Registered Charity No: 297973
" Help Us To Help The Cats "
Here is a Letter from Issue 48 - Autumn
LOOBY LU - by Ann Bruce
When Elaine coaxed us into fostering one of
her OAPs we thought we were settling for a quiet life. We should have known
better. Loopy, as she was called then, was approximately fifteen years old.We
renamed her Looby Lu. She is very arthritic in her hindquarters and has a
crooked left foreleg. She is stone deaf and has a virulent dislike of other
cats, which meant she had to live in isolation. We soon realised that calling
her was useless, and watched, appalled, as she strolled regally through the
traffic on our main road - three times.
1) She caught a frog in a neighbour's pond.
2) She fell into the pond and came home like a drowned rat.
3) She head-butted a moving car and had to be nursed through two days of
concussion.
Luckily we have moved to a quiet close
where we can "cat-proof" the garden. So, all is “peaceful”. All Looby Lu needs
is carefully placed stools to help her on to her favourite chairs, food supplied
ad infinitum (awake = hungry ), no other cat near her, and every visitor given
the wide-eyed stare treatment - ” lip reading “ says my husband.
Now seventeen years old, she suffers from separation anxiety i.e. She howls like
a banshee when we go out. When we return she has no voice left. She has a slight
degree of "Catzheimers" and the jury is still out on the Cognitive Dysfunction
!!!
You may have guessed that we are besotted with her. An elderly cat can be quite
an adventure. Do try one ! ! !
Here is news from one of the Fosterers - from Issue 47 - Summer
Willow Whispers ... Summer
- Sandra Peache.
Three months on from the last newsletter where does the time
go? The highs and
lows of being a fosterer.
The good news Paddy and Patsy the hand rears did very well and were rehomed
2 weeks ago and are settling in, I did tell the lady who was wearing tights she
would soon have to get a store in as the kittens liked to run up legs but she
seems
to be copingwith the extra expense!
Rupert has at long last found himself a good home after all his adventures,
Victor
was to be homed with him but very unfortunately after he was neutered he was
taken ill and was found to have a congenital kidney problem. The Vets did all
they
could for him and we spent a worrying week until he was re blood tested in case
it was a bad infection but although he seemed better we were advised he was in
renal failure and we had to say goodbye to him. Heartbreaking. From a frightened
youngster he had become very affectionate with us. All we can console ourselves
with, is that he had a short but happy time with us.
Pepe and Sam at long last were homed and they had some ups and downs until
they settled Sam managed to get behind the cabinets in the kitchen and then had
a cystitis problem. Fun and games for the new owner to try and get him to the
vets. Most of these ‘teething’ troubles are idiopathic (no known cause) most
probably caused through stress. He should be OK once he settles.
Now it is kittens everywhere! At the time of writing this I have 15 here, 2 are
booked and a Mum and kit are reserved also. One little kitten brought to me from
a local farm where they do not have any cats seemed to be thriving then suddenly
‘faded’ and had to be rushed to the vets to no avail.We have rescued 3 ‘stray’ Mums with their kittens. The Mum cats are so
affectionate you know they have been thrown out. Such a shame. Kelly had her
5 kittens in a chimenea in a garden and was pictured in the local paper. Belle
gave birth to her 4 kittens under a hedge and then when they were approx 1 week
old took them into a mobile home and hid them under a duvet in the lady’s spare
room from where we rescued them. Katy and her 4 were unwanted and thrown
out and a neighbour took them in but could not cope with extra as she had cats herself and had an aversion to litter
trays. Would not have one in the house. Tango a lovely 3 legged ginger male who was
found outside our vets dumped,
found a home quite quickly and escaped after a couple of days. He led Debbie
and Rob who have already taken in 3 of our rescued cats a merry dance I think
they lost a couple of nights sleep before he was ‘trapped’ in their garage where
he promptly lay on Debbie’s lap and purred his head off. Unfortunately one of
the
resident cats took a dislike to him as he is a big cat and can be a bully so
after
much heart searching from Debbie and Rob he has been returned. He will have
to be an only cat in a new home.
Priscilla came into care a lovely torti of 16 weeks after her owners separated.
She
now has found a home where there are other cats to play with. Now called
Pebbles and Svetlana?
Lola and Charlie 2 black kittens are booked they were born outside (very
friendly)
and had to be taught to use a litter tray but they soon cottoned on. Rosie a rag
doll x taken in as a stray and soon found a new home when she was ’sorted’ is
now renamed Flump!
Tigs a 3 legged cat from the village that has been ‘missing’ for over 3 years
has
been reunited with his delighted owner. I say ‘missing’ as there is a well
meaning
woman who feeds ’strays’ but does not make enquiries whether they have
homes. Karen his owner is going to write a story for us about him. If I had not
mentioned Tango to Pebbles’ new owners Tigs might still be lost as I was told
about a 3 legged cat that sometimes came into their garden. I asked if it was a
tabby and the rest is history! Puddin’ and his sister Treacle have been returned
to us after 6 years. Indoor cats, victims of another partnership break up.
The dog show we attended at Lowestoft was a great day out and the takings were
good also, £95 raised plus £341.20 donated to us from the proceeds. Thanks a
lot Animal Care students from Lowestoft College. Also thanks for all the
donations
of goods and money from you all. Very welcome and appreciated. Also thanks
Janet for your events.
Here is a Letter from Issue 46 Apr/May/Jun
Sam and the Fox - by Shelley
Greene
August 2003
For the past few months we have been feeding two foxes in our city garden.
Our fourteen year old cat Samson, is completely un phased, as we have had
foxes before.
One evening, I put out the foxes’ supper, consisting of the usual mixture of
sausages, uneaten cat food, gravy, bread, left-overs etc. Among this meal were
the remains of a chicken portion.
Ten minutes later, we looked out to see Sam guarding the chicken, and one of
the young foxes trying to get it. He circled Sam, went down on his front paws
just
like a dog playing, trying any trick to get Sam away. Sam just glared at him,
and
when he got too close, hissed and threw a warning swipe at him. Luckily he did
not get the fox’s eyes. This game went on for about fifteen minutes, until Sam
became bored and chased him into the corner of the garden. This is just what the
fox had planned, as he trotted over to the chicken, picked it up and ran off
with it
victoriously.
There are so many myths about foxes, and people have asked us if we worry
about our three cats with them. We just wish we had this episode on video for
any
doubters.
February 2008
Although Sam sadly died a year later of kidney failure, the fox family lives on.
Our two current cats, Trevor and little Eric, run in and out of the cat flap at
feeding
times for the foxes, early morning and evening.
When this is over they sit out together on the patio.
Here is a Letter from Issue Number 45 Jan/Feb/Mar
Millie - by Jan Hall
We adopted Millie in March 2007 after seeing her details on "Cat Chat" as we lived a good distance from her
"foster home" I rang Sandra to ask for more details, she was very honest with me and said Millie "did not
show well as she was timid"
We had 3 older cats and did not want them upset so a quiet cat was what we needed.
One look at Millie and I was hooked! We duly adopted her and brought her home. She was very scared at
first and hid behind the bed in our spare room where we had put her to give her a chance to settle in. Some
hours later she still refused to come out so I just sat in the room and talked to her and after about an hour she
came to me and accepted some food.
By the next morning she had realised I was a complete pushover and was making up to me and rolling on her
back purring.
Nine months later Millie still sleeps on my bed! She rushes up the stairs as soon as the lights go out and
makes herself comfy. She has never been a problem with the other cats and is sweet natured and most loving,
she makes me laugh as she has a bossy sort of attitude and bustles about the house as if she is really busy, tail
waving and constantly talking to me, I call her "Mrs Mills" when she is in this mode. I also think she is very
beautiful but admit to being biased!
She is still a bit nervous of strangers and has never given her heart to Raymond but tolerates him, she is not
keen on men in general.
If we go out she rushes to greet me and can't get enough fuss.
I understand that she came from a "broken home" and spent nearly a year in care, she was loved and cared
for very well by Sandra but needed her own home where she will be spoilt and loved for the rest of her life, I
have had many cats (we always have a few at a time and all are rescues) over the years but few have been as
loving as Millie and we count ourselves lucky to have her.
Thank you C.C.S.
Jan and Raymond
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If you missed the articles from the 2006 and 2007 Newsletters, you can still read them by clicking on the following years :-
