I started off feeding a single stray cat. Slendercat was a very feral black cat, but grateful for the plate of food he got every night. One day, another shadowy creature appeared – Second Slender – and with her, 2 small Slenderkittens. They would nervously eat and then all disappear into the night. Gradually, the two black kittens became residents, but the parents stayed away, until one day three more kittens arrived to eat. I didn’t know where they lived, and I tried catching them without causing them harm, but the feral mom’s kept having kittens and bringing them to me.
There are now 22 strays that have pretty much moved into the place that I rent (an elderly couple own the house of which I rent a small separated part, and haven’t complained too much, but I can tell they’re not overjoyed about the critters that live with me. I’m a quiet tenant and have always paid my rent, so they don’t make too much fuss. All of the mom-cats who have had litters and become tamer have been sterilized.
I have managed to find homes for the tamest and person-friendly cats and kittens, but I can’t bring myself to ship any of the remaining meowpuppers to the SPCA, or some other institutions. I know that those places have a lot of pressure and do what they can, but I am not sure about sending these furry things to an unknown future.
That said, I have reached the limit of my resources. My monthly income has never been enough to continue looking after them properly, and as a result, I’ve been using credit cards for the last year to manage with food, sterilizations and vet emergencies.
I’m not a rich person. I don’t own anything other than a 20-year old car, and the only debts I have are a result of cat-spending. I don’t go on vacations or spend money frivolously. I just eat a can of beans every day to try keep my own food costs down. (Yeah, I know it’s not exactly healthy. )
I’m hoping to raise funds to help.
ALL funds raised will be spent, priority-wise, on:
– Sterilizing the 3 female kittens, who are almost 7 months old.
– Veterinary care.
– Sterilizing the male cats.
– Anything left over will go toward feeding them
– If by some miracle, there are funds raised in excess of their needs, I
will donate the rest to a local
group I belong to, called “Cats of Durban”, who runs a
non-profit sterilization program for stray cats in the city.
I want to stress that NO funds will be spent on personal items for me. I don’t care about money and have no intention to enrich myself. I only worry that I can look after this group of creatures. Keep them safe and fed and out of animal shelters.
I understand that my case will not be a priority for a lot of people. There are plenty of animal care centers and charities that need help. I feel uncomfortable asking for the help, but my own feelings are secondary now. These cats have become my family, and whatever contributions are made in order to look after them will be… well, I don’t really have words. Thank you for reading my long tail 😉 and a very personal thank you for every cent donated.
I’m happy to answer any questions or give details or stories about my furry friends.
