Written by Kimberly Sassis-Schaaf
Professional photography by Be Light Photography
In November 2022, I saw a kitty in my garden. My dogs aren’t too friendly with cats, so I gently chased her away before the dogs spotted her. But she wouldn’t leave. I locked my doggies in the flat and assumed she’d leave later.
I didn’t see her again for a while, but the little madam returned, this time to an area next to my flat where I had some pot plants and a small fence. Thinking she might be a neighbour’s cat, I decided not to draw attention to her, hoping that might keep my dogs away from her.
Eventually, I saw her all the time. Realising she was feral, I put food out and made a bed in a cat crate. I named her Calicat. When my dad said he hoped she wasn’t pregnant, I desperately wanted to trap and sterilise her.
One day I went to check on her and saw something small and black and alive next to her. She’d given birth to a kitten! Now what, I wondered? I moved her bed outside my bathroom window and fed her from there. I’d sit in my shower and call her from my window. She started trusting me and would come when I called.
Her kitten, whom I named Frankie, refused to come near me, and I knew I needed to act quickly before he was old enough and brave enough to move into the garden where the dogs were.
I picked Cali up at the window, assuring her that I wouldn’t hurt her. I’d planned with a good friend, Anees Simons, to catch the kitten the day before we went back to work in 2023.
With lots of cuts and head knocks, we caught Frankie. He’d kept trying to escape and was biting and scratching Anees, but she held onto the little thing as best she could. We immediately took Calicat and Frankie to the vet to have them tested for feline aids and leukaemia. The tests came back negative – what a relief!
My precious Calicat and her little boy Frankie found their forever home with me. They’re indoor cats with a catio to go out into when they want to venture outdoors. They spend their days lounging in the sun, watching birds and playing with their toys. I know I made the right decision in taking them in, and I’m immensely grateful for the unexpected joy they have brought into my life.
