Snowy Needs a Chance

Snowy

Imagine being all alone, frightened with no food or shelter and pregnant. This was how Snowy found herself at the end of last year. Who had scared this poor little cat so much she was scared of her own shadow? Terrified of people but knowing if she was to survive and provide for her soon to be born kittens she had to find food.

Taking refuge under a shed in a garden in Newport Snowy began to appear scavenging for scraps. Luckily a kind lady put out food for her not realising that soon she would be feeding more than just Snowy.

At the beginning of January Snowy had her kittens. We only know of two kittens but there could have been more that did not survive the cold weather. In early February CP got the call that kittens had been seen in the garden and could we help. People saw a kitten dart out from under the shed and they were worried that their dogs may hurt them. They loaned a humane trap from CP and caught them for us.

No-one knows the true story to why Snowy was homeless on the streets but she is not feral and so she must have had a harrowing experience which made her so mistrustful of people.

A few months on and Snowy is showing a little improvement and has the company of her tortie kitten “Crystal” but it is a very slow process. It didn’t help that she had to have her vaccinations and spay which set back any progress we might have had. Necessary but to a frightened cat a nerve racking time. The kitten is a bit braver than Snowy and will have a play chasing the string. Snowy quietly watches, sometimes shaking although she wants to see what is happening. We’re hoping that the interaction with Crystal will show Snowy that we have no intention of hurting her.

Volunteers and staff spend quiet time with this shy pair daily and we are looking for people who will show Snowy and Crystal love and patience to bring them on and offer them both a loving home.

Story of Tiddles

Tiddles- My Story



Me as a kitten.



My mum Tills was a beautiful 1 year old tabby girl who was found with me when I was only 9 weeks old. We had been strays living on the streets in Cowes. Some lovely people called up Cats Protection and asked if they could they help.

Well, mum and me were taken into the home on the 12th August 2004.
The lady in charge here is still racking her brains to work out why mum was then homed on separately without me. She says there must have been a reason at the time. Bless her, her memory doesn't work like it used to!



I was then rehomed to a lovely lady who worked at the local hospital and she really tried to keep hold of me trying her best to stop me tiddling around her house especially at night but sadly I didn’t stop. My human mum was very sad to have to take me back to the shelter but it was for the best intentions. So there we go and I was back again. It’s now 22nd February 2005 and there is an eureka moment. As I have grown they have noticed my night tiddling antics had a real reason. I have a birth defect which had not been noticed due to my longish fur. I was urinating through the middle part of my tummy drip,drip,drip!!!!

Young in the sun!

Well the staff at the home and their lovely vets got together to chat about what could be done to help me. Would you believe Mr. Richard Griffiths was able to perform a very delicate operation to connect up my water-work pipes? I was a very lucky boy with now a chance for a normal life. My recovery took a little time and luckily I became a very much loved member of the team at the Cats home.

 

My eye sight now that was another story...The boss lady is not sure who noticed first but luckily someone did. I think the giveaway was me bumping into things! I went to visit the lovely vet again, boy did he love cats, and then after more discussions it was suggested I was seen by the specialist eye man Mr. Ian Mason at the Riverbank hospital (Now Petdoc). The two bosses of the home came with me to reassure me not to be scared.



Helping with the filing!

They were both very fascinated chatting with Mr. Mason about my rare eye condition. The bosses decided not to tell me that Mr. Mason had advised this was the start of a downward slope for my eye sight. But they did decide where better for me to live where I knew best …the cats home.



Trying to hitch a ride in a visitor's buggy!!



Today I cope ok with my poor sight as Mr. Mason had said. I have shadows to follow and light still plays a major part in me getting around. And of course I AM A CAT! All my other senses have doubled up especially my smells when there is food around. If I’m in a mischievous mood especially in the summer I like to chase the staff around running towards their legs. It’s a great game as they try to out-run me. I know I am one of the lucky ones as I am a very much loved cat and will always have a home.

Can you believe in June I will be 9 years old, where has the time gone? To help the home I happily greet visitors, check out donated goods for my homeless feline friends along with other duties.

 So rest assured that this is my permanent home and everyone is welcome to come and visit me soon!!!

  

Tiddles in his box fort! No box is safe around Tiddyfee!



 



Spring 2013, playing in the snowdrops!

  


Official scratching post tester!

 



Opps?! It wasn't me!

 


Official Receptionist!



Official toy tester!



 

Treat quality control officer!



Tiddles Cat Modeling Portfolio pic!

Age is just a Number

Help us find homes for our older cats - Please...

I would like to ask all those people who think that any cat more than ten years old is too old to adopt to read this and think again.



Gentle boy Bicardi age 14yrs



abandoned Jessie - age 14yrs approx



Some years ago the average life expectancy for a pet cat was twelve to fourteen years. Today, thanks to advances in veterinary medicine and improved nutrition this has changed. Many cats reach their late teens and beyond and still enjoy a good quality of life.

This means that a twelve year old cat, that would have been considered old is now no more than middle aged.



Adorable Enzo & Charlie age 13yrs



People also think that owning an older cat will inevitably mean frequent expensive visits to the vet. This is not necessarily so, as in the last five years apart from vaccinations, my twenty year old cat visited the vet on only two occasions and one was for a minor matter. Older cats are less likely to wander far from home or fight which reduces the likelihood of road accidents or infected bite wounds.





Elderley Ethel found wandering the streets



Of course, kittens are delightful and we all love them but it is not easy to predict what their characters will become when they are only a few weeks old.

With an older cat what you see is what you get and what you get is often a charming, affectionate companion who just wants to spend time with you.



Rosemary Stephenson - Volunteer

Urgent appeal for Molly!

Good Golly Miss Molly!!! 160 days in care today!!

Has it nearly been 6 months already?

Molly came into our care on the 29th of September 2012, a sweet loving girl she was and she very quickly moved up for homing.
After a week or so we started to realise Molly wasn't our average moggie, and that she was a very bright intelligent girl! This meant that she quickly grew bored of us, her pen and being shut in it.

Molly started to only want to see us on her terms, she would have to come to you for fuss and some cats are just like this but Molly just seemed a little grumpier than the average cat. She wanted the attention and fuss but then would suddenly get annoyed. It was sad to see her like this, wanting to be loved yet being so irritable.

Over time we started to notice she wasn’t gaining much weight and increasingly asking for food so we got her blood tested and Molly has Hyperthyroidism.

And you guessed it, one of the most common signs is ...... Irritability!!!

Poor misunderstood Molly

An extremely intelligent cat, in a pen for almost 6months with a condition she just cannot understand.

Molly is now being treated for Hyperthyroidism and responding really well. Since she has been on her medication she has really relaxed and enjoys our company so much more. She has really bonded with Cat Carer Zan and our Volunteer Cat Socialisers.

What is hyperthyroidism?

There are many websites that can give you information on hyperthyroidism; we chose to link this site as we found it is very informal about the condition. http://www.fabcats.org/owners/hyperthyroidism/info.html

Also while Molly has been here, she has had some cosmetic surgery to remove a wart on her head!! We hoped that would cheer her up lol!

We hope that March will be Molly’s month with your help!

We would really like to get Molly homed this month and give her the home she truly deserves!

Cat carer Zan has fallen in love with Molly, here is what she has to say about her;

I love this cat! If I could have her, I would! However Molly needs to be in control and an only cat ( she wouldn't appreciate my 4 cats!). She certainly is a character and would make a fantastic addition to the right home. She has a very loving side too, she likes to elegantly perch on my lap and she just needs to be understood. She stretches out on her back legs to kiss your face which is most endearing! I know that the right home for Molly is out there, I'm gonna miss her like mad when she goes, but It will be worth it to know that she has found her happy ending at last.

Big Chunky Lads need your help!

Can you offer a home to one of our wonderful big boys?

Alone and unwanted and fending for themselves, struggling to find food, this is all part of the un-neutered "Toms" life-style (see our blog on why neutering is so important). Now neutered, vaccinated, micro-chipped and bags packed ready to go.

These three chaps are still waiting to be chosen. Are people put off because they are black and white? Do they think they will keep straying? All have their own individual characters but will make a great companion/pet when given the opportunity.

                      Take a look at these appealing faces - how can you resist? 

Welfare - Neutering, why it is important.

Neutering 

Once again it is coming to that time of year, days are getting longer and it will be warming up soon (we hope!)

Even though cats can mate all year round, it tends to be the long milder days that they become more active, and that’s why we get our kitten boom every year.



Unwanted litter.



Living on an island the cat population forever rising is becoming a problem, and less and less homes can be found for unwanted litters. Also being on the island risks of inbreeding can occur and genetic diversity is reduced.
Cats Protection wants to reduce the amount of unwanted animals and the most effective and humane way to do this is through neutering.

Even though we go through these facts over and over, the truth is these are the FACTS and not everyone is aware.

We also understand if you have a cat and need it neutered the cost can be quite high for some people, so this is something to definitely consider before you take on a cat.

So it’s worth calling around and finding out the costs of keeping a cat before you get one.

On the plus side, here at Cats protection all of our cats and kittens will be neutered (plus other treatments) before they leave! Making sure you can rest easy and enjoy the time spent with your cat worry free!

Dumped in a box, left to fend for themselves

So... what are the facts, why should I bother neutering?

Many people do not see the point of neutering if they have a male, or sometimes even think it’s in the cat’s best interest to have one or two litters. This is just adding to the population, and in the long run can cause more harm than good. (See bullet points below)



If you truly believe that your cat should have at least one litter you may want to read the following information;



Unwanted litter and mum



There is no money in breeding domestic moggie kittens, by the time you have had them at your home for 7-9 weeks, you will probably be out of pocket and exhausted from clearing up after them.

We have kittens come into us that are flea ridden, full of worms and malnourished.

This is due to people who do not know what is involved in breeding kittens and we see this on a regular basis.

You are responsible for the welfare of your cat while in your care and potentially could sell on an unhealthy cat or kitten. So please, please be aware of the time and cost this can cause!



Malnourished

kitten from last year



Also, remember it’s not easy to find a loving home for kittens; Kittens are being sold as low as £10 each which does not amount to profit.

Please put animal welfare first, have your cat neutered.

As well as reducing the amount of unwanted cats and kittens, neutering has many other benefits, and can prevent other problems such as diseases and fighting.

Neutering Facts

There are many myths that circulate about neutering. To set the record straight, here are the facts:

· There are around 2.5 million stray cats living in the UK

· One un-neutered female cat can be responsible for 20,000 descendants in just five years

· Cats can become sexually active from just four months old

· It is not beneficial for a cat to have 'just one litter' before being spayed

· Gestation in cats (the length of pregnancy) is only nine weeks, and a female cat can come into season again just six weeks after giving birth

· Pregnancy and motherhood are physically very demanding for a cat-repeated pregnancies take their toll

· Cats will breed with their brothers and sisters

· A cat can have up to three litters a year with five or six kittens (sometimes more) in each litter. That adds up to at least 18 caring homes for Cats Protection to find each year, just for one cat’s kittens!



Bite wound from fighting Tom cat



 Neutered male cats are:

· Less likely to roam, reducing the risk of them being run over

· Less likely to fight, reducing the risk of them getting injured



· Less likely to contract serious diseases such as feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) or feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) through fighting

· Less likely to display territorial behaviour such as spraying

· Unable to develop tumours of the testicles

· Males can mate multiple females, and will travel out of their area to find more females!

 Neutered female cats are:

· Unable to get pregnant and have unwanted litters of kittens

· Not going to call or wail, as un-neutered queens do when in season

· Less likely to contract diseases such as FIV or FeLV spread by bites

· Unable to develop cancer of the ovaries or uterus

· Less likely to develop mammary cancer-especially if neutered under the age of six months



Thankyou for spending the time to read this, and if possible share this blog post with a friend. We would also like to hear your comments. 





The Story of a Stray ( Jessie)

Jessie the Stray...

This is the story of an elderly stray found in Ryde… she was thin, abandoned and had no place to go so she wandered the streets instead.

The cold streets are no place for an elderly lady, but somehow this dear old girl had ended up there. She was frail and weak from the cold, her dull eyes held no hope.

We brought her into the centre, she welcomed the regular meals and soon took to her new warm bed, she was known as the Edward Street Stray.

Time quickly elapsed and nobody came forward to claim this sweet lady. Where she had come from and why she was alone on the streets was a mystery…the weeks passed and it was evident she was here to stay, it was only right she had a name so we called her Jessie.

It was apparent that Jessie’s past had been tough, not only were her eyes dull but her ears were crusty and battered, her nose bloody and scabbed and her dainty mouth was in a very bad way. We knew that there was underlying issue and that this was not simply a hungry and lost cat. She was booked to see the vet, we prayed she would be coming back. It was confirmed that Jessie had the onset of Cancer around her ears…

Although this was not good news, we felt this lady was not ready to let go, she was promptly booked in to have the cancerous parts of her ears removed and a dental too. The big day quickly arrived and Jessie was taken to the operating room. We knew that after it was finished, she would start to feel better in herself and that there was still hope for this ole girl. Groggy from the operation we took her back to the centre, she was a little off balanced with bruised new ears, but there was a glimmer of hope in her eyes.

Jessie is recovering well from her ordeal and her ears are healing nicely, and although she is comfortable here at the centre it’s not a home. Jessie would love a home, a place to call her own, she is feeling better and is hoping there is still a chance for her yet. A warm home, full of love where she can live out her golden years would be perfect for this gentle lady. A lap to sit on and somebody to share her purrs with is all she wants for. So please… If you think you could offer this girl hope for a better future, come at meet her soon!