A book sale to raise money for the Grahamstown Feral Cat Project took place on 28 May in front of Wallace’s Pharmacy at Peppergrove Mall. The volunteers were kept busy from 8am to 12.30pm. The fundraiser was enormously successful, raising over R7 000 for the organisation.
A book sale to raise money for the Grahamstown Feral Cat Project took place on 28 May in front of Wallace’s Pharmacy at Peppergrove Mall. The volunteers were kept busy from 8am to 12.30pm. The fundraiser was enormously successful, raising over R7 000 for the organisation.
The Feral Cat Project holds a book sale every year, and spends the preceding months collecting books, magazines, DVDs and CDs. Everything is donated by members of the community.
The selection is vast, and pours over the long tables into boxes on the ground. Everything is sold for around R10-R30, except for special finds. A brand new Jamie Oliver cookbook sold for R100, but that was the most expensive item.
Lorna Grant founded the Grahamstown Feral Cat Project officially in 2009. She had been doing the work for 20 years prior to that, however.
The aim of the organisation is “purely to manage feral cats,” Grant said.
They control the population by following three steps: trap, neuter and release.
They capture wild cats, take them to the veterinarian to be neutered and receive care, then release them back into the area where they were found. Sterilised cats were nicer, fight less, and “make the world a kinder place,” said Grant.
When the cats are “nicer”, the community is more keen to provide for them. After they are captured, many of the kittens are adopted by families, and many of the adults are fed more by community members, which is the goal.
“We call them community cats because they’re everyone’s cats, and we should all take responsibility for them,” said Grant.
Grahamstown is a difficult place for cats because of the town’s unique situation. The bulk of the kittens are born in December, when people are out of town. When everyone returns in February, the kittens are bigger, and no one wants them any more. People want cute kittens, according to Grant.
The Phoenix Dog Project works closely with and supports the Feral Cat Project. They are a similar organisation that practices the same principles with dogs.
They posted a collection tin outside Pick n Pay during the book sale, and the two organisations sent people back and forth to support both causes.
The community enjoyed the chance to support a cause and pick up some cheap used books. Clive Johnson-Moss, a Grahamstown resident, loves to read and picked up a selection of books at the sale.
He saw the event on Facebook and came to support the project.
The Feral Cat Project can be followed on their Facebook page: Grahamstown Feral Cat Project.
They regularly post pictures and statuses of cats and kittens that need homes and care.
