Secunda Mall invests in their feral furry employees
The Mall management joined forces with Feral Watch TNR to ensure that the cat colonies at the mall are healthy and the numbers are kept at bay
SECUNDA – Secunda Mall takes the wellbeing of employees extremely serious, even the four-footed workers.
The mall management joined forces with Feral Watch TNR to ensure that the cat colonies at the mall are healthy and the numbers are kept at bay.
They embarked on a trap, neuter and return programme to sterilise as many cats within the four mall colonies.
Ms Lizanne Roos, Mr Christo Roos, Ms Heidi van Zyl and Ms Hanlie Rheeder from the Feral Watch group, trapped and sterilised 21 felines with the money the mall provided.
They were often helped by Ms Madri O’ Neil who greatly cares for the cats in the mall’s basement.
“The vets at Secunda Animal Hospital were awesome. The entire project provided a lot of laughter, almost tears and frustration, and perseverance,” said Ms Roos.
The organisation trapped another nine animals and also had them sterilised with money this NPO raised.
“Except for two or three cats, all of the felines have been sterilised to prevent the colonies from growing. Feral cats are wild and cannot be domesticated. We can however help them to be healthy and happy in their natural environment,” said Ms Roos.
Feral Watch TNR feeds the cats every second day and the animals are less skittish than most ferals.
The team knows which cats had already been neutered by looking at their ears, because a ear is clipped when the animal is neutered.
“We refer to it as the cat’s badge of honour,” jested Ms Roos.
Ms Roos pointed that some of the cats, such as a tabby named Bingo, were most probably dumped domestic kittens.
Ms Danelle van der Watt, marketing manager at the Secunda Mall, said the cats are valuable to the mall.
“They are important to us and have a role to play at the mall. They keep the mall rodent free and also prevent birds from over-nesting in the area. It is a win-win situation. We consider the felines as our furry employees,” said Ms Van der Watt.
The mall management challenged other businesses to follow suit.
“It is not necessary to use pest control action to control the cat numbers. Our project proved it can be done efficiently without killing the felines,” said Ms Van der Watt.
According to Ms Roos, the project began in March and it took a lot of time and patience to trap the cats. “Trapping was easier at the beginning when the animals did not yet know what was happening, but later they became quite clever and figured out how to avoid the traps.
“The last few that have not yet been trapped, are very elusive. ”
She asked that people who want to support the cause, should not feed the cats, but rather donate food to the mall centre or to Feral Watch who will then distribute it on the necessary times.
