Help shattered pet owner find stolen cat

A DISTRAUGHT local woman is seeking the assistance of Highway residents to help locate her beloved cat that was taken when her vehicle was stolen from the Durban Shongweni Club, on Sunday.

While hospitalised in early September, one of Yolande Els’ rescue cats was killed by a motorist and her daughter, Kaela was heart sore with the loss. The family visited the Kloof and Highway SPCA to offer their home to a kitten in need and were drawn to the two kittens at the entrance to the cattery. They then decided they would rescue one of the tabby cats but snuffles was doing the rounds and were not ready to be released.

“I asked for them to keep me updated. I went away for business and my daughter visited the girls at the SPCA while I was gone and was told that they were getting worse, and may need to be euthanised. SPCA staff tried to show us some other cats and kittens but we had promised our little girl a home, and meant it. When I got home, I visited her everyday in the SPCA clinic, holding her in a blanket, and chatting to her. I knew in my heart that the only way to heal a sick animal is to give it something to live for so that it can fight for its life and love is as good a reason as any,” said Yolande.

Four days later they were allowed to take the cat home. “We called her Foosa because she looked like a crazy hyena with big green eyes,” said Yolande. “She was the most loving, crazy, grateful-to-be-alive little monkey. She came home and started her adventure as a loved home-cat with a family. She was brave and curious and I put her in a harness out of interest and she loved it. From that day she went everywhere with us. To school, to the stables, to breakfast or lunch.”

On Sunday, 11 September the mother and daughter went for breakfast at the Durban Shongweni Club and while they were eating they put Foosa in the car. “We arrived at the Shongweni Club at 9.40am, found a seat and ordered coffee and breakfast. When it arrived I asked my daughter to put Foos Foos in the car so that we could eat without her trying to eat our food. We ate, and about 15 minutes later I asked my daughter to bring Foosa back from the car,” said Yolande.

The family’s world turned upside down at that moment as the keys to the car had gone missing from the table and the car, along with their beloved pet, Foosa, was gone as well. “My first thought was that it was a joke, that someone had played a sick trick on me by sneaking my keys away and moving my car. I ran up and down both car parks, still hoping to find my car hidden,” said Yolande.

The tracker on her car had been switched off and her car had become untraceable. “The people around us saw nothing. The staff saw nothing. The keys were next to my purse and my purse was not touched. How does something like this happen? Did he let her out the car? Did he fling her out the window? Did he drive with her to his destination? She must be so scared and confused,” said Yolande.

The vehicle that was stolen is a brown Tiguan and the registration is ND 737852.