Cat Rescue Zim

17/11/2024

This weeks’ TNR & Sterilisations:

With the rains this week we mainly focused on our sterilisation support service however we did manage to TNR 3 ferals, one from Eastlea and 2 from Crowhill

We assisted in the sterilisation of 12 cats this week, 7 females and 5 males. We also spayed our mumma cat Pebbles who is now available for adoption.

Our sterilisation support service is aimed at members of the public who need help to access veterinary care to neuter their cats. We ask them to contribute what they can to the cost of the surgeries, some can only contribute $5 even for multiple cats. We do not refuse them. We even offer to collect and drop the cats back home if they are unable to transport the cats themselves. If we don’t help them, more kittens will be born which will continue to overwhelm the shelters and the streets. The cats themselves will also continue to suffer the health implications of constant breeding. We do it not only to help the owners but mainly to help the cats. This is where your donations go - to help people who love their cats and want to do the best for them. We thank you for helping us help them and their fur babies.

Total sterilised to date : 2,283

16/11/2024

The lucky few have their lives saved, we can’t even begin to imagine what the unlucky majority have to suffer through.

Ditsy and Speckle were both rescued off the street.
Ditsy soaking wet, covered in a chemical substance that not only burnt her skin but we think also caused her some neurological damage as she struggled to walk. Thankfully she has almost fully recovered.

Speckle found on a grass verge, lifeless and presumed dead. He was in such shock he was syringe fed. Both kittens now 100% healthy and loving foster life.

Ditsy is now reserved for adoption to go to a forever home, Speckle is still looking for his. Please consider adopting a rescue baby, they have been through so much in their short lives and deserve to have a forever loving family. Also please sterilise your cats, it is the simplest solution to prevent this suffering. Thank you

15/11/2024

You may think ‘my cat never wanders, so why do I need to microchip them?’

Well you never know when it will happen but that one time that they do decide to wander and struggle to find their way home may be the time you wish you did microchip them.

Without a microchip it is incredibly hard to reunite a cat with their owner. And if they are microchipped it has to be registered on the database and the information has to be up to date and current. By regularly updating these details, you’re increasing the chances of a swift reunion if the unthinkable happens.

Microchips are like digital ID cards for pets, containing vital info like your contact details and your cat’s unique identification number.

Ensuring your cat’s microchip details are up to date might just be the key to their safe return if they ever go on an unexpected adventure!

Did you know ZNSPCA has a new more accessible & affordable microchip option?? …. It is called PetfinderZW. Contact your vet or spca if you’d like to microchip your cat or to update the details on the Fivestar or PetfinderZW databases. It’s a small effort that can make a world of difference in keeping your kitty friend safe and sound.

Thank you for this post.

13/11/2024

Meet our gorgeous blue mumma cat Pebbles! She is an affectionate, gentle girl. Pebbles has not only been rearing her own 2 kittens but also 2 adopted orphans. She is an angel of a mumma cat. Talkative, loving and good with dogs and doesn’t mind other cats (slow intros needed)! She’d be great in any home

Pebbles took refuge in a house to give birth to her 2 babies. She wasn’t claimed by anyone. She’s now fully vaccinated and spayed and will be available for adoption in a couple of weeks time when her babies are fully weaned!

Contact us on 0779 993 157 if you’d like to adopt this angel . Adoption policies apply

13/11/2024

The cats are often described as large, big headed, has fight wounds, and he’s downright mean. Usually, they are describing a tomcat - an unneutered male.

Tomcats become more territorial when female cats are in heat & they can roam far to find one. They are not inherently mean — this is a human characteristic being placed on an animal. During these times you will hear more yowling, fights between male cats and spraying their territory.

Often times this is an easy fix. Once male cats are neutered, they no longer desire to trail female cats in search of a mate and it greatly reduces the need to be territorial in the first place.

After a male cat is sterilised they can no longer produce testosterone which is what induces these urges. It takes approximately 4-6 weeks for the testosterone levels to deplete and to see more favourable behaviors.

One of the biggest misconceptions about relocating cats is the problem will be solved but in actuality, a new male cat will move into the territory since it has now become available. Spaying the females and neutering male cats and returning them to the area is the only humane resolution.

This is just one of many great reasons why you should spay and neuter cats as soon as possible whether they go outside or not. It is scientifically proven, cats live healthier lives when spayed and neutered.

11/11/2024

Kitten season is here… please if you find kittens STOP & THINK….Where is mum?? Call us for advice, ask around, leave food & water and observe. We need to trap & spay mum or the cycle continues

If you find kittens, please DO NOT handle, uplift or move them as this usually causes more harm than good.

This is because the foster system is flooded. Shelters are also full and dumping animals with them or at a vets is overwhelming and not the answer. If you uplift kittens yourself, they will have nowhere to go.
This is due to the limited amount of fosters available to hand-rear them, not to mention the difficult task of trying to home them once they reach adoption age.

Keep in mind that the best thing to do is allow the mother cat to care for her kittens in their outdoor home.

Mother cats are the kittens’ best possible caregivers, giving them the best chance at life. The mother cat not only feeds her kittens, but she teaches them important hunting and socialisation skills which are essential for survival.
Kittens also require specific intensive care which humans cannot easily provide; you cannot replace a mother cat’s caring abilities.

Community cats thrive in their outdoor territory and the mother cat would usually choose an ideal, safe space to raise her kittens. This means there is no need to intervene until the kittens are old enough to qualify for a TNR program.

If you find kittens, please contact us on 0779 993 157 for advice

10/11/2024

This weeks’ TNR & Sterilisations:

This week some trapping jobs didn’t go to plan and cats evaded our traps. Cats are pretty clever and definitely outsmart us from time to time, however we don’t lose our determination to outsmart them too!

We did have some success this week. Katie trapped a female in Strathaven and assisted with the sterilisation of another female from Ashbrittle. Katie also trapped a male from a colony in Mount Pleasant, this male was not in good condition at all and we unfortunately had to make the decision to euthanise him. We don’t make this decision lightly but with the condition he was in, he was definitely suffering and it wasn’t fair for us to return him and let him continue that way.

Lorna returned to a property in Glen Lorne where 2 years ago we TNR’d 2 females. She trapped a mum who had 4 kittens, and a male who most likely was the father. The kittens will be sterilised once they are old enough. Lorna also trapped a gorgeous grey male from Ballantyne Park - this male had a unilateral ectopic te**is, it is a rare condition where one testicle is located outside of its normal path of descent and in an abnormal position. Our vet managed to find the adventurous testicle and neuter the cat successfully.

Total sterilised to date : 2,267

07/11/2024

Unfortunately our foster system is at full capacity and we cannot take on anymore kittens. We are the smallest organisation in Harare and just do not have the space. We have 18 kittens currently, the majority of which are not ready for adoption yet. It will still be a few weeks. Until they are rehomed we unfortunately will have to turn away kittens. We are sorry to have to say this but this is the reality of the overpopulation and overbreeding situation in Harare and across Zimbabwe and necessary to keep the team and our foster parents sane. Thank you for your understanding and support as always.

04/11/2024

Please be responsible and spay your female kitten before she has a litter of kittens when she is still a baby herself. If you need any help to spay or neuter your cat or need any advice please contact us on 0779 993 157 thank you

03/11/2024

This weeks’ TNR & Sterilisations:

Wow what a hectic week!!

On Monday Katie trapped a colony of 6 in Ashbrittle, as well as a male from a colony in Mount pleasant. On Tuesday Lorna trapped 2 females from Ridgeview and a female from Gunhill. On Wednesday 2 more cats were trapped at the colony in Mount Pleasant, Lorna trapped a male in Gunhill and Katie caught a male in Philadelphia. On the last few days of the week Katie trapped 3 cats from a different colony in Mount Pleasant and Lorna trapped a mum from The Grange area.

The team also assisted 2 owners sterilise their 3 females!

This week has really shown us the start of summer and kitten season. Not only did we TNR 18 cats this week we also had 12 kittens enter our foster system and all for very different reasons - mother had died, got stuck in an engine, lost in the rain, lost on the side of the road, dumped and left behind in a nest move. Our foster system is now FULL! Even though we continue to sterilise cats on the streets and owned cats, on weeks like this we find ourselves disheartened. Please we are begging you to sterilise your cats! The suffering we have seen this week has overwhelmed us and we are heartbroken, we can’t imagine what the shelters have had to deal with this week too. If you need help please just ask, we will help you end the cycle of endless kittens thank you

Total sterilised to date : 2,262

01/11/2024

October Round Up!

Summer started with a bang! Now the team is back with two trappers on the ground we managed to hit our target of 30 TNRs in a month. We trapped cats from Mount Pleasant, Belvedere, Ballantyne Park, Quinnington, Msasa, Greendale, Highlands, Ashbrittle, Ridgeview, Gunhill & Philadelphia! One female we trapped had a snare embedded in her leg, it was removed and she recovered well. We assisted owners sterilise their cats from Greystone Park, Chitungwiza, Crowhill, Alex Park and Mabelreign.

Now summer has hit, kitten season is also in full swing. Shelters and foster homes will inevitably be flooded with kittens. Please help the cats and us too, lessen the strain on animal welfare organisations by please SPAYING & NEUTERING YOUR CAT!! The solution is so simple! Contact us on 0779 993 157

31/10/2024

Our foster system is filling up and fast! Please spay and neuter your cats, also if you’d like to foster or adopt please get in touch thank you!

27/10/2024

Hi everyone! I feel the time is right again to say Hello! and just remind all our followers and supporters about us, Team TNR, who we are and what we do.

Team TNR consists of me… Lorna, and Katie. We both volunteer our time to CRZ. I manage the running of CRZ. Not only am I the one at the end of the phone to give advice, chat to you about adopting and trapping, but I also foster & rescue kittens, do the accounts, fundraise, support foster parents and visit our foster babies, drive from vets to trapping jobs & assessments to donation collections as well as my own personal things I have to do.

Katie rescues, fosters and traps for CRZ, but she does all of this for 2 other welfare organisations as well. She is the guardian Angel to the animals of Harare. She also has her own business that she runs too and she does all of this in her own private vehicle.

When we say CRZ is small, it is very small. We also have a qualified vet nurse who lends advice for our foster parents and helps us with procuring resources we need. We have a small network of foster parents who volunteer their time, love and cuddles to our rescue kittens. We use 2 vets in Harare who do an incredible job for us - Harare Central Veterinary Surgery HCVS and Avondale Veterinary Surgery. We wouldn’t be here without any of these amazing people.

I am doing this post as recently I have received some negative comments about what we do and how we do it. We run solely on donations and contributions to the TNR work we do. We also have our own private lives and need to take breaks and down time to stay sane and continue this work. We know there are lots of cats across Harare that need to be sterilised, although we wish we could help and get to them all, physically we just can’t but we are trying our best. We focus on the trapping jobs that we can do, that we can afford to do, and that we have permission to do. We do not remove cats. We trap, neuter and return. Please be patient with us. We rescue those that really need our help and do not uplift kittens that are safe and healthy with mum. We also help low income families sterilise their cats & offer pick up/drop off services when they do not have transport.

We are so very grateful to have such incredible loyal donors & supporters. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for everything you do for us. Thank you

26/10/2024

The biggest thank you to for their very kind donation of wire mesh to fix our new enclosure. The mesh covered the entirety of the enclosure as well as the floor for extra security. From donations we have purchased new roof sheets, a new bolt latch for the door as well as getting the expertise of Keagen Carinus - Handyman Harare - to assist us in putting it all together to make sure it is very secure. We have hung plastic and shade cloth, thank you to for this donation, to protect the cats from the elements during their stay. We will continue to fill the enclosure with comfy and safe places for cats to hide. This enclosure will be used for injured/sick Ferals before returning them home, or to hold them before relocation. It will also be used for mum and kittens when we have them in our foster system. Thank you to everyone involved in making this a reality especially Katie Hind and Sherrie Frederiksen for your dedication and help in getting this enclosure suitable for our needs! Team work really does make the dream work!

25/10/2024

A flank spay is very beneficial for us when we trap a lactating female. Read why below!

A ✨FLANK SPAY✨ is when the incision is made on the left side (flank) of the body rather than on the midline of the abdomen. The spay procedure is the same as performed during the midline incision and the same reproductive organs are removed with both procedures.

Performing the flank incision is also beneficial if the cat has nursing kittens. Since the flank incision is not made near the mammary glands, the female is able to be sterilized and her kittens can continue to nurse following surgery. Using the flank incision is more comfortable for the mother during postoperative recovery, and there is a lower risk of evisceration, because the nursing kittens are not pulling at the incision site like they would be if a midline incision was performed. In addition, mother cats often have large mammary glands from nursing. During a midline incision, excessive bleeding and leakage from the mammary glands can cause infection; this is avoided with the flank incision.

*Text from saveacat.org

FCP comment: I've not found many vets familiar with this alternative; if they are, it's not typically offered. I think that is because the majority of the female cats they spay have owners that can plan the surgery to meet the vet's requirements (that kittens must be weaned for a month (minimally) before they will do a spay). In my experience, only vets at clinics specifically for feral cats will perform this surgery.😿

24/10/2024

Females do not just have one litter - they can have 3 per year! We find it honourable to feed feral colonies, but please think about their welfare and health long term. Their numbers will double in no time, increasing pressures and impacting the health of the whole colony. This is where we can help. TNR is the most humane way to address the cat overpopulation in Zimbabwe. Please do the right thing, if you feed them please fix them! The sooner you act the better for you and them!

Whatsapp us for more information 0779 993 157 thank you

23/10/2024

Our 2025 calendar is coming we promise!!!! We will let you know when and where you can buy one or ten 😻❤️ WATCH THIS SPACE!