Squeals of delight could be heard from outside the classroom as the Grade 10 class at Charter College received a special visit from “The Cat Lady” on 14 April.
Karin Donald from Raise A Paw cat sanctuary accepted numerous donations collected by the students. The rescue home is a non-profit organisation based in Nooitgedacht, Muldersdrift.
The centre has more than 130 cats, most them rescues. “People bring cats to us or some just dump them at the gate. Most people will call us to collect and we have done bulk rescues where we have taken in 30 cats at a time,” Karin said. She brought three kittens along with her, ranging from four weeks to nine months old, to really tug at the learners’ and the teachers’ (perhaps even a journalist or two’s) heart strings. Needless to say, the kittens left everyone swooning and ready to adopt.
Raise A Paw has been operating since 2008 and relies on donations and volunteers, all with the hope of finding every cat a loving home. The sanctuary takes care of all the health checks including sterilisation, de-worming and treating infections before adoption can take place.
Kirstry Ledsham, Charter College’s fundraiser, and Art and English teacher, said the learners have been collecting donations for a week, and seeing the animals in real life would hopefully increase their chances of being adopted, or the organisation receiving more donations. She added, “This was a really lovely experience. I always take each Grade 10 class to have an experience with rescue centres. It is good for the learners to see the difference they can make. One of our fundamental values is charity – it’s something we believe in.”
One of the three kittens Karin had brought with her was nine-month-old Donzie, who was born with his hind legs deformed and not connected to the joints. She said because they are a pro-life shelter, they went against the advice of many vets to euthanise her. The centre accepts cats and kittens from any age, even newborns who have to be bottle-fed. “Most cats are actually lactose-intolerant so we get the milk from vets or pet shops. They don’t drink cow’s milk,” Karin warned.
According to Karin you can look at an animal’s eyes or teeth to work out its age – an important tip to remember should you find a stray or lost animal.
What to do if an animal wanders into your home:
• First give it something to eat and/ or drink.
• Check if it is micro-chipped. The chip is often located at the back of the neck, and if you take it to the local vet they would be able to trace it back to its owner.
• If it is not micro-chipped, put up posters and use social media to try to find the owner.
Volunteers and donations are always welcome and needed at the sanctuary as so many of the kitties need a lot of love and a whole lot of attention (cats are the true divas of domestic animals). Donations can range from litter and litter boxes; food and water; to catnip and bedding.
For more information, visit their website at www.raiseapaw.co.za or contact Karin on 081 736 1506.
