A warm, floof, welcome!

Since you are reading this newsletter, then we are connected through our love of these magnificent cats, for that reason, we consider you part of our tribe, & we are grateful to have you in our lives.
The Earthman Owen

Owen says “I do love the Persians, as they can communicate with me and they own me.
For example, Nushka owns my t shirts, West owns my shoes, and Brave Heart owns my heart.”

One of the questions I’m most often asked, is “How did you find Owen?”

I always smile...


My reply is, “he was sent here, from above. I say that because it’s one of those things you just can’t explain and so much of Persian Cat Rescue Durban, has been built that way. Often I look up, pinch myself, as I observe the journey.

For 7 years I worked on my own, but, we kept growing and to groom that many cats was backbreaking and I was struggling.

One day, I felt absolutely overwhelmed with the sheer no of Persians I had to groom. Floof fur seemed to multiply at a rate that was incomprehensible. If you know me, you will know I'm a builder, I love to build & create new things & to bring beauty wherever possible, and at the time, I was busy with some building work on the sanctuary, in the middle of the garden section, where we were working, was a massive tree trunk with billions of roots sunk so deep into the earth, it appeared it would take a miracle to dig down & remove it. I looked at my builder & said, do you know anybody who would be prepared to take this on. He replied to me, “It’s going to need somebody hardworking & somebody very strong”. “Do you know anybody; I also need to be able to trust them”. I will bring a man that is hardworking & strong & you can trust him.
The next day, the hardworking & strong man arrived. He was a humble, hardworking & strong man, who got to work at once. He had such a lovely way about him. Once he was finished the job, I began speaking to him, he was unemployed & looking for a permanent position. Unexpectedly I heard myself say “do you want to work for me tomorrow? He was grateful & more than happy to do so, & told me, he didn’t mind any kind of work.

“Do you like animals, I asked. “Oh Yes, he replied, I come from an agricultural, farming background. I know how to look after livestock & the land. I know how to do husbandry. That work connected deep within me, for the meaning and definition of husbandry is, the care and cultivation of the land and animals. How funny that the heavens looked down and chose him to dig up the humongous tree. I looked down at the complex root structure, gnarled roots were knitted and interwoven tightly together, and it made me think how we are all connected, when at the root we share the same values and we are connected by different, yet similar journeys.

The next day, we bathed many, many Persians together. He spoke to them, held them in a way that fascinated me. He had a way with animals for sure, and with them. As I trained him, he caught on so fast, it was a magical thing to recognise he had exactly what it takes to be able to work with us. Not just anyone can work with Persian cats, but he was a natural, & I believe there’s only so much training you can do, but at the core of it, its something you are born with. Even our toughest ones, took to him. I was amazed at how the weight of work lifted off my shoulders as we achieved way more than I ever thought or imagined we could. “Could you work tomorrow?” I asked, my aching, overworked, tired back, willed him to agree, he smiled I would absolutely love to he replied.
And the rest, of course, is history.

Life Behind The Scenes – The Silent Work

I am always broken hearted by goodbyes. Like some of you, I just want everyone and every pet to live forever. Some of us love hard and we don’t believe in holding back, what point is there in living half-heartedly? However, we certainly can’t stop our beloved floofs from leaving us, when it’s their time, but we can be present even when it hurts and even when it’s hard. Years ago, I was working with a white Persian cat & her owner. At the Vet consult, I had to let go one of our beloved Persians go, I would never have let this owner come with me, had I known what we were facing. I gulped back the tears & gently, I held my rescue boy, kissed him, and stroked him, I spoke gently to him, telling him how much I loved him, as he gently crossed the rainbow bridge. Many years have passed, but recently, this Persian owner contacted me to let me know that this white Persian had too crossed the rainbow bridge. She told me, no one had shown or taught her on how to let a loved pet go. I did not tell her either, she was simply present with me in a moment when I had to let our rescue boy go.
Sometimes we need to let people be with us in the hard uncomfortable painful times, because how we handle those times, speaks volumes into their lives, often when we are completely unaware.
I do remember her comforting me on the drive all the way home as the tears would not stop, or do as they were told, it is never just about us helping others, every encounter with every person will bring something into our lives, so long as we remain humble & teachable, we & they, will gain something. Most of what is learned is caught, not taught. There is always silent work, going on in all of our lives.

Big Axel Little Axel Imagine the delight, excitement & joy, when big human man, Axel, came to visit his cat in our boarding cattery, and he met, baby floof, our Axel.

In case you missed this story, Axel saw our MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet, sign on our wall. He looked at it, with certainty in an Axel kind of way & said “ I will contact Woolworths first thing, & change my beneficiary, to Persian Cat Rescue Durban. My children have long ago left the schools, we use to support, so why not, support 0ersian Cat Rescue Durban, especially since, little Axel, lives here.

When someone out of the blue, sees, recognises, & instantly, becomes aware of a need & a cause & immediately responds with, I will support you, & then actually follows through & does it, that is sheer gold. High fives, and many paws for big man Axel out there & to everyone who supports us & the work that we do.
Till Next Time, may September, be good to you & to us, journey with us, one paw at a time, as we tread lightly towards Spring & a brand new month.

Love Y’all
Persian Cat Rescue Durban.