Rescue cat becomes foster parent

A once-emaciated ginger kitten rescued from the side of a road in Retreat has not only found a loving home in Fish Hoek — he’s also taken on the role of assistant foster parent to dozens of kittens.

- OWN CORRESPONDENT

The cat, now known as William, or affectionately, ‘Uncle William’, was discovered by a team of workmen laying fibre cables in May last year.

They spotted the frail kitten lying motionless on the verge and contacted Tears Animal Rescue in Sunnydale, who responded immediately.

William was taken in and cared for by the team at Tears, including operations manager Mandy Store, who nursed him back to health.

He was severely underweight and needed round-the-clock attention.

“It was touch and go in those early days,” said Fish Hoek resident Catherine van der Linden, who later became his foster mum.

“He was tiny and weak, but the staff at Tears provided him with everything he needed: food, medication, and love.”

As William recovered, he was diagnosed with Cerebellar Hypoplasia (CH), often called wobbly cat syndrome — a neurological condition that affects balance and coordination.