Ruby (left) and Athena
Submitted by Kitty Care Durban
Photography by Nikki Inman-Bamber
When Kitty Care Durban NPO was contacted about two “Persian” kittens who’d supposedly been “found in a field”, something didn’t sit right with us. In seven years of rescue, we’ve never seen Persian-cross kittens simply appear in long grass. These aren’t the kind of kittens that are typically born feral or survive long in the wild. They’re a deliberately bred, high-maintenance breed.
But, at the time, the story didn’t matter. Their condition did.
Dangerously underdeveloped
When Ruby and Athena arrived, we were deeply concerned. A 13-week-old kitten should weigh around 1.3kg. Ruby was just over 800g, while Athena weighed only 393g. That isn’t just “small”. It’s dangerously underdeveloped for that age. Athena felt more like a fragile three-week-old kitten than a three-month-old. She was weak, tiny, and clearly struggling. These babies were malnourished and suffered with secondary bacterial and skin infections.
The following weeks were exhausting and frightening.
Many nights their foster went to bed wondering whether Athena would make it through until morning. There were subcutaneous fluids, tiny frequent feeds, medicated baths, and multiple vet visits. Every day was focused on stabilising them and helping their bodies catch up.
Suspicious circumstances
Recently, some additional pieces of information surfaced that suggest Ruby and Athena come from a breeder situation rather than being “found”.
In rescue, we know that people sometimes feel embarrassed or afraid to tell the full story when animals come from breeding situations. Sometimes people worry they’ll be judged or blamed. But the truth is, we’d always rather know the real story.
Knowing where kittens come from helps us understand their health risks, their genetic background, and what medical care they might need. Honesty allows us to help them faster and more effectively.
What this situation really highlights is a much bigger issue: backyard breeding. Gumtree and Junkmail adverts and an Instagram account alerted us of the bigger issue of breeding happening here.
Breeding cats responsibly requires knowledge, experience, proper veterinary care, and careful genetic planning. Breeds like Persians are particularly complex. They’re prone to several health conditions, including cardiomyopathy, respiratory problems, skin infections, and other genetic issues that responsible breeders actively screen for.
Without that knowledge and preparation, breeding can quickly lead to animals suffering when something goes wrong.
And their story is an important reminder.
If you’re considering buying a pedigree kitten, please take the time to research carefully. Ask questions. Verify breeder registrations. Ask about health testing and veterinary care. Meet the parents if possible.
Responsible breeders are transparent and proud to show how their animals are raised.
The Durban SPCA did a welfare check and everything seemed to be okay at the premises where these kittens were kept and follow-up visits will be done by the SPCA to ensure this isn’t an ongoing situation.
Stronger by the day
Ruby and Athena were placed in separate foster homes to better support their individual needs.
Ruby has truly blossomed into a beautiful, thriving cat, and her foster, Colleen Whittonas, has since adopted her. To ensure we have a complete picture of her long-term health, she still requires an echocardiogram and blood panel. She’s integrated wonderfully into Colleen’s home and lives happily alongside several other cats.
Athena remains in foster care with Nikki Inman-Bamber and still requires extensive medical testing. To support her and her sister’s ongoing care, we’ve launched a BackaBuddy campaign.
Both girls have overcome incredibly challenging beginnings, and we’d love for their story to celebrate not only how far they’ve come, but also the ongoing care they still need.
We also hope that by sharing their story we can help highlight the realities and consequences of irresponsible breeding, as well as showcase the life-changing work done by rescuers and foster networks.
Colleen Whitton, Ruby’s Mommy, shares...
When Ruby came to me, Nikki had already done wonders with getting her weight up quite a bit in just a matter of days.
Although she was still underweight for her age and battling with health and challenging skin issues, her personality and love for life shone through. We couldn’t help falling in love with her.
She’s since been on medical treatment and, with the proper food and care, this has led to a huge improvement in her skin condition, and her weight is now what’s expected according to her age.
The next challenge is having her sterilised, which milestone is actually upon us, as even with her still being a kitten, she can unfortunately come into season any time now. We’ll be taking every care that her health and heart are up to the surgery before that can be considered.
Ruby is much loved by all of us, her human and new feline family, and she’s fitted in so well – it’s as if our lives without her never happened.
Nikki Inman-Bamber, Athena’s Foster Mommy, shares...
Athena has overcome more than most little ones ever should. There was a time I truly didn’t think she’d make it.
But this tiny fighter had other plans. Day by day, she held on… and slowly, she began to bloom. About a week into her care, she did something that felt nothing short of a miracle – she played. Such a small moment to some, but for us, it was everything. It was hope. It was life. It was Athena choosing to keep going.
She’s grown into the most beautiful little soul, and I find myself grateful for her every single day – for her strength, her resilience, and her incredible will to live.
We’re also so thankful to our amazing vet, Snip Veterinary Clinic in Waterfall – especially Dr Glynis Joubert – for the care and support they’ve given Athena on this journey.
Her path isn’t over yet. She still has good days and harder ones, and until we’re able to complete the necessary tests, we won’t fully know what her future health will look like. But what we do know is this – Athena is a fighter, and she’s already beaten so many odds.
And for now, that’s more than enough.
