Styrian strays

40 cats rescued: Condition “catastrophic”

This is one of the poor stray cats that was rescued from a farm in the Weiz region.(Bild: Arche Noah)

It is thanks to attentive hikers that 40 completely neglected cats were recently put out of their misery. In a joint operation with Noah's Ark, the official vet did not hesitate for a second to help the poor animals.  

"We recently received an urgent call for help from the Weiz region. Concerned hikers noticed an ever-growing pack of stray cats near a farm or vacation home," reports Katharina Gründl from the active animal welfare organization Arche Noah.

The official vet in Weiz, Melina Maurer, found the reported animals to be in a "catastrophic condition". "Many were emaciated and seriously ill," says Gründl. Particularly tragic: some cats had already lost an eye or even both eyes. "This can occur due to feline enteritis, if the disease is not treated, and inbreeding. The animals must have been in terrible pain," says the expert.

Good places wanted for young cats
While some animals were able to return to their usual feeding place after the necessary medical treatment and castration, the weakest and youngest animals still need intensive care. "The kittens in particular cannot survive on the streets - we are now looking for loving places for them as soon as they are strong enough," says Gründl, hoping for support from the public.

The animal rights activists once again point out how important mandatory neutering would be: "This is the only way we can curb the suffering of stray cats."

Your help counts! The medical care of the rescued cats means enormous costs - the animal welfare organization is dependent on donations. Recipient: Aktiver Tierschutz Austria, IBAN AT71 3800 0000 0513 5025, BIC RZSTAT2G, reason for payment: PA Katzenleid