WESTMEAD’s cat lover Samantha O’Reilly has taken it upon herself to look after every stray cat she comes across. Just a few months after she started with this initiative, the Pinetown resident has rescued 80 cats by either adopting, sterilising or taking them for treatment if needed.
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O’Reilly said it has always bothered her to see neglected or abandoned cats. “I started trapping the feral cats here where I live, and got them sterilised so they can stop breeding. From there, I was interested in finding out where else I can help,” she said.
O’Reilly said she has been doing this for eight months, and she has helped save up to 80. “I have been able to get help from people who have heard about the work I do, and they donate just about everything I need. We are an organisation, and we depend highly on donations, and they have been keeping us going.”
She said she helps the cats from where they are, and sometimes goes as far as adopting them. “I have a network of people who contact me when there is a cat to be rescued. Sometimes, if they have space, or I do, we are able to keep the cats and get them out of the bad situation.”
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She said that with the rescue growing, she has realised that she needs a bigger space. “I am in the process of registering as a non-profit organisation so we can be more established, get more assistance and help many more cats,” she said.
O’Reilly said this initiative has widened her knowledge about the importance of sterilising cats and being fully committed to taking care of them. “If more people were responsible, there wouldn’t be such a massive issue when it comes to kitten season, with kittens needing homes as there are unsterilised cats all over,” she said.
She pleaded with cat owners to take care of their cats, and she discouraged people from keeping cats if they are not able to take care of them.
She further encouraged people to take care of ferals. “Feed the feral cats, help however you can and from wherever you are. They also take care of us in a way because they keep snakes and rats at bay,” she said.
The public is encouraged to contact her on 068 545 6788 to rescue the cats or donate to the care of them.
