Warm weather escalates Durban’s kitten problem
With the rising temperatures Durban's felines seem to be breeding all year round, said uMhlanga animal activist.
HUNDREDS of kittens die on a daily basis because rescuers are inundated with the amount being born in the height of kitten season, said Tracy Hartley of the Feral Cat Rescue Trust last week.
What’s more, she said the rising temperatures were escalating the breeding patterns of the felines in Durban, adding to the growing epidemic.
“Usually rescuers would have a break during July and August where we would rush to home as many kittens as we could before the September breeding season starts, but now with the warmer weather cats are breeding all year round,” she said.
“Everyone is inundated and overwhelmed with kittens as they are being born quicker than what we can home them,” added the concerned animal lover.
Hartley blamed the issue on irresponsible pet owners who fail to sterilise their animals.
Most often, said the uMhlanga resident, unwanted litters are euthanised or dumped, where they either add to the City’s feral cat problem or die a horrible slow death.
Hartley appealed to fellow animal lovers to help a neighbour, friend or domestic worker by educating them on the importance of sterilisation.
“It is a myth that a female cat or dog must birth a litter before they can be sterilised. In fact, it makes them vulnerable to all kinds of diseases. There is overwhelming evidence on the health benefits of having your pet sterilised,” she said.
Your pet will also be less aggressive, less likely to wander, howl, fight and mark his or her territory after the procedure, she added.
The Feral Cat Rescue Trust is a local NPO that has been striving for years to maintain and care for Durban’s feral cat colonies. Contact Tracy Hartley on 082 786 7269.
