Guardians of Lyttelton Manor’s furry feral residents encourage others to also care for stray dogs and cats
A colony of about 30 feral cats are being lovingly cared for by residents in the area, who urge people to adopt rather than shop.

In the heart of Lyttelton Manor, a small colony of feral cats has found a caring home under the watchful eye of two locals.
Cherese Erasmus and Theunis Lamont have been taking responsibility of the colony for three years, looking after about 30 cats.
“We took over from an old lady that used to feed them – she feeds around three other colonies in other locations too,” Erasmus told Rekord.
“She said she comes late at night, so we suggested we can help her feed them”, she said adding that the rest is history.


Erasmus said they try to get the cats adopted into loving homes and have successfully rehomed five.
However, feral cats are not always able to move into a home, so the pair work to get treatment and sterilisation of the Lyttelton Manor colony.
“We had a few people helping us to sterilise most of the colony and now we have Dirk who helps us to sterilise and take them to the vet if need be – he is awesome for helping us and we are so grateful,” she said.
Feeding the cats is a nightly ritual for Erasmus and Lamont, with each feline having its designated bowl.
The menu includes Monty and Me dry cat food, weekend treats of pet mince, monthly indulgences in Top Cat tin food, and occasional tidbits like polony or Viennas.
Wednesday nights are dedicated to catnip cookies, adding a touch of variety to their diet.
Erasmus and Lamont express their gratitude for the contributions made by various people in the community.
The pair receive donations of food and sometimes, cash used for sterilisations and vet bills.
“We appreciate any and all contributions and donations towards the colony and are grateful for everyone that helped us so far, without them it would not have been possible to make it to where we are now.”
Erasmus said as they have grown to know the unique personalities of the cats in the colony, the cats have begun to know them in turn.
“We have one kitty, Liefie, that waits for us almost every night on the corner and walks with us and when we come calling ‘kossies’, they start coming, knowing it is food time,” said Erasmus.
“I think also those that learned to trust us and can rub them, it’s amazing and to know that they all are sleeping with a belly full of food and are healthy and happy makes it worth it.”
The couple have named most of the cats and pay attention to their behaviour to catch illnesses and injuries as soon as they can.
Oupa, the leader of the colony who died last September, and Liefie were among the first cats to trust Erasmus and Lamont.
“We worry every time we don’t see one for a while, but eventually they pitch up and we are glad they are okay.
We sometimes worry that some people might hurt them but haven’t had any troubles of that yet, even though we had people tell us to stop feeding them.”
Winter is an especially stressful time, especially when it is cold, but the couple make sure that the cats have a safe place to sleep.
“We love these cats and wish we could give them all a forever home. Some have been dumped here and you can see their heartache.
We encourage people to go out and help, not just us, but other people doing the same thing feeding stray cats and dogs, it is a difficult thing but for us it is worth it.”
For those looking to contribute, whether time, resources or other support, Erasmus said residents can visit Facebook page, “Lyttelton Manor cat colony”, or reach out to her via WhatsApp on 068 452 0502.
According to the latest groundbreaking international study by a global coalition of animal welfare experts in partnership with snack brand, Mars, The State of Pet Homelessness Project, one in three pets is currently homeless across 20 countries, including South Africa.
South Africa is grappling with a significant issue, with 22% of the country’s companion animals without a home, amounting to a total of 4.05 million homeless cats and dogs.
The study identified common challenges, including limitations in pet-friendly housing, pet behaviour concerns, and a significant number of lost pets not being reunited with their owner.
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