Written by Tanya Tauber
Professional photography by Chasing Light Photography
My husband works in recycling and his company has industrial premises all over Cape Town. At these sites, feral cats are often found. They do try to hunt rodents, but it’s a very hard life, especially for the breeding females. I’ve always loved cats, so the workers, knowing this about me, will often let me know when kittens are born, usually in precarious and dangerous places.
Sadly, because many people cannot afford to sterilise their pets, Cape Town faces a massive overpopulation of cats and dogs.
A dangerous start
One day, a foreman contacted me: a female cat had given birth in a high-traffic industrial area, with heavy machinery moving all around. It was no place for a tiny family.
I reached out to a local welfare organisation, who kindly lent me a humane cat trap and showed me how it worked. This mother was clever – she’d chosen a staircase as her home and hidden her kittens in a cupboard. A broken, leaking tap nearby gave her access to water.
Hungry and tired, she eventually entered the trap for the fish we’d placed inside. With patience, we also managed to rescue her two kittens, who were hiding among some rolled-up posters. They were only about a month old.
Rescue and recovery
The kittens were placed with a bottle feeder so they could grow up accustomed to people and eventually find loving homes. The mother was sterilised, and I brought her to my home for a few days so she could recover.
She was wild and terrified. Through the little door in the trap, I’d replace her litter tray and carefully give her food and water. She growled at me constantly. After a week, I returned her to the place where she was caught so she could rejoin her colony.
But something unexpected happened: as soon as I opened the trap, she ran out, circled a few times, and then – to my complete shock – ran straight back into the cage. This is almost unheard of. It felt like she’d made her choice. So we closed the door, brought her home, and promised her a second chance. We named her Cleo.
A long road to trust
I already had two cats – the maximum allowed in my complex – so introducing her was complicated. At first, Cleo lived in the spare room, and only in the evenings was she allowed to explore the house while my other cats were locked away. It was quite an adventure trying to coax her back into the spare room every night.
Everyone told us we were crazy, that she’d never be tame. But slowly she began to bond with my other two cats. She adored them immediately, though they were cautious of her.
For months she avoided human contact. Every time I tried to stroke her, she’d bolt. I soon realised she was deeply afraid of hands. Then, one evening in the kitchen, I felt a little bump against the back of my leg. Cleo had reached out.
It took nine months before we could stroke her properly. Her turning point was the brush – she simply couldn’t resist it.
A new chapter
Now, she rolls over happily to show her tummy, ready for scratches. She still startles at loud noises and despises cat carriers, but she sleeps snuggled up with my other cats every night. She has the sweetest disposition and has added a new, joyful twist to our little family.
I’m so grateful she chose us – and that we put in the effort to earn her trust.
A message of hope
Taming a feral cat isn’t easy. It takes months of patience, gentleness, and consistency. But it is possible. If you ever find yourself caring for a feral cat, don’t lose hope. With time and love, even the wildest heart can learn to trust.
