larry Kraitzick, from Bruma Lake Veterinary Hospital, not only for his willingness to write interesting, informative articles for Kittycat magazine but also for being an important part of our Facebook Group.

Please visit and like Dr Larryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/BrumaLakeVeterinary http://brumalakevet.wix.com/bruma-vet

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THERAPY FOR URINE SPRAYING Dr Arnold Plotnick MS, DVM, ACVIM, ABVP Manhattan Cat Specialists

As a veterinarian specializing in cats, I am often asked to evaluate cats for problems that may have a behavioral basis. Despite the fact that cats are known for their fastidiousness, problem urination is, by far, the most common behavioral problem for which I am consulted. Problem urination can be divided into two main categories: inappropriate urination (a change in litter box behavior, such that cats eliminate in inappropriate areas of the house), and urine spraying, in which cats use urine as a way to mark or delineate their territory. Urine spraying is a normal behavior (at least for sexually intact males) that may be related to repelling other males, or gaining access to breeding females. Cats diagnosed with inappropriate elimination typically do not use their litter box for urination, while cats displaying urine spraying or marking behavior still use their litter box for urination. Urine spraying is a particularly frustrating problem for cat owners, as these cats often spray urine on walls, windows, furniture, appliances, beds, and clothing. Both environmental and pharmacologic approaches to the treatment of urine spraying have been employed in an effort to resolve this problem and restore harmony to the household. Recently, advances have been made on both fronts (environmental and pharmacologic), allowing for greater success in treating this problem. Much information on the causes of urine marking in

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cats was revealed in a study published in the December 15th, 2001 issue of the American Veterinary Medical Association journal. Researchers from the Behavior Service at the University of Californiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital studied 47 cats with urine spraying behavior. Not surprisingly, male cats outnumbered females significantly; 40 cats in the study were male (85%); only 7 were female. Because urine marking is under hormonal control, only spayed females and neutered males were considered for the study, to eliminate hormonal influences as a causative factor for the problem behavior. Owners of the cats were asked what they believed was the cause of their catsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; urine marking. The 3 most common causes listed were: interactions with other cats outside the home (49%); interactions with other cats inside the home (28%); and restricted access to the outdoors (26%). Other factors that were cited were relocation to a new home (9%), introduction of a new inanimate object to the home (6%), change in the ownerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s daily schedule (6%), and a change in pattern of interaction between the owner and the cat (6%). Approximately 21% of owners had no idea why their cat had started spraying. Of the 47 cats in the study, 42 of them were from multi-cat households (89%). The main part of the study was an evaluation of behavioral/environmental management methods in the treatment of the condition. Environmental management procedures used in the study consisted of providing enough litter boxes, scooping urine and feces from the litter box every single day, changing the entire litter weekly, and cleaning all urine marks with an enzymatic cleaner. Environmental management was partially effective in resolving the problem of urine spraying. For cats who marked their territory greater than 6 times a week, the number of urine marks that occurred during the environmental management phase was reduced from about 12.9 marks/ wk to 10.7 marks/wk. Female cats, however, responded much better than males to environmental management. If you define a response as that being a 50% or more reduction in the number of spraying incidents per week, 71% of the females that marked more than 6 times a week responded, compared to only 36% of the heavily spraying males. Although this study does suggest that

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attention to environmental and litter box hygiene can reduce marking frequency in cats, the results are far from satisfactory for most cat owners. Clear, better environmental management techniques are needed. When cats rub their chin and face on doorways, corners of furniture, and on your leg, they arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just being friendly. This endearing behavior is an instinctive behavior that leaves behind a pheromone produced by glands located in the chin and lips. Pheromones are substances that act as a form of chemical communication. Pheromones mostly serve to attract a mate and give information about reproductive status, but they also are used to mark boundaries and territories. Animal behaviorists have noted that when cats spray urine to mark their territory, they rarely mark the areas where they have been rubbing their chins. Cats apply this facial pheromone to things they consider their own, and they have no urge to spray the areas that theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve already marked with their chin and face. A few years ago, a chemical copy of the feline facial pheromone became available as a synthetic spray. The spray, Feliway, has been shown to be effective in reducing behavioral urine marking. A recent study (reported in the journal Veterinary Medicine, February 2000) involving 57 households with urine-spraying cats showed that Feliway spray, used twice a day on the urine-marked areas for a one-month period was effective in reducing urine spraying in 57% of the households. Only 9.3% of the households reported no beneficial effect. In one-third

of the households, urine spraying was completely resolved. The number of urine marks per household was significantly decreased for each week of Feliway use, beginning with week 1, and continued throughout the four-week study. The decrease in spraying occurred irrespective of age, number of cats in the household, duration of the problem, and gender of the cat. The development of this facial pheromone, and its use in conjunction with established environmental control procedures, gives veterinarians and cat owners a powerful new tool to help control this frustrating problem. Behavioral/environmental management is our first choice in treating urine spraying. If this methodology fails, however, all hope is not lost. Pharmacologic approaches to treatment are commonly employed when dealing with particularly tough behavior problems. The drugs explored so far have not been very good at resolving the problem in all cats. Drugs such as diazepam (Valium) and buspirone (Buspar) are effective in markedly reducing urine spraying in 55 to 75% of cats treated. When the drugs are withdrawn, however, almost all cats receiving diazepam, and 50% of those receiving buspirone, resume urine marking. A recent report in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association has shown that fluoxetine (Prozac) is very effective at reducing urine spraying in cats, and cats are less likely to relapse once the drug is discontinued. The study involved 20 neutered male cats with objectionable urine spraying behavior. Owners recorded the number of urine spraying events before the start of the study. Half of the cats received fluoxetine, and half

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received a fish-flavored placebo liquid. Seventeen cats finished the 8-week long study, of which 9 received fluoxetine and 8 received placebo. Cats receiving fluoxetine were monitored for the return of urine spraying behavior for four weeks after the drug was discontinued. The average weekly spraying rate of cats receiving the fluoxetine (8.6 sprays/week) decreased significantly by week 2 (1.7 sprays/ week) and continued to decrease over the 8-week period (0.4 sprays/week). There was a great deal of variability with regard to the return of urine marking after drug withdrawal. Some cats never sprayed again. Others resumed spraying once the drug was removed. A pattern was detected, however: the cats that sprayed the most at the start of the study were the most likely to relapse four weeks after drug withdrawal. Cats with a milder urinespraying problem were less likely to relapse after the 8-week study. More recent reports (2005) have shown that the tricyclic antidepressant clomipramine to be equally as effective as fluoxetine in controlling urine marking in cats. It is a sad fact that some cats are euthanized or surrendered to animal shelters because of intractable urine spraying behavior. The development of the synthetic feline facial pheromone and the recent discovery that fluoxetine (Prozac) and clomipramine (Clomicalm) are safe and effective in curbing urine spraying behavior allows veterinarians to devise better protocols for resolving this frustrating problem. c

www.manhattancats.com

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PLEASE READ THIS WARNING! Dr Larry Kraitzick, BSVc Bruma Lake Veterinary Hospital http://brumalakevet.wix.com/bruma-vet https://www.facebook.com/BrumaLakeVeterinary

The intentional poisoning of dogs with Aldicarb has reached epidemic proportions. This neurotoxin with the street name TWO STEP is a tasteless odourless black powder. It is placed in food by would be robbers. They toss the laced food over walls and fences; then wait a few days for the dogs to die. Dogs may die suddenly only 20 minutes after ingestion. Dogs may also show various symptoms and die hours to days later if not taken to a veterinarian. Cat lovers beware! Cats may inadvertently be poisoned by burglers targeting dogs. Symptoms vary and can occur in different combinations. They include foaming at mouth, vomiting, diarrhoea, muscle twitching, muscle spasms, weakness, difficulty breathing,change in behaviour and collapse. If you suspect intoxication you should get your dog to the vet immediately. You must wear gloves and wrap your dog in a towel to avoid contact with secretions which are toxic even on contact.You must search your property for other contaminated food. Clean up any body secretions in the environment using detergent and copious amounts of water. You must wear gloves and take care not to have contact with these secretions. I always advise keeping dogs inside at night. They are less likely to be poisoned or neutralised this way. This provides better protection for your dogs and your family. PLEASE KEEP YOUR PRECIOUS PETS AND FAMILY SAFE!

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ASK THE VET Dr Larry Kraitzick, BSVc Bruma Lake Veterinary Hospital http://brumalakevet.wix.com/bruma-vet https://www.facebook.com/BrumaLakeVeterinary

Concerned owner How do you know when your cat needs dental treatment?

Dear concerned owner You should lift the upper lip and then depress the lower lip of your catâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mouth all the way around. Examine the mouth and all the teeth. If the teeth are not white but are yellowish, brown, or look like they have tartar and plaque, they need cleaning. If your cat has a bad breath that is not related to something she has just eaten , this is usually due to bacterial overgrowth in the gums and is a sign of gingivitis. A raised red line above the teeth is another sign of periodontal disease. Swollen red gums may be as a result of gum disease (gingivitis) as a result of dental problems or a sign of Chronic Gingivitis Stomatitis. All of the above require a visit to your vet ,who will determine the best course of action.

Please submit your questions for the Vet to kittycatsa@gmail.com

Mason’s battle with Maria Douglas

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Lymphoma Our Struggle For A Diagnosis Do you have a Sphynx that vomits occasionally? Well, that’s where our story begins. After bringing my new kitten (Mason Star) home in 2012, he would have random vomiting incidents. These incidents would occur early in the morning before even eating. He would do this once, sometimes twice in a row and it would only be a very small amount of white foam. He never acted sick and would continue on with his day as normal and the episodes would be only a few times a month. When I consulted my Vet and Breeder they said that was normal and nothing to be concerned about. These answers did not sit right with me as these are hairless cats and would not have issues with hairballs nor did the incidents happen from gulping down food too fast. I kept revisiting this issue with my “Cat Only” Vet. She then said he could have a possible food allergy, so I read everything under the sun on food allergies and proceeded to try every “HIGH” quality food, online and privately made. This went on for over a year and a half along with me returning to the vet for several other blood test to rule things out with all tests coming back normal. During this time Mason never seemed ill and other then a vomiting episode every other week or so, of only a tiny bit of foam early in the morning, everything was fine. I also belong to several Sphynx groups and other members that had Sphynx with the similar symptoms thought this was normal or also were going on the idea of food allergies. On November 19th 2015 my frustration with not being able to make this stop, I went again to my Vet very frustrated and even considering a Holistic Vet . My “Cat Only” Vet then said, “We can do a blood panel for Lymphoma, but I can pretty much guaranty he does not have that and the test is a bit on the expensive side”. I asked that it be done and when it came back with a very high Lymph Cell count my Vet was very surprised. Well to say the least, I was devastated. I asked her what she would do if it was her cat. She said she had two cats of her own that had Lymphoma and she started them immediately on Chemotherapy and Prednisolone, so that is what we did for Mason as well.

Now with this diagnosis, it still did not sit right with me as Mason has been doing this from the day he came home and he is only now two years old. Not that a young Sphynx could not have Lymphoma, but that is usually not the norm. Mason is currently seeing a team of five doctors, our “Cat Only” Vet, Oncologist, Internal Medicine Vet, Cardiologist and a Holistic Vet. We are all trying to help Mason battle this! The catch comes that Cancer officially can not be diagnosed with out a biopsy and getting a “tissue” sample and this is done through surgery. With that being said, there are other things that can be done to get a sample but they are not definitive. The other thing to keep in mind is, Cancer in animals is not treated like Cancer in humans. With animals, the goal is putting the Cancer in remission and in people it is to cure it using more harsh chemotherapy .

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Our whole battle is so frustrating as all the doctors admit the is no exact protocol and as an owner you basically are deciding which way to go. Mason and I are truly blessed to a very loving and supportive Facebook family as well as belonging to several Sphynx Groups. We have had donations, cards, fundraisers and prayers from all of the world. We also have been making Sphynx shirts and Catnip For Cancer toys that are available in both our online stores: Posh Punk Sphynx Line - www. poshpunksphynxline.com and TheSpoiledSphynx on etsy.com. We at this point we are seeking the best care possible for Mason and trying to educate and support others with Sphynx with Cancer. Three of our main points are the importance of Pet Insurance, not settling for a diagnosis of vomiting issues being normal or just allergies, and the importance of feeding a raw diet. c

KITTYCAT MAGAZINE c ISSUE 7 JAN|FEB|MAR 2015 KITTYCAT MAGAZINE c ISSUE 6 NOVEMBER|DECEMBER 2014

Clothing for the Rock Star Sphynx

www.poshpunksphynline.com https://www.facebook.com/PoshPunkSphynxLine https://www.facebook.com/MasonStarCelebrity

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GIVE YOUR PET THE BEST GIFT THIS NEW YEAR

Give your pet the BEST gift this New Year Like any member of your family, your pet can unfortunately and unexpectedly become ill or suffer an accident. Even expenses for annual routine care like vaccinations, flea, tick and worm control can come as quite a shock. Imagine knowing your pet can be treated, but that it will cost hundreds or thousands of Rand. With Rogz Pet Insurance you needn’t worry as we may be able to assist with the cost of the very best veterinary treatment, which your pet deserves. Rogz Pet Insurance covers veterinary treatments and surgeries for accidental injury and illness ranging from minor problems such as ear infections and bee stings, to major conditions such as broken bones, diabetes and cancer. At Rogz Pet Insurance we recommend and encourage responsible pet ownership; we offer Routine Care benefits towards preventative treatment on our Option C which includes sterilization, vaccinations, tick and flea control, deworming and dental scaling/polishing (procedure only).

Rogz Pet Insurance is giving away a lovely Cat hamper to one lucky reader! To enter the giveaway, simply answer the following question: Question: Which option of Rogz Pet Insurance cover offers Routine Care benefits? Email your answer to info@rogzpetinsurance.co.za and use “Kittycat Online Magazine” as the subject line of your email. Competition entries close 28 February 2015, and the winner will be notified via email.

Pet insurance has saved many pets lives. Your pets deserve quality cover for those unforeseen circumstances, just like you do! Start the New Year by doing the best you can for your pet and protect them by signing up for Rogz Pet Insurance! Visit www.rogzpetinsurance.co.za for a quotation or email us at info@rogzpetinsurance.co.za for more information.

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YOU’VE GOT TALENT! Artist

Rosalie Heroldt Where are you from, where are you currently staying, do you have cats, what do you enjoy to do? I currently live just South of Durban and Amanzimtoti, but have lived all over the Country. My heart stayed in Cape Town and maybe I will live there again someday. I have a beautiful Munchkin named Catkin Cosmo Daiquiri. She sits with me while I paint and even inspects it to make sure I do a good job. I have had cats most of my life and cannot imagine my life without them. When did you start painting

What do you believe is the key element in creating art?

My best friend introduced me to my passion when I was 27. I wanted to do art all my life, but was too scared to actually start lol.

For me it is passion and relationship with God. He gave me my talent and I want to honour Him by becoming the best I can be through Him.

How do you choose the subjects you paint?

What are your future plans regarding your art?

The cat art started with a fun painting of 2 Siamese cats. Then people started asking me if I can paint their cat in this style. After that it just took off. I also get commissions for more realistic cat paintings.

I am very exited about the direction my art is moving in now and would like to expand it, specializing in cat art, portraits, figures, animals and other challenges that I face. I am also painting clocks.

What is your favourite subject to paint? Because of my passion for cats, I just love the topic. I also enjoy doing portraits, flowers and seascapes. Basically I like a challenge also as it stretches me. I am doing a fun painting for a lady now with 2 Siamese and a Tarantula. Never tried a spider before, but looking forward to it. I also enjoy surrealism or something with a definite message.

Did you attend Art school? I did some studies in drawing and painting at Unisa. I also studied colour under the famous artist (now deceased) Pieter von Bloemenstein and art classes at Jill Knight. Can people commission you to do work for them? Absolutely!

How has your style changed over the years? In the beginning I had to learn to paint loose and fast and now I enjoy the details, tending towards more realistic, but still keeping it painterly. This is also the first time I tried the fun theme and I must say, I really do enjoy it. I have more freedom with portraying character and personality.

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Contact Details: rosalieartist@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/RosalieArtist http://rosalieartist.yolasite.com https://www.facebook.com/groups/56951254984819 3/?fref=ts

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BOOK REVIEW

Pawtracks in the Moonlight: The Story of Toby Jug, a very fine cat by Denis O’ Connor

Reviewed by Patsy Smyth

Is it just me, or do all cat books make me tearful? This is the true account of this little cat with an extraordinary twist in the tale. If you are a cat rescuer, I guarantee this will be extra poignant for you. Through a rather sad set of events, Denis O’Connor finds this little kitten he calls Toby Jugg. A rather extraordinary set of events then happens (the details of which I’m not going to give away) which leads to an unexpected twist in this tale. It is also a heart – warming story of survival against the odds, made even more poignant by the story being true. It is a well written account of this little survivor and its history. I give it 9 purrs out of 10. c

Do you enjoy reading Kittycat Magazine? Please follow us on ISSUU. http://issuu.com/kittycatmagazine or purchase the PDF at www.kittycatmagazine.co.za

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CAT SHOW IN KLEINDÖTTINGEN, SWITZERLAND Carlee Marrer-Tising After a break of a couple of months, finally a cat show! I only entered one cat for one day since I wasn’t sure I’d even be able to attend, having been in the hospital a whole week just before Christmas thanks to two non-functioning equilibrium organs that made it almost impossible for me to walk! However, I am getting much better at walking and would have given a LOT today if I had entered Sofie along with Tamina. But no change could be made, so today was Tamina’s day! And she got her certificate and now has her Supreme Champion title!!!! Yayyyyy!!! I put her in her transport carrier bright and early when I woke up. I just hated doing it so early, but if I hadn’t, she might have disappeared in a hiding place to avoid going to the show, and that would have been a cat-astrophe! The place where the show was held was just under an hour away by car, and we got there at approximately 9:00. The walk from the parking area to the showhall was pretty far, and there were some stairs! Not easy, but I did it! (When we left to go home, Pius (my husband) told me I could wait with all our stuff while he went and got the car - that was MUCH easier! And it was so warm today that I had left my coat in the trunk of the car, and it wasn’t even cold at 6:15 p.m. when I stood outside waiting with no coat at all! Unbelievable! It was so funny how many people wished us a Happy New Year when we walked into the show hall, and that, of course, meant handshakes from some, cheek kisses from others! Got Tamina’s cage set up in record time - boy, is it easy to show just one cat!!! She was such a good kitty-no problem in the car, she just cuddled with my hand almost the whole time, and when she got into her cage, she immediately visited the litter box! She slept most of the time. We had a judge from Estland that I have had once before, and she had cats from category one, then three (ours) and then four, so she had to judge all of the cats from the first category and most of the ones from the third before it was Tamina’s turn (Sphynx were the very last breed to be judged in category 3!) My friend, Ruth, was very kind and came to ask me if I needed any help, because the judges were all up on a very high stage with a stairway that had rather rickety railings. I told her that Pius said he’d take her up the stairs for me. But since he was dreading it, afraid she might get away from him, and since I figured if Tamina noticed his lack of confidence in carrying her - and she would have noticed, I managed to get her up there myself, to my own and everybody else’s surprise. Got her back down, too! She got a very good report and was asked back for the nomination judging.

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Luckily I was able to stay up on the stage for just a few minutes before the judging began, and they began with the females, so that wasn’t a lot of waiting. Tamina didn’t get the nomination, but a friend of mine’s cat did: Nadine with a beautiful Abyssinian. Our cage was near three other Sphynx, and I really liked two of them! One of them reminded me a lot of my Ulani. She was 11 months old and just adorable! Among the highlights of the show: we were given a calendar and food samples by one of the cat food stand people, and the calendar is most welcome since there was no Sphynx calendar for 2015. And the girl who promised she would make me a cat angel pendant like hers had it with her today! Coincidentally I had actually thought about it on the way to the show, wondered if I’d ever get it and if I’d even recognize her to ask her about it!! If she hadn’t been wearing hers, I don’t think I would have. I think I saw hers a year or more ago, and I hadn’t even thought about it but maybe one time! So that was quite a coincidence, all right, that I got it on the day I had been thinking about it! I really like it, too! I was very touched that so many people offered to help me today. If I couldn’t have presented Tamina myself, there were plenty of people who would have been happy to do it for me! It was kind of amusing that several people told me what a beautiful “stick” I had, and although I didn’t use it much, I had it with me just in case I needed it to steady myself! It was my dad’s and it has a lovely silver knob. I much preferred talking about that than my lack of equilibrium! It’s nice to know, though, that people are so willing to help others if necessary. Several people were disappointed that we won’t be going to Geneva for the Best Swiss Cat ceremony for Sophie, but driving almost 4 hours each way is just too far! That would be almost 8 hours of driving in one day! Pius just doesn’t want to do it, and I don’t blame him, although it really is a shame we’ll have to miss it. Ruth offered to stand in for me, holding a picture of Sophie, and bringing me her trophy and certificate. I heard one of the judges talking to a man I didn’t recognize, telling him that I had a super Burmese, the best she had ever seen, and he said, “You mean that red neuter?” Yes, she said, and I knew she was talking about my Sophie!

Spirit Essences Holistic Remedies for animals are available in South Africa. Please email orders to: kittycatsa@gmail.com

This was a wonderful day at the cat show! c

Share your show stories with us. Please email your story and photos to: kittycatsa@gmail.com

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HOW I MET MY CAT

The story of how I “met” my Jelly Bean In the 6 years that I’ve been breeding Maine Coons, I could never understand why any breeder would keep a neuter; it just did not make sense to me…. Until I met this special little girl! Right from the start Jelly Bean had to fight for her life. At birth, she only weighed 76 grams – almost half of what her siblings weighed. So our “pyjama drill” began. Every two hours we bottle-fed the kittens with Royal Canin Babycat milk (1ml each, per feeding). In the first week of her life, Jelly picked up virtually no weight, which is really not a good thing for such a tiny kitten. Typically a kitten will gain about 10 grams per day, where Jelly only gained about 1 gram – if it was even that much. To make matters worse, her bigger siblings would also get to the “milk bar” first, often pushing Jelly out of the way. I almost lost hope, when Annie Conway, from Coonstars Maine Coons, suggested that I give the kitten antibiotics (Zithromax – Schedule 4 antibiotic), as her gut feeling was that Jelly was fighting some sort of bacterial infection and using all her energy to do so. I called my vet, and he did not agree with this theory, and suggested that I deworm the mother again, and increase the amount of milk we give the kittens to 2ml per feeding, also doing so every 1½ hours instead

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of every 2 hours. I felt that I needed to do everything in my power to save Jelly, so off to the chemist I went. I knew the chemist would not give out antibiotics lightly, and when I explained to him what I needed the antibiotics for, he looked at me with a facial expression that said “Are you CRAAAAZY??”. So out came the phone with the pictures of my tiny little baby, and eventually he agreed to give me the antibiotics – he did although stress that he in no way took responsibility for the life and well-being of the kitten… When I got home I started giving Jelly the meds – twice a day for 7 days. I also dewormed the mommy, and gradually Jelly started picking up weight – 4 grams, then 5, then 7, until finally we reached the 10 gram mark! But that was not our only problem… When Jelly was about a week old we noticed that she had about half the amount of hair the other kittens had on their heads, and her skin was very pink. I think that Jelly was probably conceived a few days after her siblings, and thus she was born premature. She was also born with strange little legs – her back toes curled backwards, and she also stretched her back legs out behind her. I’ve seen curled up toes in a kitten before (this happens when there is not enough space in the uterus for all the babies), but never have I seen the back legs being stretched out like that before. I massaged her back legs and feet with every feeding, and eventually she started using them to get to the milk, and they got stronger every day. When

she was a week old, we also noticed that her front legs bent slightly inwards - where the other babies’ legs were straight, and would extend forward when drinking milk, Jelly’s would “bend” to the inside. As she got older, her hair began to thicken on her head, and her skin changed to the same color as the other kittens’. I knew Jelly was not quite “normal”, but I just couldn’t give up on this special little baby, as she had such fighting spirit… I knew that I would have to take her to the vet when she was a bit older to be evaluated… When Jelly was 6½ weeks old, she got infected with a virus that caused her to have an extremely high fever (about 40.1° C) – this made her lethargic and she did not want to eat… We feared for Jelly’s life! Luckily with a few visits to the vet and some medication, she felt better, started eating, playing and running around again! When visiting the vet on one of these occasions, we had Jelly checked out. The vet said that all 4 legs were deformed, and that most breeders would just put her down and if we didn’t, she would need to go onto special food and would probably suffer from Arthritis early in her life. When looking into Jelly’s eyes, I just knew that it would be a crime to put her down, after all she went through and survived – this was a kitten that wanted to LIVE! So I looked the vet in the eyes and said “I’m sorry, but I just cannot do that.” - I would rather keep her and let her live a relatively normal life, than end her journey right there and then… Jelly Bean is still here with us – she entertains us so much and provides us with so much love. She knows she is special, but who are we to say that she is different…? We LOVE you, Jelly Bean! c

Bernice Rossouw Valkyrie Maine Coons

How did YOU meet YOUR cat? Please email your story and photos to: kittycatsa@gmail.com

KITTYCAT MAGAZINE c ISSUE 7 JAN|FEB|MAR 2015

Happy Endings When the company I work for transferred me to one of its operational sites located on a large, plot-like property, I quickly noticed that the site was also home to several mostly feral cats. Three of the cats (black-and-white Socks, fluffy Prince, and Bowie with his two different coloured eyes) were wild and would come close but not permit anyone to touch them, while the fourth cat, Kimberley, was domesticated and enjoyed sitting under the chair of one of my colleagues. While several of my colleagues had been sharing the responsibility of feeding the cats, the cats lacked a permanent outside clean water source and a shelter. This was easily solved by providing a self-filling water bowl (the kind you attach an upside-down 2l bottle to) and a large plastic dog kennel padded with straw and fleece blanket. But the cats had presumably never had any kind of veterinary care and were not sterlised. It was also obvious that Socks was expecting a litter. I knew that each cat needed to be trapped, neutered and returned and undertook the responsibility of getting it done. Domesticated Kimberely was obviously the easiest and even slept in her carrier on route to the vet, however during her sterilisation the vet found abnormal bone growths in her uterus and on spleen (from some kind of physical trauma to her midsection in the past, the vet thought, such as a fall, kick, or maybe being hit by a car), so she spent an extra night at the vet recovering and was discharged with twice the vet bill but I didn’t care, she has the sweetest nature and we were saving her life. By the time Kimberely was returned Socks had clearly had her litter but the kittens were nowhere to be found; we began to fear that none had survived. I decided to delay Socks’s sterilisation in the hope that the kittens were merely hidden and that she was still nursing them, and so moved on to trapping wild Bowie and Prince next. The veterinarian who’d seen Kimberely suggested renting cat traps from our local SPCA. I paid a refundable R500 deposit for each of the two cages that were available and was informed that the charge was R20 per day’s usage per cage. The assistant at the SPCA instructed me to leave the cages out at the office for two full days before I actually

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intended to catch either cat, to allow Prince and Bowie to become less weary of them. I was also advised to have blankets handy to cover the cages once either cat was trapped, to help them calm down. Wet food bait and Prince and Bowie’s hunger made the job easy and both boys were captured in less than 30 minutes. I was later told by an SCPA employee that I got lucky, and that extremely feral cats can take more than a day to catch.

It’s been such an honour to play a part in giving them a second chance away from what could have been a harsh and dangerous feral life. c Stevi Glendinning

During the days leading up to Prince and Bowie’s return from the vet my colleagues had noticed Socks frequently walking a far corner of the building roof and began to think that her kittens may be hidden there. The veterinarian had advised that they little ones would emerge on their own soon enough once they’d finished nursing but, before we could see the wait through, Kimberley appeared inside the office carrying one of Socks’s kittens. Being a Friday, we decided to get onto the roof and move all of the kittens (assuming there was more than one) into the kennel that I’d provided, rather than risking Kimberley bringing one of them down again over the weekend and Socks maybe not being able to return it to the roof. There were four gorgeous balls of fluff, all with their tiny bright blue eyes wide open. On the Monday I took all four off to the vet who guessed that they were 3-4 weeks’ old – they were also dewormed and the vet recommended that I bring the mom in for sterilisation as soon as possible, lest she fell pregnant again while still nursing the four babies. Trapping Socks thankfully went as smoothly as it had been with the boys. The kittens were alert and friendly from that first day. Only little Donna, the brown tabby girl, would hiss at first but quickly settle down once you held her close. With Socks no longer able to nurse post her sterilisation and us wanting to find the kittens forever homes, the veterinarian suggested I begin fostering them to ensure that they were domesticated as early as possible. Panic set in when I realised that my husband and I had planned a two-week December holiday and that the kittens would need to be fostered until the start of the new year, but thankfully we had already arranged for Jenni Ferreira of Kittycat Pet Sitting to look after our adult boy, Scorpio. A quick call to Jenni put me at ease: she was more than happy to look after the kittens while we were away and even went so far as to babysit them at her house for several days when they’d clearly become fed up with their small space in our apartment and needed for more stimulation. Leading up to our holiday Jenni also assisted with midday check-ups on the kittens while my husband and I were still working. We definitely couldn’t have successfully cared for, domesticated and homed the kittens without her. Sweet and clownish Sam, naughty and fearless Dean, Donna the lovable diva and gentle little Phoenix have since all joined their forever homes and it’s clear that they have plenty of love to give.

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Kitten and Cat Rescue https://www.facebook.com/KittenAndCatRescue

Robin was a day old when she was found on a building site and brought to us. Because she was so small we had to bottle feed her every two hours for the first week. She did very well and is now almost off the bottle and uses her litter tray and eats on her own. She has a little friend - Houdini who is about the same size as her. We all tutor maths from home. We also love art and give art classes too. We became Vegan two years ago - after starting our FB page we became aware of the suffering of farm animals and have not regretted our decision for a single day. We would like to move our focus from taking in and rehoming kittens to sterilisation of adult cats - this is the cause of the massive unwanted kitten problem! We have been rescuing all types of animals for the last 10 years - actually since I was in primary school - about 25 years ago. Debbie is my mom and Riaan is her boyfriend. We have rescued a monkey, mice, Rats, Rabbits and dogs besides the hundreds of cats and kittens that have crossed our path. We love all animals and feel they all deserve kindness, compassion, love and respect. c Mia Kapp, Kitten and Cat Rescue, Vanderbijl Park Editors Note: On Friday morning, 16 January 2015 Robin swallowed a bottle nipple whilst drinking. The Kitten and Cat Rescue vet induced vomiting so that it would not get stuck in Robinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s intestine. She developed pneumonia from vomit in her lungs. Robin was rushed to Mingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vet in Johannesburg on the morning of Saturday 17 January 2015. The vet called Mia on Sunday morning asking for permission to put Robin to sleep as her breathing had deteriorated and she was suffering. Mia agreed. RIP Sweet beautiful Robin, you touched many hearts in your short life.

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BLUE AND BASTIEN A Short Story by Rose Richards

claws there. They learned how to climb the bougainvillea and then to climb the big trees in the garden. When they got stuck they would cry and cry and muzzer would climb up and save them. When they were two months old it was Christmas. Muzzer put up a Christmas tree just for them to undecorate. They had such fun slaughtering the tinsel, chasing the glass balls all over the living room and pulling the tree over like lumberjacks. They grew to be large grey cats. Bastien was still as beautiful as a girl, with a tiny nose, plump cheeks and dreamy fur. His eyes were round and yellow and he weighed nearly seven kilograms. Blueberry grew tall and lean, with a deep chest. His fur was gunmetal grey and his eyes almond-shaped and green. Muzzer started calling him “Blue”, because it seemed a little inappropriate to call such a large boy after a tiny fruit.

Once upon a time, very long ago, there were two tiny grey kittens called Blueberry and Bastien. They had been adopted by their muzzer at the age of 5 weeks. Muzzer had expected one slightly older female kitten, whom she was going to name Bast, after the Egyptian cat goddess, but instead she found herself with two tiny boys. She decided to make the most of the situation and named the fatter one Bastien. He was very pretty, with thick, soft fur and green eyes. He looked a bit like a girl. She named the second one Blueberry, because he was tiny and had dark blue-grey fur and blue eyes. He was a very brave kitten. His brother was rather timid, but Blueberry looked after him. He even washed his fat little body with his tiny tongue. He did not know how to wash himself. Neither of them did. That’s how tiny they were. Muzzer was worried about how she was going to bring them up to be good cats. You can imagine how thrilled she was when they learned all the right cat things, like digging in their giant litter box and sharpening their baby claws. She had to show them how to dig in the litter box, but they learned how to sharpen their tiny claws all by themselves. She was so proud when they first sharpened their claws on the couch that she kissed them and told them they were good boys. So after that they always sharpened their

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When they were about nine months old, Blue was knocked by a car. He was badly bruised and frightened, but nothing was broken. His tail, however, was badly scarred. He ended up with a band of scar tissue around the middle and it could no longer bend properly. Nonetheless people thought Blue and Bastie were identical. This might be because they were always together, sitting in the same pose in the garden, stalking the same birds, lying on the same bed, following muzzer around as she did her housework. If they were startled by something they would run away identically, with synchronised legs. They would meet muzzer at the gate when she came home. They were almost like one cat. Bastien got sick when they were three. His bladder wouldn’t empty properly because of crystals that scarred his urinary tract. He was in and out of hospital constantly. Eventually he had to have surgery. Muzzer visited him every day. He was too weak to pick up, but she held his paw to comfort him. He would dangle it out of his cage for her. Ever after that when muzzer was sad or ill he would put his warm, plump paw on hers. He made a full recovery and, on a special diet, he lived happily for another 9 years. But then he fell ill again. This time muzzer couldn’t cure him. Instead she and Blue had to watch him fade away from feline AIDS.

He had grown from a timid kitten to a big grey tiger who defended the property at every opportunity. In the mornings he would march around the garden checking the perimeters and then come to the front door to be let in, even though the cats had a cat hole at the back. He must have got into a fight with the wrong cat. Muzzer and Blue did everything to comfort him. He got thinner and thinner. His mouth was too sore for him to eat much. It was so sad that he was denied his greatest pleasure in his last days. No one has ever loved their food as much as he did. Blue would wash him as he always had through their long years together. He learned how to avoid hurting Bastien’s frail body. He would sit identically next to him still and lie identically next to him if he was too tired to sit up. He warmed him when he was cold and cuddled him when he was miserable. Eventually Bastien told his brother and his muzzer that it was all right to let him go. He died next to his muzzer on his couch where he had learned to sharpen his claws so long ago. The house seemed empty without him. Blue was like a lost soul, wandering purposelessly around the garden. No one greeted muzzer when she came home anymore. Blue and muzzer would sit next to each other sometimes, not touching, both wrapped in their own pain. It was as if something in both of them had died too. Muzzer couldn’t bear the thought of getting another cat. She knew it would never replace her Bastie and Blue would never have his brother back. But she came to realise that Blue needed company. He was fading away. She even took him to the vet to make sure he wasn’t ill. He was depressed. He was half a cat. He could never be whole without his brother. Muzzer had to do something. Then one day she found an advertisement for two kittens. c

Be sure to read the next instalment in Issue 8 of Kittycat Magazine.

KITTYCAT MAGAZINE c ISSUE 7 JAN|FEB|MAR 2015

Ice Angel By Linda Deane

s e i r Se TARA’S Art https://www.facebook.com/tara.cat.dog/info

Ice Angel by Linda Deane Text copyright © 2013 Linda Deane Cover design and photograph copyright © 2013 Linda Deane All rights reserved worldwide. This story was inspired by a very special little cat. Angelica was unfortunately mauled by dogs and we tragically lost her when she was only seven months old. We believe she was an angel and this story is a fictitious account of how we imagine one of her nine lives may have been.

KITTYCAT MAGAZINE c ISSUE 7 JAN|FEB|MAR 2015

Angel Cats series available at: http://www.amazon. com/Linda-Deane/e/ B00ENHQ6GI https://www.smashwords.com/profile/ view/LDeane

CHAPTER 4 - THE HIDEOUT As the sun slid over the horizon and night fell, Angelica led Aric away from the cliff. His mind was reeling with excitement. What would the tribe say when he led them here? What would they say when he showed them the MAMMOTHS? His heart leaped with joy! Meat, at last some meat to eat! Angelica had led him here to this place to show him this. His tribe would be saved from starvation. Angelica had been sent to lead him here and help him. He had complete faith in her to lead him home again. He knew now, without a doubt, that he was not dreaming. Angelica was indeed real. He could not wait to get home and break the news to his family. Impatiently he tried to rush past Angelica in the twilight, but she clawed at his leg, bringing him to a halt. She did not want them to walk in the dark. She looked up and sniffed the air, twitching her tail in agitation. Aric wondered what it was that she was sensing. He shut his eyes, concentrating hard, trying to connect with her mind and sense what she was sensing, but he was too impatient. He wanted to move on but Angelica seemed to know better. He could not get home on his own in any case, so disappointedly the boy followed the little grey cat into a rocky outcrop of boulders. She led him into a hollow formed by boulders that had fallen on top of each other, just big enough for a boy and a cat to be snug for the night. There was a thick layer of dry leaves to nestle into for warmth. He had walked all day and had not eaten, but somehow Aric was still not hungry or tired. He was too excited to sleep. Angelica settled down on his chest, her big golden eyes glowing in the dark, hypnotising him, her warm body comforting him. Her deep purr resonated in her chest and echoed in his. The warm, rhythmic throb made him feel drowsy eventually and lulled him into a deep peaceful sleep.

Aric awoke to a grey, gloomy day. Angelica was nowhere to be seen. Alarmed and frightened at the risk of being without his guide, Aric dashed about in the freshly fallen snow calling out, “Angelica, Angelica, where are you? Don’t leave me here alone!” Confused and unsure of what to do, Aric sat down in the little hollow they had occupied the night before. He felt utterly desolate and alone. Why had she left him here after leading him this far? How could he get back without her? He did not know which direction was home and which direction the mammoths were. To make matters worse it had started snowing again. The sky was growing darker by the minute and he was acutely aware now of his empty stomach. He curled up into a tight little ball and cried. He was miserable, nothing more than a lost and frightened little boy alone, out in a blizzard. A rough tongue licked the salty tears on his cheek. “You’re back, Angelica, oh you’re back! I am so glad! You mean cat, why did you leave me alone like that? I was terrified!” he shouted, overwhelmed with emotion. Then he noticed the dead rabbit lying in the snow beside Angelica. He could not believe his eyes. He had not seen a rabbit in ages. Aric did not care that he could not cook the rabbit. He tore at it hungrily with his teeth; swallowing fur along with the raw meat, so great was his hunger. When they had consumed their shared meal, the cat and the boy lay back in their little cavern side by side, giving each other warmth and comfort while the storm raged on around them throughout the day. The pains in Aric’s stomach were different now. Spasm after spasm racked his belly. He had not eaten that much for so long that his stomach was not used to the onslaught. The cat provided warmth and soothed the pain by lying across his aching belly. He finally fell asleep again, digesting the meal that he had needed so much. Angelica kept Aric in a deep sleep. His body was in great need of rest. When Aric awoke the next day, Angelica had already been out hunting.

A fresh rabbit lay at his side. This time Aric ate it slowly and carefully, savouring each raw mouthful of meat. He made it last throughout that long cold day as they waited out the blizzard. Time dragged slowly by, but Aric was not bored. Angelica kept him company in silence. Aric felt her reading his thoughts and he was reading hers. In some strange way, they could understand each other. He had never felt so close to anyone before, not even to his mother. This kind, gentle being was full of love and light. Aric felt as though he could just sit in her presence forever and be content. He did not know when he fell asleep but he dreamt that night of his tribe. In his dream they were content and happy. They were in a beautiful valley with a waterfall and lush vegetation. It was the valley Angelica had showed him in the first dream, the valley of abundance that they had soared above. The tribe was happy, their bellies were full and there were many animals grazing on the grassy plains. The children were laughing and had lost that grim, drawn look of constant hunger. c

Be sure to read Chapter 5 of Ice Angel in our next issue !

Angel Cats series available at: http://www.amazon.com/ Linda-Deane/e/B00ENHQ6GI https://www.smashwords. com/profile/view/LDeane

KITTYCAT MAGAZINE c ISSUE 7 JAN|FEB|MAR 2015

Kittycat of the Month 2014 Winners January 2014 Winner : Duchess

February 2014 Winner : Faith

March 2014 Winner : Braille

April 2014 Winner : Othello

May 2014 Winner : Cody

June 2014 Winner : Mowgli

KITTYCAT MAGAZINE c ISSUE 7 JAN|FEB|MAR 2015

Kittycat of the Month 2014 Winners July 2014 Winner : Calise

August 2014 Winner : Pippins Blue Misty

September 2014 Winner : Abby

October 2014 Winner : Lemon

November 2014 Winner : Charlie

December 2014 Winner : Fosco

KITTYCAT MAGAZINE c ISSUE 7 JAN|FEB|MAR 2015

KITTYCAT OF THE MONTH COMPETITION IS PROUDLY SPONSORED BY DAWN’S CAT ACCESSORIES Email your photos and a sentence about your cat to: kittycatsa@gmail.com www.facebook.com/KittycatSA

KITTYCAT MAGAZINE c ISSUE 7 JAN|FEB|MAR 2015

NEW! Kittycat RESCUE Magazine

Please email kittycatsa@gmail.com to showcase and/or list your Rescue/Shelter in Kittycat RESCUE Magazine. KITTYCAT MAGAZINE c ISSUE 7 JAN|FEB|MAR 2015

Rescues and Shelters - Gauteng Animal Ambulance 083 241 4452 www.animalambulance.co.za

Feral Squad 078 214 4241 tricha4feralsquad@gmail.com

Animals in Distress 083 643 9480 www.animalsindistress.org.za

FORA 082 336 5568 www.fora.org.za

Angels Refuge SA 072 889 1960 www.facebook.com/AngelsRefuge

Four Paws 083 377 3219 www.4ourpaws.org.za

Ark Animal Centre 082 334 7596 www.arkanimalcentre.co.za

Free Me (Wildlife) 011 807 6993 www.freeme.org.za

Be Wise Sterilise 081 018 4446 www.sterilise.co.za

Friends of the Cat 072 144 5914 www.friendsofthecat.co.za

Cat-a-holics 011 447 5275 www.kittyshelter.co.za

Kitten Corner 074 215 1490 www.kittencorner.co.za

CatzRus 082 700 5839 www.catzrussa.co.za

Happy Yappers 082 338 4538 fundraiser@happyyappers.org.za

Catsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;9Lives 072 391 5035 www.cats9lives.co.za

HAWS 076 455 0322 www.haws.co.za

The Cat Samaritan 083 634 0069 http://thecatsamaritan.yolasite.com

CatPals 083 327 0365 www.catpals.co.za

Kitten Corner 074 215 1490 www.kittencorner.co.za

Trix4Animals 074 581 4343

C.H.A.R.M. 084 900 0209 www.charm.org.za

Kitty & Puppy Haven 010 224 0763 www.kittypuppyhaven.org.za

CLAW 082 926 3627 www.claw-sa.org

Mischief Rat Rescue c www.saratrescue.org Pretoria: anneri@saratrescue.org Joburg: lisa@anettere.com

CO-SANC 084 958 8073 www.catshelter.co.za Dogtown SA | Barking Mad 076 044 1979 www.barkingmad.co.za

PETS www.pets.org.za Persian Cat Rescue c 082 781 4761 www.kittypuppyhaven.org.za

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PETS www.pets.org.za Pet Welfare SA 083 309 0400 www.petwelfaresa.co.za Pug Rescue 082 449 2644 www.pugrescue.co.za Purrpaws for Life lindie@purrpawsforlife.co.za purrpawsforlife@gmail.com 0836509558 www.purrpawsforlife.co.za SAINTS Fundraising 082 259 0905 saints@mweb.co.za Sandpaper Kisses Fundraising 082 928 6663 www.spkfundraising@gmail.com Santa Cause for Paws Fundraising www.santapaws.co.za

Wet Nose Animal Rescue Centre 013 932 3941/2 www.wetnose.org.za http://facebook.com/pages/wetnoseanimal-rescue-centre/273994562065 Wollies Animal Project 083 339 1692 Woodrock Animal Rescue 076 155 4439 www.woodrockanimalrescue.org.za

Rescues and Shelters - Cape Adopt a Pet 021 465 4560 www.adopt-a-pet.org.za

Kleinmond Animal Welfare 028 271 5004 www.kaws.co.za

Township Animal Rescue 021 855 1824 www.townshipanimalrescue.co.za

African Tails 021 448 8074 www.africantails.co.za

Knysna Animal Welfare 044 384 1603 www.knysnaanimalwelfare.co.za

Watershed Rescue & Rehab 083 447 0979 www.watershed.org.za

AACL (PE) 041 456 1776 www.aacl.co.za

LEAPS 082 553 6068 www.leaps.co.za

AACL (WC) 021M534M6426 www.aacl.co.za

Lucky Lucy Foundation 072 779 7424 www.luckylucy.org

Animal Outreaches 083 216 4887

Mdzananda Animal Clinic 021 367 2302 www.mdzananda.co.za

Animal Rescue Org 021 396 5511 www.animalrescue.org.za Aniwell 072 672 4416 www.aniwell.org.za Animal Rescue Team 072 212 7380 Boland Animal Society 082 373 3005 Cart Horse Protection 021 535 3435 www.carthorse.org.za

Plett Animal Welfare 083 287 9917 www.plettanimalwelfare.co.za PETS 076 872 7071 www.pets.org.za PetPals 083 411 0738 www.petpals.org.za Save-A-Pet PE 041 372 1780 www.saveapet.co.za

C.A.T. 021 551 9797

TEARS 021 785 4482 www.tears.org.za

Cat Care PE 082 574 2136 http://catcare.netfirms.com/

The Caspian Alexander Trust 072 590 5554 www.caspianalexandertrust.org

DARG 021 790 0383 www.darg.org.za

TUFCAT 021 959 3022 www.tufcat.co.za

HHAWS 021 856 0597 www.hhaws.org.za

Uitsig Animal Rescue 076 224 2207 www.uitsig.org.za

KITTYCAT MAGAZINE c ISSUE 7 JAN|FEB|MAR 2015

Rescues and Shelters - KZN Animal Action 083 272 7201 www.animalaction.org.za Animal Anti Cruelty League Durban 031 736 9093 www.aacl.co.za Husky Rescue 082 336 1162 www.huskyrescuekzn.co.za

Mischief Rat Rescue www.saratrescue.org www.facebook.com/MischiefRatRescue Durban: mischiefrats@mweb.co.za Phoenix Animal Care 084 609 3962 Second Chance Sanctuary 072 448 7394 www.secondchancecats.org

Kitten Action 031 764 3845 www.kittenaction.org.za

Please see Welfare Directory & Veterinary Directory in SA Pet Pages (available FREE at your vet) 75

KITTYCAT MAGAZINE c ISSUE 7 JAN|FEB|MAR 2015

www.sapetpages.co.za

KITTYCAT MAGAZINE c ISSUE 7 JAN|FEB|MAR 2015

THE LUCKY LUCY FOUNDATION NPO Number: 091-636 | PBO Number: 930-036-404

Lucky Lucy Farm Uitsig Farm, Joostenberg, Paarl, Western Cape, South Africa P O Box 385, Sea Point, 8060 Email Address: Emergency Cell: Contact Person: Fax Number: Website: Facebook: Cattery Page Twitter:

contact@luckylucy.org 072 779 7424 Luken 086 560 6775 www.luckylucy.org https://www.facebook.com/LuckyLucyFoundation https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/llfcattery/ https://twitter.com/LuckyLucyFoundation

KITTYCAT MAGAZINE c ISSUE 7 JAN|FEB|MAR 2015

CATZRUS NPO Number: 098-047

KITTYCAT MAGAZINE c ISSUE 7 JAN|FEB|MAR 2015

KITTEN AND CAT RESCUE Plea for Help

Please support Kitten and Cat Rescue NPC Vanderbijlpark South Africa SMS ‘Cats’ to 48748 Each SMS costs R10 We will receive between R4 - R6 per SMS Every tiny bit helps! Thank you! https://www.facebook.com/KittenAndCatRescue

KITTYCAT MAGAZINE c ISSUE 7 JAN|FEB|MAR 2015

BREEDERS AND PET SERVICES DIRECTORY

PINK PAGES

PINK PAGES ADVERTISE HERE Advertise your cattery or pet services with Kittycat Magazine Email: kittycatsa@gmail.com

Kittycat Magazine’s Advertising Policy Adverts are only accepted from Catteries that are registered with SACC, CFSA or CASA. Kittycat accepts advertisements for the sale of products, services and cats/kittens in good faith. Kittycat assumes all distributors provide high quality products and healthy animals. Kittycat cannot be responsible for advertiser’s claims, distributors’ actions, inferior merchandise or the animals health. Buyers are advised to do any necessary research before making a purchase.

Kittycat Advertising Deadlines All ads are pre-paid. Ads must be received on the 15th of the month prior to magazine being published i.e. 15 Mar for Apr/May/Jun issue 15 Jun for Jul/Aug/Sep issue 15 Sep for Oct/Nov/Dec issue Kittycat reserves the right to refuse any advertising submitted, or to cancel any advertising accepted upon refund of payments made. The Editor reserves the right to make stylistic changes.

KITTYCAT MAGAZINE c ISSUE 7 JAN|FEB|MAR 2015

Dawn Pretorius 072 271 2637 nakedcat@oribi.co.za

BREEDERS AND BREED GROUPS American Curl

Birman

Kealee Cattery Siamese, Oriental and American Curl Registration Body: CASA Lianne Muller +27 824907678 mullerle@eskom.co.za

Turiska Birmans Mariska van Loggerenberg Ballito +27 83 651 5227 +27 83 651 5227 info@birmancats.co.za www.turkishvan.co.za

American Shorthair Vande Bald’s American Shorthair Suzette van den Berg Kimberley + 27 53 833 7236 + 27 83 294 6433 suzette@vandebald.co.za www.vandebald.co.za

Balinese Kruin Cattery Angus Plumstead Pretoria +27 83 252 3766 LesBeauxChats Thea Lamprecht Cape Town +27 21 9769965 +27 82 393 0198 thealamprech@mweb.co.za www.lesbeauchats.com

Bengal Awesome Bengals Lorraine Kennard Pretoria 083 337 6593 lorraine@awesomebengals.co.za www.awesomebengals.co.za Glitterkatz Dr. Wally Fogarty Mossel Bay, South Africa +27 44 698 1794 +27 82 404 4222 Soulmates Cattery Cheryl Moss and Marilyn Schramm Johannesburg +27 11 965 6101 malcher@iafrica.com www.soulmatescattery.co.za

Chindy’s Cattery Cindi Edmunds +27 82 378 5893 cins4chins@yahoo.com www.chindys.co.za

Burmese

The Catwalk Silver & Golden Persians Stuart +27 82 775 0132 stuart@busbyhouse.com Charles + 27 72 528 0460 cap0604@gmail.com

Mapantsula Denis Jansen Cape Town + 27 82 3742 719 zanddam@gmail.com

Zelda’s Cattery Zelda Jacobs +27 83 550 1656 +27 11 814 6825 chinchillaszj@gmail.com

Soulmates Cattery Cheryl Moss and Marilyn Schramm Johannesburg +27 11 965 6101 malcher@iafrica.com www.soulmatescattery.co.za Supayas Cattery Denise Rhodes CFSA Registered 082 785 5816 / 011 310 2727

Burmilla Cherie-Finesse Alida Delport Cape Town +27 21 919 9385 +27 83 628 2479 cheriefinesse@gmail.com www.cherie-finesse.co.za

British Shorthair Irina Sopran Johannesburg +27 71 967 7823 irfeds@gmail.com http://irfeds.wix.com/brigem

Chinchillas Cherie-Finesse Alida Delport Cape Town +27 21 919 9385 +27 83 628 2479 cheriefinesse@gmail.com www.cherie-finesse.co.za

Cornish Rex LesBeauxChats Thea Lamprecht Cape Town +27 21 9769965 +27 82 393 0198 thealamprech@mweb.co.za www.lesbeauchats.com

Devon Rex Soulmates Cattery Cheryl Moss and Marilyn Schramm Johannesburg +27 11 965 6101 malcher@iafrica.com www.soulmatescattery.co.za

Exotic Carmandale Persians & Exotics Shaun Armand & Antoni Nortman Johannesburg +27 82 719 0110 (Shaun) or +27 82 742 9366 (Antoni) carmandale@gmail.com www.carmandalepersians.net Purrbridge Persians & Exotics Rindi Fourie Johannesburg +27 083 984 9961 www.purrbridge.co.za purrbridge@gmail.com

KITTYCAT MAGAZINE c ISSUE 7 JAN|FEB|MAR 2015

BREEDERS AND BREED GROUPS La Perm LesBeauxChats Thea Lamprecht Cape Town +27 21 9769965 +27 82 393 0198 thealamprech@mweb.co.za www.lesbeauchats.com

Maine Coon Emalini Cattery Vera Clarke Radiokop +27 11 475 5541 +27 82 650 2302 vnclarke@emalini.com www.emalini.com GeeDee Cattery Athylle Caw Sunninghill Athylle@mweb.co.za Maine Emblem Cattery Pretoria Joos Esterhuizen +27 823337231 joos.esterhuizen@up.ac.za www.mainecoonkittens.co.za Shangri-la Maine Coons Vivian Wright Johannesburg shangrilacats@gmail.com www.shangrilacats.com Valkyrie Cattery Bernice Rossouw Glentana, Western Cape +27 82 810 7599 nicie84@gmail.com http://valkyrie-cattery.weebly.com https://www.facebook.com/

Manx LesBeauxChats Thea Lamprecht Cape Town +27 21 9769965 +27 82 393 0198 thealamprech@mweb.co.za www.lesbeauchats.com

Munchkin

Persian

LesBeauxChats Thea Lamprecht Cape Town +27 21 9769965 +27 82 393 0198 thealamprech@mweb.co.za www.lesbeauchats.com

Carmandale Persians & Exotics Shaun Armand & Antoni Nortman Roodepoort +27 82 719 0110 (Shaun) or +27 82 742 9366 (Antoni) carmandale@gmail.com www.carmandalepersians.net

Norwegian Forest

Caziggi Persians Linet Coetzer +27 83 725 5347 +27 57 352 5339 linet@polka.co.za www.caziggi.co.za

Crescendo Cattery Beverly Smullen Johannesburg +27 82 881 2729 beverly@smullen.co.za GeeDee Cattery Athylle Caw Sunninghill Athylle@mweb.co.za

Oriental Bell Aimee Cattery SACC, CFSA, CASA (WCF) Aimee Hendrikz KwaZulu Natal +27 72 426 7810 bellaimeecattery@gmail.com bell-aimee.webplus.net Copper Creek Cattery Registered with CFSA Lynette Grassman +27 82 329 3147 lgrassman@plastop.co.za Delilla Siamese & Orientals Karen Labuschagne Faerie Glen +27 82 824 2132 karen@delilla.co.za www.delilla.co.za Kealee Cattery Siamese, Oriental and American Curl Registration Body: CASA Lianne Muller +27 824907678 mullerle@eskom.co.za Kruin Cattery Angus Plumstead Pretoria +27 83 252 3766

KITTYCAT MAGAZINE c ISSUE 7 JAN|FEB|MAR 2015

Charis Christa van Rooyen Kwa Zulu Natal +27 73 191 2207 christa@colourpoints.co.za www.colourpoints.co.za Divine Flame Persian Cattery Johannesburg www.persiancatsdivineflame.co.za www.persiancatsdivineflame.webs. com divinepersians@ymail.com Purrbridge Persians & Exotics Rindi Fourie Johannesburg +27 083 984 9961 www.purrbridge.co.za purrbridge@gmail.com RoyalPaws Annatjie Middelburg +27 1324 53547 +27 82 299 4243 dhconsul@mweb.co.za www.royalpaws.co.za Ryns Persians Maryna +27 83 307 9930 rynspersian@telkomsa.net www.persiancatparadise.co.za

Ragdoll Soulmates Cattery Cheryl Moss and Marilyn Schramm Johannesburg +27 11 965 6101 malcher@iafrica.com www.soulmatescattery.co.za

BREEDERS AND BREED GROUPS Scottish Fold

Siberian

Breed Groups

LesBeauxChats Thea Lamprecht Cape Town +27 21 9769965 +27 82 393 0198 thealamprech@mweb.co.za www.lesbeauchats.com

ArtĂŠKatz Siberians Cherylee Krantz Lonehill +27 11 465-3446 +27 11 467-7157 +27 82 569 5737 cherylee@artekatz.com www.artekatz.com

Breeders of Rex and Sphynx Landie Copperthwaite (Secretary) 0826991077 landiecop@gmail.com

Siamese Bell Aimee Cattery Registered With SACC, CFSA, CASA (WCF) Aimee Hendrikz KwaZulu Natal +27 72 426 7810 bellaimeecattery@gmail.com bell-aimee.webplus.net Copper Creek Cattery Registered with CFSA Lynette Grassman +27 82 329 3147 lgrassman@plastop.co.za Delilla Siamese & Orientals Karen Labuschagne Faerie Glen +27 82 824 2132 karen@delilla.co.za www.delilla.co.za Kealee Cattery Siamese, Oriental & American Curl Registration Body: CASA Lianne Muller 0824907678 mullerle@eskom.co.za Kruin Cattery Angus Plumstead Pretoria +27 83 252 3766

Sphynx Blancanieves Sphynx Mrs N Lewis London UK +441293528520 nathalie@blancanieves-sphynx. co.uk www.blancanieves-sphynx.co.uk Spandau Wilma Hyman Pretoria East Sphynx, Bambino Registered with SACC, CFSA, CASAWCF +27 83 649 6851 wilmahyman@telkomsa.net

Turkish Van Turiska Turkish Vans Mariska van Loggerenberg Ballito +27 83 651 5227 mariska@turkishvan.co.za www.turkishvan.co.za

British Shorthair Group Julie Banham (021) 790 1525 bayfield@iafrica.com Natal Siamese/Oriental Club Carol Wood (Secretary) 031-9031026 silversheen@mweb.co.za S.A. Abyssinian & Somali Association (SAASA) Adrienne Swart (Secretary) 0824055437 aswart@acucap.co.za Maine Coon Interest Group (MCIG) Hanneke Bestbier (Sercretary) 0724557610 Hanneke.Bestbier@sasol.com Siamese Breeders Group of S.A. (SBG) Charlotte van der Riet (Secretary) Cell: 0833840285 Email: charlottevdriet@gmail.com Russian Cat Interest Group of South Africa (RCIG) Solveig Klahr (Secretary) 0832722443 Solveig.klahr@gmail.com Sphynx Alliance (SA) Annemarie Redelinghuys (Secretary) 0837307666 Annemarie@cassell.co.za

Siori Cattery Melissa or Marlene Myburgh KwaZulu Natal + 27 71 885 9262 + 27 83 443 2440 melissamyburgh77@gmail.com

KITTYCAT MAGAZINE c ISSUE 7 JAN|FEB|MAR 2015

BREEDERS BREEDERS AND BREED BREED GROUPS GROUPS CAT CLUBSAND Cat Clubs

Cat Clubs

Affiliated to SACC

Affiliated to CFSA

All Breeds Cat Club (ABCC) Cape Town Colin Bubb 082 374 6827

National Cat Society (NCS) Sandy Fitzpatrick (Secretary) mwpaws@mweb.co.za

Cat Fancierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Club Gauteng Stephen White 071 352 4717 Eastern Cape Cat Club (ECCC) Port Elizabeth Rita Wiseman 083 267 4827 Northern Cape/Free State (NCFS) Kimberley Carol Kotze 082 719 1465

Feline Fan Club of SA (FFC) June Stafford (Secretary) felinefanclub@gmail.com Kwa Zulu Natal Cat Club (KZNCC) TBA (Secretary) dandipets@telkomsa.net Cleopatra Cat Club (CCC) Lynelle van Aarde (Secretary) cleopatracatclub@gmail.com

Persian Cat Society (PCS) KZN Jane Goble 082 784 3126 Rand Cat Club (RCC) Gauteng Karen Pepler 082 577 2097 The Big Cat Club (TBCC) Cape Town Kim Cutter 021 461 9505 Transvaal Cat Society (TCS) Gauteng Gail Nel 082 446 8189 Western Province Cat Club Cape Town Jane Slabbert

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Independent Cat Clubs African Independent Cat Association (AICA) Cat Lovers Association of S.A. (CLASA) Chats du Cap Cat Club (CdC-I) The Nelson Mandela Bay Cat Club (NMBCC) The Oriental, Siamese & Related Breeds Group (OSRBG) The South African Cat Club (S.A.C.C.) SAC@TS Breeders Group

Shangri-la Maine Coons

Vivian Wright shangrilacats@gmail.com www.shangrilacats.com

KITTYCAT MAGAZINE c ISSUE 7 JAN|FEB|MAR 2015

Breeding with honesty and integrity, with good temperaments, healthy, sound type and for the love of our cats. Kittens bred from Healthy Imported lines and personally raised with love; available to selected forever homes from time to time. Please contact: Shaun Armand 082 719 0110 or Antoni Nortman 082 742 9366 Email: carmandale@gmail.com | Website: www.carmandalepersians.net

ELâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Vee Persians and Exotics

Lisa Venter 071 602 0515

www.el-vee.com lisa.venter@sasol.com

KITTYCAT MAGAZINE c ISSUE 7 JAN|FEB|MAR 2015

BRIGEM SACC Registered Cattery Breeding British Shorthair Cats of Silver & Golden Colours

Irina Sopran Cell: 071 967 7823 email: irfeds@gmail.com http://irfeds.wix.com/brigem

Vande Baldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s American Shorthair Lovable registered kittens sometimes available to selected homes

Suzette Kennard Lorraine 0832946433 Phone: 083 337 6593

(Between 14:00 and 19:00) suzette@vandebald.co.za

www.vandebald.co.za

lorraine@awesomebengals.co.za www.awesomebengals.co.za KITTYCAT MAGAZINE c ISSUE 7 JAN|FEB|MAR 2015

GeeDee Cattery Registered Breeder of Norwegian Forest Cats and Maine Coons

Kittens occasionally available to approved homes

Athylle Caw athylle@mweb.co.za

KITTYCAT PET SITTING RELIABLE CARE FOR YOUR PETS IN THEIR OWN HOME

BOSKRUIN, BROMHOF, RANDPARK RIDGE Email: kittycatsa@gmail.com www.kittycatpetsitting.co.za Anita 072 514 3696

shaylani48@gmail.com 89

KITTYCAT MAGAZINE c ISSUE 7 JAN|FEB|MAR 2015

Swagger Coons SACC & CFSA Registered Cattery Breeding Maine Coons to Purrfection!

Niekie and Sunet Prinsloo Phone: 082 660 0693 / 079 887 5379 Email: niekie.prinsloo@gmail.com http://swaggercoons.weebly.com/

Emaleni Cattery Home of the Magnificent Maine Coon

For that special coonlet brought up in the family home

Vera Clarke 082 650 2302 vnclarke@emalini.com www.emalini.com

Dileen Delpeche 083 325 1096 dileend@gmail.com

KITTYCAT MAGAZINE c ISSUE 7 JAN|FEB|MAR 2015

Spirit Essences Holistic Remedies for animals available soon in South Africa. Please email orders to: kittycatsa@gmail.com

Chindyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Boarding and Breeding Cattery

Cindi Edmunds 082 378 5892 Email: cins4chins@yahoo.com

SACC Registered Chinchilla kittens Occasionally available to approved homes. Boarding facilities available (Benoni)

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PLEASE NOTE

Kittycat has not inspected any cattery and does not guarantee the health or genetics or pedigree of any kitten purchased from any breeder who advertises in the magazine. We recommend that when you purchase a pedigreed cat you first check that the breeder is registered with SACC, CFSA or CASA and make full enquiries. Please email kittycatsa@gmail.com if you would like to have your cattery added to our Pink Pages.

How did YOU meet YOUR cat? Email story and photos to: kittycatsa@gmail.com

Kittens available to pre-approved homes Selling only as Pets and to Show Homes

Serenity Persians Specializing in Bi-colours and Solids

Lyndie Komossa 081 705 0544

lyndiekomossa@gmail.com

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SOUTHERN AFRICA CAT COUNCIL P O Box 28732, Kensington, 2101, Tel: 011 616 7017 Fax: 086 616 8294, sacatreg@iafrica.com, www.isacc.org.za

KITTYCAT MAGAZINE c ISSUE 7 JAN|FEB|MAR 2015

Trix4Animals NPC 2013/217585/08 PBO 930046857

Contact Details +27 74 581 4343 +27 86 571 0729

Trix@Trix4Animals.co.za www.facebook.com/Trix4Animals www.facebook.com/Chip4CheaperSA

SAINTS ANIMAL CHARITY SHOP

www.saintsshop.co.za Shop 22, Northriding Square, Bellairs Drive, Northriding

KITTYCAT MAGAZINE c ISSUE 7 JAN|FEB|MAR 2015

THE NEXT ISSUE ... Would you like YOUR cat featured in Kittycat magazine? Do you have a Happy Ending (Rescue) story to share? How did YOU meet YOUR cat? Do you have any Show news, show brags or cute stories for us? Would you like to list your Cattery or Pet Services in our Pink Pages or on our website? Join our Facebook Group and stay up to date with the happenings in the magazine and be in contact with other like minded cat lovers. Request to join us on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1447932208770601/ Email: kittycatsa@gmail.com

Photo by Jenni Ferreira | www.jenniferreira.com

“A kitten is, in the animal world, what a rosebud is in the garden.” ~ Robert Sowthey

KITTYCAT MAGAZINE c ISSUE 7 JAN|FEB|MAR 2015

Photo by Jenni Ferreira | www.jenniferreira.com

Advertise your cattery or your pet services here KITTYCAT MAGAZINE c ISSUE 7 JAN|FEB|MAR 2015

Kittycat online magazine

Purchase the PDF here: www.kittycatmagazine.co.za