CATS PROTECTION

Most people who contact Stephanie for neutering vouchers are taking appropriate action to ensure their kittens do not add to the cat population by having kittens themselves.   Some people also contact us when they take on an un-neutered cat that has been abandoned by their previous owner. We also receive requests from people whose cat has already produced kittens.  They frequently mention that they will be keeping one of the kittens as "company for mum".  Unfortunately they do not always ensure the kitten is also neutered when she is old enough and the whole process starts again.   As a consequence we often get calls for help from people who have suddenly realised they have more cats than they can afford to keep and care for properly. Although in the past they may have been able to find new homes for all the surplus kittens, they may find, like the gentleman who called us recently, that they "have five kittens needing new homes and nobody willing to give them a home".  The thought of five extra mouths to feed (and the consequences of not having them neutered) can be very worrying.  It is also important to remember that during the cat's life it will probably require some veterinary care (apart from its annual vaccinations) and this can be expensive.   Regular treatments for fleas and worms also add to the cost of keeping a cat and all this extra expenditure should be taken into consideration before deciding whether to add to the number of cats living in your household.

We have mentioned Fennel (a young cat in our care who was diagnosed as being FIV positive) in the past and outlined the special home he would require due to his condition.   However, at a recent Cat Care Conference, reference was made to cats with this condition that sometimes build up an immunity to the disease and when retested give a "negative" response. When Fennel came in he was in a very poor condition, with bald patches and very poor teeth.  This lovely large black and white boy now has a lovely shiny coat, is healthy and very affectionate. On our vets advice we are therefore arranging for him to have a further blood test and are hoping that it returns a negative result.  Fennel has been staying in a pen at Stephanie's while his fosterer is on holiday and has been much admired by all who have seen him.  Even if his blood test comes back positive, he would still be an ideal companion for someone looking for an indoor cat.

The kittens mentioned in the last edition have all left for new homes.  Although lots more kittens have either been booked re-homed, we still have 26 available and 3 more litters waiting to come in.  We also have one five-month-old black and white girl that was found straying in Aylsham, who will be available for adoption in one week if nobody claims her.  Several cats have also been booked or left for new homes.   There are however several nice cats still available, their ages ranging from 1 year to 12 years.  These include:
Peggy - a very friendly black and white girl, about 1-2 years old who was found abandoned by the roadside.  Peggy is very active and also very affectionate and will make someone a delightful pet.
Babe - a lovely little black cat who joined us when her owner died.  Babe is also very friendly and gets on well with her fosterer's dogs and her four years old son.

If you are looking for a cat or kitten, call Stephanie on 01692 535858. Alternatively you can now visit www.northwalshamcats.co.uk for a description of the cats before giving her a call on the above number. Although there are no pictures available at present, we do hope to rectify the situation shortly.

Forthcoming Events:-

OPEN MORNING on Saturday, September 10th at Mill Cottage, Mill Road, Dilham, North Walsham from 10.30 a.m. There will be the usual stalls, Tombola, Raffle and refreshments and, of course, a chance to view some of our lovely cats.




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