Re-united with his owner

Ad spotted on Wightbay

Today Robin was re-united with his owners by pure fluke! Robin was reserved yesterday by a lovely couple and was all ready to go to his new home next week. It was lucky that we just happened to glance upon a Wightbay ad reporting a lost kitten. This kitten resembled Robin and also his collar description matched. 

Robin was brought into the centre as a stray, he was found wandering the car park at Tesco's in Ryde. He had a collar on but no micro-chip. We checked our lost cat records but nothing matched up. No one reported a cat of that description missing either. If it wasn't for the fact that we spotted this ad on Wightbay he would have been re-homed by now. 

The real message here is that if your cat goes missing please report it to us here at the centre. Also ring round the local vets, the RSPCA and other animal charities on the Island. You can also make up flyers and posters. This will prevent this situation from happening again. It also goes to show what a useful tool Wightbay can be. Although sometimes regrettably Wightbay is used for the wrong reasons. Ads selling animals are often found on this website.

The people that reserved him are now going to choose another cat. Robin whose real name turned out to the Bear has gone back to his owner tonight. They live in Cowes so it's anyone's guess as to how Bear got to Ryde in the first place. A happy ending at least. 

Gypsy

Big cuddly boy

Yesterday we had a gorgeous new cat come in called Gypsy. He is such a stocky, muscular, strong boy and he is also very adorable. Gypsy came into us as stray from Totland. He isn't neutered or micro-chipped but is very friendly. The poor lad was also riddled with fleas! 

This is a photo taken of him earlier. He is off to the vets on Wednesday to been neutered and blood tested for aids and leukaemia. So fingers crossed everyone!

We are sure that with a face as cute as his he will get a home very quickly. We have all fallen for his charms here, he is such a wonderful boy. We will update you all on how Gypsy gets on at the vets this week.

Puss in Boots

Carnival entry 2012

This year we have decided to plan ahead for the carnivals in the summer. We are hoping to be organised enough to be able to do quite a few carnivals on the Island.

Our entry this year will be Puss in Boots. All are welcome to join in and get involved. Whether you want to just help with costumes and props or if you would like to participate, all help is valued.

Our previous carnival entries have been a real success. In past years we have entered as Big Cat Diary, Garfield, The Pink Panther, The Cat in the Hat and Alice in Wonderland. 

We are having a carnival meeting on Tuesday 7th February at the High Park Tavern, Ryde at 8pm. If you are interested in getting involved please contact us here at the centre on 01983 562609, thank you.

Captain and Poppy

Looking for love

Regular followers of the blog will remember Captain and Poppy. We made this gentle pair our new resident cats a few weeks ago. At first things seemed to be running smoothly and Captain settled in so well. It was Poppy that seemed unsure about her new surroundings.

One day we came in to find that Poppy was not there. We searched high and low for her but we couldn't find her anywhere. So we made poster and flyers in the hope that someone might spot her. 

The following day we managed to get her back by pure luck. Jo the Deputy Manager was on her way home when the called out Poppy's name and got a response. She was behind a wall opposite the cattery. Jo and Emily climbed over the wall and found Poppy hiding in the back garden of someone's property. 

The decision was made a few days later that we were going to put them both up for adoption again. It really is the best thing for them. Poppy was not happy and she ran away , we are so lucky to have her back. Not all of the cats we make residents stay as residents. On this occasion unfortunately it just didn't work out for them. 

This week Jo and Emily went to Isle of Wight Radio in the hope that we could find them a home. IW radio DJ Heather McCallum fell in love with them. So far sadly we haven't had any response. If you know anyone who might like to adopt this gorgeous pair of cats please spread the word. They are gentle, loving lap cats who deserve to spend their last years happy in a new home.

Tiddles

On the road to recovery

Tiddles went to the vets last week to have a scan and x-ray and we found out that he had a condition called a Megacolon. Tiddles had been constipated for some time prior to his trip to the vets. He had also stopped eating completely so as you can imagine we were rather worried. We have him several enemas, shots of liquid paraffin and oily fish but nothing seemed to work. 

We were relieved to find out what was wrong with him. Megacolon is a condition in which the colon becomes abnormally dilated, enlarged and loses it's ability to contract. It is associated with constipation or obstipation. 

What are the symptoms of megacolon? 

• Crouching & straining for prolonged periods in the litter tray, with either no feces being passed or small, hard, dry stools
• Defecating outside the litter tray
• Lethargy
• Vomiting
• Depression
• Hunching over, due to discomfort
• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss 
• Abdominal pain  

Tiddles is now on a special diet of Applaws chicken with pumpkin. He also on lots of medication to stop him from being constipated again. This should hopefully for the time being make him happier. We are also brushing him daily to prevent fur balls. He seems much more like himself today and we hope he is now on the road to recovery. Get well soon Tiddles. 

Tia's family

Now two weeks old

Tia's kittens are now two weeks old, the time has flown by. Tia has been a brilliant mum and her three babies are growing up fast. They have now opened their eyes and more than doubled their size since birth.

This image was taken earlier of the happy family. As the kittens are now two weeks old we have started to socialise them. We will gradually introduce them to new experiences and get them used to human contact. This is very important because it will mean the kittens will be easier to home if they are friendly and sociable.

Doreen

An unusual case - not for the faint hearted!

On Tuesday afternoon we had a cat brought into the centre. Looking at the cat from the front you wouldn't have thought anything was wrong. Boy did we have a shock when we turned the poor thing round to check what sex the cat was.

We warn you this one is not for the faint hearted! At first we thought that the cat might have been giving birth. Then once we figured out she definitely wasn't giving birth we thought it could be a rectal prolapse.

Mel and Jo took the cat to the vets straight away. After examination by the vet we were told that the cat had a prolapsed rectum. The vets stitched her back together again - ouch! We have named her Doreen and she is doing very well after her ordeal.

Doreen is having medication and lots of TLC. Soon she will go up for re-homing once she is fully recovered. We will keep you updated on her progress.

Tosca

Dreadful flea allergy

A few weeks ago a lovely cat named Tosca came into our care. At a glance you would have thought that she was elderly but in fact she turned out to be only a few years old. The poor girl had a horrendous flea allergy which obviously caused her much discomfort. She was seen by our vet and prescribed medication and of course lots of TLC! 

After a few weeks she is started to look a lot better. We are brushing her daily with a soft brush to stimulate the re-growth of her lost hair around her tail. Due to the extent of her flea allergy she had quite bad alopecia and lots of scabs and rough areas of skin. 

She is having Viacutan Plus capsules on her food daily. Viacutan Plus capsules are an essential fatty acid feed supplement with natural antioxidants for dogs and cats. Viacutan Plus improves the condition of the coat and skin as well as reducing problems such as dry skin, dry coat, hair loss, itching and scratching.

This really does go to show how important it is to use flea treatment on your cat. For effective flea removal treatments should be purchased at your vets.

Tosca is so friendly that we couldn't get her to stay still long enough for a decent photograph so these ones will have to do! We will try our luck again in the next few weeks. 

Blue

Boy has he grown!

Blue came back to the centre today for his 2nd vaccination and we couldn't believe how much he has grown. What a big grown up boy he now is. He is so inquisitive, cheeky and friendly. It was really lovely to see him again. 

This image was captured earlier of him chilling out in one of our operation cages! It was so wonderful to see you looking so well Blue. We do hope that we manage to catch your brothers/sisters soon.

Update on Blue

Sightings of what could be Blue's family

Blue the gorgeous stray kitten from Brading has settled in fantastically well in his new home. The family that adopted him were actually the people that brought him into the centre. They have been in contact with our manager Mel and has said that they have seen sightings of what could be Blue's siblings. 

We have arranged to give them a humane trap to put in their garden to try and catch them. As they were born outside they have not been socialised, trying to grab hold of them would be impossible. So catching them in a trap is the only option, we lure them in with tasty food. It works most of the time! 

We will keep you updated on this story. It will be interesting to see if we do catch any of Blue's siblings or maybe even his mum!

Tia's kittens

Fast asleep

Earlier we captured this adorable image of Tia's tiny kittens. The kittens are now almost a week old. Mum is taking very good care of them and spends the majority of her time nursing them. Tia seems so happy and content. 

Before we know it the kittens will be all grown up so capturing moments like this is so very special. 

We have already managed to determine the gender of the kittens, two males and a female. We will continue to chart their progress week by week on the blog. It will be very interesting to see how they change and develop as every week goes by. By the time they reach 9 weeks old they will look so different and much more like a cat!

Walking on hot coals for cats

Do you dare to care for cats?

Cats Protection Isle of Wight Adoption Centre are asking cat lovers whether they will dare to care for cats? We are hoping to get as many people on board for a firewalk in aid of the cats in our care. The firewalk will hopefully be held here at the centre this year.

So don't be a wuss and help a puss! We need at least 30 participants for the firewalk to take place.

For more information about the firewalk and if you are interested in getting involved please contact the centre on 01983 562609. All are welcome to join in and help raise some cash for the kitties!

Press release - Blue Monday

Purring the blues away

According to Cats Protection’s Isle of Wight Adoption Centre, purr therapy is the answer to ease the stress of Blue Monday (16 January) – dubbed the most depressing day of the year.

A cat’s purr is widely recognised as having therapeutic benefits for humans and therefore could help combat the inevitable January gloom, brought on by cold weather, unpaid Christmas bills and failed New Year resolutions.

Furthermore, the charity says that curling up with a feline friend is even known to lower blood pressure so cats really could be the purr-fect remedy for New Year blues.

“Sitting with a relaxed purring cat at the end of a hectic day is a soothing massage for the soul,” said Mel Read Manager. “Perhaps this is because the reassuring hum is generally associated with calmness and gentle communication, or perhaps it is because the frequency of the vibration is in the range that can stimulate healing.”

Cats Protection’s recommendation is backed up by research conducted in conjunction with the Mental Health Foundation which showed that owning a cat can help lift the spirits.

The survey found that 87% of people who owned a cat felt it had a positive impact on their well-being, while 76% said they could cope with everyday life much better thanks to the company of their feline friends. Half of the cat owners felt that their cat’s presence and companionship was most helpful, followed by a third of respondents describing stroking a cat as a calming and helpful activity.

“These findings tell us what cat lovers have known for years – cats are not just great company but they can also be very good for you,” said Mel Read. “We have so many cats and kittens in our care that desperately need new homes and could help chase away the Monday blues.”

To offer a cat a home, please call the Isle of Wight Adoption Centre on 01983 562609 or visit www.isleofwight.cats.org.uk for more information, thank you. 

New arrivals

Tia and her family

Tia our expectant mum gave birth to three adorable kittens last night. Mum and babies are all doing very well and Tia is feeling relieved and very proud. Her kittens are all different colours, she has a grey tabby, a black and a dark tortie.

The kittens will stay with mum until they are nine weeks old. During this time they will grow rapidly, be weaned onto kitten food and become independent from mum. The kittens will also start to be socialised after they reach two weeks old. 

We will continue to keep you all updated on how Tia and her family are doing. It is so unusual to have our first litter of kittens of the year in January! Kitten season has been ongoing this year, this really highlights the growing unwanted cat population on the island. We are urging people to get their cats neutered to help with the problem. We provide an assisted neutering scheme for people on a low income or benefits. We are doing all we can to help, we know that money is tight for many people at present. 

For more information about the benefits of neutering your cat please visit our website. For more information about our assisted neutering scheme please contact us here at the centre on 01983 562609, thank you.

Taurine

Essential ingredient of a cats diet

Taurine in cats is absolutely critical, and if you feed your cat a homemade diet, it must be supplemented by one of the various forms available. For cats that are feed commercial foods, it is also something that every owner should consider supplementing simply because the cooking process can destroy over half all of its value. 

This nutrient is so critical, that a deficiency of it can cause circulation problems as well as cell death in your cats system, as well as low fertility rates and fetal re-absorptions. It can also lead to growth diseases in kittens that do survive the birth process.

What is it?

Taurine is a beta-amino acid that is synthesized in the liver from dietary sulphur containing amino acids, and than absorbed into your cats small intestines. Most all animals can manufacture taurine from other amino acids in their body if they suffer a deficiency, but this is where your cat becomes separated form most every other animal; they can not manufacture it.

It is critical for your cat as contrary to classical amino acids that are included in the very complex proteins, it stays in a free form. Your cat has several tissues that are very rich in taurine and they include the muscles of their heart, the central nervous system, as well as the retina of their eyes. However, perhaps its most important function in your cat is with their biliary salts.

Taurine in cats is also critical in the formation of biliary salts that are essential for the proper digestion of fats in their small intestine. Other animals simply utilize other acids in this critical process if taurine levels become deficient, but for some reason your cats system can not perform this function. Because of this, your cat relies on a dietary intake of taurine and is believed to be one of the major reasons, if not the major reason, that cats must have animal products to survive, as it is not found at all in vegetables.

Your cats eyes:

Taurine in cats also plays several other very important roles in your pet starting with their vision. The retina of your cats eye, which is the membrane that covers the eye and forms pictures, has about 300 times the amount of taurine as compared to what is found in the blood. Simply put, if your cat does not receive enough taurine in their diet, it kills their eyes. It will gradually begin a process that will induce progressive degeneration of the retina, and within two years, your cat becomes totally blind.

By correcting the taurine deficiency it does stop this progression, but the lesions that it causes are not reversible and can still result in damage to your cats vision.

Cardiac functions:

Taurine in cats accounts for about fifty percent of the free amino acids that are found in cats cardiac muscles, and if it deficient, it will quickly lead to what is called cardiomyopathy. This can cause dilation on the left side of your cats heart, which plays a major role in the hearts over function. Dilation can lead to several heart problems and there have been several recent studies that have demonstrated that once the levels are returned back to normal, the dilation stops.

If your cats heart continues to be weak on the left side, it can not aerate the blood flow properly and will quickly lead to both circulation problems as well cell death in their heart.

Reproduction:

Taurine in cats also plays a very important role in your cats reproductive processes. Taurine deficiency can inflict several huge impacts on this process as it can cause a lack of fertility, abortions, as well as what is referred to as fetal re-absorption. However, it can also cause several different abnormalities in the litter as well as stunting the growth of kittens that do survive this process.

Nervous system:

Taurine is also critical for your cats overall nervous system as it is needed to maintain both the development as well of the integrity of this system. If it is not found in the diet or supplemented, it affects blood coagulation, immune reactions, as well as damaging your cats respiratory tissues.

What are the correct levels?

Taurine in cats can be supplied by the diet supplements. If you feed your cat dry food diets, they will require at least 1000 to 1200 mg/kg in their food. The term mg/kg simply implies milligrams per kilogram of food. If your cat has a canned diet, they will require a lot more taurine as they will need at least 2200 to 2500 mg/kg. Both types of commercial foods are cooked and processed, but dry forms hold taurine levels better than do moist or canned foods.

If you choose raw diets or homemade diets, you must supplement these diets with taurine. Pills and tablets are available, supplements are also available in chewable tablets and treats, and well as powder and liquid forms. The actual mg that you give your cat will depend on their body weight as well as their current taurine levels and should be left entirely to your veterinarian.

Summary:

Taurine in cats is very often overlooked in homemade diets which can have catastrophic affects on your cat. It is very easy and quite inexpensive to properly supplement this critical amino acid.
 

If you use conventional diets, you should still have the taurine levels tested as most processed foods can not meet your cats requirements and they can not produce it on their own. Cat food brands that are more expensive for example Hills Science Plan, Royal Canin and James Well-beloved are considered by most to be a better diet. They usually contain higher levels of meat. 

To keep your cat as healthy as possible a diet mixed with regular, posh brands, raw and cooked meats is probably best. It is quite impossible to know if your cat is definitely getting enough taurine. But a well rounded diet should do the trick. If you spot any of the signs of taurine deficiency contact your vet immediately. The next time you visit your veterinary surgery they can advice you on the best diet for your cat. 

Fun Quiz Night

Beat the winter blues

Cats Protection invites you to a fun Quiz Night on Saturday 18th February.

Place: High Park Tavern, Marlborough Road, Ryde

Time: 7.30 for 8pm start

£2 a head, all welcome

Adoptions

New year, new start, new cat?

Happy New Year everyone! We hope that 2012 will be a prosperous year for Cats Protection. Why not start the new year with a new cat? 

Here at the centre we have many cats needing a new start in life. We have something for everyone - indoor cats, family cats, companion cats, young and old cats. Some of our gorgeous felines have been waiting for too long to fall on their paws. To find out more the cats in our care and our adoption procedure please visit our website.

Surge in re-homing

Over the last few weeks we have successfully re-homed many cats and kittens. We have been overwhelmed by the amount the people coming through our doors. We wish that everyday was more like this. The lucky ones who are happy in homes are Ashley, Charlie and Molly. Also waiting to go to their new homes are Sally, Coco, Chip, Tara, Daisy and Belle.

You may also remember Blue from previous blog posts. He was re-homed back to the people that he came from. We have heard that he is doing very well. He is a very cheeky little character and likes to nip! A stark difference from the kitten he was a few weeks ago. He is no longer frightened, he is now very confident.

We will continue to keep you updated on our homing success. We hope this surge continues this new year. We already have two pregnant cats at the centre. Unheard of for this time of year, so we need your help more than ever to find home for all these needy felines!