Catalysts of change

Does the picture of finding hapless felines left in the lurch leave you feeling sick in your stomach? If yes, join the club — of these good Bengaluru Samaritans, who’ve conjured up a thoughtful concept titled the Bangalore Cat Squad. The idea kick-started back in the year 2013. It entails introducing awareness, pet therapy, rescues and adoption of foster kittens and cats into the community, those whose lives are at risk,  and it has been garnering much talk only in the recent past. In a candid chat, we talk to the enterprising citizens who are spearheading the cause...

“We are a loosely knit bunch of relatively sane cat ladies and gents, and we support each other through difficult processes of rescuing, rehabilitating, treating and re-homing cats. We burn out and someone else steps forward while we heal. That’s why I’m part of this. It is a supportive, non-judgmental ecosystem, without egos and where the only priority is the well-being of the animal,” shares Huda Masood, a food entrepreneur. The 35-year-old, who has played an active part in spreading awareness, is a rescue pet owner herself. Fortunately for her, the idea was backed by several like-minded women. Believing how the age-old myth surrounding the sanctity of cats has led to a larger per cent of abandonment, Debadrita Ghosh Jadhav, who runs a rescue shelter, and a core volunteer, adds, “Unlike dogs, cats are not accepted by many households due to the myth that they are evil, however they are as loving as dogs. Cat adoption isn’t that popular still, so being a part of this group gives me an opportunity to create awareness about felines. And also educate common people about how spay and nurture helps in offering a home to these innocent beings.”  The squad, which is a voluntary and non-profitable initiative has conducted six adoption drives so far.

On the onus of making the cat’s well-being top priority, co-founder Sanjana Govindan Jayadev opines, “I have been rescuing dogs , cats and wildlife since I was a child. The cat that changed me, was a rescued little stray kitten I found in Singapore 10 years ago. I brought him back to India and he lives with my parents in Mumbai. Learning to be a cat parent was unfamiliar territory, as I was so used to dogs. Quickly, I discovered what enchanting companions they make. Fast forward 10 years, and today I take great satisfaction in doing my bit for stray cats. One of our team members, Vijaya, rescued a blind kitten. It was in such a sad state, but with adequate love and care, he’s gotten better over time. The feeling of having given a helpless animal a new lease of life is the driving force. It’s only when people are taught that focusing on the well-being of a cat is most important will things change.”

Signing off by stating how the need to pool in more finance is the way to keep going, Huda concludes, “Our primary challenges are: Money, as it is expensive to spay and neuter cats. Not a lot of people realise it’s costly to treat cats and feed them. Also, cats elicit lesser fundraising than dogs because of lower awareness. So aside of manpower, we need people who will monetarily back us and see this as a shared responsibility!”