If you look closely, you can just make out a timid ginger cat hiding in the shade of the old chicken coop - she was very wary as I took the photo, & didn't take her eyes off me for a minute !As you know, I have ‘rescued’ several stray/neglected animals since I’ve been living on the farm. As soon as I become aware of an animal in need, I see what I can do for that animal. (If you’d like to read more about the wonderful animals which have blessed my life, you can go to the “Categories” section in the right sidebar, and click on “Pets”.)
Many people here cannot afford to feed themselves, let alone an animal and the common misconception here (and indeed, in many parts of Africa) is that dogs are pack animals and should hunt for their own food. There is also a ridiculous belief that the hungrier a dog is, the more vicious they will be. Many people do not know any better, and I try to educate as many of them as I can. Justin (my right-hand man, who you can read all about here) is wonderful in that he helps to get the word out to many people who live in the villages around the farm, and has a genuine love for animals.
Earlier this week, my husband came home and told me that Frank, the owner of a local shop (no more than a small cheap wood and tin roofed building selling basic goods like soap, candles, sugar, flour and drinks) had a cat sitting on the counter who had made a home there a few weeks ago. When Frank told him that the cat belonged to him, my husband said that he’d better take good care of it and feed it else I would be along to give him a piece of my mind ! We are now providing Frank with de worming medicine and some food for the cat, and as soon as we can, we will vaccinate the cat and organize to have it spayed/neutered.
Then a couple of weeks ago, there was a huge commotion in the house late one night and I found a stray ginger cat cowering under the dining room table, s/he had obviously come in through an open window, looking for food, and had been chased by Ollie and Dibble. The cat has since taken up residence at Justin’s house (which is in the farmhouse/workshop area near to our house) and is living in an abandoned chicken coop and we are feeding her (discovered that she is a female) every day and have de wormed her, too.
Then a few days ago Justin said that a very thin, extremely starving young grey cat had followed one of our 100 casual farm labourers down from the village one morning, in search of food. No one would own up to ‘owning’ the cat, so Justin took it and brought it to his house. I went around to see her (also a female) and found her curled up, asleep, on a sofa. She is very tame but was SO SO weak from hunger, she was all lethargic but hungrily wolfed down the food we gave her. I checked her over and she is in good health otherwise. I don’t know why she is so starving as usually cats manage to survive on rats and birds, and I wonder if she has been locked up somewhere, perhaps ?
Anyway, both cats are now living at Justin’s (our cats here will just chase them away) and are being fed daily. They’ve been de wormed and will soon be vaccinated and spayed once we can get them into a travel box. It’s great finding female strays, as they are the ones who are important to spay to keep the population – and more unwanted kittens – down.
Thanks to everyone who clicks on the “Animal Rescue Site” button in the right sidebar to donate a free bowl of food daily (it costs you nothing) and if you’d like to click on it today before you leave, that would be GREAT !
Many people here cannot afford to feed themselves, let alone an animal and the common misconception here (and indeed, in many parts of Africa) is that dogs are pack animals and should hunt for their own food. There is also a ridiculous belief that the hungrier a dog is, the more vicious they will be. Many people do not know any better, and I try to educate as many of them as I can. Justin (my right-hand man, who you can read all about here) is wonderful in that he helps to get the word out to many people who live in the villages around the farm, and has a genuine love for animals.
Earlier this week, my husband came home and told me that Frank, the owner of a local shop (no more than a small cheap wood and tin roofed building selling basic goods like soap, candles, sugar, flour and drinks) had a cat sitting on the counter who had made a home there a few weeks ago. When Frank told him that the cat belonged to him, my husband said that he’d better take good care of it and feed it else I would be along to give him a piece of my mind ! We are now providing Frank with de worming medicine and some food for the cat, and as soon as we can, we will vaccinate the cat and organize to have it spayed/neutered.
Then a couple of weeks ago, there was a huge commotion in the house late one night and I found a stray ginger cat cowering under the dining room table, s/he had obviously come in through an open window, looking for food, and had been chased by Ollie and Dibble. The cat has since taken up residence at Justin’s house (which is in the farmhouse/workshop area near to our house) and is living in an abandoned chicken coop and we are feeding her (discovered that she is a female) every day and have de wormed her, too.
Then a few days ago Justin said that a very thin, extremely starving young grey cat had followed one of our 100 casual farm labourers down from the village one morning, in search of food. No one would own up to ‘owning’ the cat, so Justin took it and brought it to his house. I went around to see her (also a female) and found her curled up, asleep, on a sofa. She is very tame but was SO SO weak from hunger, she was all lethargic but hungrily wolfed down the food we gave her. I checked her over and she is in good health otherwise. I don’t know why she is so starving as usually cats manage to survive on rats and birds, and I wonder if she has been locked up somewhere, perhaps ?
Anyway, both cats are now living at Justin’s (our cats here will just chase them away) and are being fed daily. They’ve been de wormed and will soon be vaccinated and spayed once we can get them into a travel box. It’s great finding female strays, as they are the ones who are important to spay to keep the population – and more unwanted kittens – down.
Thanks to everyone who clicks on the “Animal Rescue Site” button in the right sidebar to donate a free bowl of food daily (it costs you nothing) and if you’d like to click on it today before you leave, that would be GREAT !
