Written by Sascha Carreira
Photography by Hatti Thesen
It’s not often in today’s world that one hears about everyday heroes – the unassuming ones who walk quietly among us, performing random acts of kindness that make a difference and move the world on its axis towards being a better place to live.
One such hero is a lady named Coriza Vermeulen (CAT Garden Route Trustee). She does volunteer work in townships to educate and assist people of little to no means who happen to have pets.
More often than not, this thankless job entails just taking pets in to be sterilised to try and prevent, to some small extent, the continued breeding of unwanted animals. At times it includes feeding cats that won’t get a meal any other way. Trying to teach people about the needs of these “lowly creatures” is often ignored, especially when those people themselves are in great need.
Let me introduce you to the “Tail” in our tale.
Enter a “township cat” called Kasie. It’s a small grace that Kasie was even given a name, as most township animals just are, and names aren’t often bestowed on them to indicate either their individuality or their place of esteem that would warrant being given a name.
Being a “township cat” means you’re a cat with a job, a function to fulfil, and not much more. Your job is to catch mice and random rodents, and since that job entails eating those rodents, not much thought is given to actually feeding those cats. Sadly, the economic reality is that owners simply don’t have the financial means to spare to buy pet food.
Kasie “lived” with an elderly couple in a township. The couple in question, having at least named Kasie, didn’t feel the need to bestow any further “gifts” on him – not food, not love, and certainly not any kind of care that would include bathing him or getting him any medical assistance should the need arise. And sadly, in the township, the need does often arise.
Coriza often crossed paths with Kasie. He’s similar to most township pets in that he’s rather wild and doesn’t offer much in either the looks or personality departments. The biggest drawcard Kasie had going for him was that he was a “ginger”, somewhat of a soft spot for Coriza. Nothing would draw Kasie to Coriza other than the fact that she was there to help, and Kasie needed help. His owners frequently chose to spend any means on liquid diversions and didn’t spare a cent for Kasie’s care, and when their fortunes took a turn for the worst, they did the one thing that so many humans have in common – they upped and left. And this wouldn’t be the unexpected twist in our tale – Kasie was left behind!
And so it happened that on the day Coriza was making her weekly rounds, she came upon a truly homeless Kasie. An adult ginger cat, having grown up in a township, not accustomed to any traits that would endear him to other owners for rehoming, with a slight injury to one of his paws.
It would come as no surprise that Coriza, being the unassuming hero she is, picked Kasie up and packed him into her car without a second thought. But even our hero has limitations in terms of how many animals she can accommodate in her home. Fortunately, she was able to rent a cage at the Peoples’ Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) for a few nights.
Coriza was concerned about the possible options available to offer Kasie any chance of a future. Rehoming adult cats is unlikely, and the alternative loomed large in her mind.
As Kasie was now an old man, the kind owner at the PDSA allowed Kasie the run of her office for what was assumed by all involved to be his last few days on earth, a life that had been turbulent at best and terrifying at worst.
But then, in walked our next unassuming hero in the form of a lady named Claire Barker.
Besides having her own cares and worries, Claire spared time to volunteer at the PDSA. She was introduced to Kasie and, as she has the benefit of living on a farm, discussions started around the possibility of Kasie getting to live out his life on the farm.
Now let’s just remember that statistically, it’s very unlikely to successfully rehome an adult cat, never mind a “township cat”, which is the cat version of “Mission Impossible”.
Claire acquiesced to taking Kasie “to the farm”, opening not only her home but also her heart to a township cat who’d lived through many a harrowing experience and endured what no animal should have to endure in this day and age. Claire gave Kasie his second chance at happiness and comfort and the experience of what it would mean to be someone’s “pet”.
However, it wouldn’t be the end of the story as both Claire and Kasie walked off into the sunset on the farm because, in Claire’s own words, Kasie was “sickly and very unfriendly”. The drive home from the PDSA saw Kasie peeing unceremoniously in Claire’s car! He also had a wheezy chest and was incapable of even lifting his tail. He didn’t enjoy any kind of physical petting, and so any attempts at giving him affection were met with gruff aggression.
Claire took a step back and allowed Kasie the space and time he needed to adjust. Slowly but surely, Kasie relaxed and became attuned to his new surreal reality. He initially also ate every morsel of food placed before him as if it were his last supper, but he slowly grew accustomed to regular meals appearing and started regulating his eating quantity. Before long, Kasie attempted and subsequently loved sleeping on the bed – who wouldn’t? He’s now a contented fat cat who’s living his best life with his guardian angel, Claire – his only function and purpose in life is to be happy. Kasie has found his happiness at the end of the rescue rainbow.
Claire, Kasie’s new guardian, shares...
Even though Kasie is a strange-looking fellow with his slightly shorter front legs and his drum-shaped tummy, he’s stolen Claire’s heart and has become the centre of her social circle. When friends and visitors come around, it’s Kasie who’ll ingratiate them with the cuddles and love he now also gets to enjoy. In fact, overnight visitors are even guaranteed a bed buddy for their stay.
Claire confidently and happily states that having adopted Kasie has taught her so much about adopting an adult animal that she would never consider adopting a kitten in future, her reasoning being the unpredictability of a kitten’s personality as they grow. Even though Kasie came to Claire in the form of a grumpy old man, he’s blossomed into the most loving cat, and she hopes to journey with him for many years to come.
