Adding to the problem, veterinarian clinics are sparse and locals do not have the transportation or the money to take their cats to the vet in South Africa . This means fewer pets are sterilized; which increases the probability of domestic cats breeding with the AWCs. We saw this first hand while in South Africa, for we spotted stray and feral cats in several of the cities on the outskirts of game reserves we traveled to, and those who were being “cared for” we were told were NOT being sterilized. It was clearly evident that interbreeding between Wildcats and stray/feral cats is easily occurring and the need for TNR is critical for both cats.

Therefore, ACR is taking action to save this majestic animal…and we need your help! We plan to implement TNR programs in the areas surrounding game reserves in South Africa , where genetically pure Wildcats still exist, to begin the control of the feral cat population. We met with the Onderstepoort Veterinary School , and they are interested in establishing a mobile vet clinic; they want to offer their students more off-camps courses.

This would provide the vet students a chance to work along side certified veterinarians to spay and neuter feral cats. Not only would feral cats and African Wildcats benefit from such work, but so would the future veterinarians of South Africa ! We also met with other protection organizations, who are interested in assisting our project, and hopefully ACR will encourage more studies of the African Wildcat and a heightened interest in saving our domestic cat's ancestor.

But we cannot do this alone…we need our members' support to see this project through. Many funds are needed to maintain a mobile vet clinic (truck/van), plus, we need veterinary medical supplies, humane traps, and funds to cover transportation expenses. Again, we are asking our members to please help us with this desperately-needed effort to save the African Wildcat, while there is still time. You can help by donating online, downloading our donation form and mailing it to our PO Box, calling us to provide credit card information, or by

emailing us at africanwildcat@saveacat.org. Every little bit helps in the race against time for our cat's ancestor!

UPDATE:  Thanks to funding from the Endangered Wildlife Trust, SAN Parks, DWNP Botswana and other foundations, a study on the African Wildcat in the southern Kalahari, which focuses on conservation genetics, behavioral ecology, and sociality and social evolution in the ancestor of the domestic cat, was made possible. According to the study which began in 2005, “In spite of its wide range and popular profile no field study on the African wildcat has been published and there is a great paucity of knowledge on the ecology and behaviour of the species. There is a need to understand its basic biology, both from the conservation and scientific viewpoints…A recent study in southern Africa found that the African wildcat and the domestic cat are indeed genetically distinct…This enhances the conservation status of the African wildcat and emphasises the need to keep the two species apart.”

(Photo Credit: Marna Herbst)

Upon completing her research in the Kalahari in 2010, ecologist Marna Herbst spoke with Alley Cat Rescue saying in an email that “all the cats from my study site inside the park were pure wild cats and the AWC and the domestic cats were definitely two separate entities. However, on the border of the park a semi tame AWC mother had three kittens…and those…were all three hybrids.” Ms. Herbst goes on to explain that, “I think it is important especially on the borders of parks and nature reserves where local communities do have pet cats but not the means to take them to a vet that hybridization can occur and that is the areas we should focus on.” Ms. Herbst concludes in her research paper that “…hybridisation is not frequent in the southern Kalahari. Themain threats such as persecution, accidental road killings, habitat loss

and fragmentation still persists for the African wild cat in southern Africa. Habitat modification and animal translocation will increase the rate of hybridisation and introgression. The fact that evidence of admixed individuals is already present raises the conservation concerns for the protection of wild cats in southern Africa.”

Ms. Herbst is now assisting Dr. Llewellyn Foxcroft, known for his expertise with alien plants, in gathering genetic samples from AWCs living in Kruger National Park. The main objective of this project is to clarify the current genetic status of the African wild cat population in terms of its hybridisation with feral domestic cats and to identify focal areas for efficient conservation management strategies. Marna mentions that gathering genetic samples of pet cats in nearby communities would help determine where hybridization is occurring and that genetic testing of AWCs should also be conducted in all national parks in South Africa.;

In December of 2010, ACR President and Founder, Louise Holton, visited South Africa to check up on what progress is being made to help the African Wildcat (and local feral cats). She spent several nights on the Pilanesberg Game Reserve, where AWCs have been seen taking residence. Unfortunately, Louise did not get a glimpse of any Wildcats while she was there, but she was greeted by none other than a feral cat. Rangers say that feral cats have taken up residence in two camps on the reserve and their populations are growing. This reality only proves that TNR programs are desperately needed to prevent hybridization.

The good news is that Louise also visited nearby Sun City (the Las Vegas of South Africa) and met with staff members who have been (along with faculty from the University of Pretoria) TNRing the feral cats who live on the resort’s property. She was thrilled to see that a portion of the resort’s horse stables have been converted into a sterilization clinic and that posters hang throughout the resort to educate visitors on the importance of spay/neuter and properly caring for community cats.

After hearing that almost all of the Sun City feral cats have been TNRed, Louise sprung into action, putting the Sun City staff in contact with the managers at Pilanesberg Reserve. Together, Sun City and Pilanesberg Game Reserve are now devising a plan to sterilize the feral cats living on the reserve! Again, sterilizing feral cats on game reserves not only protects AWCs from hybridization, but it also improves the lives of the feral cats and offers a humane, nonlethal solution for managing their populations.

To ensure the feral cats living on Pilanesberg are TNRed and the African Wildcats are protected from extinction, Alley Cat Rescue has provided financial assistance towards this project. We know every little bit helps and we will continue to support those who are working to save our cat’s ancestor; however, there is much more that needs to be done and we ask that you, too, please show your support before it’s too late!