Timid cats • Why neutering is essential • Foster mum profile
Registered charity no. 1122296
Cats in Crisis Thanet
Newsletter, summer 2015
Welcome!
Hello from all of us at
Cats in Crisis Thanet. This is
our first full-colour quarterly
newsletter, and we really
hope you enjoy it.
It includes some of the cases
we’ve been dealing with
lately, and of course lots of
cats up for adoption. It also
has information about low
cost neutering, something
for dog lovers, and a fun
competition.
Thank you so much for
reading!
Yours, Mary and the CIC
volunteer team
What you can do to
stop pet trafficking
• Contact your MP and MEP
to complain about the
trade in dogs/puppies and
cats/kittens from other EU
countries.
• Do not buy animals from
any source you don’t
completely trust - in fact
always prefer adopting
from a rescue.
• Tell others that this is
happening!
The Dover kittens with
Nick, their Cats in
Crisis foster dad
Pet trafficking: another reason
to adopt, not buy
These three little kittens came
into Cats in Crisis in early
May. They were confiscated at
Dover port after coming from
Lithuania. They were very
young, underweight, and had
fleas, runny eyes, matted fur,
and diarrhoea.
These poor babies are a part
of the Eastern European “pet
trade”, where animals are bred
in appalling conditions, and
taken away from their mothers
too young and full of problems or
illnesses. They are then shipped
to the UK, usually with forged
papers, to satisfy the demand
for cheaper pets. The people
responsible do not care about
the animals, only the money they
will get.
The three kittens were treated
at the vets, given medication
and put on a special diet for the
foreseeable future. We want
to say a massive THANK YOU
to everyone who has made a
donation towards their care!
The kittens recovered well from
their ordeal and did really well
in the care of their Cats in Crisis
foster family. Very quickly they
started playing and charging
around. They were so young that
one of the other foster cats,
Jessie, took to mothering them.
These lovely kittens have now
all found loving homes. They are
the lucky ones - the majority of
trafficked pets will have worse
fates!
Web: catsincrisisthanet.wordpress.com
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Cats in Crisis Thanet, summer 2015
The rewards of choosing a timid cat:
two adoption stories
“Now...? Well, she sunbathes in
the garden and even jumps the
fence and goes off on a wander
for five minutes. She runs down
the stairs to greet the person
coming in. She talks for England
- actually she never shuts up,
which we love. She LOVES
attention, she is forever wanting
cuddles and strokes.
Prudence
We knew Prudence (pictured
above) needed a very very
special home, and she got it!
Laura, who adopted her in
2013, writes:
“For the first nine days Prudence
lived under the bed in our spare
room, only coming out to use
the litter tray when no one was
around. Then after 9 days she
started to explore the room,
but as soon as she saw one of us
she was straight under the bed.
Six weeks in and she started to
live under my daughter’s bed
- this may only seem a small
breakthrough but for us it was
huge, as my daughter and I
were now allowed to look at her
without her running off.
“Three months and she slept on
the bed with my daughter and
we wee both allowed to stroke
her. After six months she was
exploring the house, playing with
my Chihuahua, and my husband
and son were allowed to stroke
her.
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Facebook: Cats in Crisis Thanet
“You may look at the cats that
come ready made friendly,
loving, talkative, but the cats
that need that special bit more
effort and work are, for me, the
best cats ever. As they have a
story you just have to work that
little bit harder to find out what
it is. Prudence – our special Pru
– is now and forever will be a
part of the Brown family. Thank
you Cats in Crisis for letting her
become a part of our family.”
Coco and Lola
Kirsty adopted tortie sisters
Coco and Lola (formerly Lulu)
from us a few months ago. She
writes:
“Coco was a very affectionate
cat from the beginning, but Lola
was very, very timid and shy and
would hardly come out from
behind the chair all the time
she’d been at her foster mum’s.
“We knew it would take work
to bring her out of herself and I
was completely prepared to do
this over a long period of time.
The first night I got them, Lola
jumped on the bed for a cuddle
- I was in complete shock about
this. During the day Lola would
still hide and I didn’t see her,
but I could hear her playing at
night...
“After about a week she had
started to come out in the day
when I was alone, but was still
very cautious and didn’t really
interact and still stayed hidden
when people came over. She then
started coming out to see friends
as well.
“Two months down the line
she doesn’t hide at all and is a
complete mummy’s girl. She likes
nothing more than snuggles and
cuddles and can never get close
enough to me, as you can see
from the photo. I’m still amazed
that this has taken such a short
time, but am completely in love
with both my girls.
“Just want to thank you for my
girls, and so pleased both of
them, but especially Lola, feel
relaxed and at home.”
Cats in Crisis Thanet, summer 2015
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Timid cats seeking special
people
Here’s a round-up of some of our
more timid adoptees in waiting.
As we saw in our two adoption
stories, they may not be the
confident, happy-go-lucky cats
that rub right up to you when
you visit a foster home to choose
a cat. They may be hanging
back, or even hiding under the
sofa.
Jeremy is probably the most
nervous and will need someone
who is happy to really put in
the time to gain his trust. He is
fine with other cats, but would
prefer an otherwise very quiet
environment. He will also have
to be kept in for a long time,
until he is really settled in his
new home.
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But once you’ve gained its love
and trust, you’ll know you’ve
done a very special thing by
adopting a timid cat.
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1. Lola and Freddie:
This lovely pair are inseparable,
and they need to go to a home
together. They are both about
three years old. They are quite a
nervous pair, so may take time to
settle in a new home. They are
fine with other cats and would
prefer a quiet home.
5. Scooter:
This lovely girl is approximately
two years old. Scooter can be a
little shy to start with but is a
friendly girl. Scooter previously
lived in a family home so will
be fine with children. She may
need a little time to settle, but
once she does she will make a
wonderful family pet.
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2. Stevie Wonder:
Stevie came in as an unneutered
stray who was at risk of traffic
and the dogs of the man who was
feeding him. He is a nervous boy,
but with patience will learn to
trust new people. He is fine with
other cats, but would prefer a
home with no young children.
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3. Bella:
Bella has been with us for three
years, so moving to a new home
will be a wrench for her. But she
does so deserve the individual
attention she could get in a
home of her own. She is fine
with other cats, but like most
of these cats she would benefit
from a quiet environment.
4. Jeremy:
Of all the cats on this page,
6. Spooky:
Spooky is a 3 year old female
who prefers her own company.
She will come for fuss and
strokes but on her terms. Spooky
is not child tested and is not
keen on dogs. She has previously
lived with another cat and we
think she would be ok with
another gentle cat.
If you are the special person who
can give one of these cats the
home they need, please get in
touch:
• phone 07796 633306
• email [email protected]
• FB: Cats in Crisis Thanet
We always do a home check first,
which is also a good opportunity
for you to raise any concerns
or questions you may have. Our
adoption fee is £35.
Web: catsincrisisthanet.wordpress.com
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Cats in Crisis Thanet, summer 2015
Contacts for low
cost neutering
PDSA Cliftonville
Contact them to see if you
fulfil their criteria. If you do
it’s worth registering with
them for all your cat’s vet
care.
• Phone 01843 269933
Cats Protection
Contact them to see if you
fulfil their criteria. You also
have to live within postcodes
CT7-CT12.
• Phone 01227 360432
• www.cats.org.uk/thanet
RSPCA Thanet Branch
Regular neutering bus service
at Woodchurch Animal Centre
(between Birchington and
Manston). They charge £25,
which includes a microchip
and health check.
• Phone 01843 826180
• Email info@rspcathanet.
org.uk
Cats in Crisis Thanet
If the alternatives above
don’t work for you, please
contact us. We arrange an
appointment at a local vets
and charge £30 per cat (which
is less than the vets charge
us).
We can also help if you need
transport to any of the options
above.
• Phone 07796 633306
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Facebook: Cats in Crisis Thanet
Their welfare, your wallet:
why neutering is essential
It’s not just about preventing
the floods of unwanted kittens
which rescues like us have
to deal with each year. If you
care about your cat’s long
term health and are worried
about vet bills, neutering is the
answer.
There are a number of health
problems neutering can help
prevent. Having your cat done as
a kitten is most effective.
Pyometra is a severe infection
of the uterus, which fills with
pus as the cat’s body tries to
fight the bacteria. If not treated
quickly (which involves a difficult
and expensive emergency spay)
it is almost always fatal. Toxins
from the infection can damage
the kidneys and heart and cause
lifelong problems. Charlotte,
pictured below, survived
pyometra thanks to her foster
mum rushing her to the vets
late at night, but the illness has
left her incontinent. Spaying
completely prevents pyometra.
Charlotte, who came
to us as an unspayed
mature cat, is a lucky
survivor of pyometra.
Mammary (breast) cancer is
the third most common cancer
in cats. As it’s mainly caused
by reproductive hormones, it is
much more common in unspayed
cats. Spaying before the first
heat reduces the risk even
more – it’s a complete myth that
female cats benefit from having
one litter before being spayed.
Abscesses and other fight
wounds are common in
unneutered toms, who tend
to fight over territory and
females. They are likely to need
treatment with antibiotics and
anti-inflammatories.
An even greater worry with fight
wounds is that cats can pass on
life-threatening diseases - such
as the feline immunodeficiency
virus (FIV), or feline leukaemia
(FeLV).
Low cost neutering schemes
are available in Thanet, and
any local cat rescue will be
delighted to refer you or make
the arrangements for you.
Cats in Crisis Thanet, summer 2015
Tassie and Tyson: been waiting so long!
This lovely pair has been with us for over a year now - we can’t
understand why they’ve had no interest at all! They are around
6 and both friendly, although Tyson, the boy, can be a little shy
to begin with. Tassie, the tabby girl, prefers to come to you for
attention. They need a home together (as they are best buds), but
as only cats. They would be ok with older children.
They would so love a home and garden again to call their own.
Email: [email protected] or phone 07796 633306
Bad start, happy ending for Dido and Bubba?
Back in April, we got a phone call
from a local letting agents telling
us that they had just completed
an eviction and that there were
14 cats living in the flat. We
went to assess the situation and
were confronted with the most
appalling conditions - filth and
mess everywhere, possibly the
worst our volunteers had ever
seen. Seven of the cats turned
out to be unneutered.
The owners themselves removed
several of the cats, some of
which went to another rescue.
We have taken in eight of them.
Two of these cats - Dido and
Bubba (both pictured below),
who are being looked after by
our foster mum Natalie - turned
Devoted mum Dido
with her kittens.
Right: pregnant Bubba,
another eviction cat
out to be pregnant. They were
both skittish and extremely
skinny, but have accepted the
love and care of their foster
family, and are now much
happier around people. Dido
gave birth to a beautiful litter
of kittens in mid-May. She is a
competent and devoted mother,
but really just a kitten herself,
only around 10 months old.
Soon after the kittens were born,
Natalie said: “Something dawned
on me and it was really sad. I
checked on Dido and her five
babies and when I walked in, she
looked exhausted, opening her
mouth as to hiss, but she was
too tired. She wanted cuddles,
loads of them and, as every
evening I check all five kittens
to see if they are fine, she just
has to trust me as she can’t go
anywhere with her babies. So she
has to trust someone that she
only met 3-4 weeks ago! I am so
proud of this girl”.
If any lessons can be learnt
here, it’s that people really
need to ask for help before their
situation deteriorates to this
point. And that yet again the
best thing they can do is to have
their animals neutered, so they
don’t become overwhelmed. It is
so cheap these days, and there is
so much help available.
We really dread to think what
would have become of Dido and
Bubba and their kittens if they
had not come into rescue before
their babies were due. Once the
kittens are old enough, we’ll
be looking for loving homes for
them and for their mums, who
so deserve to be kittens again
themselves.
Web: catsincrisisthanet.wordpress.com
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Cats in Crisis Thanet, summer 2015
Tina with foster girl
Spice (now rehomed)
in one of her outdoor
pens.
turn it into a cat that can be
rehomed. Like Choco who I had
recently, who was very timid
when I first got her. It’s very
rewarding to see a cat improve
like that and then see it go to a
new home.
“If someone is thinking about
starting to foster, I’d say the
main thing they have to be aware
of is that you have to keep the
cat indoors indefinitely with a
litter tray, and even keep your
windows shut in the summer. You
really can’t risk the cat getting
out. Also, you don’t know how
long you are going to keep it.
Volunteer profile: Tina,
foster mum
Tina has been fostering for
us for around 18 months. In
addition to the foster cats, her
household includes her two
teenage children, two dogs,
and two resident cats. Some
of the foster cats are staying
in the house, but Tina also
has a couple of pens set up in
her garden. She is currently
fostering Venus (see back page)
and Cleo.
Tina says:
“I contacted Cats in Crisis
because I wanted to adopt
another cat, but during the home
check I asked about fostering,
and it turned out they are always
keen to have new foster people.
It then took about a week to
get my first foster cat, Beauty. I
almost got a bit anxious, because
I thought they’d changed their
minds – it’s quite exciting when
you get your first foster cat.
“It’s so rewarding to foster.
People say, don’t you want to
keep the cats, but no, not
really. You take in a cat and
“While the cat is with you, you
have to try and take note of what
the cat is really like, to give the
other volunteers the best chance
to find a home for it. Really think
about its character and be honest
about what your foster cat is like
– a cat might be good with dogs
for example, but you may not
know what it’s like with young
children.
“When one of my cats has been
rehomed, it’s really nice to get
updates, it’s nice to see a picture
popping up on Facebook.”
Interested in
fostering for us?
Please email
[email protected]
or message us on Facebook:
Cats in Crisis Thanet.
We provide food, litter, and
veterinary care for all the
cats in our foster homes.
We are proud that Cats in Crisis is entirely run by unpaid volunteers. This means that, beyond essential
overheads, all our income is used for the direct benefit of our animal friends. Everything we do is made
possible only by our fantastic volunteers, and by the generosity of the people of Thanet and beyond.
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Facebook: Cats in Crisis Thanet
Cats in Crisis Thanet, summer 2015
“The Cat Lady” cat sitting service
If you’re going away and want your cats to stay in the comfort
of their own home we can recommend The Cat Lady - a
friendly, reliable, experienced, and reasonably priced cat
sitting service in Thanet, run by one of our volunteers.
Facebook: The Cat Lady
Phone: 07815 640380
Web: thecatlady.moonfruit.com
Guardian Angels Dog Rescue
We Cats in Crisis volunteers
aren’t cat people as opposed
to dog people. We have
to focus on cats because
we can’t do everything.
Fortunately, there are also
wonderful people around
who concentrate their rescue
efforts on other animals.
Guardian Angels Dog Rescue
are a small rescue taking
unwanted and abandoned
dogs, subject to foster spaces
being available. They are a not
for profit rescue and have to
fundraise to pay the vets bills,
which are never ending.
Like us, they are completely
volunteer run. They always
welcome new fosterers, as
without them they simply can’t
do their work.
If you would like to chat about
fostering please contact Ros
Bane on 07950 424743.
You can also find them on
Facebook:
Guardian Angels Dog Rescue
They have lots of beautiful
dogs in their care that are in
need of loving forever homes.
Elsa (pictured below) is just
one of them:
Elsa is a lovely, lively puppy,
who is waiting for someone
to play with her. She is 6
months old and will need some
training.
Elsa is ok with other dogs, with
cats, and children over 7. She
is microchipped, and Guardian
Angels will make sure she is
spayed when she is ready.
Lovely pup Elsa is
looking for someone to
love her.
Dates for your
diary
We’re going to have stalls
at the following events, so
please stop by for a chat and
buy our goodies to support us:
• Sunday 14 June:
Broadstairs Dickens
Festival
• Sunday 5 July:
Psychic Fair, Minster
Village Hall
• Saturday 18 July:
Minster Show
• Sunday 19 July:
Broadstairs Victorians Fair
• Sunday 30 August:
Thanet Lions Fête, Victoria
Gardens, Broadstairs
• Sunday 15 November:
Psychic Fair, Minster
Village Hall
Also, we’re planning a fab
70/80s glam rock fundraising
night for Cats in Crisis and
Guardian Angels Dog Rescue in
mid September.
Exact date to be confirmed,
so please look out for
announcements.Or email us
at [email protected] if
you’d like more details.
Web: catsincrisisthanet.wordpress.com
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Cats in Crisis Thanet, summer 2015
A huge thank you!
We have received so much
help from individuals and
organisations over the last
few months, it’s actually
impossible to list them all
or to pick any to thank
individually.
Whether you’ve donated
money, food or goods, run a
fundraiser for us, or given a
cat a forever home: please
know that without you, far
fewer unwanted or homeless
cats would get help or find
new homes.
So, from the passionate,
hands-on, slightly mad and
somewhat flawed, overworked
and completely unpaid band
of people that is Cats in Crisis,
we want to thank you from
the bottom of our hearts!
Join us!
Are you passionate and
hands-on? Do you want to be
overworked and unpaid?
• Phone 07796 633306
• Email
[email protected]
• Message us on Facebook:
Cats in Crisis Thanet
Adopt!
All details here:
catsincrisisthanet.wordpress.
com/adopting-a-cat
Donate!
All details here:
catsincrisisthanet.wordpress.
com/donate
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Facebook: Cats in Crisis Thanet
Caption competition! Fab prize!
Can you come up with the best caption for this photo?
Email your submission to [email protected] by midnight on
10 August 2015 and a panel of our volunteers will pick the best
one.
What happens if I win? We’ll share your caption in the next
newsletter, and you’ll receive a 2kg bag of Hill’s Ideal Balance
chicken & brown rice dry food for adult cats.
A plea
This week, as we completed
the newsletter, has been one
of our worst ever for having to
take in homeless cats: over 20,
several of them pregnant.
So if you’re talking to family or
friends, or even strangers on a
bus, and someone thinks about
buying a cat, please suggest to
them to go to a rescue instead.
The owner of seven cats had
passed away; others came in
from evictions, or because
people were moving.
And if someone mentions
they have an unneutered cat,
male or female, please tell
them about the importance of
neutering and spaying.
There is a real crisis of
homeless and unwanted cats
in Thanet, and rescues are
becoming overwhelmed.
Please don’t let people add to
this crisis! Thank you!
Venus - a real lovecat
Venus is 9, she is stunning and super
friendly. She is fine with cats, children
and even dogs. Someone will be very
lucky to have Venus as a companion.
Do you want to be that lucky someone?
Email: [email protected]
or phone 07796 633306
Homecheck and adoption fee apply.