Kittycat Rescue Issue 2 November 2014 by Jenni Ferreira

kittycat

Rescue Helping Animals in Need Issue 002 | November 2014

Cat Bite

Issue 2

Abscesses

Helping your Vet make the

Diagnosis

Sandton SPCA Golden Oldies

Calendar

Shelter

Photography Together we CAN make a difference

www.kittycat.co.za

EDITORIAL Jenni Ferreira - Editor|Publisher

Inside

KITTYCAT RESCUE MAGAZINE - ISSUE 002

DESIGN Jenni Ferreira - Layout|Design Graham de Klerk - Websites

CONTRIBUTORS

Dr Arnold Plotnick Dr Lalrry Kraitzick Emma Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Brien Jennifer Blonk Taryn Vlok

PUBLICATION Kittycat Rescue Magazine an online/digital magazine and is published four times a year in August, November, February and May by Kittycat. The magazine is available to read for FREE on your smart phone or digital device on ISSUU. Please visit www.issuu. com , www.kittycat.co.za or www. kittycatmagazine.co.za

18 01 Message from the Editor 03 Cat Bite Abscesses 06

RESCUE STORIES Have you got a rescue story for Kittycat Rescue Magazine? Please email us: kittycatsa@gmail.com

Helping your Veterenarian make the Diagnosis

11 Warning 12 Rescue Stories - Monster and Dean 15 Rescue Me 16 Shelter Photography 18 Senior Dogs in the Spotlight 20 The Visitor 24 Kittycat of the Month 27 Rescue and Shelter Directory 46 Pet Products and Services

Welcome

ADDRESS

P O Box 1220 Randburg 2125

Message from the Editor

South Africa Welcome to Issue 2 of Kittycat Rescue Magazine.

Email: kittycatsa@gmail.com Fax: 086 428 5044 www.kittycat.co.za www.kittycatmagazine.co.za

Please help us share and network our new magazine so that we can get as many Rescues and Shelters listed and show cased so that we can give as many homeless animals as possible a second chance at happiness and a forever home!

ADVERTISING Jenni Ferreira kittycatsa@gmail.com

Please submit your happy ending rescue stories and photos to be featured in the magazine. If you would like to nominate any rescuers (animal angels) that we can do a feature on, please email us. Volunteers to help us get in stories and shelter information are welcomed with open arms, as are sponsors and advertisers! Did you know that by advertising in our magazine you can help us help animals in need? We believe in Giving Back, and a portion of all advertising goes to animal rescue! In this issue we feature an article on Cat Bite Abscesses, something bound to happen if you have outdoor cats. Help your vet to make a diagnosis. Animals can’t speak, so vets have to rely on their caregivers to speak for them. Dr Plotnick explains what to look for.

The Publisher assumes no responsibility for accuracy, safety or performance of the info or products presented. from Bruma Lake Vet, Dr Larry Kraitzick, regarding the intentional poisoning of dogs. Please be alert and keep all your pets safe! Emma O’ Brien, Sandton’s popular and well known photographer chats about Shelter Photography and the 2015 SPCA Golden Oldies Calendar. We also feature a lovely short story by Niki Moore.

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.

We hope that you enjoy this issue. See you next time! Jenni Ferreira, Editor|Publisher kittycatsa@gmail.com

Please read a very important warning

On the Cover Nonna is 13 years old and lives with her Mom, Dad and three other doggy siblings. She’s the Mommy in the house and keeps all the other dogs under control. Nonna is one of the Senior dogs in the Sandton SPCA 2015 Calendar.

www.facebook.com/ Kittycatmagazine

www.facebook.com/KittycatSA

Cover Photo by Emma O’ Brien

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Article

Cat Bite Abscesses DR. ARNOLD PLOTNICK, CAT EXPERT, GIVES US THE SCOOP ON THE WORLD OF CAT BITE ABSCESSES

Carl Pastor couldn’t figure out where the foul smell was coming from. BeeJay, his 4-year old longhaired cat, always took pride in her spotless appearance, grooming enthusiastically at every opportunity. Lately, however, something wasn’t right. Normally playful and energetic, these last three days found BeeJay very quiet, apathetic toward food, and disinterested in going out in the yard. And there was that unpleasant odor that she mysteriously acquired. Determined to find the source of the odor, Carl gave BeeJay his own physical exam. Her teeth were fine, and her fur looked spotless. As he attempted to examine her rear end, however, BeeJay let cried and tried to run away. “I retrieved her, to finish checking her out”, said Carl, “and when I touched near her tail, and she cried again, and my hand was covered with some really awful smelling pus”. Welcome to the world of cat bite abscesses.

Dr. Arnold Plotnick MS, DVM, ACVIM 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 “Cat Man Do.” Dr Plotnick is owned by 2 cats, Crispy and Mittens.

Cat fights, and their resultant injuries, are a common reason for veterinary visits. Although cats living together indoor occasionally fight over territory or for owner attention, it rarely leads to serious injury. Cats that encounter other cats outdoors, however, are more likely to fight, usually over territory. Cats’ teeth are sharp, and when they bite, puncture wounds are produced. There is a tremendous amount of bacteria in cats’ mouths. The puncture wounds seal over quickly, and bacteria injected into the skin become trapped. The bone marrow sends out many white blood cells to help fight this infection. The white blood cells and bacteria accumulate to form a painful pocket of pus just beneath the skin. This collection of pus is an abscess. Abscesses are common in cats, owing to the tough, elastic nature of feline skin, which readily seals over contaminated puncture wounds, allowing for pus to accumulate beneath the skin. Dr. Mitchell Crystal is a board-certified veterinary internist at North Florida Veterinary Specialists in Jacksonville. Dr. Crystal warns that trauma and infection KITTYCAT RESCUE MAGAZINE c ISSUE 002

The diagnosis of an abscess is based on history and physical examination findings. The majority of abscesses are seen in cats that go outdoors, like BeeJay. Intact males are at higher risk than neutered males or females, as they’re more likely to roam and fight over territory. Typically, a cat that has been bitten appears fine after the encounter. Over the next 2 – 4 days, bacteria deposited in the wound begin to multiply, and cats develop a fever, become lethargic, and often stop eating. Many cats are taken to the veterinarian at this stage, where the abscess appears as either a firm or soft painful swelling. In most cases, puncture wounds or small lacerations may be present, and the area may feel warm. If not discovered in this early stage, the abscess will continue to swell, burrowing through tissues and accumulating more pus. The abscess may then burst through the overlying skin, releasing creamy yellow or brownish, often malodorous pus. Overlying hair may become matted with dried discharge. Common locations for abscesses are the face and neck, tail, back, and legs, although any part of the body can be bitten during a fight. If a bite wound occurs in a location that does

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are not the only concern regarding cat bite injuries. “Cat bites have the potential to transmit several life threatening infectious diseases to other cats”, notes Dr. Crystal. “Examples of these include the feline leukemia (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency (FIV) virus, Bartonellosis, and rabies. Some of these, such as Bartonellosis and rabies, have zoonotic potential – they are transmissible to humans”.

not have much loose skin, such as a leg, the infection can dissect its way through the tissues, causing diffuse swelling instead of a discrete collection of pus. This diffuse swelling is called cellulitis. The goal of treatment is to prevent further contamination by cleaning the wound, removing dead tissue, and treating for infection. The earlier that treatment is instituted, the better the chances of the wound healing without complication. Dr. Gary Norsworthy is a board certified feline specialist and owner of Alamo Feline Health Center, in San Antonio. Dr. Norsworthy has treated hundreds of catfight abscesses, and has even authored a chapter on these types of injuries in a veterinary textbook, “The Feline Patient”. “In most cases, the cat is anesthetized so an incision can be made into the abscess”, says Dr. Norsworthy. “The wound is then flushed with an antibacterial solution to further remove pus and other debris”. If detected and addressed at an early stage, lancing and flushing (plus antibiotics) may be all that is required. If discovered at a later stage, where significant tissue damage has occurred beneath the skin, the veterinarian may need to debride the wound (i.e. remove dead or compromised tissue). In some cases, the veterinarian may find it necessary to insert a drain (a piece of soft rubber tubing that exits at the lowest point of the wound) to allow any future accumulation of fluid or pus to escape. After debriding, if the wound is large, sutures may be required to partially close it, however, most wounds are left open to drain and heal on their own. Very large skin defects may require some type of reconstructive skin surgery after the infection has resolved. BeeJay’s abscess had already burst through the skin, leaving a small hole just to the left of her tail base. The wound was cleansed, but placement of a drain wasn’t necessary. “It was kinda gross looking”, said Carl, “but she felt much better afterward”. Indeed, once an abscess is opened up so that pus can drain, most cats immediately begin feeling better.

Having your cat neutered or spayed is the ultimate sign of responsible pet ownership.

Antibiotic treatment, therefore, is an important part of abscess therapy “because oral bacteria are literally injected below the skin during the biting process”, says Dr. Gary Norsworthy, and nearly all of these wounds are infected. Penicillin derivatives are the antibiotics of choice. Pus that has a particularly putrid smell, like that present

in BeeJay’s wound, is usually indicates that anaerobic bacteria – bacteria that thrive in environments where oxygen is low or absent – are involved in the infection, and antibiotics known to be effective against anaerobes should be administered. A short course is typically all that is required. “Antibiotics are given for 5-10 days”, says Dr. Norsworthy. Occasionally, some bite wound infections do not respond to initial antibiotic therapy, and a bacterial culture and sensitivity test may be required to determine which specific bacteria are infecting the wound and which antibiotics are most effective. The prognosis for a properly treated abscess is excellent, however, cats that engage in frequent fights are at high risk for contracting serious illnesses, such as FeLV and FIV. Cats who contract these viruses may then spread them to other cats in future encounters. Cats with FeLV or FIV also have weakened defenses against infection, and may have difficulty defeating an infection if bitten by other cats. Outdoor cats should be regularly tested for these viruses. Although the majority of cats will test positive within several weeks of being bitten by an infected cat, a cat that tests negative should be retested no sooner than 90 days after exposure, to rule out false negative results obtained during incubation of the virus.

Administration of the vaccine causes cats to test “positive” when tested for FIV, and there is currently no way to determine if a cat that tests positive is infected, immune, or both. Once a test is developed that can distinguish between vaccinated and infected cats, the FIV is certain to gain more widespread acceptance. The best prevention is to keep all cats indoors and prevent them from roaming and fighting. All cats should be neutered, to reduce roaming and aggressive tendencies. A good sturdy fence can be helpful in preventing cats that insist on going outdoors from getting into fights with cats outside their property. “BeeJay is an indoor cat now”, says Carl. “I love her too much to take chances”. Signs of an abscess - Lethargy - Poor or absent appetite - Visible puncture wounds - Swelling or lump on skin - Limping (if bitten on a leg) - Pain or resentment when picked up or touched - Fever - Swollen lymph nodes

Cats that go outdoors should also be current on their vaccinations, especially rabies and FeLV. A vaccine against FIV was introduced several years ago and is gaining popularity, although there is still some controversy regarding its usage.

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Article

Helping your veterinarian make the diagnosis by Arnold Plotnick MS, DVM, ACVIM, ABVP Being a cat veterinarian is like being a pediatrician. We can’t ask our patients what’s wrong. We have to figure it out. And nowhere is the role of a cat owner more important than at a veterinarian’s office, where a good history can sometimes mean the difference between life and death. Veterinarians are faced with a variety of diagnostic challenges on a daily basis. The ability for a veterinarian to obtain a detailed and complete history is our most important diagnostic tool. When accurately interpreted, this information lays the groundwork for a logical diagnostic and therapeutic plan, and may prevent unnecessary diagnostic testing and needless discomfort to the patient and cost to the owner. After briefly discussing the primary complaint, veterinarians try to obtain both objective and subjective information when gathering the history. Examples of objective data include the signalment, the environment, diet, and medical history. Signalment The signalment consists of the cat’s age, breed, and gender, including whether the cat is neutered or spayed. This is basic, important information. Certain illnesses tend to strike cats at certain age ranges. For example, hyperthyroidism is a glandular condition that causes cats to lose weight, despite a ravenous appetite. It’s an oldage disease, rarely striking cats under the age of eight. A 13-year old cat with weight loss and excellent appetite warrants a blood test to evaluate thyroid function. A four-year old cat with the same signs would be more likely to have something else, such as inflammatory bowel disease or pancreatic insufficiency. Even if you’re not sure

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of the exact age, an accurate approximation can be very useful for a veterinarian. Certain breeds are predisposed to certain conditions, and knowing the breed can help veterinarians choose proper diagnostic tests. Persians are prone to polycystic kidney disease; Abyssinians are at high risk for renal amyloidosis; and Maine Coons are susceptible to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Veterinarians must not be misled by clients who tell their veterinarian that their cat is a Maine Coon, only to find out that it’s a domestic longhair that “looks just like the Maine Coon in the magazine”. Gender provides important information as well. A female cat straining to urinate is likely to have cystitis. A male cat straining to urinate could have a urinary obstruction, something that can be life-threatening if not treated promptly. Fortunately, there’s very little guesswork when it comes to determining gender. Just lift the tail and take a look! Environment Gathering environmental history is a routine, yet important part of a cat’s history. Free roaming cats or cats that go outdoors are at much higher risk of getting into fights with other cats, and that increases their risk of getting cat bite abscesses or acquiring feline leukemia or FIV. Free-roaming or recently escaped cats may have had access to toxins or have been subject to trauma, which is unlikely in an indoor pet. Sometimes a travel history is important, although more so with dogs than cats, since cats, if they do travel with the owner to another part of the country, usually aren’t let outdoors, where they are at risk of run-

ning away or getting lost. Still, a travel history can be important, especially if the patient has been exposed to diseases endemic to certain regions but not prevalent in the current environment. Dietary history A dietary history is more than merely determining which type and brand of food you’re feeding. Granted, knowing the type of diet (dry, moist, semi-moist, table food), the brand name, any types of snacks, the method of feeding (free-choice or individual meals) and the amount is important, but veterinarians also want to know about your cat’s appetite and whether there has been any weight gain or weight loss. It’s helpful if you watch your cat eat. Complete or partial anorexia is a common reason that clients take their cat to the veterinarian. A client that notices that their cat only chews on one side of its mouth, or has stopped eating dry food and now will only eat canned food, is telling the veterinarian that oral pain or discomfort may be the source of the problem, and a thorough oral exam may be the only diagnostic test necessary to obtain the diagnosis. Preventive health care status and prior medical history Reviewing the patient’s prior medical record can give valuable information to the veterinarian. If this is your first visit to this particular veterinarian, it is very helpful if you know your cat’s vaccination history, and you cat’s feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus status. Medical records detailing the diagnosis or treatment of any prior or ongoing health problems are invaluable, as the primary complaint may be a consequence of a prior medical condition. Once the above information is obtained, the veterinarian is ready to delve deeper into the primary complaint. The history surrounding the primary complaint tends to be more subjective, and this information obtained from observant, conscientious owners can be a tremendous asset. Veterinarians know that some owners aren’t as observant as others. Our job is to encourage our clients to describe the cat’s problem from its onset so that an orderly chronology is obtained. Some of the things

we’ll want to know is when the cat was last normal, whether the onset of the clinical signs was sudden (acute) or if it developed slowly over time (chronic), and whether the illness has responded to previous treatment or not. For example, an itchy cat that was treated with steroids and did not respond in the past is more likely to have food allergy (poorly responsive to steroids) than flea allergic dermatitis (responds rapidly to steroids). Depending on what the primary complaint is, a veterinarian may delve even deeper, to further help characterize the problem and better formulate a diagnostic plan. As an example, if a client reports that their cat has diarrhea, the veterinarian may then ask whether there’s any blood or mucus in the stool, whether the cat has been straining in the litterbox, or whether the cat has had any accidents in the house. The more the client answers yes, the more likely that the diarrhea has originated from the large intestine. This narrows down the list of possible causes for diarrhea, and helps the veterinarian formulate a diagnostic and therapeutic plan. Working with breeders has its advantages. Breeders tend to be much more observant than the average cat owner, and often come in with very detailed histories. They know that the cat’s coat should look sleek and glossy, and are more keenly aware when the coat looks a bit rough or unkempt. Most clients are unable or unwilling to take their cat’s temperature at home. Breeders, however, seem to have little problem with this. Information like this can be a big help to a veterinarian. In the exam room, a cat may have a borderline fever, and this can be difficult for a veterinarian to interpret, as cats will have elevated body temperatures when they’re nervous. If a client tells me that their cat had a fever at home, in their comfortable surroundings, then I know that the fever I’m seeing in the exam room is likely to be genuine, and not due to the stress of the examination. As a veterinarian, I encourage my clients to perform their own brief physical exam on their cats on a regular basis. This should include a brief examination of the eyes to see that they’re bright and clear and free of any discharge, the ears should be a healthy pink color inside with no signs of discarge or accumulation of dark-colored wax, and the nose should

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be damp and velvety to the touch and have no discharge or crusting on the surface. The mouth should be examined regularly, to make sure the gums are pale pink, the teeth aren’t yellowed or covered with tartar, and that there’s no foul odor present. Cat owners should also stroke and pat their cat often, not just because the cat enjoys it, but to also feel for any lumps or bumps that might be present. Feeling along the abdomen for any masses or swellings associated with the mammary glands is also advisable, as mammary tumors, while not as common in cats as in dogs, are much more worrisome in cats. Behavioral changes can be difficult for veterinarians to interpret. I’ve had many clients bring in their cat because the cat was acting different, although on further questioning, it became apparent that the cat wasn’t actually ill, despite the difference in behavior. Cats who suddenly stop sleeping on the bed even though it’s been their favorite sleeping spot for years, or normally vocal cats who lately have become more quiet may indeed be acting differently, but these are quite likely to be benign behavioral changes. Lethargy, hyperactivity, aggression, growling, and urinating or defecating in inappropriate places, however, are behavioral changes that may indicate an underlying medical problem. When in doubt as to whether any apparently new behaviors are medically significant or not, it’s best to err on the cautious side and report everything to your veterinarian. Because our patients cannot talk, veterinarians must rely on you, the client, to speak for them. The more observant you are, the more information you can give us. This information can go a long way toward obtaining the proper diagnosis, allowing us to tailor a treatment plan to put your companion quickly on the road to recovery.

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

Do you have South Africa’s Cutest Spring Pet?

HOW IT WORKS: 1. Like the Facebook page: HART: Helping Animal Rescues Thrive 2. Bring out your pet’s celebrity within and snap a cute SPRING themed pic of him/her. Any pet is welcome! 3. Entry fee per photo is R50. The banking details of Angel Refuge is: ANGELS REFUGE, CAPITEC BANK, ACC NO - 130 185 3540 Branch - Mmabatho, Branch code - 470010, Reference - Spring Pet 4. Once you have deposited the money, email proof of payment to hartforpets@gmail.com along with the photo of your pet. We will upload it into the album once we receive proof of payment. 5. You may enter as many of your pets as you like, but only one photo of each pet (e.g. Jock must only send his pic in once). 6. You may only enter your pets - fake pictures of pets off the internet is not allowed! 7. The closing date is Friday 10th October 2014. 8. Get all your friends to vote by clicking the ‘like’ button under your pet’s entry picture. The pet with the most votes wins!

Show off your pet’s cuteness by submitting a photo of your pet in the theme of Spring! Win a R500 Printstagram Voucher! KITTYCAT RESCUE MAGAZINE c ISSUE 001

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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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Rescue stories

Monster BY JENNIFER BLONK

were all re-homed to loving families. Monster was a tiny 4 week old baby when I got him. I was told that he was 8 weeks old, but found out later that he was only 4 weeks old.I got him from a lady whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s husband was not a cat person and she was desperate to get rid of the kittens. A week after picking Monster up, he got sick, he developed such bad diarrhea that all his hair on his hind quarters fell out and he looked like half a sphynx. After a long battle that neither me or his vet thought he would survive, he finally turned the corner and made a full recovery. His previous owner phoned me 2 weeks later and asked if I could take the rest of the litter as her husband was going to drown them. They were covered in fleas when I picked them up and with the help of my vet, they

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Monster became a show cat at 5 months of age and did very well. He even qualified for the Gold and Ruby show at CFSA Cat of the year in his year of showing and took best short hair pet and best adult pet on the day, only to be beaten by a cute kitten for best overall pet. Sadly Monster passed away from FIP on the 30th June 2013, 4 months shy of his 2nd birthday. Monster was a special cat who will always be missed. 29/10/2011- 30/06/2013

Dean BY JENNIFER BLONK

Dean was a tiny, scruffy 4 week old kitten when he was abandoned. He was picked up by someone and taken to a local vet. He sat at the vet for a few days and no one claimed him. Just as he was about to be sent to the SPCA (the SPCA was at the vet collecting the stray dogs first before moving onto the cats), my sister saw him and took him. She left him at my moms house and the minute I walked in and saw him, he stole my heart. I took him home and introduced him to the mommy cat I was fostering. She had 4 kittens of about the same age at the time.She instantly adopted him as one of her own. When he was 8 weeks old, I tried to re-home him, but him being black and really scruffy looking, no one wanted him. He ended up staying with me and grew into quite the handsome young man.He started his showing career at 9 months and was always nominated for the line up although he never really won anything much. He is such a sweet heart and if you turn your back on him, he will launch himself onto your shoulders for cuddles. Dean is really such a loving cat and the people who dumped and rejected him has really missed out on a fantastic family member.

Do you have a Rescue story to sharewith us? Please email your story and photos to: kittycatsa@gmail.com

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Rescue Me Barack

This is Barack -he has a loving calm demeanour and loving soul.He was the only friend to a lonely old man in his last years.The old man passed away and now this 9 year old dog finds himself totally alone.He was rescued from his dead ownerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s side .His world had come to an end and he was inconsolable. This old dog who gave such a lot needs someone to do the same for him in his final years. Barack and I would appreciate it if you shared this where you think it may find a caring heart.

Duchess

Duchess, a beautiful black and white cat, is still looking for her forever home. She has a calm and loving nature. Currently located in Johannesburg. She is microchipped and sterilised. Home check and adoption fee applies. Please contact Lynette Nicholson on 0828955935 if interested.

Thanks Dr Larry Kraitzick, BSVc Bruma Lake Veterinary Hospital

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Shelter Photography By Emma O’ Brien

Emma O’Brien is a Johannesburg based photographer who works regularly with animal welfare charities including Barking Mad, CLAW, Pug Rescue and Sandton SPCA to assist them with their fund raising activities. Emma tells us a bit more about her motivation and passion for helping shelter dogs. I became a photographer because I wanted to make a difference in the world, but my career as an animal portrait photographer started quite by accident after the spontaneous (and foolish) purchase of a Daxie puppy from a pet store. As so commonly happens, my newly purchased puppy died from Parvo Virus thirty six hours after I took him home. In a rather heartbroken attempt to make up for my error in judgement I headed to my local SPCA to adopt a dog and found a senior Daxie who had been picked up as stray. I had an instant connection with this little old guy and one home check and adoption fee later he was on his way home as ‘Jeremy’ the newest addition to my family. I felt like I made up for the loss of the puppy by adopting Jeremy and the sheer number and variety of dogs that are waiting for homes at

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animal shelters was a huge eye opener for me. I saw it as an opportunity to raise awareness for these dogs and see if I could do something to help. I pitched the idea of a fundraising photography project to the committee and the Sandton SPCA Forever Homed annual calendar was born. The idea behind the calendar was to showcase the range of dog breeds, sizes and personalities that are at SPCA’s. We also wanted the calendar to have a positive feel to it, hence it featuring dogs that had already found homes. The Sandton SPCA calendar is now in its third year and has raised over R250,000 to date. Over the last couple of years, I have taken so many images of adopted shelter dogs, that I have collated them into the “Rescue Dog Photo Project’ which I’m aiming to publish as a book in due course. Getting involved in the animal welfare world has been incredibly rewarding. I regularly photograph dogs for various charities that are looking for homes and being able to send good images of the animals out onto the network makes rehoming them much easier. Knowing that my work can make the difference between a dog being adopted into a loving home quickly or being stuck at a shelter for an indefinite period of time keeps me going back to help.

Something very close to my heart is the prevention of animal cruelty, especially in poorer communities. This is inherently dependent on education. Both CLAW and Sandton SPCA run regular mobile clinics in their area providing veterinary care to animals that wouldn’t otherwise see a vet and educating owners on their responsibilities as pet owners. I’m always astounded by how much the people in poorer communities love their animals and how willing they are to make sure they are well looked after and I’ve done my best to document this in my photographs. Not only do these images help to break down misconceptions that abound about attitudes towards animals in poorer communities, they also assist with raising much needed funds to keep these projects going. We’re all so bombarded by negative images of neglected animals; I much prefer to focus on the great stuff that is happening and capture that. I would encourage anyone who’s passionate about animal welfare to get involved with their local SPCA or animal shelter as a volunteer. Most of these organisations would be grateful for people coming to play with and walk their dogs at the weekend or collect food and leads to be given out during mobile clinics and community visits. For more information about Emma’s work you can visit her website – www.emmaobrien.com or find her on Face Book – www.facebook.com/emmaobrienphotos

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Senior Dogs in the Spotlight For four years the Sandton SPCA has collaborated with Fine Art Photographer Emma O’Brien to produce their much-loved ‘Forever Homed Calendar’. The 2015 calendar theme “Golden Oldies” stemmed from the noticeable need to showcase older pets as deserving adoptive candidates. Emma, Sandton’s popular and well-known pet photographer, opened her studio to the elderly calendar stars in order to create awareness around their often-excluded appeal. “Older dogs are often over looked by people visiting shelters to adopt a dog and as the proud owner of a rescued oldie, I wanted to emphasise how much pleasure having an older dog can provide and just how lively and full of character senior dogs are. The calendar shoot was filmed by our friends from Dust Cloud Productions, who often collaborate on SPCA projects, and they have put together a behind the scenes mini-documentary for animal lovers to enjoy. The video features interviews with each of the owners giving some background stories about their elderly companions. Whilst all of our oldies were quite lively during their photo shoots, it was a rewarding challenge to capture the nature of the handful of dogs featuring in the calendar that were blind and deaf!” The “Golden Oldies” in the calendar were selected via a competition on Sandton SPCA’s Facebook page, the winner of the prestigious cover star spot was Rossi. Rossi is an 11 year old Staffie who has been on wheels for the last 7 years after he became paralysed as a result of complications arising from a slipped disc in his back. Despite his disability, Rossi was very lively during his shoot, scooting around the studio and playing up to the camera.

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You can find out more information about how to buy a copy of the calendar as well as to view the behind the scenes video on Emma’s website – www.emmaobrien. com/2015calendar Find Emma on Facebook – www.facebook. com/emmaobrienphotos Find Sandton SPCA on Facebook – www.facebook.com/SandtonSPCA

Photography by Emma O’ Brien

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The Visitor Niki Moore

Bill Jensen was 93 years old. He had lived in Durban all his life with his wife, Jennifer. When they had first met, back in 1941, she had joked that she would never be able to marry him, as then she would always be known as Jennifer Jensen, or Jen-Jen. That was, oh, seventy-three years ago now, but he would never forget it. That remark, and that sparkling smile, almost as if daring him to prove her wrong. Well, she had been wrong, but over the last seventythree years she had been right about almost everything else. She had been right that their first child would be a son, and that he would grow up to be an engineer like his father. She had been right that their second child would be a daughter, and that she would grow up to be a teacher like her mother. She had also been right, sadly, that both children would leave the country and settle somewhere else. It was a wrench when they left, and the frequent visits, the long telephone calls, the letters and postcards and pictures posted on Facebook were just not the same as having them nearby. Had she been right about selling the house and moving into a retirement home? It was a pleasant place, quite big, with plain lawns and simple gardens. It was what they wanted, they told each other, as they sat and talked over tea in the mornings and their afternoon cake. From their patio, you could almost see the sea. But she had definitely been right when she told him one day, not too long ago, that the pains she had been getting were serious, and that she should see a specialist. He wished she hadn’t been right about that. It was difficult for him to sit next to his Jen-Jen in her white hospital bed, looking at her white face on the pillow, her thin hand clutching his. His Jen-Jen was all he had, and she was all he had had for a long time.

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Bill wrestled with his thoughts. He knew she was in pain, he knew there was no cure. One moment he wished it could be all over, and her suffering would end. But that would mean that his own suffering would begin. Seventy-three years is a long time to spend with one person. You get to know their laughter, their breathing, their secret smile. How would he cope on his own? He would be alone, completely alone. For the first time in his life. In the morning, the nurse found Bill, sitting upright, fast asleep next to the bed, holding JenJen’s hand. She had to wake him very gently. “Mr Jensen?” she said. “Mr Jensen?” She lifted his warm, red hand off the cold, white hand of his wife. “I’m sorry, Mr Jensen,” she said. “I’m so terribly sorry.” The next few weeks must have passed, but Bill Jensen didn’t remember anything very clearly. He recollected his children coming back for the funeral, and mourned the fact that they had not come back when Jen-Jen was alive. People around him were very kind, very busy. He felt himself being swept along in this race of activity, of organisation, of sympathy. And then it was all over, everything was done, everyone had left. He saw his children off at the airport, and the village’s bus brought him home. It was dusk when he got back to his front door. The door looked just the same. His flat looked just the same. Why did they look the same when everything else was so different? The room echoed a little when he walked in. He sat in his easy-chair as he had done every night for so long, and looked at her chair, standing empty now. Who was he going to talk to? Who was he going to wrangle with over the TV programmes? He did not eat, it seemed pointless to make a meal for one person. He stared at the television, not seeing the pictures or hearing the sound. He went to bed and hardly slept, lying staring up at the ceiling. What was he going to do now? He was ninety-three. How could one start all over

again at ninety-three? It was hardly light when he got up the following morning to put on the kettle for coffee. Coffee for one person. He stood staring at the kettle while the steam came out and it switched itself off. He didn’t even know that he hadn’t moved until he woke from his daze, to find the water in the kettle had cooled. He switched it on again. And then he heard the noise. It sounded as if someone was trying to push something through his letterbox. He went into his tiny hallway and opened the door. There was a cat on his doormat. A grey tabby, with clear eyes and white paws. The cat twisted its head to look up at Bill, and then looked past him into the flat, as if to ask whether he could come in. Without even thinking about what he was doing, Bill stepped back and the cat walked past him, warily, looking up at him every so often as if to ask if what he was doing was alright.

the bus-driver saw him and offered him a lift:

“Come in, Kitty,” said Bill, still in a daze. “I’ve just been making some coffee. Would you like some milk?”

“Can I help you with those heavy bags, Mr Jensen?”

This seemed to be acceptable. The cat jumped on the kitchen counter, sniffing at the tap, the sink, the kettle, the coffee-cup, the sugar basin. Bill filled a saucer with milk, and the cat came a little nearer, first a little shyly, then eagerly. The two of them drank together in companionable silence.

“No, I’m fine, Michael,” Bill called back, lifting a hand and attempting a smile. The bus driver went past, looking back in his rear-view mirror. ‘Looks like the old boy is going to be all right,’ he thought to himself. “I was a little worried about him.’

Bill stretched out a tentative hand. The cat shied away a little, but soon returned to the saucer. After a few tries, Bill managed to stroke his fur. The cat butted his hand. Almost as a reflex Bill picked the cat up and buried his face in its fur. The fur was not soft, and the cat smelled dusty, but the animal did not resist, his body was warm and, deep down, there was the faint rumbling of a purr.

The cat was sitting on Jen-Jen’s chair when he let himself back into his flat. He took this as an omen. Jen-Jen had sent the cat, to look after him. She did not want him to be alone.

And so the adventure began. Bill took a walk that morning to the corner shop, where he bought cat food and cat litter, with - as an afterthought – something for his own supper. On his way back,

All day, Bill talked to Jensen. He told him about Jennifer, and the things they used to do together. He told him about their first holiday together, when he pretended to be a gondolier

He called the cat Jensen, simply because he could not think of any other name. Jensen Jensen. It fitted, somehow.

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in a row-boat, and had fallen in the lake. He told him about the time that his son had been rushed to hospital with a burst appendix, and how he and Jen-Jen had sat in the hospital waiting room, tense and unspeaking, until the danger had passed. Jensen sat on the table-top while Bill worked on his hobby (making wooden jigsaws for kids), his paws tucked under his compact body, his eyes following Bill’s hands as they cut and sanded and planed the tiny pieces of wood. He was thin, but quite clean, and Bill did wonder sometimes, when he paused in his work, where he had come from. That evening Bill poured himself his habitual whiskey and sat in front of the television and watched his regular programmes. At first Jensen sat perched on Jen-Jen’s chair, blinking at the television too, but after a while he got up, stretched, and jumped down. Bill held his breath. The cat walked over to the door and Bill’s heart sank. Jensen wanted to go out. He was going to leave. Bill stared, unseeing, at the television picture. He did not want to face another evening alone. Then he felt a soft paw brush his arm and, with incredible grace, Jensen jumped up onto his lap, turned around once, and settled down. Very gently, hardly breathing, Bill rested a hand on his fur. That night, Jensen slept on his bed. Bill did not sleep very well, but every time he made a restless move he would hear the deep vibrating purr from the wakened cat. He felt – almost - content. He was making breakfast for the two of them three days later when he heard the knock on the door. It was the supervisor. “Mr Jensen,” she began, trying to look over his shoulder, “I have been told you have a cat.” “Er...” Bill began. She raised her voice. “You know it is forbidden to have pets,” she said. “You are breaking the rules. You must get rid of it immediately.” “It is not forbidden,” retorted Bill, with a flash of spirit. “The rules say that the retirement home is allowed to have pets on the property.”

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“Mr Jensen,” she said, “You do not want to cross me. I hate cats. I will not allow you to keep a cat.” “You won’t even know about it,” said Bill in desperation. “He will live indoors, I have a litter box, he keeps me company....” “Oh yes?” she sneered. “You can’t prevent a cat from roaming. He will be a nuisance to the other residents.” “No, he won’t.” Bill put up a last defence. “Noone in this complex dislikes animals. We all want pets....” “Is that so?” she interrupted. “What would this place be like if everyone just did as they pleased, and we were overrun with dirty animals?” She stepped back. “Michael, please remove this cat.” And then Bill saw the bus driver behind her, his face set. “Yes, Mrs Braithwaite,” he muttered and shouldered his way past Bill. “I’m sorry, Mr Jensen,” he said. Bill put out a despairing hand to stop him, but it was too late. Michael walked into the kitchen, where Jensen had been about to start on his breakfast. He looked up, startled, and then he tried to jump down. Michael caught him in mid-air by one leg, grabbed him round the body, then stuffed the struggling cat into a hessian bag. There was one last, plaintive, yowl. “I’m so terribly sorry,” he said again as he walked out, not looking at Bill where he stood, whitefaced and trembling, pressed against the front door. “The nerve of the man!” said Mrs Braithwaite in a parting shot, as she turned to walk after him. “The next thing we know, this place will be a three-ring circus!” Bill felt his way over to his easy chair and sat, staring at the wall. He felt as if, finally, his world had completely collapsed.

By the following morning the story was around the whole complex. Michael had taken the cat to be put down. Bill’s tiny rebellion had been crushed. Three weeks later, Bill’s neighbour knocked on his door. She had been worried about him, he had seemed so listless and pale. His wife’s death had been a terrible shock, and then there was that dreadful business about the cat. He seemed to be shrinking, and yesterday, when he was sitting on his patio, he had looked so sad, so bereft, so lonely. But there was no reply. And there would never again be a reply from Bill Jensen. In the early hours of the morning his heart had given up trying to make sense of the world. He had gone to join Jennifer, where she was waiting for him. With Jensen in her arms.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: This story is based on a real incident, it was told to me by the man who had actually been the one to collect the cat to put down. He started crying when he told me. It is a terrible shame that elderly people in homes are often not allowed to keep pets. Despite the well-known fact that loneliness can kill people, and that keeping a cat is extremely therapeutic for the frail and elderly, many old age homes forbid cats. It is NOT against the law. Please, if you can, use whatever influence you have to pressure homes and villages to allow elderly people to keep cats. It can give them a happier old age (not to mention saving the lives of many deserving cats!)

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Kittycat of the Month January 2014 Winner : Duchess

February 2014 Winner : Faith

March 2014 Winner : Braille

April 2014 Winner : Othello

May 2014 Winner : Cody

June 2014 Winner : Mowgli

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Kittycat of the Month July 2014 Winner : Calise

August 2014 Winner : Pippins Blue Misty

September 2014 Winner : Abby

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KITTYCAT OF THE MONTH COMPETITION Email your photos and a sentence about your cat to: kittycatsa@ gmail.com www.facebook.com/KittycatSA

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Kittycat of the Month Sponsor

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Rescue and Shelter Directory

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

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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 Kitten Action 031 764 3845 www.kittenaction.org.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

Be Wise Sterilise NPC Number: 2014/0870001/08

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Cataholics (Kitty Shelter)

What is Kitty Shelter? Kitty Haven was established as a cat sanctuary in September 2000, and started taking in puppies in 2004 and became known as Kitty & Puppy Haven. In 2004 we broke away from our Bramley Branch and have changed our name to Kitty Shelter, so that we can put all our focus and attention on our animals in Parkwood. We are a non-profit, welfare organization and do not receive any Government funding. As such, we rely heavily on donations from the public â&#x20AC;&#x201C; people who care about animals in the same way we do. What do we stand for? Merien Smidt, founder of Kitty Shelter, recognised an on-going need for an animal welfare organisation that focused on the health of the animals. Disease was rife in most welfare organisations, to visit them was a depressing experience, especially in those with a policy of not putting down their animals. Merienâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s primary aim is to provide a healthy, safe and stress-free environment to aid the rehabilitation of the animals, as well as a beautiful and happy space, for animals and human visitors alike.

What do we provide? We provide spacious, clean, parasite-and-disease free enclosures. We do not mix animals from different backgrounds, and have a separate isolation hospital for sick animals. Kitty Shelter has separate boarding facilities for cats only. These cats are kept in separate runs that are apart from the welfare section. The boarding facility is our main source of income and is used to support the welfare cases. We provide hands-on daily vet care. All volunteers and visitors are educated on hygiene, for example, washing of hands between touching different groups of animals, as well as advice on behavioural problems, correct care and responsible ownership. We advise people who visit us on care and responsible ownership. All animals are fed Hills Science diet to ensure they get optimum nutrition as the vast majority are malnourished and come from an environment of neglect. All animals are de-wormed and deflead on arrival. Thereafter, the animals are sterilized and vaccinated. We have a strict policy that animals are not placed with caring families until they have been sterilized or given vouchers.

By adopting this approach, we ensure that there is no spread of illness within our own sanctuary. Sick animals are nursed back to good health and traumatized and abused animals are rehabilitated. What do we hope to achieve? Our number one aim is to STERILIZE, REHABILITATE and RE-HOME our animals in a responsible way. We are only able to accommodate a fixed number of animals at any one time, namely 30 adult cats and 35 kittens. The animalsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; health, happiness and safety are our top priority, which means we do not allow overcrowded conditions. We have rescued and re-homed around 2000 kittens, cats and puppies over the past five years. What do we need from you? In order to meet these high standards, we need all the help we can get, not just in terms of financial support but also in terms of help from volunteers, blankets, donated food etc. This is where you can make a huge difference in helping us care for these animals that have no-one else. An additional area of support that you could provide is to board your cats with us when you are away.

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We provide the same level of care and love to your animals while they are with us as we do for the welfare animals. In addition, you have the knowledge that you are aiding the care and rehabilitation of our many animals. All donations are appreciated, no matter how large or small or the form they take, your time, your financial support any other assistance you could give. All visitors and friends are welcome call us on (011) 447 5275 or visit us at 45 Newport Road, Parkwood.

Contact Details

Banking Details

Address 45 Newport Avenue, Parkwood (Corner Bolton & Newport Avenue - off Jan Smuts)

Kitty Shelter First National Bank Melrose Arch Branch code: 254405 Account Number: 62068805418

Telephone 011 447 5275 Merien Smidt (Founder) 082 550 5961 Email merien@kittyshelter.co.za Website www.kittyshelter.co.za Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/ Cataholics/216125081742091

Text “kittens” to 48748 and make a R10.00 donation today! Hours Monday: 9:00am – 15:00pm Tuesday - Friday: 9:00am – 17:30pm Saturday: 9:00am - 12:00pm Sunday: 9:00am - 11:00am All Above hours are for viewing and adoptions.

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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Cat Care NPO Number: 025-224 Background Cat Care was established in Port Elizabeth in 1992 and operated in the Nelson Mandela Municipal Metropol in conjunction with Animal Welfare Society for the first 12 years or so of its existence. Cat Care has since been recognized as a non profit organization in its own right. Cat Care Objectives and Information To control and stabilize the feral cat population in Port Elizabeth and surrounding areas, through identifying feral colonies, sterilization of the ferals and to promote the cat’s health and welfare, through implementing feeding programmes. Cat Care also treats sick feral cats wherever necessary and possible. Sterilization, specifically the “Tip, Neuter/ Spay, Return” method, used by Cat Care encompasses trapping of adult feral cats, transporting them to selected Veterinary Surgeons who sterilize both males and females, (and tip the ear so it is easily identifiable as a sterilized cat). The fieldworker volunteer who trapped the cat then returns it to the colony after recovery. Experience has shown that feral cat colonies are highly effective in the control of vermin like rats, mice, cockroaches, and even snakes. However, if they are allowed to breed uncontrolled, a situation soon arises where there is insufficient food to sustain the colony, in-breeding occurs and along with it all the resultant problems, eg. genetic deformities, starvation, disease, fighting etc. Feeding programmes are put into place by the fieldworkers involved with Cat Care, as well as community volunteers. Cat Care currently feeds around 600 feral cats and sterilizes between 30 and 40 per month. Local factories, holiday resorts, nature reserves, secular offices, as well as residential areas have all benefitted from Cat Care’s work. Cat Care endeavours to find foster homes for kittens born to feral mothers if they are found and removed before they are 8 to 10 weeks old. They are tamed, loved and house trained by our foster moms and adopted by people who give them a loving, permanent home. Cat Care is often called on to bottle feed orphaned kittens

who are too young to feed on their own. Our caring “moms” bottle feed, wean and “litter tray” train the kittens until they are ready to be homed. Cat Care relies solely on funds from street collections, stalls and tea rooms at the cat shows, collection tins held at certain shops and public donations. We receive no government assistance. We receive discounted rates from selected supportive private Veterinarians. We do not occupy any office premises and rely on volunteers/ members support. MENTS The needs of a non-profit organization are endless. Some of them include: cat food or sufficient funds to purchase food every 6 weeks, sponsorship for the tea rooms to reduce costs, new traps and maintenance of existing traps, donations of saleable unwanted goods for our fundraising stalls, safe foster homes for kittens, improvement of public awareness, more fieldworkers and volunteers to help achieve Cat Care’s objectives. Monetary donations are always welcome to support any of the above activities. P O Box 15564, Emerald Hill, 6011 www.catcare.netfirms catcarepe@gmail.com 0825742136 Emergency number 0793660919 Chairlady 0825742136 (Samantha Senekal) Secretary 041-3795599 (administrative and management issues) Our mission is in fact to render aid to feral cat colonies by feeding, neutering, homing of kittens and provison of medical care where necessary, so in that sense we are a ‘temporary shelter’ in that we attempt to home kittens rescued as soon as possible. We have no shelters (i.e. structures) of our own as such, but make use of “Foster Moms” who kindly tend to our little ones until we can find forever homes for them. In terms of our Constitution we do not strictly speaking deal with domestic cats.

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CatzRus

NPO Number: 098-047

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Kitten and Cat Rescue

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

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Kitten and Cat Rescue Kitten and cat rescue was officially started in November 2012 when we opened our FB page out of desperation as we had over 50 kittens and cats to feed and medicate and needed donations and funds. By December 2012 we had 77 cats and kittens in total. In 2007 Debbie and myself (Mia) started feeding feral cats and kittens in the next town Vereeniging. We are still feeding them today and have thus far removed 45 feral kittens and sterilised and returned 7 feral cats. At the same time we started removing sick kittens from pet shops - buying them if we had to. Soon the owners of the pet shops got to know us and started phoning us if they had sick kittens that they could not sell due to illness. With the help of a sympathetic party we were registered in 2013 as a not for profit company. We have an excellent homing rate despite being incredibly fussy about who we home to. We plan to move away from taking in unwanted kittens and focus on sterilisation as we feel strongly that this is the key to solving this crisis. We have rehabilitated and rehomed hundreds of kittens and cats and hope to sterilise hundreds more in the future. kitten and cat rescue is run from our private home and we have 39 permanent rescues at the moment who could not be homed due to health issues as they are mostly on cronic medication - due to the fact that they were rescued from horrific conditions as kittens. We also have 10 rescued rats. Kitten and cat rescue consists of Mia kapp, Debbie Louw ( Miaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mother ) and Riaan Bagchus ( Debbieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s boyfriend). We are passionate about what we do and love all animals. We have come to realise that farm animals are fighting the same battle daily against the cruelty of people and we became Vegan almost 2 years ago. We stand for kindness, respect and dignity of ALL animals.

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Sandpaper Kisses Fundraising Raising funds and awareness for individuals, organisations and welfares that need assistance with special animals. Sandpaper Kisses started in 2013 when a shelter cat needed a bladder stone removed and it was too costly for them to do with their current vet bill. I decided to see if I could help raise some funds and to my surprise I had raised the full amount within two days. I decided to then start fundraising for special needs cats in shelters all over SA. The initiative has taken off and we have assisted many shelters with vet bills for their felines. If we have an excess of funds, we donate to feral supporters or township supporters to have cats sterilised. We raise funds by selling jewellery that is handmade and marketed via Facebook, our website and virtual shop, Hello Pretty. Contact Michelle Raath 082 928 6663 Email felinefundraising@gmail.com Website www.spkfundraising.co.zo Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ pages/Sandpaper-Kisses-Fundraising/567742133283184 Twitter @SandpaperKisses

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Sandpaper Kisses Fundraising

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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

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Trix4Animals NPC Number: 2013/217585/08

PBO Number: 930046857

Benefits of micro-chipping your pet Losing a lost pet can be devastating. That’s why when it comes to the welfare of your pet, you should consider micro-chipping as an important part of their overall care program along with dental exams, vaccinations and the monthly, year-round, prevention of ticks and fleas. Benefits: No surgery is required and chips are well-tolerated by pets. Chips are like an insurance policy for your pet because, unlike collars, it never comes off or gets lost and is recognised with any universal chip reader. Millions of companion animals enter animal shelters and pounds nationwide every year and approximately 3 million are euthanized (60 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats). Less than 2 percent of cats and only 15 to 20 percent of dogs are returned to their owners. Most of these are identified with tags, tattoos or microchips. If your pet is on medication or has a serious medical condition (for example: epilepsy or diabetes), it is important to find your pet as fast as possible so that it can get its medication. When you move to a new address, during the hubbub of holidays, or when pets visits an unfamiliar location, they tend to get disoriented or scared—they may leave home and not know how to get back Microchips can be an integral part of an emergency plan—for example, if there is a house fire, a flood or some other natural disaster it is easy for your pets to get separated from you.

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

KITTYCAT RESCUE MAGAZINE c ISSUE 002

SPCAs in South Africa NAME/AREA OFFICE No. AFTER HOUR EMERGENCIES ALBERTON 011 AMAHLATHI (STUTTERHEIM) 043 AMANZIMTOTI 031 ASSISSI (HUMANSDORP) 042 BARBERTON 082 BEAUFORT WEST (KAROO) 023 BENONI 011 BETHAL 017 BETHLEHEM 058 BLOEMFONTEIN 051 BOKSBURG 011 BRAKPAN 011 BRONKHORSTSPRUIT See CAPE OF GOOD HOPE 021 CARLETONVILLE 018 CENTURION 012 DUNDEE & DISTRICT 034 DURBAN & COAST 031 EAST LONDON 043 EDENVALE 011 EMPANGENI 035 ELLISRAS See ESHOWE 035 ESTCOURT & DISTRICT 036 FRANSCHHOEK 021 GARDEN ROUTE 044 GERMISTON & BEDFORDVIEW 011 GRAAFF-REINET 049 GRAHAMSTOWN 046 GREYTOWN 072 HEIDELBERG 016 HIGHVELD RIDGE 017 HOWICK See HUMANSDORP See JOHANNESBURG 011 KEMPTON PARK 011 KIMBERLEY 053 KING WILLIAM’S TOWN 043 KLERKSDORP 018 KLOOF & HIGHWAY 031 KOKSTAD 039 KRIEL 017 KROONSTAD 079 KRUGERSDORP 011 KUNGWINI (BRONKHORSTSPRUIT) 013 LEPHALALE (ELLISRAS) 014 LETABA (TZANEEN) 015 LOUIS TRICHARDT 015 LOWER SOUTH COAST 039 LOWVELD (NELSPRUIT/WHITE RIVER) 013 MAFIKENG 018 MIDDELBURG 013 MIDRAND 011 MOKOPANE (POTGIETERSRUS) 015

KITTYCAT RESCUE MAGAZINE c ISSUE 002

907 1568 071 683 1414 072 904 2424 072 295 2814 073 462 1457 082 414 2698 084 894 2814/5 073 647 5360 084 303 3998 083 447 3801 078 916 5906/7 083 742 2007 083 KUNGWINI 700 4140 083 788 6262 083 664 5644/5 082 212 2851 072 579 6500 083 745 1441 083 974 9387 072 792 9129 083 LEPHALALE 474 4169 078 352 1476 082 876 4808 083 878 1990 082 825 5033 082 891 0256 083 622 3233 079 096 9634 072 342 4114 071 632 2654 082 uMNGENI ASSISSI 681 3600 083 975 6537 079 831 7625 082 642 3397 082 469 2885 079 764 1212/3 073 727 3092 082 648 5413 076 871 5947 082 953 1135 072 932 2020 084 763 4656 076 307 2611 083 516 0427 082 312 0962 083 753 3582 082 381 0374 079 246 1201 084 265 9935/6 083 491 3661 076

626 356 122 121 462 882 511 852 629 322 763 696

0721 4565 7288 8963 1457 8717 2261 0889 6403 8332 6311 9052

326 527 807 949 212 446 183 482

1604 8363 / 083 527 8510 5671 6235 6103 8682 9794 3866

306 658 745 378 675 641 037 096 994 222

1439 7200 5344 7384 0072 9180 3466 9634 9960 1122

604 509 376 255 662 335 927 377 928 295 229 636 628 965 222 755 813 432 441 538

1172 7859 7679 4991 4330 9322 8190 / 083 207 2447 8559 / 073 411 3539 9178 5116 1910 6946 9257 5151 6355 8687 8739 6278 1564 6291

SPCAs in South Africa NAME/AREA OFFICE No. AFTER HOUR EMERGENCIES MOOI RIVER & DISTRICT 033 MTHATHA (UMTATA) 047 NELSPRUIT See NEWCASTLE 034 NIGEL 084 PAARL 021 PARYS 056 PHALABORWA 015 PERCY FYFE See PIETERMARITZBURG 033 PIETERSBURG See POLOKWANE (PIETERSBURG) 015 PORT ALFRED/NDLAMBE DISTRICT 046 POTCHEFSTROOM 018 POTGIETERSRUS See PRETORIA See QUEENSTOWN 045 RANDBURG 011 RANDFONTEIN 011 RICHARDS BAY 035 ROODEPOORT/FLORIDA/MARAISBURG 011 RUSTENBURG 014 SANDTON & EASTERN METRO 011 SANI 033 SPRINGS 087 STANDERTON See STILFONTEIN 018 STUTTERHEIM See SWARTLAND 022 SWELLENDAM 028 TSHWANE (PRETORIA) 012 TZANEEN See UITENHAGE & DISTRICT 041 uMNGENI (HOWICK) 033 UMTATA See UPINGTON 071 VANDERBIJLPARK, SASOLBURG & DISTRICT 016 VEREENIGING 016 VIRGINIA 057 VRYHEID 034 WELKOM 057 WELLINGTON 021 WESTONARIA 011 WHITE RIVER See WINELANDS 023 WITBANK 013

263 1526 083 385 531 0530 083 759 LOWVELD 318 2346 072 337 485 7020 084 485 863 2720 082 510 811 3671 072 894 781 2415 082 494 MOKOPANE 386 9267 083 627 POLOKWANE 291 1088 082 804 624 1918 082 676 294 3856 084 501 MOKOPANE TSHWANE 839 2819 082 492 462 1610 011 704 412 3114 011 753 753 2086 073 551 025 5768 076 070 592 3181 072 933 444 7730/1/2 082 460 330 4557 076 917 940 2831 083 377 HIGHVELD RIDGE 484 3727 073 204 AMAHLATHI 492 2781 082 414 514 2083 084 737 803 5219 083 453 LETABA 922 4528 082 905 330 4557 082 567 MTHATHA 913 4252 078 853 987 1800 076 442 422 1505 083 292 217 4473 076 114 980 8888 072 763 392 1966 082 375 864 3726 082 905 753 3959 083 654 LOWVELD 615 2241 083 275 650 2321 083 657

0807 0576 0347 7020 6387 4061 2147 9736 0065 8605 8668 5588 5176 / 083 381 4732 1829 / 083 654 8195 4564 1400 7723 2765 8495 7029 6128 7153 1948 3863 4716 8297 7096 5362 5862 4788 4768 7357 9184 8195 8101 2421

Save a life! ADOPT from your nearest SPCA and give these animals a second chance! KITTYCAT RESCUE MAGAZINE c ISSUE 002

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KITTYCAT RESCUE MAGAZINE c ISSUE 002

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KITTYCAT RESCUE MAGAZINE c ISSUE 002

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KITTYCAT RESCUE MAGAZINE c ISSUE 002

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