KITTENS

Kittens, kittens everywhere!

We have a very big problem with cats and kittens.  We are sitting with 11 kittens at one home at the moment. The farms that have many more from cats that  are abandoned or expected to work.

The farms get cats to keep the rodent poulation down and keep snakes away.
They dont sterilize them and the cats breed.
Some farmers to control this have the cats disposed of by their own means.
The problem is if you do this you make space for more cats to move in and so the cycle continues.

The way to solve the problem, sterilize the cats that are there, they will establish a territory and control the numbers in their own way.
Then put up owl boxes for the rodent problem.
When the cats die the rodent problem should be under control and we might make a difference. The barn owl will have as many chick as there is food to feed them.

This could also help save the diminishing african wild cat population as the wild cats breed with the feral cats on farms.
Education Education Education!

I am trying to go to the farmers meeting to get this message across.
This picture is of Barry a half siamese half afircan wild cat, he arrived at our place out of the bush.
It took 4 months before he took food and i tranqualised him,  took him to the vet to change his little life.
It took a year before he came inside. He is now happy and healthy but he is only one of hundreds....

• On average, cats mate at least 3 times per year (sometimes 4), and have 5 kittens per litter.
• 3 female cats can produce 3 x 3 = 9 x 5 = 45 kittens in one year.
• If half those kittens are female and go on heat 3 times a year, then 22.5 x 3 = 67.5 x 5 = 337.5 kittens will be born in a year.
• That means in 5 years there are 16 875 kittens without sufficient shelter, food or care in Clanwilliam.