Page 36 - FWG December Issue 2025

Animals Matter

THE STORY OF SALTA, OUR CLUBHOUSE CAT

hilst walking around the Phase
2 waterway, I’m sure you have
come across the grey and
Wwhite cat that socialises with
residents. Over the years, he has frequently
and affectionately been referred to as the
“Clubhouse Cat”. To many of the residents,
he has unknowingly become our clubhouse
mascot and has notably been the subject
of comments and discussions on the FWG
Facebook neighbourhood page.

Whilst some with allergies like to see him
from afar, most stop to give him a quick hello
rub on their way past. mother. She picked him up, placed him in a area and discovered a retirement village
box and put him in the staff room. The kitten where he trained a few elderly residents
Good-hearted people in the estate screamed so loudly that her colleagues asked to provide him with tuna. To get to these
often assumed that he had either been her to take him home. Salta got into her car warm-hearted people, he had to cross a
abandoned, was lost or had become a stray and travelled about 40km to his new home in busy road, scale an electric fence and fend
surviving on scraps. He even managed to Dainfern. His desensitisation with cars began off the other cats. Not an adventure for
garner a support group where residents (which explains why he is so comfortable the faint-hearted. Salta became so adept
offered to buy cat food, contribute towards in and around them). After a thorough vet at these manoeuvres that the manager of
vet bills, and once renamed him “Ella” and check, it was established that he was only two the retirement village eventually issued an
provided a bowl to the clubhouse with the weeks old. He needed to be hand-reared and ultimatum: either stop him from coming, or
new name on it. The “Clubhouse Cat” had bottle-fed, which is a very onerous job. he will find himself at the SPCA. To resolve
even trained a few waiters to provide him the issue, it was agreed that Salta move
with food and water. The humorous quote As Ciara and her husband Gerhard had permanently back to Gary and Mechelle’s
comes to mind: “Dogs have masters, cats busy schedules, it was agreed that Gary and home in Phase 2. To say he couldn’t believe
have staff”. Mechelle would look after Salta during the his luck was an understatement! Loads of
week in Fourways Gardens, then return to space, walks, birds, gardens, trees, lizards –
After tracking down his owners, Gary and Ciara’s house in Dainfern on the weekends. what a perfect environment for an up-and-
Mechelle Theodosiou, who reside in Phase 2, Salta was exposed to dogs in both homes coming confident cat.
here is the story of Salta, the “Clubhouse Cat”. and was fed and exposed to different
people. He underwent frequent trips in the Salta’s interaction with people and children
One day, in 2021, at Sterkfontein Hospital, car, and from a very young age, his journey is quite remarkable. I’ve seen how he
Gary and Mechelle’s daughter, Ciara, a doctor to becoming a confident cat began. positions himself on the bridge to greet
working there at the time, spotted what people. I’ve noticed him walk casually
she thought was a mouse. After further When he was 6 months old, Ciara and amongst boisterous crowds at the Beer
investigation, she realised it was a small Gerhard moved to a complex near Fourways Fest and Halloween Party and nonchalantly
kitten, eyes still closed and separated from his Life Hospital. Salta decided to explore the groom himself amid loud cheers during

Fourways Gardens • 34 • December 2025