Feral cat poisoned by vienna

A highly dangerous poison was used to target feral cats at a Ballito complex last week, sparking outrage over the potential danger to children and wildlife.

Maratea resident Flip Helberg discovered a vienna sausage filled with what appears to be ‘Temik’ – an agricultural carbamate pesticide classed as a super-toxin – on Monday, September 1.

So toxic is Temik that one teaspoon is enough to kill a grown rhino and an amount the size of a matchstick head can kill an adult.

This substance is more poisonous than arsenic.

Helberg’s wife Jenni found the body of one of the complex’s resident feral cats nearby. Helberg took the 10-month-old male cat to Dr Jeremy Lamb at Aloe Veterinary Clinic in Ballito.

During the postmortem Dr Lamb discovered the same black granules that were on the vienna, in the cat’s stomach and named acute poisoning as the cause of death.

“Temik causes an acute, rapid death and convulsions. It would be deadly for humans,” said Dr Lamb.

While furious that someone had poisoned the animal Helberg was more concerned that children in the complex could have come into contact with the poison.

“Anybody who gets into contact with the substance or a dead animal poisoned with it could get seriously ill or die. This could also affect our local wildlife, including monkeys, mongooses and birds,” he said.

He was also concerned that more poisoned viennas could have been hidden around the complex.

Helberg has reported the matter to the SPCA and opened an incident report with the Umhlali police.

“I will be opening a case now that we have the postmortem results,” he said.

Feline Feral Fund member Sharron Cossey said she had been monitoring the family of cats at Maratea for some time.