Magda is godsent mom to 89 cats
EVERY town has one, and in Nelson Mandela Bay, Sydenham resident Magda Spamer holds the title of the city’s very own spinster "cat lady”.
Spamer, 42, currently looks after 89 cats in her humble home and has in the past cared for as many as 125.
She has been caring for cats since she was 17 years old when her brother Gert Spamer, gave her her first cat.
"I have always loved cats. There’s just something special about them.
"I start working at 5am and my day is mostly spent cleaning and feeding, making sure the environment is clean. I end up finishing at about 4pm.”
Spamer said she earned a small income from dog-sitting, and was fortunate to have inherited her home.
"What is most challenging for me is getting enough food for the cats.
"Paying for the food myself is not a joke. It’s tough, but I get support form the Animal Anti-Cruelty League (AACL). They also provide any medical help that is needed for the cats.
"The Animal Anti-Cruelty League is busy raising funds for a new washing machine.
I am currently washing all the animals’ blankets in the bath. But I’m not complaining, those are all materialistic things.
Something that breathes is what I care for, dedicate my life to. I would rather go to sleep hungry before any animal in my care does.”
"People just leave their cats on my front porch and drive off. I try to help as many of them as I can, but it is impossible for me to keep them all.
"I have only ever bought two cats in my entire life, and it was to save them since they were the last left of a batch in a pet store,” she said. "I decided to name the one 80 Bucks, because that’s what I paid for him.
"People from all over adopt cats through me – places like Cape Town, Johannesburg, East London and Jeffery’s Bay.”
She said the ages of the cats in her care ranked from three and a half weeks to 18 years.
"I am planning on building a cattery. This will give the cats the freedom of roaming around outside. I was sponsored the necessary materials to complete the project.”
Animal Anti-Cruelty League spokesman Linda Louise Swain said: ”I think Magda is a godsend, she is still young and she dedicates her entire life to this cause.
"When I started at AACL in 2007 Magda was already on board. She is such a selfless person.
"She has gone beyond herself and is even taking care of a few dogs at the moment.
"We try to help her where we can. We are busy raising funds for a new washing machine to make her life a little bit easier.
"We try and provide any medical care that the cats might need. We also help her with finances to feed them all.”
This
is a version of an article that appeared in the print edition of the Weekend
Post on Saturday, February 23, 2013.