HAVING been sterilised as a step towards controlling the feral cat population of Richards Bay, Project Feral Cat (PFC) volunteers feeding the 1 000-plus cats on a daily basis are appealing for assistance.
City of uMhlathuze lifeguard Dave Ravenscroft feeds the feral cats of Alkantstrand, but the cost of buying cat food out of his own pocket is burdensome.
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The same can be said of the numerous other PFC volunteers who feed the other feral cats around Richards Bay and Empangeni.
And, while the PFC NPO does buy cat food, the cost is burdensome for the organisation that relies solely on donations from the public.
Additionally, the core mandate of PFC is to trap, sterilise and release feral cats; feeding is extra.
These ‘cat angels’ call on fellow feline lovers to assist in donating cat and kitten food, and welcome financial donations into the NPO’s bank account to cover any potential vet bills or other surprise costs that may arise.
“Anyone willing to help by donating food would be greatly appreciated – food donations are always welcome,” said PFC founder Heilke Ackerman.
“People can drop off directly at the Alkantstrand lifeguard building for those cats, and can also drop off at Supreme Pets (Petro), which has a box for food donations, or Crazy Pets, to assist the other volunteers who feed the feral cats at the many other locations.”
About Project Feral Cat
Established by Ackerman in 2017, Project Feral Cat was formed to bring Richards Bay’s feral cat population under control through trapping, sterilising and re-releasing.
Contrary to what many believe, simply ‘eliminating’ feral cats neither reduces nor controls their populations, as when one cat is removed from its territory, others will move in.
Sterilisation is the only way to control feral cat populations, effectively putting an end to the breeding cycle.
But as pet owners fail to sterilise their cats, and many unwanted kittens or even pregnant female cats are dumped, the cycle perpetuates.
PFC has since 2017 been tirelessly raising funds to trap, sterilise and neuter feral cats, and its network of volunteers has expanded.
The NPO in August sterilised its 5 000th cat, a remarkable feat given its extremely limited funds.
For cash donations:
Account: Project Feral Cat
Bank: FNB
Acc number: 62723232493
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