MUST WATCH: Adorable feline rescue by the Bird Lady
The kittens still need to be rehabilitated.
Two wild small-spotted cats are being temporarily housed in Newcastle.
Sylva Francis, affectionately known as the Bird Lady, has provided a shelter for two feral kittens weighing a few hundred grams each.
The kittens were found abandoned on a farm between Wakkerstroom and Amersfoort recently.
“They were lying in the veld. I noticed they were very dehydrated, and took them to a local veterinarian for treatment.”
Mrs Francis emphasised she was providing intensive care only, and had already planned a trip to Johannesburg to enter the kittens into a releasing program.
The kittens will need to be rehabilitated so they can learn basic survival skills.
“There was no one in Northern KwaZulu-Natal qualified to take them in.”
Mrs Francis, who now works under the name Rescue Me, explained the kittens consumed vast quantities of milk and had recently started on meat.
However, she is desperate for rats and mice for the kittens.
Currently, Mrs Francis spends between R600 and R800 on milk, and estimated at least R100 per day once the kittens began to eat meat fulltime.
“Unlike the African Wild Cat, these cats cannot mix with domestic cats. They are very aggressive and think they’re bigger than they are.”
Any resident who can assist Mrs Francis with rats and mice for the kittens, can contact her on 082 823 4298.
Likewise, anyone who comes across interesting wildlife can also touch base with her.
