{"id":153627,"date":"2017-06-12T09:50:00","date_gmt":"2017-06-12T07:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/germistoncitynews.co.za\/153627\/for-the-love-of-cats\/"},"modified":"2017-06-12T16:24:54","modified_gmt":"2017-06-12T14:24:54","slug":"for-the-love-of-cats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/germiston-city-news\/news-headlines\/2017\/06\/12\/for-the-love-of-cats\/","title":{"rendered":"For the love of cats"},"content":{"rendered":"

A colony of feral cats found near an open veld in Castleview is under the care of animal lovers Linda and Buks De Jongh.<\/p>\n

The couple discovered the cats years ago and have been feeding them ever since.<\/p>

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\u201cThe cats reside in an open veld that is opposite where we live and we immediately wanted to help in the best way possible,\u201d said Linda.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe couldn\u2019t take them in to live with us because there are a lot of them and they are feral, which is why we decided to feed them instead.\u201d<\/p>

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Buks said they noticed that the cats were multiplying as they continued to feed them.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe realised that the more we feed them, the healthier they become, which makes it easier for them to conceive,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis was when we decided to get them sterilised as we don\u2019t want to stop feeding them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Buks set up safe traps, in the veld, in order to capture the cats.<\/p>\n

\u201cI built a safe trap, near where we feed the cats, to capture them and get them sterilised at a veterinary hospital,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Before capturing the cats, the couple began their search for a veterinary hospital.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe contacted the different veterinary hospitals in the area,\u201d said Linda.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur conversations with the vets were great and it, among other things, showed that they genuinely love and care for animals and are not only doing it for money.\u201d<\/p>\n

Linda said they managed to reach an agreement with the Germiston Veterinary Hospital.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe hospital was very accommodating,\u201d said Linda.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe explained our aim to sterilise the cats and they offered to help us by doing it at a discounted rate.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are truly grateful for their assistance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr Leroy Gambanga, from the Germiston Veterinary Hospital, said they are happy to help the couple.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is the least we can do for the couple and cats,\u201d said Leroy.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are sterilising the cats at a reduced rate but they are paying the rest out of their own pockets, which is a pure selfless act of kindness.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe cats are in our area and we felt that we could also do our part to help.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have also decided that for every six cats they sterilise, we will sterilise the seventh one for free.\u201d<\/p>\n