Feline Feral Fund Ballito

The FFF is an established animal welfare organization, registered as a Non Profit Company (Section 21) to facilitate individual and corporate contributions and donations. 

FNB Ballito | Account Name: Feline Feral Fund 

ACCOUNT NUMBER: 62417045061

BRANCH NUMBER: 250102000

The Feline Feral Fund operates on the Dolphin Coast in Westbrook, Desainagar, Maidstone, Ballito and Zinkwazi. With the help of many volunteers, the organization feeds between 250 and 300 feral cats each evening at respective feeding stations in the area. 

The objective of the organization is the healthy management of the wild cat population. They operate on a TNR (Trap, Neuter and Release) principal, ensuring the feral colonies do not suffer undue population growth. The health of the feral population is also carefully monitored and medical treatment administered where needed.

Feral kittens are removed where possible and hand-reared in a domestic foster environment, preparing the kittens for adoption into a ‘furever’ home. 

More than 2000 cats sterilized

Hundreds of kittens fostered and re-homed

Medical Treatment Administered

Daily Feral Feeding 250+ Cats

Rescue and Rehabilitation

Feisty Felines to the Rescue

Feline Feral Fund works to sterilise and protect feral cats. North Coast Courier

read more

Heroic Tails – Get It Ballito

Some people are just born to spend their lives surrounded by animals. Salt Rock’s Laurie Youngleson.

read more

Feline Feral Fund Ballito

The FFF is an established animal welfare organization, registered as a Non Profit Company (Section 21) to facilitate individual and corporate contributions and donations. 

FNB Ballito | Account Name: Feline Feral Fund 

ACCOUNT NUMBER: 62417045061

BRANCH NUMBER: 250102000

The Feline Feral Fund operates on the Dolphin Coast in Westbrook, Desainagar, Maidstone, Ballito and Zinkwazi. With the help of many volunteers, the organization feeds between 250 and 300 feral cats each evening at respective feeding stations in the area. 

The objective of the organization is the healthy management of the wild cat population. They operate on a TNR (Trap, Neuter and Release) principal, ensuring the feral colonies do not suffer undue population growth. The health of the feral population is also carefully monitored and medical treatment administered where needed.

Feral kittens are removed where possible and hand-reared in a domestic foster environment, preparing the kittens for adoption into a ‘furever’ home. 

More than 2000 cats sterilized

Hundreds of kittens fostered and re-homed

Medical Treatment Administered

Daily Feral Feeding 250+ Cats

Rescue and Rehabilitation

Feisty Felines to the Rescue

Feline Feral Fund works to sterilise and protect feral cats. North Coast Courier

read more

Heroic Tails – Get It Ballito

Some people are just born to spend their lives surrounded by animals. Salt Rock’s Laurie Youngleson.

read more

Healthy Feral Cat Colonies

Feral cats are outdoor, free-roaming cats who have never been socialized to humans and are living in a “wild” state. This could be a formerly domestic cat who has been abandoned when very young or a cat who has been born on the streets and has never had any contact or interaction with humans. Some stray cats are former pets and act feral outside, but revert back to acting like domestic cats once they are brought indoors. Feral cats look like regular domestic housecats, but because they have never been socialized, they are very fearful and distrustful of humans.

The FFF works closely with members of the public to manage feral cat colonies in the area. A Healthy Feral Cat Colony is one which is stabilized by an effective TNR (Trap, Neuter, Release) Program. 

The FFF manages several feeding stations in the area. Using the steady supply of food and fresh water to establish consistent contact with feral cat communities, the volunteer feeders are able to ascertain the size and general health standing of the colony.

Using humane traps, cats are caught, taken to a local vet to be sterilized, vaccinated and returned to the area in which they were found. A clipped ear allows observers to quickly identify a sterilized animal.

Feeders monitor the general health of the animals, administering medication or special food where necessary. Only in extreme circumstances where the health of the colony or neighboring domestic animals may be at risk will euthanasia be used on an animal.

Where possible, kittens are trapped and domesticated by foster carers for adoption into a family. 

A Working Army

A properly managed feral colony has limited growth. Adult cats are sterilized and kittens removed for adoption into domestic homes. Feral cats are natural hunters and play a pivotal role in keeping rodents and snakes away. In urban environments (particularly around restaurants and other food supply businesses), rats can very quickly become an overwhelming problem. 

Just two or three feral cats placed strategically in a problem area can quickly eradicate this problem.

Doing Away with a Feral Colony

Many property owners are under the misapprehension that if they simply ‘Get Rid Of’ the feral cats on their property, they will solve the problem.

The reality is, removing resident animals will simply create a VOID quickly filled by other ferals, possibly breeding and expanding without measure. Territorial fighting is sure to ensue with the prerequisite spraying of the area by all un-neutered males.

Having a closely monitored and managed colony on an empty plot is wiser. Two or three resident animals will keep infiltrators away.

Fostering Feral Kittens

Foster homes provide a loving and nuturing environment, simulating the enriching and loving permanent home we hope for all our cats. This keeps the cat happy, healthy and well-socialized, and gives us a chance to learn about their personalities.

Kittens arrive at the FFF in any manner of ways. Kittens are often dumped by unscrupulous pet-owners, emerge over time into the open at a feral feeding station, are orphaned by unfortunate circumstances or found piteously meowing in a cold and lonely place by passers-by. 

The FFF works around the clock to find, rescue and rehabilitate these little blessings. Once rehabilitated, they work doggedly to find homes for each and every little bundle. Unlike some animal welfare organizations, Euthanasia is NEVER practiced on any healthy, viable animal. 

Become a Foster Kitten Mom

A Kitten Foster has the heart-wrenching job of raising a kitten to the point where the kitten is old enough and is able to find a ‘furever’ home. 

Each little bundle crawls into the heart and finds its own special place there. Handing a foster kitten over to a new home is ALWAYS heart-breaking! 

Newborn Kittens

Some kittens arrive with their eyes still shut and needing bottle feeding. A specially formulated bottle of feed is given every couple of hours. Newborn kittens cannot ‘toilet’ on their own so the foster mom will need to wipe the kitten with a warm, damp tissue to simulate the mother’s natural licking action.

Four to Six Weeks Old

From about 4 weeks, a kitten should be able to ‘lap’ by himself and will make the progression from bottle feeding to soft foods and finally kitten biscuits.

At this age, the kitten will be able to use a sandbox by himself. Foster moms spend a large amount of time cleaning litter trays and playing with kitten. Kittens are demanding of attention and if you have just one in the home, you will find it VERY time consuming!

Six to Eight Weeks Old

A kitten is most likely to be adopted at this age. As a foster mom, you will need to take plenty of cute kitten pictures to advertise on the Feline Feral Fund social media pages. 

Kittens are more likely to be adopted if seen by the general public. Aloe Veterinary Clinic and Fish, Feather and Fur Pet Shop are often able to ‘display’ available kittens in a viewing cage. The foster mom will need to take her kitten(s) through to the arranged exposure venue in the morning and fetch remaining kittens in the late afternoon. This is rather like dropping your children off at day-care, with the heart-wrenching possibility that you may not see your precious bundle again if all goes well that day!

At eight weeks, your kitten will require it’s first Inoculation. FFF will advise authority at the vet for this. 

Foster Environment Requirements

Foster kittens will require their own quiet room. The room should be well ventilated and offer areas for play, soft, hideaway areas for sleep and, of course, toilet facilities. Plenty of fresh water is essential. Depending on the age of the kitten on arrival, escape routes should be carefully sealed.

Domestic cats seldom enjoy having new kittens in ‘their’ home. Don’t be surprised if your old favorite feline becomes disgruntled, ignores you, leaves home for long periods or offers mean swipes at the little one. 

Most older cats adapt over a few days to the newbie in the home. Within a week or two, the older cat may forget his/her age and begin playing with the kitten and take great pride in teaching the new his old tricks and may even present with a hunting prize to show his cat-skills.

Few kittens actually enjoy small children. Children must be taught to handle kittens with gentle respect and learn to ‘back off’ if the kitten is clearly not enjoying the interaction.

Kitten Toys are you best friend! Kittens like to play – CONSTANTLY! Unless you have other kittens that can play, YOU will be the main focus of attention. A kitten toy that can entertain without your interaction will save your sanity.

Dogs and Other Pets

Use careful discretion. Animals have their own characters and personalities. Some characters naturally enjoy each other. Other personalities will NEVER gel. Introduce animals carefully with particularly attention to the reaction from the animal with the larger teeth?

You will quickly learn the character of your new kitten. Some will be happy go-lucky extroverts. Others will be wild for a great length of time. Some are plain naughty! Some kittens are naturally more docile, some timid, others will maintain their fierce independence always. Some like to snuggle from the get-go, others will treat you with distant disdain until they are ready for a massaging rub. Based on your experience of each kitten, you will be able to advise the best human ‘match’ for your little joy.

Kitten Supplies

The FFF does it’s best to supply all required materials and feed for your foster needs.a

Fill your Home and Heart with One (or Two?)

Spring and Summer is a joyful time for nature. For FFF, it is a time of stress and pressure as we desperately find the perfect happy home for our so very many abandoned kittens! 

What FFF Offers Kitten Owners

Our fleet of ‘Kitty Angel’ foster mothers ensure all kittens are happily socialized into a domestic setting. Kittens are fully weened and expert litter-box users.

Kittens are all given a medical once-over by our FFF vets to assure they are healthy and without any form of infectious disease. Kittens are de-wormed and Front-lined sprayed for ticks and fleas.

Special Adoption Rate for Necessary Vet Visits – R 700

The FFF has negotiated a special adoption rate at Aloe Veterinary Clinic at Ballito Junction Centre (Pick n Pay) to cover all prerequisite vet visits:

• Preliminary Medical visit and de-worming
• Inoculation at 8 Weeks
• Inoculation at 12 Weeks
• Spay/ Neutering at 5 months old
• R 85 worth of introductory Kitten Gear 

This would normally cost in the region of R 1650. A kitten adopted through the FFF will receive all this for just R 700.