More than 150 feral cats creep into patients’ beds at Vryheid Hospital
Patients say the feral cats have been sleeping in the general wards, sometimes climbing onto patients' beds, and even stealing food out of patients' plates.
MORE than 150 cats have made their home at the Vryheid Hospital.
Patients say the feral cats have been sleeping in the general wards, sometimes climbing onto patients’ beds, and even stealing food out of patients’ plates.
DA councillor, Magda Viktor, has raised this issue with member of the Health Portfolio Committee in the KZN Provincial Legislature, Imran Keeka.
In her correspondence with Dr Keeka, Cllr Viktor describes the situation as “very bad.”
“They go into the general wards looking for food. They even jump onto the beds and sleep there with the patients,” complained Cllr Viktor.
“We are well aware of the rabies outbreak in KZN and I am aware of one recent confirmed human death in Vryheid which was caused by rabies. I noticed the cats myself during visits to the hospital. Apparently the person who usually kept them at bay has retired. I believe they pose an additional health risk to the patients.”
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Dr Keeka promised to take up the issue as a matter of urgency, saying that it is a serious matter that posed various threats.
“These feral cats have ticks and fleas and certainly have the potential to transmit rabies. We have already had one death in KZN from rabies associated with a cat bite. Interestingly, the last time I raised such a matter with the MEC for health [about another hospital], he called it ‘fairy tales’. We are certainly not dealing with ‘Puss in Boots’ and this should not be made light off,” he said.
Dr Keeka promised to ask the acting head of the Health Department to address this concern.
Vice chairman of the Vryheid SPCA, Stephan Vickers, said he had been contacted by the hospital to remove the cats, but said that since there was no cruelty involved in the case, it fell outside the responsibility of the SPCA.
“The cats are happy, healthy and well fed. I have offered to remove the cats, but only if the hospital is prepared to pay a fee for the service rendered. It is impossible to re-home feral cats, so any cats that are caught will have to put down. This costs money. I cannot expect our community donors to cover the cost and I am not willing to use funds intended for the prevention of cruelty to animals for this purpose. So far, the hospital has not agreed to pay for the service,” said Mr Vickers.
No comment was received from the Vryheid Hospital at the time of publishing.
Have you experienced a similar problem at your local hospital? Let us know: estella@caxton.co.za
or call 079 256 7570
