Part of The Natural Landscape
Cats have been around since the dawn of civilisation, gracing man with their regal presence and fierce nature, if you are lucky enough to glimpse one.
I once read that God blessed us with cats so we could experience the pleasure of stroking a small tiger!
Not that you can easily be-friend a feral cat, but for those who are patient, they can become wonderful companions and cherished members of the family, flora and fauna.
Sadly, not all wildlife organisations see it this way and claim that feral cats threaten other wildlife species, failing to take into account that cats are as much a part of our natural landscape as we are.
This leads to growing concerns for Trusted Guardians of this precious species and the conflict of interests needs to be managed in a responsible, thoughtful and mature way.
The Feral Cat Concern
These organisations believe in "managing" the environment in such a way as to reduce the impact of feral cats, but they fail to consider the cats and their rights.
This is a tough line to walk as whilst we have dominion over the animals, this is supposed to be an act of stewardship and creation as opposed to management and destruction.
Their concerns are the hybridisation of Domestic Cats with the African Wild Cat which would dilute gene purity, their impact on small prey and the human wildlife conflict which can result in humans taking matters into their own hands to take care of the perceived problem.
As such, feral cats are often seen as a burden, but to those of us who are fiercely driven to protect them, this is a challenge that must be met with the ferocity of a mama tiger protecting her young.
Fortunately, studies are in favour of the cats and it is critical that this information is widely shared and understood so that concerns are managed appropriately.
The Role of Feral Cats In The Environment
Cats play a complex role in local eco-systems and removing them has proven to be disastrous, resulting in dire consequences for the rest of the ecosystem, including ourselves.
Maintaining ecological balance is much more complicated than predator versus prey and many often conflicting factors also have to be considered.
Some people claim that removing cats would save other species, but this perceived "benefit" has never come to fruition in instances where cats have been removed.
Destruction never bears good fruit and these extermination programmes are cruel, extreme and create more problems for everyone as cats, like all of us, have an important job to do.
Feral cats are un-sung heroes, as we all are, once our role is clearly understood, appreciated, respected and valued, and once known, you will come to see them in a different way.
Cat Eradication Studies
A cat eradication effort on Amsterdam Island in the Indian Ocean found that killing all the cats resulted in a spike in the rat and mouse population, which then preyed on the bird population.
Another cat eradication effort on Macquarie Island in the Pacific Ocean saw the rabbit population spike wildly once the cats were gone.
Without cats to keep the rabbits in check, local vegetation was devastated by a rabbit feeding frenzy, and this had a knock-on effect on other animal species who were then threatened by the loss of food and habitat.
It is clear therefore that killing cats does not save wildlife, in fact, the vacuum it creates has the opposite effect.
Nature has a way of balancing itself out, it is not necessary for us to get involved, especially when all the factors are not taken into consideration.
Feral Cat Diet
Contrary to popular belief, studies have shown cats to be mainly scavengers, not hunters, feeding mostly on garbage and scraps.
When they do hunt, cats prefer rodent and other burrowing animals.
Studies of samples from the diets of outdoor cats confirm that common mammals appear three times more often than birds and scientists who study predation have shown in mathematical models that when cats, rats, and birds co-exist, they find a balance, but when cats are removed, rat populations soar and wipe out birds completely.
Luckily for the cats on Amanda's Ark, everyone dines in comfort, style and luxury with stainless silver service and the local wildlife population is largely untouched!
And here in the Cederberg, they can also deter snakes and scorpions, some of which are deadly to humans.
Inaccurate Scientific Studies
Some wildlife organisations and media outlets continue to quote out-dated scientific studies that have been de-bunked and it is imperative that accurate findings are called upon.
By carefully analysing the available scientific studies, support for cats being a serious threat to wildlife is weak and in actuality, they are essential to fulfilling a much-needed role.
In truth, we humans, the Apex predators, are the biggest threat to life, and it is us who needs to "manage" ourselves and be kept in-check.
Although we have co-evolved alongside domestic cats, the feral cat population was not created by humans.
Cats have lived outdoors for a long time, they are not new to the environment and have a natural, deserved and much-loved place in the natural landscape.
The History of My Cats
The history of the cats on the farm where we live began when Gaby, a German lady who used to live on the farm, started feeding them.
Gaby and her husband fed around 18 of them and served them in little bowls, from a huge pot of delicious home-cooked food.
For us, it all began when Christian found a tiny kitten in the bush, all alone and crying for help, I was away that weekend and Gaby very kindly set him up with a tiny bottle and some kitten milk, told him what to do and he diligently and lovingly nursed her round the clock.
Christian named her Kiettiejie, meaning tiny kitten in Afrikaans, wrapped her in a sling and kept her close to his body the entire time, even sleeping with her, taking care not to squash her, for warmth.
The next day, Kiettiejie's Mum came miaowing around the fence looking for her baby, and Christian promptly returned her.
Our Love Affair With The Cats
This is how our love affair with the cats began and we too started feeding them, at which time there were only 3 or 4, or so we thought!
We discovered that Gaby's cats were different to the ones that came to us as cats are very territorial, so we each had our own colony that we took care of.
The originals that came to us were Kiettiejie, Mateuwes (pronounced Mateyvus), Gandalf (who turned out to be a girl!), Brownie and Moonface.
Before long, the inevitable happened and they had babies, one of whom Christian instantly fell in love with and named Courage, because out of all the kittens, Courage was the most brave.
Courage was the most amazing cat in the world, he greeted everyone, he was brilliant with the dogs and he was our soul mate, we built everything for him.
Houses & Hedges
The Cederberg can be a very hostile environment when it comes to the weather as it is freezing cold in the winter and sweltering hot in the summer, with temperatures exceeding 44 degrees.
Aside from this, we recognised that life in the bush is not easy and it wasn't long before we built the cats a house and filled it with snuggy boxes and blankets, and they loved it!
Of course, they told their friends and more came, and they told their friends, who also came, and then they started having babies.
This was all very exciting at first but as the numbers steadily increased, we realised that we would have to sterilise them in order to protect them from those who did not feel so kindly towards them.
Before we knew it, we had a lot of mouths to feed and take care of and we had unwittingly created a whole industry, which included building hedges of protection to keep them safe from the dogs!
Lifetime Care
Once you've taken care of an animal, it's cruel to then take that care away as they have come to depend on you, so we are now bound to the cats for life and them to us, and I'm OK with that.
We take care of everyone with a whole heart, all their needs are provided for, they get cooked meals twice a week, minced pilchards and kibbles the rest of the week, smoked salmon treats and they even have vitamin and mineral supplements to keep them strong and healthy.
Their areas are kept clean, they always have fresh water, they have warmth, shade and cool spots and they can even come in the house if they want to.
Most of the cats are wild, but we enjoy and spend time with them and in time, they get used to us and many of them will be able to be re-homed.
Cats are very graceful, independent and clean, taking care of them is a joy, privilege and pleasure and I am honoured to be able to care for God's precious creation in this way.
Inconvenience, Discrimination & Persecution
When we step out of love, in our ignorance and arrogance we become perpetrators of the biggest crimes against both humanity, and the natural world.
We are easily offended and feel that we have a right to everything, despite the consequences this has on others who also share our environment.
Ignorance becomes irritation, irritation becomes inconvenience, inconvenience becomes discrimination and discrimination becomes persecution.
We become cold-blooded killers and in our ruthless pride, we justify both our actions and inactions, with little to no regard for those we have crushed in our wake.
This is the worst of humanity, and it is this that needs to be eradicated, not the cats, and not anything else that lives, wants to live and has a right to live as much as we do.
The Courage To Speak Out
I am reminded of a poignant piece of writing by Martin Niemöller (1892-1984), a prominent Lutheran pastor who spent the last 8 years of Nazi rule from 1937 to 1945 in Nazi prisons and concentration camps for opposing Hitler's regime.
Niemöller is perhaps best remembered for his post-war statement, which begins "First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out..."
There are different versions of this quotation because Niemöller often presented his lectures impromptu, changing the list of victims accordingly.
Niemöller's message was that through silence, indifference and inaction, including his own, we are complicit in the imprisonment, persecution and murder of millions of innocent lives.
Whilst he was specifically referring to people, this principle can be applied to all life and those in positions of moral authority have a duty to bravely speak out, regardless of the consequences.
The River of Life
The events of World War 2 has always weighed heavily on my heart and is an integral part of my DNA and the fabric of my being, even though it did not happen to me personally.
Because of this, I have always spoken out on behalf of all people, all species and all matters of injustice and I will always, no matter the cost, continue to stand for everything that is true, right and good.
Niemöller's heartfelt sentiments, based on his own lament, guilt and remorse, cuts to the heart of what it means to be persecuted, targeted and eradicated, and the shame and personal abandonment that follows.
We are interconnected, our fates are inextricably intertwined, and we cannot stand idly by whilst a massacre takes place, creating rivers of blood and oceans of loss.
In God, all things are possible, we must drink from the river of life and create rather than destroy, sharing insight, knowledge and wisdom, as we learn to live in perfect harmony, together.
Perfect Love Casts Out All Fear
"First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out - because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out - because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me - and there was no one left to speak for me."
May Niemöller's painful experience serve as a beacon of remembrance, causing us to stand together in unity and harmony, raising the standard, taking personal responsibility, standing for life and banding together in peace, passionate embrace and perfect love, which casts out all fear.
Amen.
