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TUFCAT is essentially a feral cat organisation based on UWC campus in Bellville, Cape Town.

Although our immediate goal and primary function is to continue controlling population numbers and provide care for the 138 feral cats resident on UWC campus, we also have a ‘Home for Life’ sanctuary with 122 feral, unadoptable and unwanted cats, and 21 dogs.

In May 2021, we relocated to a smallholding in Grabouw, which is now our permanent home. It is a lovely 6ha property which the cats are absolutely loving but with it comes new challenges....

We have taken many unexpected car rides to the local vet... the property was over run by Yellow jacket wasps which we think was the cause. Many of the cats presented with red swollen areas that then formed a abscess.

Each trip costs around R800, consult, meds and petrol.

We have worked very hard to remove all these wasps and hope this is now the end of the growing vet bill.

Being in this situation makes us very uneasy and usually this wouldn't cause us to worry but with Covid and everything that has happened in the last year we don't have any savings left, we have chosen to keep our 3 staff members throughout this pandemic. Not a easy decision but we love our staff and what they bring to the table is what keeps us going daily.

The vet bill which we try our utmost best to keep on the low has crept up to R20 000 and we could really do with some help to squash it back down to a realistic amount.

We're not asking for a lot as we are all struggling at the moment and we understand that each one of us has something or someone extra that we're taking care of, if you could spare just R50 we'd be so very thankful.

• We will as the money is raised post details and info as we pay the bill off, for those wanting more info please don't hesitate to contact us or Villiersdorp Veterinary Clinic.