UMHLANGA resident, Tracey Hartley has hailed the efforts of the local community in helping give a dumped kitten a new beginning. The young feline, who has been named VT, after being rescued outside Vovo Telo, was seen by various residents and businesses in uMhlanga crossing Chartwell and Lagoon Drive. Hartley of the Feral Cat Rescue Trust said she finally managed to rescue the kitten last Thursday after numerous attempts and traps failed.
Since her rescue, Hartley believes the kitten was domesticated and was dumped in March at about two months old.
“Somebody took a picture of her and sent it to me about four months ago, which is how long I’ve been looking for her. Everyone thought she was a feral kitten but since her rescue, I’m convinced she was a domesticated animal that was dumped. Several residents and business owners also tried to catch her but to no avail. I’ve been trying to track her down and was fortunate enough that she was spotted just last week. I live close to where she was spotted and attempted to rescue her.
“She kept darting in and out of car engines and it was impossible to catch her. Then I learnt that a waitress at a local restaurant, Ayanda Ndlovu, was feeding her milk and chicken everyday. It was at this point I managed to get her into one of the bait traps. Her rescue is down to a community effort, there were so many concerned people all hoping for a happy ending. Since her rescue, Vivienne and Louis du Plessis, from a laundry have donated money towards her vaccinations and her sterilisation. Pauline Smith, from a hairdresser in the area also donated towards the vet bill and has also managed to find the kitten a home which is awesome,” she said.
Hartley who has been fostering VT, said the kitten’s personality has really shone through in the week since her rescue.
“She was very skittish initially, because of all the people chasing her and trying to rescue her. But she’s starting to trust more and loves nothing more than to play and be scratched between the ears. She is very intelligent and inquisitive and is one of the few cats I’ve seen with a split-colour nose. But her loving personality is going to make her a wonderful addition to her new family,” Hartley said.
