The Cat Summer 2013

Kerr’s cats Meet her famous fictional felines

A Greek tale Hellenic cats find a home

A stitch in time with our Veterinary team

Out of Africa A wild cousin’s influence

Plus Cat spats, rehoming reasons and Busking Bob

Summer 2013

From the Editor  www.cats.org.uk/thecatmag www.facebook.com/catsprotection www.twitter.com/catsprotection General enquiries  Cats Protection, National Cat Centre, Chelwood Gate, Haywards Heath, RH17 7TT.  03000 12 12 12 (calls charged at standard rate) @ cp@cats.org.uk Subscription enquiries To change your details, become a Special Friend,subscribe,makeadonationorbecome a member of Cats Protection:  Supporter Services, Cats Protection, National Cat Centre, Chelwood Gate, Haywards Heath, RH17 7TT.  0800 917 2287 @ supporterservices@cats.org.uk Editorial submissions  The Editor, The Cat magazine, National Cat Centre, Chelwood Gate, Haywards Heath, RH17 7TT. @ editorial@cats.org.uk We reserve the right to edit material for clarity or space. Cats Protection is not responsible for the opinions, advice and factual content of contributed items. The views expressed do not necessarily conform to those of the Trustees.

Advertising enquiries  Cats Protection, National Cat Centre, Chelwood Gate, Haywards Heath, RH17 7TT.  03000 12 12 12 (calls charged at standard rate) @ cp@cats.org.uk Advertisements are accepted in good faith and we endeavour to check their accuracy.

However, the charity gives no guarantees or endorsements of the products or services advertised. Cats Protection cannot accept responsibilityforanycorrespondencebetween the parties, nor can they be expected to arbitrate should any dispute arise.

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e are all hoping that by the time you read this the warm weather will have rediscovered the British Isles. It’s been a long, cold winter and we all need some sun to cheer us up, tempt the cats away from the fire and prompt us to store the scarves and mittens back in the drawer.

The African wildcat will not have had such snowbound worries and on pages 29 to 31 we look at how your domestic cat’s behaviour can be traced to these wild cousins, a continent away.

Julie Barrie moved to Athens, blissfully unaware of cats until a small stray colony decided to make her flat’s balcony their home. She has since experienced a conversion to cats and now volunteers for a local neutering charity in an attempt to make life better for these Greek felines. Read more about her experience on pages 18 to 20.

At the National Cat Centre’s veterinary clinic in Sussex hundreds of operations take place each year. From neutering to thyroidectomies, routine check-ups to dental appointments, the surgery team is kept busy ensuring that every cat put up for adoption has had the best possible medical care and attention. On pages 38 to 40 you can see what a day’s surgery entails, perhaps not for the squeamish!

We find out about the feline inspirations for two authors, Judith Kerr and Jane Ayres. On pages 34 to 36 Judith talks about that perennial family favourite, M og , and her writing that has now spanned several decades. On page 43 Jane reveals the motivation behind her latest book, the profits of which she is very kindly donating to Cats Protection.

Our work never ends whether it’s neutering, educating about cat welfare or rehoming the thousands of cats currently in our care. Our Helpline staff are often at the front line of calls from anguished owners believing they need to give up their cat for adoption. On pages 46-47 the team discuss some of the main reasons and try to give hope and alternative options to people thinking of relinquishing their cat.

We hope you enjoy reading the magazine and don’t forget we welcome reader submissions in the form of letters, photos, or tales for our M aking memories and Paws for thought pages. Send your contributions to editorial@cats.org.uk Enjoy the summer!

Francesca Watson Editor

Published quarterly by: Cats Protection Printed by: Pensord Press Ltd.

Please recycle this magazine when you have finished with it

The Team Editor F rancesca Watson Deputy Editor R ebecca Evans Creative Designers Rus Hudda, Sam Roberts, Martin Green Communications Assistant P etra Coghlin

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Contents Summer 2013 Cover photo: istockphoto.com/dangdumrong

Regulars 6

News

10

Letters

13

Cats’ tales

21

Paws for thought

22

Playing detective

24

Ask the vets

32

Our favourite things

44

Coffee paws

46

How can we help?

49

Walker on the wild side

50

Cats Protection in action

56

Diary of events

58

Find your local Cats Protection

62

Kids’ corner

64

Making memories

65

Remembering cats

66

Book reviews

4

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18 29

17

Feature articles 17 Celebrity interview James Bowen and his busking cat

18 A Greek tale We meet some feline Athenians

27 Competition wordsearch Find those mog related words!

29 It’s in the genes Your cat and his African cousin

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34 The cat behind the character Judith Kerr tells us about Mog

38 Behind the scenes In the thick of it with the Veterinary team

43 Jane Ayres Her feline literary inspirations

49

Cats Protection’s vision is a world where every cat is treated with kindness and an understanding of its needs.

Reg Charity 203644 (England and Wales) SC037711 (Scotland)

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A brave fight

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It’s not unusual for our volunteers to have a tough fight on their hands, taking in neglected cats and kittens, finding them new homes and raising funds to make their invaluable work possible. But one of our volunteers is facing an altogether tougher challenge.

Jackie Couper, a volunteer for the West Lothian Cats Protection Branch, has been undergoing chemotherapy treatment after being diagnosed with High Grade NonHodgkin’s Lymphoma. The prospect of losing her hair was a distressing and frightening thought for Jackie but she decided to take charge and shave off her remaining hair. She wasn’t alone, however, as in a show of solidarity her fellow CP volunteer and friend, Roz Fleming decided to do it too with the promise that she won’t allow her hair to grow back until Jackie’s does too. The determined pair had a sponsored head shave to raise money for both the West Lothian Branch and the charity Fight Against Cancer Edinburgh, FACE. Roz says: “Jackie is an inspiration to everyone who knows her. She gives so much of herself to help others and has worked so selflessly helping our cats, even when she has been so ill. Since joining Cats Protection she has helped hundreds of cats and kittens who would otherwise have faced a very different future. I hope that my act of support for my friend will show her how special we think she is and will inspire our supporters to give to these two wonderful charities who are so close to our hearts.”

Thank you to The Scotsman for permission to use this photo.

Jackie and Roz

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AGM – 20 July 2013

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Don’t forget that our Annual General Meeting will take place on Saturday 20 July at The Hawth, Crawley.

The day will provide an overview and highlights of the charity’s year, as well as presentations and the opportunity to visit the National Cat Adoption Centre in Chelwood Gate. It’s also a great opportunity to meet fellow volunteers from around the UK to share stories, experiences and tips.

The audited annual report and accounts of Cats Protection will be placed before the members and the reappointment of auditors and the election/re-election of Council members also takes place. A minor alteration to the Rules will also be voted on so that CP can use the Charity Commission’s land holding service.

Full details are available on our website at www.cats.org.uk/news/agm To register your interest in attending, please email agm@cats.org.uk or phone our Helpline on 03000 12 12 12 – calls are charged at the standard rate – but hurry as places are limited!

Honours for CP vet

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Cats Protection’s Director of Veterinary Services, Maggie Roberts, was recently awarded the ‘James Herriot Award’ at the annual British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) congress.

It’s officially known as the JA Wight Memorial Award which celebrates the memory of Alf Wight, otherwise known to millions as the fictitious James Herriot.

The award is open to any vet on the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons register and is presented to recognise outstanding contributions to the welfare of companion animals.

On receiving the award, Maggie said: “The work I do for Cats Protection is very rewarding and to be recognised in this way is a great honour. From reading and watching J ames Herriot stories while I was growing up I learnt very quickly that the three essential qualities needed to be a vet are compassion for animals, compassion for people and a good sense of humour. At Cats Protection it is no different and I’m pleased to be able to use my knowledge to further animal welfare and receiving such a prestigious award is extremely humbling.”

NEWS

Building a future for cats

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Building work on our new centres in Gildersome, Leeds and Padgate, Warrington has begun! The first sods of earth have been broken, foundations have been laid and we are hoping to have Gildersome open at the end of the summer with Padgate not far behind in autumn.

There are thousands of cats in need of help in the Yorkshire area and the new centre at Gildersome plans to find new homes for around 500 cats each year as well as providing information and advice about cat welfare to the local community.

Our Warrington Adoption Centre currently finds homes for over 300 cats and neuters 1,000 cats every year. Sadly the existing building is no longer fit for use which means we are unable to care for the cats that so desperately need our help. When the new centre in Padgate opens we hope it will increase the number of cats we find homes for each year by at least 10 per cent.

Thank you to everyone that has donated towards the Gildersome and Padgate appeals so far, your support is very much appreciated and we couldn’t build these essential new centres without you. We are still fundraising for the centres because every penny really does count and all money raised is guaranteed to help cats where it is most needed in Yorkshire and the North West.

To make a donation and for more information about the new centres, please visit www.cats.org.uk/future-cats or to donate £5 by SMS, text HOME88 £5 TO 70070.

Pets at Home – Cats Protection Fundraising Weekend

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From Friday 7 to Sunday 9 June Pets at Home have granted Cats Protection a three-day fundraising event across all of their 340+ stores. It’s a fantastic opportunity for our branches and centres to raise awareness of the charity and all the great work they do in the local community.

For this event all Pets at Home stores will be: • Offering customers the opportunity to ‘round up to a pound’ at the till • Taking donations at the till • Selling Cats Protection Paw Print pin badges We would like to thank Pets at Home for granting us this weekend and for their ongoing support of Cats Protection through their ‘Very Important Pets Club’ (VIP Club). Cats Protection has also been fortunate to receive funding from ‘Support Adoption for Pets’, the charity established and supported by Pets at Home.

We’d love to see as many of our supporters and cat lovers as possible at their local Pets at Home store over this weekend in June. Our branches and adoption centres will be attending selected stores across the UK over the three-day weekend, so please look out for them!

Purina – Together We Can campaign

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We are pleased to let you know that the 2012 PURINA® Together We Can campaign was a great success. The aim of the campaign was to encourage customers and supporters to visit the Together We Can website and pledge to recycle their steel pet food cans. An increased target of 75,000 pledges was set for the 2012 campaign (from 50,000 in 2011) and this pledge target was reached in just two weeks – an incredible achievement!

This time PURINA also introduced a charity vote, giving an additional £10,000 to be split between pledgers’ three chosen charities. As a result, Cats Protection ultimately received over £13,700 through the combined contribution of the recycling and charity vote elements of the campaign, with the funds going towards our new build in Padgate, Warrington. Thank you to all those who pledged to recycle their steel pet food cans and voted for Cats Protection.

Please don’t forget that the World of Felix® also supports Cats Protection. FELIX customers can spend tokens they’ve collected from multipacks to benefit Cats Protection. Please visit www.worldoffelix.com for more information.

Our thanks go to PURINA for its ongoing support of Cats Protection. Thank you also to all those that have used their FELIX tokens to benefit Cats Protection.

For more information about PURINA please visit www.purina.co.uk

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NEWS

Cats Protection on show

Get social!

We asked our Facebook followers how they met the significant cat in their life, here are some of their answers…

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It’s been a mixture of old and new at the beginning of this year’s ‘shows season’ with a familiar visit to Crufts in early March followed the week after by our first foray into the craft world at the Spring Knitting & Stitching Show at London Olympia.

We were delighted by the response to our presence at this event. We were warmly welcomed by hundreds of Cats Protection members and supporters during the four day show and kept very busy talking to those who may not have known about the charity or who weren’t an active supporter when they arrived at the stand, but were seriously considering it by the time they left!

We thoroughly enjoyed listening to many moggy tales, most featuring rescue cats aged 20 years upwards, successfully found some new homes for some of the thousands of cats currently in our care and spoke to several stand visitors who were keen to volunteer for us, either by fostering or in other cat care roles.

Many stand visitors asked if we are planning to attend the flagship Knitting & Stitching Show in October at Alexandra Palace in north London. Given the success of our first foray, we are certainly considering it as well as attending some more craft, quilting and needlework events in the future, including those held in regional venues. We are also planning a knitting bee at future craft-related events, where stand visitors can knit a mouse or a cat blanket for us which we will subsequently donate to the local CP network.

It seemed like less than five minutes after we’d put our sewing machines and knitting needles away that we were off to Manchester for the Cake & Bake Show. Following on from the success of The Great British Bake Off and several other popular TV programmes, baking is now a popular pastime and attending the show provided another good opportunity to meet supporters – both current and potential – and communicate our cat care and ‘adopt with confidence’ messages to an engaged, large audience. We are looking forward to attending this event again at London Earls Court in September.

Do watch this space for details of further new events where we’re planning a presence this year and for some exciting crafty, tasty challenges and competitions!

Don’t forget that at The Pet Show, 20–21 July we will receive £1 from each advance ticket sold for this event. Tickets can be purchased by putting The Pet Show in the search option via www.theticketfactory.com or by calling 0844 581 4965 quoting The Pet Show and Cats Protection.

If you are visiting any of the shows listed on page 56 over the next few months, please visit the Cats Protection stand and say hello – we would love to meet you!

Emma I found Lucky last June, she had been thrown out of a car window at just three weeks old. She was in a bad way but after taking her to a vet to get her checked over I took her home and bottle fed her every two hours. She is now about nine months old and we are totally in love with each other. She follows me everywhere and I think she sees me as her mum. I remember her every milestone.

I called her Lucky but I think I am the lucky one.

Charlotte Our cat came into the garden one day almost three years ago, went into the house and had a look around, then decided to stay! We rang our local branch who were really helpful and scanned his microchip.

Turned out his old owners were told we had him but they never claimed him so we signed the papers and that was that – he’s such a part of the family now. He’s now almost nine, a big cat with a very characterful personality, but sometimes he still just wants a cuddle!

Sharon I was working a night shift in Tesco’s one night when a man came in to report that someone had dumped a kitten in the car park. My security guard ran out and found this little bundle of fur, cowering in between the cars. It was a busy night and she was lucky she wasn’t run over. She was barely six weeks old, but perfect in every way. That was almost nine years ago! Her name is Lilly and I love her to pieces.

Lesley Both our rescue cats chose us. Lucky was a feral kitten and the staff at CP said he won’t come to you – and guess what he came straight to me and let me know he wanted to come home with me, and he is the gentlest gentleman. Hannah is so sweet and funny and she lured my daughter straight to her at CP. Cats are the best!

Ellie I was introduced to Maia by a CP branch two years ago. I suffer from extreme depression and she’s my lifeline. She likes to play at 8am so I have to get up instead of hiding under the duvet all day. If I’m upset she’ll lick my tears. She can read my mood and rarely leaves my side. She even gets protective when my health visitor comes. No matter how bad things get I have to fight to live because we need each other.

Jane We were always dog people...our neighbours changed that when they bought a kitten. Leo spent a lot of time in our garden. When our neighbours decided to move I knew we would miss Leo so we adopted a kitten from you! Smudge lived till he was 20. The house felt so empty after he had gone, so six months after he passed away giving into temptation, we adopted two brothers who are now 22 months old.... we decided our house just can’t be a cat free zone we love them.

Our Facebook followers get talking about a whole variety of feline-inspired topics, why not join them at www.facebook.com/catsprotection?

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The Cat Summer 2013

Do you have an interesting story to tell, a point of view you want to air or something that you just have to get off your chest?

Send your thoughts, views, stories, funny photos and ‘mewsings’ to The Cat magazine, National Cat Centre, Haywards Heath, RH17 7TT or email us at editorial@cats.org.uk. Don’t forget to tell us your return address and please remember that your letter may be edited for length.

✪ STAR LETTER

Open house

From: June Potton, Middlesex fter reading your article about ferals cats in last winter’s edition of your magazine I thought that I would tell you about the ones cared for by our friends Joan and Brian. The couple live in a lovely house that overlooks allotments and have had at least 18 ferals that have been trapped and neutered with help.

There are now 10 cats as some of the 18 have passed away and been given dignified burials wrapped in blankets. All of them have been given names and it costs my friends a fortune in cat food! The ferals all troop into the living room at night where it is nice and warm.

Maurice who has been coming in since the house was bought 10 years ago is the top cat and puts the others in their place by swiping them with his paw.

This is a sight to behold.

A

Tempting trickery

From: Elizabeth Gibbs, Exton eferring to the enquiry to the vets in the spring magazine about the difficulty of giving tablets for hyperthyroidism, my cat has to have two tablets every morning. I give these in a bowl hidden in pâté or cream cheese and sprinkle on top about four Dreamies. He comes and asks for the treat!

My second cat gets a few Dreamies on the floor nearby at the same time and I watch to make sure she doesn’t get the medication.

This involves some sleight of hand but has proved successful for several months now.

Editor’s note: It’s great to hear you’ve found a stress-free way of giving your cat his daily medication and it seems your other cat is enjoying the treat too.

We’d recommend owners always check with their vet about the best ways to give treatment to their cat, in case tablets need to be given on a full or empty stomach, or in case a treat interferes with absorption of the active ingredient.

R

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Feline fix

From: Sonja Zentner, Arundel n the winter 2012 issue I was particularly interested in the feature entitled Coping without a cat . I lost my beloved ‘Grey One’ more than 15 years ago and like many of your readers am now, for various reasons, unable to own another puss. So this is how I get my feline fix.

On the other side of the river Arun there is a charming little public garden where I like to sit and read – or just sit! – when the weather is fine. It is also frequented by numerous felines because dogs are not allowed in – there is a notice attached to the entrance which says so. The cats read the notice, utter three cheers and enter this welcoming garden where they can safely run around and play.

Over the years I have made friends with many of them, including the current favourite Merlin – the magician! – a middle-aged, laidback black boy with penetrating green eyes and a gentle nature.

Then there’s Emily, a beautiful young long-haired female, likewise black with penetrating green eyes; she is anything but sweet-natured, however. She chases everything that moves, including poor Merlin, and barely acknowledges me, except for the occasional brush with her extremely bushy tail.

And so I play with them to my heart’s content and go home an hour or two later with my spirits raised, smiling at the memory of some of their antics, and looking forward to our next encounter in the sunshine.

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YOUR LETTERS

Farewell to a loving friend When Tigger came to tea From: David McVey, by email ur cats Meallie and Struie won a special award at the Rescue Cat Awards in 2008 for the way they provided company for my wife’s elderly parents in their last years. Between 2004 and 2008 they moved from Glasgow to Inverness with my wife, a move she made in order to help her parents. I commuted up at weekends.

After my wife’s parents both died we moved back to our Glasgow home here with the cats. Struie died last year and we’ve now just lost Meallie. Like Struie she came from the CP adoption centre near Kirkintilloch, arriving with us in April 1999 when she was perhaps a couple of years old. She was a very nervous and timid creature and as a result had proved difficult to rehome, yet once we’d adopted her she quickly settled in and became a complete credit to herself for the pleasure she gave to my in-laws – she even visited my wife’s mother in her nursing home. She was a real example of how rescue cats can give, and what a success rehoming can be.

I thought you’d be interested to hear about her passing – the attached picture is a small version of the professional shot taken before the Rescue Cat Awards and which appeared in The Cat at the time.

O

From: Anne Chilvers, Norwich y husband and I love cats and, before we got together, had two cats each.

After we had been living together for about five years we took in a stray; he had been coming in to eat, and I sat up one night to see who he was! He was a lovely ginger tom who had obviously been owned by someone at some point, but we never found out who they were. The vets reckoned he was elderly when we took him in – he had to have most of his teeth removed and them he lost his sight.

He was such a lovely cat. We called him Tigger and had him for five happy years.

M

A cat at the helm

From: Lieutenant-Commander JAF Pugsley, near Taunton teve Ainsworth’s article W hat did you do in the war, puss? in the winter edition has put me in mind of HMS Javelin’s cat in Nov 1940.

The ship had suffered almost incredible damage in the English channel, having been struck by two German torpedoes; these had blown off her bows and caused her after magazine to explode, leading to the loss of her stern. The middle section of the destroyer, measuring only 155 feet of her original 353 feet, was somehow towed into Plymouth, where HM Dockyard Devonport amazingly rebuilt the ship.

Most grievous of all were the losses of the Javelin’s personnel: three officers and 43 men were tragically killed in the disastrous night action.

Once the ship – or what was left of her – had berthed at Devonport, the leading seaman had been granted a week’s survivor’s leave. On his return on board he was greeted by the ship’s cat; the cat made it crystal clear that it wanted to be followed and thereupon led the leading hand to one of the mangled sets of torpedo-tubes, beneath which lay the dead body of his ‘oppo’; the cat had reunited the two friends, even though one, sadly, was dead.

S

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YOUR LETTERS

A breath of fresh air

Postman Pat’s cat

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From: Rupert Stanley, Welwyn was sorry to hear of people giving up their cats due to allergies in the C oping without a cat article in last winter’s magazine, so I thought I would take the time to write about my own experiences.

I have always been severely allergic to cats. When I was a child, my parents had to give away their three cats. We did go to visit one of these cats for many years and I would have the standard reactions, even with the benefit of inhalers. I experimented with ionisers which had a positive impact by reducing the amount of allergen in the air – tip: turn on for a few hours in the target room before entering. Age improved my condition and without exposure to cats, I was able to stop using the inhaler.

Aged 28, my wife and I got two cats. I used the ioniser in the lounge, we had a strict policy of keeping them out of the bedroom, we tried to bath them once a week – I think we managed that twice! – and I had to go back on the inhaler, but it basically worked. I was able to live with cats!

After some time exposed to these cats, I became used to them and no longer had a reaction. I stopped using the inhaler, they were allowed in the bedroom and I no longer needed the ioniser. Was I cured? No. I still had reactions to other cats.

After 15 wonderful years, we lost both these cats and we set about getting two more. I thought I would be OK and we did not make any changes. This was a mistake, my lungs closed down and I had to go back to the docs to get the inhalers again.

However, after about six months, the symptoms started to reduce and, two years on, I can’t remember when I last needed to use an inhaler. Again, I am not ‘cured’, but appear to have built immunity to our two cats.

Everyone is different, but my own experiences have enabled someone with cat allergies to own cats. I hope this might help and encourage others.

From: Val Blunden, by email e have recently taken on shared van duties for our postal rounds and the vans are proper cat magnets.

One day my pals were working in the Bradmore area of Wolverhampton. It was a cold but sunny morning and the front of the van was cosy and warm.

While Darren the driver was dropping off a parcel and his delivery partner Deb had stepped out of the van to wait for him, puss jumped in and made herself at home. She tried out the driver’s seat but found the passenger seat more to her liking. Thankfully she paid no attention to the rubber bands which cats find strangely attractive.

Our Star Letter wins their own SureFlap Microchip Cat Flap. All other printed letters will win a SureFlap cat mat for your puss to wipe its paws on!

The SureFlap Microchip Cat Flap is ideal for cat owners needing a simple, stylish solution to the problem of intruder cats. SureFlap identifies your cat using his unique microchip number, unlocking only for your pet and leaving unwanted visitors outside.

SureFlap is compatible with all European identification microchips and does not require your cat to wear an uncomfortable, restrictive collar.

Available in brown and white, SureFlap can be installed into doors, windows or walls and fits into the hole left by most existing cat flaps. It runs on four AA batteries which last up to 12 months with normal use.

To find out more visit www.sureflap.co.uk or visit their Happy Cats page on Facebook – www.facebook.com/sureflap.

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The Cat Summer 2013

Funny, weird, or just plain photogenic; this is the place to show off your cat for the remarkable creature he is. If you think you’ve got a cat who deserves his 15 minutes of fame then write to us at Cats’ Tales , The Cat magazine, National Cat Centre, Chelwood Gate, Haywards Heath, RH17 7TT or email editorial@cats.org.uk including a contact number and a photo of at least 500kb in size. If you would like your photos returned, please enclose a self-addressed envelope. Your letters may be edited for clarity and length.

Legacy of love From Rachael Dyche, Market Harborough This is Rommie, one of my two British Cream brothers who are 11 years old.

My 95-year-old father who lived with me sadly died suddenly last July. He was devoted to the cats, as they were to him. Both Rommie and his brother Rummy have been deeply affected by my father’s departure. Both would spend time in his bedroom; however, they will not now go in the room. Instead they are using my bed and love lots of cuddles.

They have been a great comfort to me and I love them to bits.

A courageous kitten From Colin and Jane Weaver, Cambridgeshire We got Topsy, a ‘naughty tortie’ kitten, last year from the Chatteris & District Branch of Cats Protection.

Arriving home late one Saturday night we found her in her bed having had a suspected road accident. It turned out that she had sustained a multiple pelvic fracture. Despite the pain she must have been in, she had got herself away from the road, over a fence or wall and through the cat flap to safety and help.

Such determination demanded all the help we could give and, having gone through massive surgery, she is miraculously on the mend.

Handle with care From Nigel Gibson, Fareham My tabby cat Cinders was a rescue cat and, as such, we don’t know how old she is but we’ve had her for nearly three-and-ahalf years.

Sadly, she has asthma and requires daily medication to assist her breathing. She had the torn left ear before we had her or, should I say, before she came here to rule. It doesn’t seem to bother her but we’re careful to handle her gently in that area when she’s being fussed.

I think she is a very photogenic cat and this picture lets you know who the boss is! It was taken while she was guarding the fridge and it took a couple of shots for me to get her to face the camera.

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Double trouble From David and Christine Wiltshire, Buckinghamshire We have two lovable rescue cats, Pepper (black with white markings) and Domino (white with black markings). They are inseparable but have periodic scraps which they take it in turns to instigate. Otherwise they are very peaceful and tolerate the other half-a-dozen cats who wander through our small development.

They have as much freedom as they like but are fed regularly at set times and are always around when food is due. They also love to look out of the window to see what might be coming along, whether another cat or a bird.

In a way they are lucky cats but we are also lucky to have them.

Tunnel vision From Janet Revell, Sussex Sixteen-year-old James shows that older cats can still have fun! He loves trying out anything new I bring him, like this play-tunnel found in a local boot sale.

Despite having poor respiration and kidney failure, James has a light-hearted outlook on life and makes me laugh every day. He has mad moments like a kitten, dashing about the house and garden, up the apple tree and down again; he gets a bit out of breath but it never seems to slow him down.

He loves the sun and dozes in his bed in the greenhouse when it’s windy, or snuggles up to 19-yearold Alice indoors. Initially he was very shy but with patience and understanding he has become one of the most affectionate cats I have known.

If published, please give my cat food prize to the Crawley, Reigate & District Branch for whom I volunteer.

Testing the water From Jean Pearce, Somerset Here is our cat Chips trying out our new water feature!

We rescued her as a small kitten after she was dumped by the roadside with her brother. Our neighbours took them both in but Chips ran a quarter of a mile away across two fields and was living rough in our garden hedge. It took us two weeks of feeding her twice daily until we managed to trap her.

She now lives happily with our other cat Hammy – a Bridgend Adoption Centre cat – and a rescued German Shepherd dog, Max.

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The Cat Summer 2013

READERS’ CATS Flexible feline

Curtain twitcher

From Lesley Norman, Liverpool Archie just can’t bear to be left out – he’s always got to be in the middle of whatever’s going on!

He often joins me in my yoga practice, weaving in and out of my legs when in ‘downward dog’ or walking underneath my body while ‘cat breathing’.

On this particular day, however, he joined in at the end, just in time for the relaxation!

From Lynne King, Henley On Thames Our newest addition Mina is proving to be quite a gymnast. Bored with tearing up the curtains, leaping on top of the wardrobe and knocking everything in her path flying, she now has a less destructive pastime.

Each year the house martins take up residence under our porchway roof and the youngsters create quite a noise at feeding time. A frustrated Mina is forever leaping up the door curtain and hanging on the rail to watch the coming and going of the parent birds and if she’s lucky the babies poke their heads out and look at her through the glass.

How she would love to be the other side of the door!

Houdini From David and Sue Hurst, Croydon We adopted Oscar from Croydon Branch of Cats Protection at a homing day. He was introduced to his new home with four resident cats with some trepidation as to whether he would settle in well; this photo was taken less than three weeks later.

I don’t think we had anything to worry about! When we first let him out into our ‘cat-proofed garden’ he searched around until he found the inevitable weak spot that our other cats had not found – I then had to spend the whole day improving security.

He is extremely intelligent.

He is only two years old but is already a very big lad with loads of character!

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CELEBRITY INTERVIEW

James Bowen A

fter street musician and recovering drug addict James Bowen found an injured cat outside his supported housing flat in Tottenham, north London, in 2007, the pair became firm friends. Together they busked and sold The Big Issue . The bestselling book, A Street Cat Named Bob , and children’s version, B ob: No Ordinary Cat , recount their adventures.

QUESTION How has your life changed since your first book came out last year?

ANSWER Obviously it has brought a lot of attention to Bob and myself. Life has become a lot easier; I won’t deny that. I certainly don’t have to go busking seven days a week now.

We have a much more stable lifestyle, not such a chaotic lifestyle. It’s been also wonderful to know that I’ve opened a lot of people’s eyes to certain aspects of what I talk about in the book.

QUESTION How has Bob coped with the fame?

ANSWER Bob’s a proper diva at the moment. I think because we haven’t been going out as much he’s become a bit too much of a house cat now. He still likes going out, but it’s on his terms.

Before when I was going out I’d say, ‘Bob, do you want to come out?’ He’d go, ‘Yeah, alright’, and come with me. Now he’ll want to go out and I’m not ready. When I am ready to go out he’s like, ‘No, I’ve changed my mind’. There’s a nonverbal communication between the two of us.

QUESTION Does he have any demands when making a public appearance?

ANSWER He has to have his own seat, his own blanket, a bowl of cat milk, some Dreamies. He’s got to be fed and happy if he’s going to pose for all his fans.

QUESTION Bob has his own London Travelcard for using public transport. In what other ways is he unusual?

ANSWER I’ve caught him trying to use the loo. I’ve had to put child locks on the cupboards and the refrigerator because of him. I think he’s probably got more followers online than your average television reality show star.

QUESTION There has been talk of A Street Cat Named Bob being turned into a film. What is happening with that?

Musician and author James Bowen , owner of Street Cat Bob, talks to Kate Youde about his life today, his upcoming projects and how Bob has coped with fame

ANSWER It’s being touted around the regular Hollywood channels, which is probably just Hollywood restaurants where they discuss all these kinds of things. But, yes, it’s quite a possibility. I would never have thought it would be a reality this time last year. I never expected the book to be a bestseller, let alone the fact that it was going to be a bestseller for more than a week. It’s incredible.

QUESTION Would Bob play Bob? ANSWER This is something that would probably have to happen because Bob is such a unique character. I can’t see any other cat playing Bob. The blog A round the World in 80 Bobs publishes fans’ photographs of copies of A Street Cat Named Bob in different locations. James’s new book, T he World According to Bob: The further adventures of one man and his street-wise cat , is published by Hodder & Stoughton in hardback, priced £16.99, on 4 July 2013.

We have five copies of Bob: No Ordinary Cat go give away, see page 37.

A Greek tragedy turns to hope

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The Cat  Summer 2013

FEATURE

J ulie Barrie discovers her love for an Athenian stray colony

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A gradual relationship I slowly became involved with these cats’ lives. One autumn evening when it was it was pouring with rain I wondered where they slept and if they had shelter. There was a cat carrier sitting in the hallway that never seemed to be in use so I put it on the balcony with a towel in it. A while later I went out and looked in and was amazed to see about six cats crammed into it trying to keep warm. I felt so guilty that I’d never wondered before about how they live.

After the cat carrier came two big cardboard boxes with blankets. As someone with little cat experience I hadn’t thought that warm dark cardboard boxes would be a magnet

to female cats looking for a safe place to put their kittens. A few nights later when I was looking through the balcony windows late at night I saw a small and nervous-looking grey cat with a tiny kitten in her mouth step on to my balcony from the tree and deposit it into one of the boxes. I watched her bring three more up and realised I now had four kittens and seven adult cats pretty much living on my balcony. It occurred to me that I would have to start doing some neutering.

I borrowed a trap from a cat welfare society called Nine Lives, run by a group of Greek and foreign women, and lugged the heavy thing home. The first cat I trapped was a grey female who, my landlady told me, had had dozens of litters. It took me two hours to catch her and I dragged her, hissing and spitting, inside the heavy trap to the vet. Later, the vet told me that the cat’s womb was so stretched she would have died if she had had one more litter.

Photos: Julie Barrie

have around 18 cats living in my garden and on my balcony. In Britain this would probably be thought to denote a personality disorder but I live in Greece and here it’s quite normal.

Cat lovers end up overloaded with cats because there are strays everywhere and if people know you are willing take care of them you soon find that everyone in the neighbourhood is dumping unwanted cats and kittens at your door.

When I moved into my present flat in a suburb of Athens in April four years ago there were six kittens living in the courtyard. When I leaned over the balcony, enjoying the early spring evenings, I would see them playing.

During that summer I occasionally saw one of them stroll across my balcony while I was working at my desk, but apart from that they stayed in the courtyard and I didn’t feel the need to entice them up. Then one fatal day I fed one of the strollers a few scraps of sardine and within a few minutes his tabby brother had scaled the spiky yucca tree to my balcony.

They stood looking at me after they had finished their sardines and somehow I knew they wanted to make friends. I put my hand out to stroke the top of the tabby’s head and within a

few seconds he was in the doorway of my flat lying on his back waiting for a tummy rub. A couple of weeks later he was ill and I took him to the vet. “I see he’s adopted you,” she said.

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FEATURE

Making a difference Since then I have joined Nine Lives as one of their regular volunteers and have arranged for more than 50 cats around my street to be neutered. Being involved in cat welfare work has made me aware of how tough life is for stray cats (and dogs) on the street and how vitally important neutering is. For most stray cats, life is a constant struggle for food, warmth, safety and shelter.

Most have a life span of less than a year before they are killed by dogs, run over, poisoned or die from an illness that would have been easily preventable in a home cat. Many domestic cats abandoned on the streets are killed within a week.

Because of a lack of volunteers and money, we can feed, neuter and care for only a fraction of the stray cats that wander the streets of Athens.

We face regular skirmishes with a human population many of whom are either completely indifferent to the welfare of stray cats or actively hostile, believing they are nothing but vermin to be exterminated.

The cats in my garden colony are relatively safe compared to most Greek strays. But I see the unlucky ones regularly on the streets – lying dead with diarrhoea running out of them or with their stomachs torn open, sickly kittens crawling with fleas and with missing eyes, and newborns tied up and thrown into rubbish bins or dumped at the side of the road. Little value is put on what is freely available and this truth is particularly evident here. The only valued cats are the pedigrees that people pay large amounts of money for in pet shops, ignoring the thousands of strays in the streets who are desperate for homes and who would make lovely companions.

20 The Cat Summer 2013

A new understanding One of the things that has amazed me most as I have got to know my colony is how incredibly fastidious cats are.

The first time I let one of them sleep in my flat I lay awake most of the night convinced he would knock things over and create a disturbance by trying to escape. In the morning he was still sitting on the same cushion, nothing was out of place and he had used a corner of the bathroom, very discreetly, to attend to his business. Now on cold nights many of them sleep in my flat.

They settle down, each in their own corner and I don’t hear a sound all night. I think they’re just extremely happy and grateful for the chance to sleep somewhere warm, quiet and safe.

Of the original six cats in the courtyard only three remain. The other three disappeared early on; two were probably hit by cars or killed by dogs after wandering away from the block and one other, a handsome ginger male, caught cat flu. I saw him on

my balcony one evening with mucus streaming from his nose. At the time I didn’t even know where the nearest vet was so I put a towel over him to try to keep him warm and the next day he had gone. I never saw him again – he was one of the thousands that just vanish. Other cats have appeared over the last four years, often kittens dumped outside the door. Some have come and gone, some I’ve found homes for – three in Britain so far – but it’s hard to find homes in Greece as the financial crisis grips.

My respect for these extraordinary creatures has grown enormously over the four years that I’ve lived side by side with them. Now, I can’t believe there are people who choose not to have cats in their lives. From liking cats but knowing very little about them I am now constantly amazed at their intelligence, their patience, their unconditional love, their sensitivity, their uncanny intuition and their humour. We have so much to learn from them.

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PAWS FOR THOUGHT

How a girl gained two new friends Amy Harris recalls the eagerly-anticipated arrival of her kittens

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an a 12-year-old get any happier than when her parents tell her that she can get kittens? Answer – no! I was so happy I cried! I searched for hours with my mum for the perfect companions until we found a pair of kittens which closely resembled puff balls.

We prepared my bedroom for the tiny kittens. Each of them had their own food and water bowls surrounded by newspaper, a scratching post and a litter tray surrounded by yet more newspaper – talk about catching up on world affairs!

Soon we were staring down at two curled up six-inchballs snuggled into their mum and each other. My mum and I picked them up and as their tiny eyes opened my heart melted and I was the happiest girl in the world. I fell in love with their goatees and long whiskers. I loved the way their paws were so soft and their tiny tails flicked back and forth.

For a 12-year-old this is the closest you get to love at first sight. I knew I had made two friends for life.

We took them home and soon they were wandering around my room, sniffing curiously and climbing all over us.

We named them Brian and Pebbles. Pebbles sniffed and ate the food and drank the water but Brian didn’t. He wouldn’t eat. I tried crushing it up into smaller bits but he still refused.

I then held it in my hand and after a cautious start he ate it and licked his lips. What a relief.

They were too small to get on the bed so I made a ramp for them to use. That night as I got into bed they followed and their tiny paws hopped up the ramp. They then both curled up in tiny balls next to my head and fell into a deep sleep. I set my timer to wake me up every three hours so I could check on them and each time they had not moved – exhausted from their journey. I kept this three hour routine going for the next few nights until I was convinced they weren’t getting up to mischief in the night.

Each day I would change their water and food, clean their litter trays – and my carpet – and attempt to teach them not to scratch.

Illustration: Rus Hudda

Success was slow but eventually achieved. Pebbles and Brian were officially the friendliest cats I had ever seen, but I guess you could say I am slightly biased. As their confidence grew so my dignity decreased. Each morning I was woken up in a different way than the day before, from the kittens licking my hand under the duvet to pouncing on my face.

My next challenge was litter training. It seemed that however regularly I put them in their litter trays they would wait until they were on my floor to go. When they were actually in the tray they always went about two inches left of it. After repeatedly being put into their litter trays they seemed to finally grasp what to do.

My final and funniest challenge was teaching my baby boys to use the cat flap. Pebbles was the fastest learner and was in and out within four days. On the other hand, Brian frequently got stuck half way. I would come down and find either his back end or embarrassed fluffy face sticking out of the door.

About a week after Pebbles, Brian finally got the hang of it and both of them were free to go in and out as they pleased.

Despite their new freedom, both of them still spend a great deal of time curled up sleeping on our laps. They have become more and more friendly and are extremely affectionate companions.

Editor’s note When it comes to litter training, most cats are quick to learn – usually they just need to be shown the litter tray and they know what to do. Kittens learn an association between going to the toilet and the material that is under their feet. They learn this because when they are very young, their mother will move them to a suitable place and stimulate them to toilet by licking their rear end. The kitten rapidly forms a preference for toileting on that type of surface and will generally prefer this material throughout life.

The location of the litter tray is crucial for ensuring that cats are able to find and access it easily and feel safe when using the tray. It is best to place it in a secluded corner of the room, which is away from their bed, food and water bowls. Also try to position the litter tray away from walkways commonly used by both people and cats so your kitten is not disturbed while using the tray. Try to provide the litter type they have been accustomed to using already, and make any changes gradually.

A day in the life of a cat behaviour counsellor

Is there hope after ‘re-directed aggression’ strikes? V icky Halls investigates…

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y first contact with Sue and Gary was an email, a heartfelt plea for me to make some sense of what was happening. This was their tale…

It had been a normal Saturday morning like any other, Gary had gone out for the paper and some milk and Sue was in the kitchen washing up.

Pepper and Tinker, their three-year-old brother and sister ‘moggies’, were idly staring out of the patio doors into their beloved garden. Sue had noticed earlier that Butch, a neighbour’s cat, had been sunning himself on the shed roof. Suddenly, without any warning, Pepper and Tinker were wailing like banshees and locked in battle. Fur was flying everywhere – Sue screamed and (foolishly in retrospect) threw herself into the melee to break up the fight. Pepper retreated under the sideboard and Tinker rushed upstairs, seeking sanctuary under the bed while Sue bathed her wounds.

Gary came home to find Sue in a state of shock, both cats appeared equally disturbed. When she relayed the sequence of events to Gary they both agreed that they would separate them for the day, allow the cats to settle and then get them back together when they were calm. That evening a rather suspicious looking Tinker walked slowly into the living room and gingerly touched noses with the equally reticent Pepper. Sue noticed that Tinker sniffed intensely, followed by an expression of disgust and a loud hiss right in Pepper’s face. She came back with an equivalent explosive retort and everything deteriorated from there. Once again the siblings were separated and Sue and Gary were left to watch television alone, after all, they couldn’t be seen to show any favouritism. One out, all out, so separate bedrooms for Pepper and Tinker to reflect on what they had done.

Vicky Halls is a registered Veterinary Nurse, a member of the FAB’s Feline Behaviour Expert Panel and author of several best-selling cat counselling books. For more information about these books or if you have any concerns about your own cat’s behaviour please visit her website: www.vickyhalls.net

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With great determination Gary and Sue persisted with the meetings after periods of separation.

Each encounter was a nightmare and eventually they decided to divide the house into two parts: kitchen, living room, dining room for one cat and the hallway, landing and bedrooms for the other.

Occasionally the cats were swapped round to ensure they didn’t get too protective about their own private space. It was at this point that Sue contacted her vet and she was referred to me.

Untangling the threads The overwhelming feeling from Sue’s email was one of shock and disbelief. How could her loving cats, such an important part of their harmonious family life, suddenly hate each other? I spoke to her that day and agreed to meet shortly afterwards. When I visited the couple it was clear how distressed they were and how devastating this had been for the past few months. As I walked through the front door I met Tinker sitting sheepishly on the stairs, if I didn’t know better I would have said he looked at me as if to say, “Help me out here will you? I haven’t a clue what’s going on!” I was then ushered into the living room, with the usual frenzied airlock quickget-in-and-shut-the-door system so familiar to me in these cases, and met Pepper – sitting quietly on the sofa looking very slightly tense.

I spent a couple of hours with Sue and Gary, reviewing the history, talking about how things were before the ‘incident’ and how they have been since. There was a definite air of tension in the home, they were very unsettled and it was ever so slightly contagious. Once we had exhaustively covered everything they thought about the situation and everything they had actually observed, I explained what I thought we were up against.

The incident on that Saturday morning was probably what is referred to as ‘re-directed aggression’. Cats are territorial creatures so they are constantly vigilant and sensitive to invading forces from outside; I suspect that Butch didn’t stay on the shed roof and that it is likely he approached the house and came face to face with Pepper and Tinker at the patio doors. This is a direct threat and it would have triggered an acute stress response in both cats, which in turn releases adrenaline to fuel the ‘fight or flight’ internal mechanism that would normally result in intense aggression targeted at the

HEALTH CHECK perceived threat or a rapid escape. Unfortunately, in this type of situation, aggression can be redirected onto the nearest moving object; in this case one or other of the cats launched an attack on its sibling. Once aggression has been re-directed, the aggressor may develop a mistaken association and attack the ‘innocent bystander’ on sight thereafter – I guessed in this case that Pepper attacked Tinker originally although now they were equally suspicious of each other. These problems can lead to anything from a few grumpy weeks to complete relationship breakdowns; we needed to make sure that we were not dealing with the latter.

Rapprochement One thing I knew, I had to get the cats together on that very day – it was the only way to test my theory that all was not lost. I’ve seen many cases of re-directed aggression, some far worse than others, so I am very wary of putting cats together just in case I misjudge the extent of their mistrust and start something I can’t finish without injury. With Pepper and Tinker though I felt there was hope but didn’t want to take any chances so Sue, Gary and I went to work to create an environment that would diffuse tension, block stares and prevent escalation if things got nasty.

Cats are more likely to fight actively in flat, open spaces – if multiple levels are available and the floor-space is cluttered it makes it easier to avoid conflict. Pepper and Tinker had been living in an atmosphere of tension, segregation and brief glimpses of each other. If they had accidentally met then neither Gary nor Sue were going to let them ‘say’ what had to be said. They never got to finish anything. My suspicion, from the history discussed, was that in the latter part of their life before ‘the incident’ Pepper and Tinker had started to distance themselves from each other. As they matured socially, suddenly territory and the important things within it had become something to compete over. Their lives together probably would never be the same for this reason but, with a little tweaking, they may well be able to cohabit and timeshare the space without the need to fight.

Adapting the environment Before they met that day, we went round the entire house distributing boxes, storage containers, furniture, cat scratching posts and anything we could find to give both cats every opportunity to use the space to facilitate communication without conflict. Gary and Sue took a deep breath and we opened the door. We had already agreed to talk, laugh and generally behave normally and completely disregard the cats. With the aid of my trusty consulting bag, full of glorious catnip and valerian goodies, Pepper and Tinker were presented with captivating toys that gave them a temporary enjoyable distraction. Catnip isn’t always the best thing to give to cats in tense situations but, in this case, I had checked out their response and knew if anything they would be calmed by the experience.

Staring, hissing, lowered gazes and slow motion retreats ensued and when things got tough, Tinker would jump on a box or Pepper would dip her head behind a piece of furniture.

Nothing very bad happened but a lot was ‘said’.

I gave Sue and Gary an extensive written programme of change that included my favourite formula for all things that cats need (feeding areas, water bowls, litter trays, beds, high perches, private places and scratching posts) which is to provide one per cat plus one extra in separate locations. Giving the cats a choice of three of everything would hopefully allow them to cohabit in as stress-free a way as possible.

From that moment forward, Gary and Sue felt confident to allow the cats to mix freely and, to this day, no further overt aggression has been seen. Let’s hope that Pepper and Tinker have adapted and learned to live in this new way.

[If you are experiencing a problem of this kind contact your veterinary surgeon in the first instance and, if appropriate, you will be referred to a pet behaviour counsellor.]

Photo: istocklibrary.com/cynoclub

The Cat Summer 2013

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vets Ask the

Have you got a question?

Send your questions to: Ask The Vets, The Cat magazine, National Cat Centre, Chelwood Gate, Haywards Heath, RH17 7TT or email: editorial@cats.org.uk

CP’s team of veterinary experts tackle your feline-related questions…

I have two cats, one is a Bengal and the other is a short haired black and white. They get on well together. Over the last year or so our black and white has been overgrooming, so much so that he has a very bald tummy and legs. I have visited three different vets without much success.

We have tried Feliway, Bitter Apple spray and Zyklene capsules all to no avail. He is happy in himself and eats well. I would be grateful for any advice.

Mrs D Evans, Denbigh It’s good that you’ve been to the vets as this is always the first port of call for any behavioural change. Has your cat been for a health check with the vet to specifically rule out medical problems for this problem?

Over-grooming can be caused by a number of factors, which may be medical, behavioural or a combination. For example, over-grooming could be caused by an allergy, making the cat itch and therefore groom excessively to try and alleviate the itching. Allergies could result from fleas, diet or the environment. Your vet can help with diagnosis and designing an appropriate management and treatment plan specific to your cat if this is the case.

It may be due to pain – for example, a common cause of over-grooming is cystitis. The cat will lick its stomach and eventually its legs in an attempt to relieve the pain. If your cat is showing any other symptoms of cystitis such as squatting to urinate with blood in the urine, crying out in pain when urinating or producing no urine, please do take your cat to the vet as soon as possible.

Another possibility is that over-grooming may be in response to stress or boredom. The cat may groom in order to relieve stress as a way of comforting itself, but if the source of stress does not go away, the behaviour may become an obsessive one. Stress may be caused by a cat in the house or neighbourhood, a change in its environment such as a new baby or rearranged furniture etc. A cat may become bored if it is an indoor cat and has not been given enough environmental enrichment to keep it entertained and able to express its natural behaviours. Ensure the cat has plenty of high vantage points and several places to hide such as a box or igloo bed. Make sure that there are plenty of interactive toys for the cat to play with and that you play little and often with your cat. Try introducing puzzle feeders to your cat so that it has to work for its food. These measures should all help to alleviate potential boredom and stress.

You mention that your two cats get on well, but it may be worth looking hard at their relationship. It is common for cats

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The Cat Summer 2013

living in multi-cat households, particularly unrelated cats, to perceive each other as threats, even if they don’t actively fight or hiss. Look for clues that they are in the same social group, such as sleeping, touching each other, rubbing against and frequently grooming each other. If they aren’t doing this, they may find each other’s presence a little stressful, in which case it is particularly important that they have plentiful resources distributed around the house – such as hiding areas, toileting areas, food and water – that they can access without having to pass each other.

It is worth persisting with the Feliway as this mimics the facial pheromones that cats deposit when they rub their cheeks on people or objects in the home that makes them smell more familiar. It can have a calming effect, which is useful if stress is an underlying cause.

In order to resolve your cat’s over-grooming, it is important to identify the underlying cause. For specific guidance and help with your cat, we would highly recommend that you go back to your own vet to discuss your concerns. If your vet feels that the problem is purely behavioural, they may recommend a referral to a suitably qualified behaviourist or alternatively go to the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors (APBC) website www.apbc.org.uk to find your nearest qualified behaviourist.

My mother has recently moved in with me and my two cats and although all has gone very well so far with the cats taking to her and enjoying her company, I am concerned that their health may be at risk. My mother is a regular smoker and despite me asking her to smoke outside I know that she ignores this while I am out. Not only is there a lingering smell around the house but I’ve noticed it on the fur of my cats too. What are the dangers to animals regarding passive smoking? I’m willing to get tough with Mum on this one!

Eleanor Fitzgerald, Middlesbrough There have not been many studies looking at the effects of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) on cats, especially when compared with those appraising the risks to people, for example. However, there is evidence that exposure can be associated with disease in pets. Cigarette smoke contains potentially harmful chemicals that are found in high concentration on the furniture and carpets of smokers’ homes. Cats may be exposed through passively breathing in tobacco smoke (accumulation of tars have been found within the lungs in pets that co-habitat with smokers), or through

HEALTH CHECK

The experts

ingesting chemicals that have accumulated on their coat when grooming – such chemicals can be found at significant levels on the furniture and carpets of smokers’ homes.

It has been shown that cats exposed to ETS do take tobacco-specific chemicals into their systems and living in a household where owners smoke appears to increase the risk for developing two of the most common cancers affecting pet cats. Research has shown that cats exposed to many years of ETS have a higher risk of developing lymphoma than cats living in smoke-free homes and there may be an association between the most common type of mouth cancer to affect cats (squamous cell carcinoma) and exposure to ETS. Research in dogs has shown an association between cancers of the nose and lower respiratory tract with exposure to ETS, and in cats that suffer with feline asthma-type signs ETS can worsen the clinical signs of disease.

Though the scientific studies are not in abundance, there appears to be enough evidence to advocate the avoidance of pets’ exposure to ETS. I have a four-year-old male cat that has recently started ‘humping’ a specific blanket I have. He has been ‘done’ and had the op when he was old enough so I find it strange he has just started to do it now and I think he is getting worse! What can I do to stop him? Why start this now?

Lisa Smith via Facebook I am sorry to hear your male cat has recently starting to exhibit this behaviour. In order to try to address any unwanted feline behaviour, it is important to identify its underlying cause. Therefore, the first thing we would recommend is to discuss this in more detail with your vet. They may want to do a health check and/or run some tests, such as blood tests to measure testosterone levels.

If a health check and/or tests reveal that everything is all normal and your vet feels that this is purely a behavioural issue, then they may recommend a referral to a suitably qualified behaviourist or alternatively go to the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors (APBC) website www. apbc.org.uk to find your nearest qualified behaviourist. Inappropriate mounting is more common in male cats than females – it is unusual in neutered cats but is still exhibited by some. The behaviour can be directed towards other cats, other species and inanimate objects. The cause of the behaviour varies, depending on sexual and environmental factors. If the cat isn’t causing any harm, it might be best to allow him to continue, while ignoring the behaviour. You may find the behaviour disagreeable, but it is important not to punish the cat or tell him off as it could even make the behaviour worse. If the underlying cause is anxiety-related, the use of a synthetic pheromone such as Feliway may be beneficial if used in conjunction with medical advice and, if necessary, a behaviour modification programme.

Maggie Roberts BVM&S MRCVS After qualifying at Edinburgh University in 1986, Maggie went on to work primarily in private practice. Maggie first worked for CP as Veterinary Officer from 1997-99; her interest in feline medicine brought her back to the charity as Director of Veterinary Services in 2006. She has three cats, Trevor, Frankie and Ronnie.

Beth Skillings BVSc MRCVS Beth qualified at the University of Liverpool in 1998 and went on to work in general veterinary practice until 2005 when she joined CP as Head of Veterinary Services.

Beth moved into a new role as Clinical Veterinary Officer in November 2006. Beth has a CP cat, Humphrey.

Lisa Morrow BMLSc, DVM, MSc (Vet Epi) MRCVS Lisa graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph, Canada in 2000. Lisa first worked with CP as an Adoption Centre Vet at Derby Adoption Centre and was CP Head of Veterinary Services from 2003-2005.

Lisa recently rejoined CP as Field Veterinary Officer in the northern region of the UK. She has two black cats, Kiwi and Mango.

Karen Hiestand BVSc MRCVS Karen graduated from Massey University in New Zealand in 2001 and spent two years in mixed practise in her home country. Since then, she has interspersed locumming around the UK with volunteer veterinary work. Karen is the Field Veterinary Officer for the southern region of the UK. She has one cat called Dexter.

Our veterinary surgeons have provided the advice on these pages, but for specific cases and health concerns it is important that you consult your own vet who will be able to look at your cat’s history and do a clinical examination.

The Cat Summer 2013

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ALI’S CATS

A learning swerv e S Alison Prince considers the Pavlov theory ince Mitzi came, Fingal has taken on a certain gravitas. He is the elder statesman now, fully conversant with all household protocol and wearily aware that the younger generation is in need of education. He keeps a pitying eye on my efforts to civilise his teenaged housemate, and refrains (but only just) from shuddering when I fail. Mitzi, meanwhile, goes from one blithe adventure to the next and only learns from experience when it turns out to be a mistake.

Setting aside larger questions about the importance of mistake-making for young humans, I bumble gently on with Mitzi and succeed to some extent. She understands a lot more English than she used to, including ‘Off!!’ when she jumps on the kitchen surface to help put the cat food in the bowls. But with cats, understanding is not the same thing as obeying and the conditioned reflex doesn’t appear to work much, if at all. Pavlov’s dogs predictably dribbled at the sight of a dog-food bowl, with or without contents, but Pavlov’s cats might not have been so obliging. (Does our research concentrate on proving things we want to think are right rather than showing us something different? Discuss.) But anyway, Mitzi decided that ‘Off!’ could be broadly interpreted as ‘Please go somewhere else,’ so rather than returning to the floor, she would shift along to another surface or else leap across to the bit where the bread bin lives. But one day she – and I – made a mistake.

‘Off!’ sent Mitzi on a slow and haughty parade across the stove, then – Whoops! A saucepan went skidding one way and cat the other. She landed on the floor, furiously licking a hind paw. The stove is the flat kind with circles that glow red when switched on, and though switched off and returned to black, it was still hot. Mitzi’s paw showed no signs of damage and after a few minutes she had forgotten about it. Fingal, who had fled when saucepan and cat shot in opposite directions, came back and inspected her carefully,

26 The Cat Summer 2013

then decided it was no more than a youthful indiscretion.

An old saying declares that, ‘A cat will never tread on a hot stove again – and neither will it tread on a cold one.’ It’s a Pavlov-type assumption and I’m not entirely sure that it’s true, but time will tell. But at the moment, Mitzi is a lot more cautious than before about parading around on places that are not her territory and that’s no bad thing.

Heat must be a bit of a mystery to cats. Upstairs, we have one of those halogen heaters with a lurid orange light. Fingal and Mitzi adore it, sprawling in front of it like tanseekers on sunbeds – but they are not daft enough to lie there when it’s off. Sunshine, of course, remains their favourite thing. It’s been in short supply during these winter months, but on a rare day when it lies on the carpet in slanting shapes from the windows, the cats are there, each bang in the middle of a shape. They half-wake and shift themselves to stay in it as the sun travels across towards the hills outside that will all too soon cut it off.

Mitzi is not keen on cold weather, perhaps as a result her early kittenhood on an exposed moor. She goes out for necessary purposes but is soon back, so last night, returning late from a jazz gig for a 70th birthday (people here know how to enjoy themselves), I was surprised to find only one cat – Fingal. Of the two, he is the one with an inclination to go off elsewhere for a while, but this time, it was Mitzi who had gone. At well past midnight, one cannot go into the garden to shout for a missing pet – though I do remember a neighbour who, some years ago, used to be out in pitch darkness, uninhibitedly beating a tin bowl with a spoon and shouting, “ TIDDLES! COME ON IN!” Looking for Mitzi in the frosted garden with a torch and urgent whispers didn’t work. I gave up and went to bed. Fingal, who had joined me in the garden, was deeply worried. He hadn’t eaten

his supper, and came with me while I looked in every cupboard and room, though knowing very well that she’d been asleep on the sofa when I went out. In the morning, Fingal was curled up beside me, but I saw his ears go up as he glanced at the door. Sure enough, Mitzi was there, doing her purring and welcoming morning routine. He inspected her carefully, then licked her face and they leaned their heads together. Then went downstairs for breakfast. I don’t know where she’d been – but with cats, you never know everything.

Illustration: Alison Prince

COMPETITION

Competition

time!

K

itty Collars have provided a competition challenge for you with their word search. Find these words about responsible cat ownership and if you’re one of the first 10 correct entries drawn out of the hat, you’re a winner! Cut out and post with your contact details to Kitty Collars, The Cat magazine, National Cat Centre, Chelwood Gate, Sussex RH17 7TT by 12 July 2013.

Editor’s note: Don’t forget that any collers should be quick release and should only be used as an addition to microchipping for identification purposes. Remember to keep your microchip information up to date!

www.kittycollars.co.uk 01983 200 201

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Feline phrases Cat quips clarified!

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Plus Baking bikers, feral felons and glorious giveaways

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Veterinary

The cat that walked by himself

Gemma Lovegrove investigates just how independent cats are

A

s typified in Kipling’s J ust So Stories , cats are often considered to be independent and able to look after themselves. While cats are pretty good at surviving without us, they do have needs. If these aren’t met, it can lead to stress and behavioural problems. By looking at the domestic cat’s ancestry, all should become clear!

Solitary

The Cat Summer 2013 29

Photo: istockphoto.com/Angelika

Domestic cats share common ancestry with the African Wildcat – a species still found today. The African Wildcat lives in the savannah with a sparse concentration of prey, so individuals are well-dispersed and solitary to avoid competition for the small amounts of available food.

Like their ancestors, domestic cats want to maintain an independent territory and are generally happy to live without other cats for company. In fact, many cats living together under the same roof only tolerate the presence of others to

gain access to resources such as food, water, toileting areas and outdoor access. This can result in anxiety and chronic stress, which is not always obvious – especially as cats often spend time together to access the resource.

The introduction of a new cat to existing cats can cause stress for both parties, and if an appropriate, gradual scent-sharing integration programme is not followed, may lead to a behavioural problem such as spraying or inappropriate toileting.

Multi-cat households can be harmonious. If the cats are carefully introduced and each one has the ability to access separate and sufficient resources without having to interact with any other cat, or face other potentially stressful situation – such as children, dogs, noisy household appliances – in other words they are able to choose to an independent life if they wish. Cats which sleep touching and spend time grooming or rubbing against each other are likely to be in the same social group.

Photo: istockphoto.com/SteveStone

a common scent profile through frequent rubbing sessions. Household cleaning and new scents, such as shopping or new furniture, may cause anxiety.

African Wildcats rarely communicate vocally, but many domestic cats quickly learn that maiows, trills and chirrups lead to feeding or attention so learn to ‘talk’ more regularly!

Avoidance of stress and conflict

Spotting prey

Hunter African Wildcats hunt alone for several hours a day and eat many small rodent-sized prey items. Not every attempt is successful so they will hunt before they are hungry to ensure they catch enough food.

They are mostly active at dawn and dusk when their prey is most active.

Because hunting is not hunger driven, domestic cats are still highly motivated to hunt and need to perform successful ‘kills’ to avoid frustration and release endorphins. They are drawn to movement, so interactive play with toys that mimic their prey helps cats to exhibit this natural behaviour and may reduce the desire to seek out such behaviour elsewhere.

The domestic cat’s digestive system is also suited to frequent small meals. Dry food provided in feeding balls or scattered around the house provides cats with the opportunity to spend more of their day seeking out their meal.

Unfortunately for their owners, domestic cats, like their descendants, are still most active at dawn and dusk!

African Wildcats are small predators and rely on staying fit for survival. As a solitary animal, they cannot rely on others in their group to hunt for them if they are injured. They would much rather avoid conflict by running, climbing or hiding than staying to fight.

Providing domestic cats with places to hide or get up high can help them to cope with stressful situations. When cats are aggressive, it is sometimes because they are anxious or fearful but do not have the option to run away.

Sleep African Wildcats need plenty of sleep to replenish their energy reserves, enabling them to hunt whenever they detect prey. They will look for a safe place within their territory and rotate the spot to help keep parasite levels low. They often scratch when they wake up to stretch their muscles and to maintain their claws.

Although domestic cats have food provided for them, instinct still tells them to conserve energy to ensure survival. It is a good idea to provide cats with a scratching post next to their sleeping area. If it is tall enough for cats to stretch to full height, sturdy enough for them to lean into and in the correct location, it is likely they will use this for scratching, rather than furniture or carpet!

Communication

30 The Cat Summer 2013

Photo: istockphoto.com/ballycroy

Cats are often thought of as aloof, but because solitary species don’t need to communicate with others on a regular basis, cats haven’t developed the complex muscles required to make a variety of facial expressions. Instead, they use long-lasting scent messages, allowing them to communicate with other cats remotely. These messages, left by rubbing, spraying urine and scratching, enable them to maintain a territory without coming into direct conflict with other cats.

Domestic cats often rub facial pheromones around the house to indicate a familiar ‘safe zone’ and spray or scratch the edges of their territory. They may spray indoors if they feel they need to indicate an area of caution. Cats Territory that live in the same social group marking will maintain their bond by keeping

Photo: istockphoto.com/ViviSuArt

Veterinary sleeping area, or to eat, drink and toilet in different locations.

Cats Protection provides barriers between pens so cats do not come face to face, provides places to hide, climb and rest up high, and uses two beds in the pen, allowing alternate beds with a familiar scent to be left behind while the other is washed. Cats are also provided with interactive toys to allow them to exhibit some hunting behaviour.

However, the best way to help unwanted cats is to stop them coming into rescue care in the first place. There are too many cats in the UK for the number of homes available, so please consider rehoming a rescue cat and encourage neutering before puberty at about four months old to prevent unplanned litters.

From the Savannah to the sofa, the cat remains true to its ancestral roots. Despite our domestic cat’s show of aloofness and independence, if his basic needs are carefully noted and adjusted for this will allow for greater confidence and contentment.

A safe place to toilet

Toileting Toileting is a vulnerable activity for an African Wildcat, so they choose a safe and private location within their territory. They steer clear of toileting near to areas in which they eat and drink to avoid contamination of their food and water and they bury their deposits in the sand, maybe to elude detection by prey or predators.

Domestic cats also prefer to toilet in a safe and private location, away from their food and water source. Cats generally like a fine sandy substrate with enough depth to be able to bury their deposits.

A kitten which always used the same litter is more likely to refuse to use a different litter material later in life, than one that is used to a variety of substrates as a kitten.

Water African Wildcats prefer to drink from a moving water source than a stagnant pool. They will drink in an alternative location to their sites of eating and toileting to avoid contamination from gut contents of prey, or their own faeces.

Domestic cats often also prefer moving water, and will often drink more if their water source is away from their food source and toileting area. Cats generally prefer wide brimmed ceramic or glass containers that don’t touch the whiskers. Plastic or metal bowls can sometimes taint the water.

Cats in a rescue environment

Photo: CP Library

Although a cat in a pen may look content, being in care can actually be very stressful. Cats are surrounded by the sights, scents and sounds of strange cats and are unable to exhibit their natural hunting behaviour. Cats lose all of their familiar scents when entering the new environment and cleaning and disinfection regimes which are essential for disease control remove their scent on a daily basis. Cats in care often don’t Waiting for have the option to rotate their

a home

The Cat Summer 2013

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From good reads to chic storage, we’ve scoured the shops for these fabulous finds

WIN

Knit a cat

Marvellous magnets

This cute cat is simple to make, even for beginner knitters. If you know how to cast on, knit stich and cast off, you’ll have created this charming chap in no time – no shaping required!

This lovely kit would make a great gift for anyone aged five or over, whether they’re a beginner knitter, or more experienced and simply want an easier project to tackle.

As well as this handsome black feline, the kit is available in ginger, tabby and white varieties.

One of the Little Knit Kit Company’s best sellers, the set has everything you need including bespoke 23cm handmade cat design knitting needles, yarn, ribbon, one set of eyes, bell and thread for his whiskers. It also includes a large sewing-up needle, felt, template, DMC thread, wadding and easy-to-follow instructions. The finished cat measures approximately 20cm x 10cm when completed. We have three black cat kits, each worth more than £19, to give away – be sure to mention Black Cat Kit when you enter.

See www.thelittleknitkitcompany.co.uk for the full range of knitting kits, accessories and haberdashery.

These pretty animal magnets are new from the Natural Pet Toy Company (www.naturalpet-toy.co.uk). Handmade in Hereford, they are available in Cat, Rabbit, Dachshund or Scottie Dog shapes. Each magnet is presented on its own luggage-label backing card and would make a great gift. We are giving away five prizes of two magnets – just let us know which animals you would prefer (eg two cats or one cat, one rabbit). Fabric designs and colours may vary from those shown here. Please quote A nimal Magnets when you enter.

WIN

Lap it up This multi-purpose lap tray has a sweet kitten design, a cushioned base so it sits comfortably on your lap and a stable top. It is perfect for doing puzzles, enjoying breakfast in bed or eating dinner in front of the television! The tray is durable and wipes clean. It is priced at £19.99 and is available from www.ApolloHousewares. com. We have five up for grabs – please quote L ap Tray when you enter.

WIN

32

The Cat Summer 2013

OUR FAVOURITE THINGS Bob’s back in children’s book Street musician James Bowen’s life was transformed after he met stray cat Bob six years ago. The moving story of their friendship was recounted in James’s memoir A Street Cat Named Bob, published last year.

Now, James’s bestselling book has been adapted for children aged 11 and older. The result is Bob: No Ordinary Cat (ISBN: 9781444764925) which features eight pages of exclusive new photographs.

We have five copies to give away, thanks to publishers Hodder & Stoughton (www.hodder.co.uk). Enter in the usual way, quoting B ob: No Ordinary Cat .

Please note: while some of the darker details of James’s former life that featured in the original book are not included in this children’s version, it does contain some drug references in order to explain to older children the dangers of that lifestyle and the reasons that people can become caught up in it.

WIN

Cat food favourite expands James Wellbeloved has refreshed its complete dry cat food range with new products and sizes and a revamped pack design.

Three new dry foods have been added to the range – Hairball, which alleviates hairball problems; Housecat, formulated to reduce stool volume and odour and Oral Health, which helps to remove plaque. Shoppers can now choose from four pack sizes – 300g, 1.5kg and 4kg bags alongside the standard 10kg pack.

The new packaging features Twizzy, a cat who lives close to the company’s base in Yeovil, Somerset.

James Wellbeloved Complete Cat Foods contain natural ingredients such as turkey, duck, or fish blended with rice, tomato, potato and maize. Made in Somerset, the foods are made without artificial colours, flavours or preservatives and are hypo-allergenic. For more details on the range, see www.wellbeloved.com

cat’ s miaow The

Terrific tins This stylish set of three storage tins from Magpie’s Meow range features a trio of sweet felines – Kitt the lazy lounger, Duchess the curious and CooCoo the cuddly. They’re ideal for keeping your cat biscuits fresh or those colourful ribbons out of reach of your furry friends. We have six tin sets, worth £12 each, to give away.

Enter in the usual way, quoting Magpie tins . The Meow range also includes mugs, tea towels, iPhone covers and notebooks.

Magpie is a London-based design company specialising in charming homewares and gifts – all its products are cruelty free and suitable for vegans. Even better, Magpie gives 15 per cent of its sale proceeds to Cats Protection. Hop to www.magpieline. com to browse all the products across 13 ranges. There’s a lot to choose from – you’ll probably end up with a long wish list!

WIN

For a chance to win one of our sizzling summer giveaways, just send your name and address plus the prize phrase on a postcard or sealed envelope to: The Cat magazine, National Cat Centre, Chelwood Gate, Haywards Heath, Sussex, RH17 7TT .

You can also send your entries via email to: competitions@cats.org.uk . Don’t forget to include the giveaway phrase in the subject header so we know which competition you’re entering, and remember to include your name and address in the email body. We may need to pass details of competition winners to the prize suppliers for products to be posted direct.

The closing date for giveaways is 12 July 2013 .

The Cat Summer 2013

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The cat behind the character

34

The Cat Summer 2013

Illustration: © Kerr-Kneale Productions 1970

FEATURE

Author Judith Kerr tells Caroline Impey about the cats that inspired her to create Mog

T

Judith and the ‘original’ Mog

A true companion Altogether the series – which includes much-loved titles such as Mog on Fox Night, Mog and the Baby and M og and the V.E.T. – has sold more than four million copies.

The stories were either inspired by Mog or by other cats the family subsequently owned or by those belonging to friends.

“I added in various things that friends’ cats had done, like one I know whose cat climbed up on the roof and wouldn’t come down again, so she climbed up a ladder to feed it,” laughs Judith. “This happens in Mog’s Christmas .”

She says that Mog helped her with her books in more ways than one. Not only was she the inspiration for the character, she would also sit on her lap for long periods of time while she painted the illustrations, keeping her company and nudging the brush every so often.

She was an affectionate cat, happy to be stroked and picked up and carried around by all members of the family.

“One thing about the original Mog was that she very rarely miaowed, she only miaowed under great stress. She made up for it by making all these expressions. So that

The Cat Summer 2013

35

Photo: Sam Pelly

here can be few fictional cats as lovely as Mog . With her sweet, often bewildered face and endearing ways, she’s been a much-loved companion to generations of children.

But who was the inspiration behind author and illustrator Judith Kerr’s famous feline Judith and Katinka creation? Was there ever a real Mog? “I’d always wanted a cat as a child,” says Judith. “But I couldn’t have one because we This amusing routine of the ‘original’ Mog (the term Judith were moving around all over the place. So as soon as my uses fondly, rather than the ‘real’ Mog) was used to great husband and I got a house with a garden we got a cat. And effect in her first Mog book – Mog the Forgetful Cat . this was Mog.” “I thought I’d do a book about the things cats do which At the time the couple’s children were aged two and five astonished me,” says Judith. “She used to let her tail hang and Mog – a tabby-and-white kitten acquired from Judith’s down in front of the telly. She would start washing her sister-in-law – was to become a very important addition to the leg and then stop, you know? It was ridiculous. It wasn’t family, triggering in Judith a life-long fascination with cats. invention. The book was based on the things she did.

“I was just absolutely staggered with the things cats do.

“The only invention was the burglar. I said to my husband There is a mad logic in the way they think. This weird thing something will have to happen at the end. He was deep in that nearly all cats do is if they see it’s raining at the back of work but he said let her catch a burglar, so that’s what I did.” the house, they go and see if it’s any better at the front,” The book, complete with Judith’s charming illustrations, Judith laughs. went on to become a classic. It was followed over the years by 11 more best-selling Mog books.

FEATURE was a way of drawing her,” says Judith, referring to the character Mog’s appealing oval of a face which her drawings invested with a range of emotions, from cat-like confusion to feline satisfaction.

Before she created Mog, Judith also wrote and illustrated the timeless classic The Tiger Who Came to Tea after telling the story to her children at bedtime. The book has sold more than five million copies and now includes a pop-up version.

Judith, who at 89 is still writing and illustrating books, quite obviously remains a cat-lover. And it’s also clear that she understands cats and their ways more than ever.

“Cats never quite belong to you,” she says. “They remain independent and they’re so unexpected. You simply never know if they’re going to be sitting high on top of a cupboard just watching you.”

Over the years, she and the family owned of a total of nine cats, including her current cat, Katinka, a seven-year-old white cat with tabby patches and a tabby tail.

Judith lives with Katinka in the same London house her children (and cats) grew up in. Her husband, the scriptwriter Nigel Kneale, died in 2006.

Katinka is marvellous company and, Judith says, also very bossy.

“They quite deliberately make you do things,” she says.

“My cat has a cat flap but she likes to look through the catflap and then for me to open the door so she can walk out.

It’s ridiculous but somehow they get you to do these things.”

“The death of pets is something children have to get used to,” Judith explains. “It doesn’t matter how long the animal lives, it’s always upsetting for children when they die. I’d done 12 books and felt I had done enough books on Mog. I felt I’d done all I wanted to do. It was time.”

The original Mog was the grand age of 19 when she died.

By then Judith’s children were adults and had moved out.

But it was still very painful for the whole family – the end of an era.

Of course, through Judith’s books, the memory of their cherished pet will live on forever. In fact, M og the Forgetful Cat is dedicated to the original Mog. Surely there can be no finer tribute to a very special cat.

he Great Granny Gang , published by HarperCollins, T is available now and a retrospective book of Judith’s work and life called Judith Kerr’s Creatures will be published in June 2013 to celebrate her 90th birthday.

A sad farewell Any cat owner who has had the pleasure of reading a Mog book will realise that Judith has spent a lot of time around cats.

Through her books she finds a way to share with children and their parents the joys, frustrations, amusement and, inevitably, the sadness of owning a pet.

In her final Mog book, Goodbye Mog , Mog is very old and she dies. The book is so beautifully written and illustrated and so poignant that most parents cannot read it to their children without a lump in their throat.

36 The Cat Summer 2013

Illustration: © Kerr-Kneale Productions 2012

You can help cats every time you hit the shops, thanks to the Cats Protection Credit Card from MBNA.

0% for up to 12 months* from the date your

You’ll not only receive an attractive rate, but you’ll also benefit from our free 24-hour customer service helpline, secure online card services and no liability for loss, theft or fraudulent internet use.†

0% for up to 12 months from the date your

account is opened, on balance transfers made in the first 90 days (3% handling fee) account is opened, on money transfers into your current account in the first 90 days (4% handling fee)

0% on card purchases for 3 months from the date your account is opened.

Don’t delay – phone us on: 0800 028 2440 quoting Cats Protection or for more details please visit: www.cats.org.uk/creditcard

Representative example 16.9% p.a. (variable) on card purchases. This is equivalent to 16.9% APR representative (variable) based on a credit limit of £1200.

† If your card is lost or stolen, you’ll incur no liability for fraudulent use of your card provided you notify us as soon as you realise your card is missing or you notice any unusual transactions on your account.

Promotional rates will no longer apply from the beginning of any statement period during which you have breached your terms and conditions, for example if you haven’t paid on time or have gone over your credit limit.

You cannot transfer balances between MBNA accounts.

The credit card is issued by MBNA Europe Bank Limited. Registered Office: Stansfield House, Chester Business Park, Chester CH4 9QQ. Registered in England number 2783251. MBNA’s consumer credit activities are licensed by the Office of Fair Trading and MBNA’s general insurance activities are authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

Credit is available, subject to status, only to UK residents aged 18 or over. Calls may be monitored and/or recorded for quality and training purposes and for compliance with regulations.

Scalpel please T

he Cats Protection ‘Adopt with confidence’ slogan proudly declares that every cat in our care is given a full examination by a vet: microchipped (if over 12 weeks), neutered (if not already), deflead, dewormed and given appropriate medical treatment for any ailments or injuries.

This happens at our branches and centres across the UK and the National Cat Centre in Sussex is no exception.

The centre is fortunate to have its own surgical veterinary team working from a fully equipped operating theatre and clinic. Each cat that arrives at the centre is fully assessed by the Veterinary team.

Those without health issues will be quarantined for seven days and then made available for adoption, for others a course of medication treatment may be instigated or it may be determined that a surgical procedure is necessary.

A theatre trip Routine surgery days are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and from the moment the staff put on their scrubs it’s full-on with a comprehensive list of cats and kittens all due surgery of one form or another.

F rancesca Watson goes behind the scenes at the National Cat Centre’s veterinary clinic to see how the surgical team scrubs up

On this particular day there are six neutering ops and a dental procedure. In the surgery’s prep room there are three silver tabby male kittens anaesthetised on the table: Toby, Titan and Tonker, aged 10 weeks. They are all from the same litter and already share the same pen – otherwise each kitten would be attended to separately. Their mother, Twinkle, and two sisters Tokyo and Toodles are next on the list.

The three boys have been anaesthetised via an injection. It combines an anaesthetic with a painkiller. It also has the added benefit of shortterm memory loss so the cats won’t remember their time in the clinic. They are then prepared for surgery.

Nathalie Dowgray, one of the centre’s resident vets, is already scrubbed up and sets to work with the scalpel. A small incision on the sac, a squeeze and the testes reveal themselves. They are tied off with forceps and then removed. No stitches are required as when the skin is pressed back together, the sac seals itself and will go on to heal. This is the same with both small kittens and adult males making castration a relatively simple procedure.

Toby, Titan and Tonker being prepped

38

The Cat Summer 2013

BEHIND THE SCENES

Nathalie starts on Twinkle

The natural abdominal fat (not much in a kitten!) is pushed back into the abdomen and Nathalie locates the tiny Y-shaped uterus. The blood vessels are clamped off and the uterus and ovaries are removed. Later, when it is Twinkle’s turn, the difference in size of uterus is noticeable.

The incision is stitched up inside with the muscle layers then stitched, all using a dissolvable thread. Sutures are put under the skin and tissue glue is then used to seal up the outside incision. Should nylon thread be used the stitches will be removed around 10 days later. A final injection is given to reverse the effects of the anaesthetic to bring the cat round. They are also placed in a pen in the recovery ward and monitored. Although they take slightly longer than the boys, recovery is swift and they heal extremely well. In a few days’ time the fur will begin to grow back over the scar and they too will be ready to go to the homing wing.

The unusual Unlike dogs, cats are born with descended testicles but as they can be so small they’re not always easy to find!

After the procedure is complete for each kitten he is carefully carried through to the back room to the recovery pens by Katie, one of the veterinary nurses. He is laid in the pen with a towel covering him to ensure he does not lose body heat and his recovery monitored while Nathalie scrubs up again. The three castrations take no more than half an hour and by this time the first kitten is already awake in his pen, eating food and showing no sign or concern about the procedure he has just gone through. Another 20 minutes and all three are being typical young lads, climbing up the walls of the cage and playing together.

Between each procedure the strict cleansing process comes into effect. There is a new kit including new syringe, swabs, scalpel, needle, green cloth, surgical gloves, apron ready and waiting for each one. Nathalie scrubs up once more, the table is disinfected and the data logged for input. The forms for each animal give details of name, weight, age, breed, drugs administered, dosage, time taken and method used.

All clinical waste will be sent to be incinerated. Standards are high and correct procedure is taken extremely seriously.

The girls’ turn The procedure for spaying females is a little more invasive.

They have the same anaesthetic injected into the muscle but they will require intubation where a breathing tube is inserted down the cat’s throat to maintain the airway and allow delivery of oxygen and anaesthetic gas - without also sending the people in the room to sleep!

The two female kittens, Tokyo and Toodles, are next on the list, followed by mother, Twinkle. After being prepped and intubated in the anteroom each will be brought in turn to the theatre and laid on a heat pad on the operating table. This will help keep their body temperature stable during surgery.

Katie will continuously monitor the cat’s vital signs during the operation, to ensure the correct depth of anaesthesia is maintained.

The left flank has been shaved in readiness for the operation and the skin made sterile. A sterile drape is placed over the surgical site and Nathalie makes her incision through the skin, fat and muscle layers and into the peritoneal cavity.

Caesareans are rare at the centre but recently one such procedure did become necessary. Lexi was unable to give birth naturally as one of her kittens was blocking the delivery path. Nathalie was ready for surgery within 10 minutes, ably assisted by a full team, including vet Karen Hiestand and Director of Veterinary Services, Maggie Roberts. Within half an hour four healthy kittens were safely delivered: three black and white and one tabby. The tabby was named Nat, after Nathalie, and the others were named Vicky, Dale and Dominic after members of the vet team and their partners.

Nathalie took the opportunity while Lexi was anaesthetised to spay her. “I’d rather remove the uterus at the time of the caesarean than do another operation on her again in eight weeks.”

Getting the message across Asked how many neutering ops she’s performed in her career, Nathalie laughs: “Absolute thousands! Here at the National Cat Centre we did 550 in the last year alone. It’s one of the most routine operations we perform and we prefer to neuter early. Twinkle’s kittens are 10 weeks old and if we can get them neutered as soon after they’ve had their first vaccination it means they will be ready for homing sooner.

The kittens had their first vaccination last Friday, today’s Wednesday and once they’re recovered from the anaesthetic

Checking the vitals

The Cat Summer 2013 39

BEHIND THE SCENES we will take them to the public rehoming wing ready to be seen, fallen in love with and homed.

“It can be a struggle to get all the kittens neutered before they are of adopting age (from nine weeks) and for those that go to new homes before it can be done, we do remind the new owners that they need to get this vital procedure booked with their vet. It’s an important part of the rehoming agreement.

“We are lucky here at the NCAC because we have a team of veterinary staff dedicated to these routine operations. Our branches have a far more difficult time of it logistically as they rely on taking cats to their local veterinary surgeries and as such are obliged to fit in with the surgeries’ opening hours and workload.”

At Cats Protection we promote early neutering of kittens. A common view is that kittens should be neutered at six months but we firmly believe it should be done at four months or younger. It is important to neuter before they reach puberty to ensure there are no unplanned pregnancies.

“We’re keen to change the views of those vets who won’t neuter under six months, it’s an historic thing and most of them can’t give a good reason why. But we’re trying to convince the veterinary schools to change their teaching on this and we are making some headway.

We vets are funny creatures,” Nathalie smiles wryly, “and we don’t necessarily like to change our ways.”

“The clinic can have anything up to 20 veterinary students a year who shadow the team as well as visiting foreign vets,” Nathalie continues, “so our mode of practice is getting through and they can see how different shelter medicine is to that of the more routine high street veterinary surgery. The majority of cats who come into our care have had minimal veterinary attention with no annual check-ups, no routine vaccinations and I think that the visiting vets find this hard to comprehend.”

Just waking up…

40 The Cat Summer 2013

Tango’s dental appointment

Pulling teeth The last operation is a dental one. After neutering, dental work is the next most common procedure the vet team carries out. Tango is anaesthetised and Nathalie quickly finds extensive dental disease.

This means that Tango is going to lose all his teeth. Thankfully this will have no effect on his ability to eat, but Nathalie and the team find it very frustrating.

“This is a progressive disease so it means that a cat could have been in discomfort or pain for years,” Nathalie sighs. “Some owners may not notice a problem with their cat’s mouth until emergency dental work is the only viable option. That’s why we strongly advise that owners take their pets to the vet for an annual check-up. Dental and other problems can then be recognised at an earlier stage, meaning less discomfort for the pet and probably less of an impact on the costs side of things too. It’s that old adage, prevention is better than the cure.”

It’s been a long morning and although surgery is over for the day the work doesn’t stop. The cats will be monitored and checked regularly and all the necessary paperwork completed. Then the next day’s surgeries will be prepared for.

Witnessing the amount of work that goes into each cat in the centre, whether they need surgery or not, reinforces the fact that those adopting from CP really are getting a cat that has had the best attention and care.

Everything that can be done, has been done and you can certainly adopt with confidence.

Make him the promise of a lifetime At Cats Protection, we have been saving injured, starving and abandoned cats and kittens since 1927. Thanks to our promise never to put a healthy cat to sleep, we have changed the lives of hundreds of thousands of cats, giving them all a second chance at life.

You can help us keep our special promise and care for even more cats by leaving us a gift in your will. If cats are close to your heart, make sure your kindness continues to change their lives for many years to come.

Ask us for your free information booklet today.

01825 741 271

(Mon â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Fri, 9am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 5pm) or email

giftsinwills@cats.org.uk Find out more with our free information booklet Order your free copy of our booklet today. Simply complete and return this form to: Matt Vincent, Legacy Department, Cats Protection, FREEPOST SEA 7678, Haywards Heath, RH17 7BR. No stamp needed.

Title:

Name:

Address:

Postcode: Tel:

It really helps Cats Protection if we can keep you informed about our exciting work, campaigns, activities and fundraising. If you would prefer us to not contact you by post or telephone, please phone 08707 706827, email: cp@cats.org.uk or write to us at the Freepost address: FREEPOST SEA 7678, Cats Protection, Haywards Heath, RH17 7BR. Reg Charity 203644 (England and Wales) and SC037711 (Scotland)

LA1243 LA72

Charlie 42 Church Road

Ollie

10 Crown Sq

?

Make it easier to find your pet... get a microchip fitted.

For more information, please phone our National Helpline on 03000 12 12 12 Reg Charity 203644 (England and Wales) and SC037711 (Scotland)

Advertorial

Those very special cats Author J ane Ayres looks back at her literary inspirations…

I

n February 1991, I had an article published in The Cat magazine called A Very Special Cat . I find it hard to believe that was nearly 21 years ago, shortly after my first children’s novel was published in the UK. A Very Special Cat was all about the short life and disappearance of an unforgettable silver tabby I had the privilege of owning. Biffa was a stunning, highly intelligent silver tabby who went missing at the age of six months and we never found out what became of him. I searched and grieved for a very long time.

Not knowing what happened was the worst thing of all. So I threw myself into fundraising for the local CPL branch (as it was then called), hoping each day that Biffa would return. I read countless reports of cats who had gone missing and managed to find their way home despite the odds, travelling long distances, sometimes reunited with their overjoyed owners years later. I deliberately sought out such material, because I needed to keep my hopes fuelled.

Eventually, we moved house, catless. Within a short space of time, we had acquired a stray tortie tabby kitten who we named Biggles because she spent a good deal of her early years racing and flying around the house and garden. Biggie had boundless energy and curiosity and we quickly fell in love with her.

She developed into a wise and devoted companion, and in fact seemed to share some of Biffa’s traits.

For example, she loved playing fetch, like a dog, and learned to retrieve thrown balls very quickly and with huge enthusiasm. She had a happy life, totally adored, and was an old lady when we eventually lost her to cancer. What I remember most was her gentle nature and her beautiful eyes – deep and knowing. I do not regard myself as a spiritual person but she was definitely a spiritual cat. Very special indeed.

By this time, my husband and I had separated, although still remaining good friends, and for a while he reacted as many do to the loss of a beloved feline companion – by declaring he couldn’t go through such heartache again so would never have another cat. Barely a fortnight later, he had acquired two Norwegian Forest kittens: a silver tabby girl, who my

husband named Sita, and her halfbrother Steve, a brown tabby boy.

In many ways they were more like puppies than kittens (they also enjoy throw and retrieve games), trashing and destroying soft furnishings, chewing paper (which Steve still does), trying to scale the curtains and exploring anything they could get their noses and paws into. They decided that pulling off all the kitchen roll from the holder was a great game (and then shredding it all over the floor), as was tearing wallpaper strips off the wall, sharpening their claws on the leather sofa while ignoring the scratching post purchased for this purpose and devising dangerous mountaineering games up the curtains and on the tops of units. Initially, Sita was more reticent and timid and hardly vocal at all, and when we first heard her miaow it was quite a surprise.

She is now incredibly affectionate and demonstrative, happily conducting conversations with us, as does Steve, and the vocabulary of purrs and chirrups and yowls they employ are quite fascinating. Sita is a fluffy ball of love. Steve is an enormous boy – a softie, with a generally laid-back temperament, incredibly expressive eyes, and a knowing, sensitive quality that is rather mysterious. And yes, very spiritual.

So you won’t be surprised to hear me say what very special cats they both are, to the extent that they inspired me to write a book called C oming Home , the story of a young girl’s desperate search for her two lost cats, told mainly from the viewpoints of those cats. I am delighted to be donating all my royalties from the book to Cats Protection. For all those very special cats that we have known and loved – thank you.

Coming Home is available in e-book format from Amazon. More info can be found at www.janeayres.blogspot.co.uk

The Cat Summer 2013

43

Give your feet a rest and exercise your mind

Ten-minute crossword

Amusing Heather Heather Cook’s clan discover the Great Outdoors

Across 1 Scented (8) 6 Tear (3) 9 Spiral (5) 10 Disapprove strongly of (7) 11 Cut short (7) 13 Astound (5) 14 Playground item (6) 15 Important person (4-2) 19 Storehouse (5) 21 Appalling (7) 22 Legacy (7) 23 By oneself (5) 24 Regret (3) 25 Toll road (8)

Down 2 Make bigger (7) 3 Mend (3) 4 Interfere (6) 5 Moral corruption (9) 6 Spanish wine (5) 7 Portion (5) 8 Young birds (6) 12 Flat (9) 16 Poisonous plant (7) 17 Covering for a curtain rod (6) 18 Roof beam (6) 19 Exclude (5) 20 Feeling of resentment (5) 23 Snake (3)

To win one of these Giornata Espresso cup and saucers complete our crossword correctly, rearrange the shaded letters to find the name of a chap who was responsible for some very melodious music. Write the answer, plus your name and address, on a letter or postcard, and send to: Crossword Competition, The Cat, NCC, Haywards Heath, Sussex, RH17 7TT. Alternatively email the answer with your name and address to us at competitions@cats.org.uk with Crossword in the subject header.

Winners will be drawn on 12 July 2013.

The prizes are kindly sponsored by The Cat Gallery.

Visit www.thecatgallery.co.uk or phone 01904 413 000 to request a catalogue.

Last issue’s winners: Philip Smith, Sylvia Jacques, Miss J Dales Answers to Winter crossword on page 67. The famous tenor was Mario Lanza.

44 The Cat Summer 2013

The cats here are not generally noted for rushing about. Being the towering intellects they undoubtedly are, thinking with their eyes shut (as an aid to concentration) takes up much of their time.

Most of them can take or leave the great outdoors, preferring to bask in the cultural warmth of daytime telly.

Occasionally, however, on a fine day, the oldies will dust off their zimmer frames and totter into the garden, their cobwebby eyes blinking in amazement at the brightness. Bonnie Bun-Bun likes to do a couple of speedy circuits and collapse in a tabby heap under the beech tree, untroubled by the clamour of birdsong in her silent world.

Bella, a tiny Persian who spent more than eight years confined to the kitchen in her previous home, erupts into the garden and stands on the patio, wondering how she got there. She makes her way down the garden in a series of jerky runs, like an animated ball of candyfloss, to assume a hunting pose in the bracken.

The feral girls, black shorthaired Spitfire and the glamorous tortoiseshell Delilah, watch from the roof of the summerhouse as Benjamin Wobble lurches into view, crouching down every time the breeze ruffles his fur and trying desperately to keep up with sharp little Stumpy Malone, who was born without back paws but can reach an alarming speed on his two front legs.

Miss Elizabeth and Miss Isabelle have seen it all before. These two matrons were born old and have always struggled to see the joke – unless it involves something unfortunate happening to somebody.

They loved it when a doomed pigeon plummeted from on high and rendered me unconscious a couple of years ago, but I have no plans to repeat that experience for the pleasure of seeing those thin lips twitching with ill-concealed feline mirth.

Three-legged Whizzy has decided that the new garden lounger was purchased with her in mind and assumes the dimensions of a tiger to make sure she isn’t troubled by the odd pushy human who might fancy curling up with a book for a while. It’s a jungle out there!

COFFEE PAWS

Stories and snippets Cats on film They’re big with bored office workers and the scourge of bosses everywhere.

Cat videos are hugely popular on the internet. Almost half of YouTube’s Top 30 most-watched animal and pet videos feature cats, from the endearing Two Talking Cats to the entertaining Stalking Cat. Together, these 14 videos have been viewed more than 690 million times. Faced with a bewildering wealth of choice online, it seems we’d rather stick to what we like – watching Jasper jumping into a box.

The web has made stars of some of the most popular felines, from cardboard-box-loving Scottish Fold Maru to Nora the piano-playing mog.

Now, internet cat videos have their own festival, dedicated to the delights of feline films posted on video-sharing sites YouTube and Vimeo.

The fair is organised by Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, US, which staged the first Internet Cat Video Festival last year. The event saw catcostumed crowds gather around a big screen to watch cult stars such as Henri, Le Chat Noir, a feline philosopher, and animated mog Simon’s Cat, creation of UK illustrator Simon Tofield.

The event was so popular, attracting more than 10,000 people, that the centre is organising the second festival for 28 August this year.

A spokeswoman says: “Based on last year, and because we are holding the Fest at the Minnesota State Fair this year, we expect a very wide range of attendees from the curious to the cat-obsessed, teens, families, and Walker members.”

Cat fans will help shape festival content by nominating their favourite internet cat clips into various categories including Comedy, Drama, Documentary, Foreign, Musical and Lifetime Achievement. The video that is most popular overall will win the Golden Kitty Award; last year this was scooped by filmmaker Will Braden, creator of the aforementioned Henri videos.

The organisers promise a programme of music, special guests, community art projects and charity stands alongside the video showing itself. The first festival spawned a slew of copycat events and the event went on tour around the US. Sadly, there are no immediate plans for the festival to visit the UK, but you’ll be able to join in the fun online once the YouTube playlist is available.

Sudoku Fill in the empty cells so that the digits 1 through to 9 appear: • only once in each row • only once in each column • only once in each 3x3 box (shown by the thicker lines)

Just don’t tell the boss. www.walkerart.org/catvidfest All the above-mentioned videos are available to view on YouTube.

Answers appear on page 67.

The Cat Summer 2013

45

How can

03000 12 12 12

we help?

Every year we receive thousands of calls from cat owners who feel they have no choice but to rehome their cat The prospect of losing a feline family member can cause a great deal of emotional distress and Helpline Advisors often speak with people who are angry, upset, frantic or despairing.

It’s all too easy to lose hope when faced with the relentless tide of rehoming calls; however, we are trained to see every call as an opportunity to give honest, impartial advice that helps both cat and owner to live healthy and happy lives.

When we receive a call from someone looking to rehome their cat, we’ll always ask the reason for rehoming as there may be options that the owner hasn’t considered that could help them to keep their furry friend.

Sometimes, the reasons why owners give up their cats are complex or numerous and it can be challenging or time consuming to work through their concerns with them. You may be surprised to discover that ‘people problems’ such as health or circumstance rate as some of the highest reasons for rehoming.

Now we are facing more challenging times than ever before; with the number of rehoming calls increasing we can never let a chance pass to help an owner keep their cat for life. Consequently, we’d like to take this opportunity to explore some of the top reasons for rehoming cats and what can be done to prevent the next kitty from joining the bandwagon!

Allergies It may seem obvious but it’s important to find out before getting a cat whether or not you could be allergic. We receive hundreds of calls every year from people who’ve taken on a cat only to find afterwards that they are allergic. Cats Protection adoption centres welcome visitors who are thinking of getting a cat. By simply spending time in one of our centres you should soon find out if cats cause an allergic reaction, such as:

46 The Cat Summer 2013

• • • •

sneezing and a running or blocked nose itchy and watery eyes coughing and wheezing itchy skin If you already own a cat that you believe may be causing you or someone else in your household to have an allergic reaction then don’t panic. Giving up your cat may seem like the only option but there are other alternatives.

Firstly, visit your GP to establish if it is indeed your cat that is causing your reaction as there are many other allergens you can encounter in the home, such as pollen, dust mites, detergents, feathers and perfume. If your GP confirms that you are indeed allergic to your cat, then you can discuss options such as anti-histamine tablets or nasal sprays that are available.

You can also ease your symptoms significantly by designating cat-free zones within the home, regularly cleaning and vacuuming, washing your cat’s bed and grooming him outdoors before wiping him down with a wet cloth.

There are now products on the market, which, if used regularly, can allow people who are allergic to felines to keep a cat. In tests, Petal Cleanse alleviated the symptoms of 90 per cent of allergy sufferers. For more information on Petal Cleanse and many other products endorsed by Allergy UK, visit their website www.allergyuk.org or phone them on 01322 619 898.

In the end, the decision on whether or not to keep your cat is up to you. However, we sincerely hope that this advice will help you to live happily with your cat.

Owner cannot cope Continuing the issue of human health and its impact on cat ownership, we often speak with owners who feel they can no longer cope with owning a cat due to factors such as illness, hospitalisation or entering residential care.

HELPLINE Illustration: Sam Roberts

If you would like to discuss any of the above issues that may be affecting you or someone you know then you can speak to us in confidence.

Pregnancy

This issue is often a very emotional one as you will find that owners who have cared for their cats for many years suddenly cannot carry out basic tasks such as feeding or cleaning out litter trays. It’s an incredibly distressing situation to be facing which can often be exacerbated by the fact that neither cat nor owner know how to adapt.

If you or someone you know is finding it increasingly difficult to care for a cat due to illness and/or hospitalisation then don’t struggle alone.

There are organisations out there that can help you to keep your cat while ensuring their welfare needs are met.

Blue Cross has a team of community veterinary nurses who work out of the Victoria hospital and Merton hospital – both in London. The nurses visit elderly and disabled clients to help give veterinary treatments. You can contact Blue Cross on 01993 822 651 or via their website: www.bluecross.org.uk The Pet Fostering Service Scotland co-ordinates short-term foster care for companion animals in Scotland for owners who have to go into hospital, need respite care or are in a crisis or emergency. You can find out more about their foster care service by contacting them on 01877 331 496 or via their website: www.pfss.org.uk.

The Cinnamon Trust has a national network of community service volunteers who may be able to provide practical help to the elderly and terminally ill if any aspect of day-to-day cat care poses a problem. This may include assistance in giving medication or taking a pet to the vet. You can find out more about the services they provide by contacting them directly on 01736 757 900 or via their website: www.cinnamon.org.uk.

If you are faced with the prospect of leaving your home to enter full-time residential care then you may be interested to learn that The Cinnamon Trust also has a Pet Friendly Care Homes Register which lists residential and nursing homes that are happy to accept residents with pets. To obtain a copy of this register please contact them on the number above or visit their website. In addition, the Elderly Accommodation Counsel can advise you on which councils and housing associations accept pets in their retirement housing.

You can contact them directly on 020 7820 1343 or via their website: www.eac.org.uk

Cats make wonderful companions to children, helping them to develop important social skills such as how to foster caring relationships based on love and respect.

However, helpline callers sometimes believe they have to rehome their cat because they or someone in their household is pregnant. We believe that this is due in part to old wives’ tales surrounding cats, pregnant women and babies.

There’s no reason why you should get rid of your cat if you’re pregnant or have a baby in your household.

Practising good hygiene when you are pregnant or have little ones around is what parents do anyway, but when it comes to your cat we would recommend you follow the tips below: • make sure your cat is in good health by doing a vet check-up • get someone else to change your cat’s litter tray if you can and, if you can’t, wear gloves and wash your hands carefully after changing the tray • put the nursery room strictly out of bounds • keep baby food and cat food separate and clear away any unwanted cat food as it can attract flies • use a cot or pram net, pulled taut, to keep your cat at bay • never leave a baby and a cat together unsupervised If you follow the steps above and consult your GP and health visitor, there should be no reason why you cannot keep everyone in your household (both two and fourlegged) happy and healthy. For more information or to obtain a copy of Cats Protection’s Cats and Children essential guide please contact us.

We hope that you’ve found this article informative and that our advice helps both you and your cat live long and prosper!

To contact Helpline, please phone 03000 12 12 12 or email helpline@cats.org.uk If you see a cat, or indeed any animal, that you think is being mistreated or neglected then do call the relevant animal authority on their cruelty helplines: England and Wales RSPCA 0300 1234 999 Scotland SSPCA 03000 999 999 Northern Ireland USPCA 028 3025 1000

The Cat Summer 2013

47

'c' is for cat, but also care At Cats Protection we offer free talks to nurseries and schools about caring for cats.

One of our volunteers can deliver an interactive session based on the five points that are vital in keeping cats happy and healthy: • • • • •

Freedom Freedom Freedom Freedom Freedom

from discomfort from hunger and thirst from pain, injury and disease to behave normally from fear and distress

We also offer visits to our adoption centres across the UK. For more info, please email education@cats.org.uk or visit www.cats.org.uk/learn

Reg Charity 203644 (England and Wales) and SC037711 (Scotland)

WALKER ON THE WILD SIDE

I

Plugging the gap

have to assume that Dexter might be able to get onto a high has a pretty content life. He bookshelf. This is, at first, enough. lives rent free, with full room But then that overwhelming need and board, fully comped meals, kicks in once more, he stares up at and complete freedom. And he the Artex and wails. doesn’t want for attention. I mean, But it still doesn’t seem like the currently I’m writing these words right answer. There’s something with my left arm trapped by his else, something more tangible, head, his legs poked into my chest, less impossible, that he knows life while my right arm reaches over his is shorting him. Something that John Walker ponders what could body splayed awkwardly across my if he could only shape his mews desk and keyboard. Wait, no, now and chirrups into English he could possibly fill the emptiness in he’s curled up in the gap between finally say. “Daddy!” he would Dexter’s life? my arms, head resting inside my utter, his exasperation evaporating, left elbow, snoring yet somewhat “Daddy, I neeeeeeeeed...” perturbed by the mild movements as my hands type. And yet, I may finally have stumbled upon it. The thing he’s lacking. despite this apparent luxury, it’s hard to shake the feeling The element of existence the universe has for so long that there’s something he believes he’s missing out on. deprived him. It is: earplugs.

It’s become a recurring concern, in my mad head, that if Not to wear, clearly - that would be odd. But to bat around only he could speak he’d express what it is that he’s lacking. with his paws, for hours, and hours and hours. Sure, he bats No matter how perfect his existence may appear to be, that around plenty with his paws: bits of string, toy mice, real doesn’t stop his attempts to communicate some manner of mice, bits of fluff, imaginary bits of fluff... But nothing has discontent, something he believes life is cruelly keeping from had the reaction of a pair of earplugs. him, the motivation behind those peculiarly wailing miaows They were on my wife’s bedside cabinet, sat there, being he sometimes emits while staring at the ceiling. ordinary and blue. And they called out to Dexter. He sensed It would be fairly simple to dismiss this as his despair that them, this new and perfect presence and reached up onto the he is – bewilderingly – not fed a constant supply of tuna. His cabinet to bat them down. bug-eyed, lunatic lust for the stuff might imply that his life is As they hit the floor it was with pure, untamed delight divided into two: times when he’s currently eating tuna and that he set to attacking them, chasing them and seemingly the miserable wastelands of horror when he’s not. (It should losing fights to them. They were the holy grail of cat toys, be said that the gaps are quite significant, since giving him the contents of the kitty Ark of the Covenant. With a passion a little bit of the tinned fish inevitably leads to a two-day never seen he rolled about, catching them between all four hunger strike from his regular cat biscuits because they just paws, before they once again inexplicably escaped him and don’t measure up.) were pursued further. Until they rolled under that cabinet But no, even if he were to eat his tuna fill until he could and were out of reach. barely waddle away from the bowl, it wouldn’t exclude that This was months back. They were recovered, put in a drawer existential angst that seems to occupy his walnut brain. and forgotten about. By us. Not by Dexter. Still to this day The clue might also exist in the target of his howls of inner he runs back to that corner of the room, searching for them, turmoil – the ceiling itself. Like his owner’s own internal sure that they may one day return to him. We couldn’t figure trauma that he’ll never be Spider-Man, and thus never be able out what it was that so occupied him there, until the earplugs to walk up walls and onto the ceiling, Dexter too seems to were remembered. And found. And returned to their rightful find life wanting thanks to his limitations. Sometimes he just cat-shaped owner. So it is that we now find earplugs in odd needs to be up high, but can never get high enough. Putting places around the house and a cat who no longer seems to him on top of a door is a good start and from there he stare so wistfully into the abyss.

Illustration: Rus Hudda

The Cat Summer 2013 49

CP in action

A selection of tales from our branches and adoption centres...

Appeals

Pasha’s a smasher

Help cover Holly’s costs

By North Ayrshire Branch

By Preston Branch

Pasha was a long-term stray who was being fed between neighbours but was too nervous to move into anyone’s home. One day she appeared with her tail dragging between her legs, so her feeders called us for advice as they couldn’t afford to take her to a vet.

This friendly, older cat was found to have FIV (a deficiency with her immune system), and it was decided that her tail needed to be amputated as it was paralysed. She is a friendly older cat who seemed to be quite happy with all of the fuss that she was receiving from us and the vets, so we decided to give her a chance and went ahead with all of the necessary treatment.

Since then she has recovered well and she is now looking for a home with no other cats as an indoor-only cat. She is ideal as a companion pet, or for someone who lives near a busy road and thought they couldn’t have a cat.

Pasha really deserves another chance after the rough time she’s had lately. If you think you can offer her a loving home, or would be able to make a donation towards the costs of her vet treatment, contact the North Ayrshire Branch on 08453 714 218, or go to their web site www.northayrshire.cats.org.uk. Donations can also be made payable to North Ayrshire Cats Protection and sent to Treasurer, 1 Priesthill View, Stevenston, KA20 4AT. Any funds raised over and above those needed for Pasha will be used for the benefit of the other cats in our care.

Meet Holly. This beautiful little girl was handed in to us when she was found under a shed with a broken leg. She was only a few weeks old and had to have the leg pinned.

After several weeks of TLC, she was finally able to be rehomed. Any help with the cost of her operations and x-rays would be very gratefully received. Thank you in anticipation.

Please send cheques made payable to Cats Protection Preston Branch to Mrs A Ryan, 23 Higher Greenfield, Ingol, Preston PR2 3ZX. Any funds raised over and above those needed to cover Holly’s costs will be used for the benefit of the other cats in our care.

Take Tosca home

By Stockport Branch Tosca is a beautiful, nine-year-old Bengal cat. She was placed in a cattery and her owners never returned for her. We eventually managed to home her but she was living with another cat who was made miserable, so through no fault of her own she was returned as a matter of urgency and had to spend a period of time in another cattery.

We still haven’t managed to find a home for Tosca.

Although she’s receiving the best possible care, she is quite distressed and needs to find her forever home with someone to love her.

She has so much to offer and she is extremely affectionate.

She can be quite vocal, is very funny and curious and likes to follow you around.

Tosca is looking for someone who owns or has previously owned Bengal cats and has the patience to give her time to blossom in her new home. Tosca loves people and is a family cat, she is used to children of all ages but she would need to be in a home without any other animals.

If anyone would like to offer Tosca a home, please contact Stockport Cats Protection on 07900 415 674 or email stockport.cp@hotmail.com. Donations to support Tosca’s care

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Ways we help: Rehoming • Neutering • Raising awareness

CP IN ACTION

can be sent to Ms J. Goodman, 3 Hexworth Walk, Bramhall, Stockport, SK7 3DF. Cheques should be made payable to Stockport Cats Protection. Any donations received over and above those needed for Tosca will be used to help other needy cats in our care.

Success stories

Patient Pearl

By Eltham, Sidcup & District Branch Beautiful all-white Pearl came into our care after her previous owners reportedly mistreated her.

But, despite all this, she kept her sweet and affectionate nature, especially where her kittens were involved. Pearl had one white kitten, a replica of herself, and two tabbies.

When they were old enough, the kittens were homed and Pearl was also ready for rehoming.

Sadly, back injuries she sustained before she was taken into CP’s care affected her walking. But she had a happy ending as she went back to Tony, the kind man who had been caring for her. Pearl was christened thanks to our Facebook supporters, who came up with more than 20 suggestions. And she certainly lived up to her name as she is a very special girl.

Help heroic Horatio

By Bracknell & Wokingham Districts Branch A concerned member of the public contacted us – she had been feeding a stray cat and noticed that its eye was virtually out of its socket. Our Welfare Officers went straight out on a Saturday evening and within less than an hour had trapped the cat.

This black, medium-haired cat was underweight when found, with a very matted, flea-ridden coat. There are no words to describe his horrific eye injury and he had obviously been suffering for several weeks. He was immediately taken to an emergency vet for attention.

We think that he has either never had an owner or has been stray for a very long time. We are hopeful that he will become friendly once he is out of pain and starts to trust his Fosterer.

We have named the heroic boy Horatio. His operation and post-operative treatment costs in the region of £800 and due to the current financial climate the Bracknell & Wokingham Districts Branch of Cats Protection is struggling to cover Horatio’s veterinary costs.

We would welcome any donations, no matter how small, to help Horatio’s care and rehabilitation. The donations we receive will first go towards paying for Horatio and anything left over after his costs are covered would then be put towards helping other needy cats.

Please send a cheque, made payable to Cats Protection, to the following address: Bracknell & Wokingham Districts Cats Protection, PO Box 4054, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG42 9DE, and mark the envelope H oratio appeal .

Harvey’s a marvel

By Glasgow Branch Six-month-old Harvey was born with bones missing from his front legs. He was brought into the care of Cats Protection Glasgow at 10 weeks old after his details were posted on an online advertising site.

At first the volunteers thought he had been born with dislocated legs but the vet confirmed he had radial agenesis (the ulna and radius bones which connect the upper half of the front legs to his paws are missing). This hasn’t been any handicap to Harvey as he thinks he is perfectly normal and gets around on his ‘elbows’.

Harvey needs an operation to connect metal pins from the upper half of his legs to his paws. If he isn’t operated on the

Find your local Cats Protection: 03000 12 12 12 • www.cats.org.uk

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condition will start damaging his spine and neck when he gets bigger.

We have managed to raise more than £3000 in three days to allow Harvey to have his operation. Harvey needs to grow a little more but he will have another scan at Glasgow Vet School at the beginning of April to see the growth in his leg bones. This will be followed by a meeting with the surgeons who have suggested that both legs are done at the same time by two teams of surgeons. The surgeons say that the success rate in these operations is high and that Harvey should go on and lead a perfectly normal life. We wish him well.

Jess is just fine Jess, who featured in the Autumn 2012 issue of The Cat, has found a happy home.

The tabby-and-white cat had a traumatic experience with her previous owners and was cared for by our Stockport Branch until she was ready for rehoming. Jess was rehomed with Janet Kiln and her husband Nick, who were drawn to take her home because of her sad face and slightly grumpylooking appearance.

When Jess was delivered to Janet’s home last year, she soon shook off her timidity. “The Cats Protection lady brought Jess to us and stayed for about an hour,” says Janet. “Within 10 minutes of the lady leaving, Jess had jumped onto the bed, where my husband Nick was!”

Jess has settled in to her new home so well that Janet says she’s the new head of the household.

“She has her own stool in the bathroom because she likes to be close to the bathroom radiator,” laughs Janet. “She also likes to drink out of the taps and will come and find you to turn them on!”

Thank you to everyone who donated towards Jess’s care.

Photo: Jennifer Kiln

Hardy homed

By Reading & District Branch Hardy – or Hard-as-Nails-Hard-Knock-Hardy, to give him his full name – was hit by a car. The driver failed to stop and left him for dead but Hardy had the all-black-cat-luck for this to happen outside the home of a guardian angel family. They saw the accident, found that, miraculously, he was still alive and took him to a vet. On arrival, despite being in obvious pain with horrific injuries, including a dislocated hip and other serious damage to his leg which subsequently had to be amputated, Hardy was still purring and leaning in for a stroke. Attaboy – what a hero!

Following a period of rest, recovery and rehabilitation, during which time Hardy quickly learned to cope with life on three legs, a loving new home was found for this little toughie with the softest of centres. He has now gone off to spend his remaining eight lives being loved and adored.

Cornish cat’s caring home Three years ago, tabby Toby was an unloved, injured stray forced to scavenge for scraps just to survive.

One day, he appeared in the garden of Dawn Bayliss, who lives near Polbathic, Cornwall.

Dawn’s family left out food for their unexpected feline guest, but couldn’t get anywhere near him.

So Dawn turned to Cats Protection’s Torpoint & Rame Peninsula Branch for help. Before long, with advice from Branch Co-ordinator Margaret Connolly, the family had caught Toby in a humane trap and he was taken for vet treatment.

Dawn would have loved to have kept Toby but he was terrified of her friendly dogs so she made the tough decision to place him into CP’s care.

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The Cat Summer 2013

Ways we help: Rehoming • Neutering • Raising awareness

CP IN ACTION

While Toby was well looked after, it took him a while to be rehomed. Potential adopters, it seemed, couldn’t see past his battle-scarred appearance.

Then Joan Hillman arrived to see the cats. She was looking for a cat with a rough past – one to which she could offer a bright new future. Toby – standing still as a statue in his cabin – caught Joan’s eye and she knew he was the cat for her.

Joan adopted Toby in November 2012 and he is well and truly settled in his new Cornish home.

“He is so affectionate,” says Joan. “He follows me everywhere and knows when I’ve moved. He won’t go outside without me! The whole family loves him.”

Caring home for chest-op cat Our National Cat Adoption Centre has rehomed a cat who survived specialist surgery for a rare chest condition.

Persian Clive arrived at our National Cat Adoption Centre in East Sussex last December as his owners could no longer look after him.

Clive was checked over by our veterinary team, just like all the other cats that arrive at the centre.

His coat was badly matted and had to be shaved off, apart from the fur on his neck, paws and tail tip. His new, leonine appearance saw him dubbed Clive the Lionheart by staff and volunteers, who fell in love with his gentle character.

At that time, all the centre cats were scanned as part of the Royal Veterinary College’s CatScan project (www.rvc.ac.uk/ CatScan).

While Clive showed no sign of illness, the scan and further x-rays revealed that he was suffering from diaphragmatic hernia. “His intestines and some of his major organs had been pushed into his chest cavity. He needed surgery straight away,” explains deputy centre manager Tania Marsh. “If he’d come in at any other time, this wouldn’t have been discovered.”

The Blue Cross in London, who had the specialist facilities Clive needed, agreed to perform the surgery on CP’s behalf.

As Clive went for surgery, the centre team started a fundraising appeal and raised the full amount needed for the operation.

June Day, a centre volunteer, waited nervously as Clive went under the knife. June, who already had two cats including female Persian Paris, had fallen in love with Clive as soon as she met him.

“When I found out about his medical problems I said I didn’t care,” says June, who has volunteered for Cats Protection for more than seven years. “I’d made up my mind that I was taking him.”

Clive’s operation was complex – in the end, he needed two procedures and a blood transfusion. At one point, it wasn’t certain that he would pull through.

But Clive was a battler. Ten days after his operation, he was back at the NCAC and not long after, June was taking him home.

Clive is now truly settled in his new house and likes to explore the garden with June’s five-year-old moggy Soloman.

“He loves to play, particularly with a green fish that he had at the NCAC,” says June.

Clive will need heart scans every two years but will suffer no lasting effects from his operation. His life was saved, thanks to the co-operation between Cats Protection, The Royal Veterinary College and the Blue Cross.

Join the team Give a little time, make a big difference! Every year we help over 235,000 cats and kittens, the majority of these success stories are thanks to the dedication and hard work of our amazing volunteers. We welcome volunteers with open arms, whether you are young or old, male or female, have lots or little time to offer there’s a place for you with us! lackburn & District Branch in East Lancashire is seeking B new volunteers to help with all aspects of the branch’s activities, from fundraising to fostering. If you would like to join the small, friendly team in assisting at fundraising events, or organising fundraisers, we would welcome you with open arms. Perhaps you could hold a coffee morning in aid of the branch, or maybe you have an original idea to really catch the imagination? We are particularly short of Fosterers and this is seriously harming our ability to help cats that really need to come into care. If you could look after cats in your own home, or in a pen in the garden, until they find their forever homes, then Jean, the Branch Co-ordinator, urgently needs to hear from you. Please give Jean a ring on 01254 260 107. We also need good quality goods to sell at fundraisers. We can collect within a reasonable distance, so if you’ve had a clear out, please give Andy a call on 01254 427 587. Volunteering is great fun and extremely rewarding, so give us a ring for an informal chat if you’d like to join the team. racknell & Wokingham Districts Branch is looking B for a volunteer administrator to follow up leads and issue identity badges. This would suit someone who wants to give a few hours of their time to help us. We are also looking for fundraising helpers to help pack, unpack and sell goods at outside events. We would need someone that can donate a few hours of their time each month. Contact the branch on 0845 371 4212 or readingeastcp@hotmail.com erby & District Branch has many vacancies for volunteers D such as fieldworkers and vet runners. We are also seeking Cat Line operators for one day per week. This role would be an ideal opportunity for someone who is at home for most of the day and wants to help cats. We also need an Assistant to the Vet Liaison Officer – this is mostly an administrative role and can also be carried out from home a couple of days a week. For some time now, we have been seeking a Fundraising Co-ordinator to take on the role of contacting supermarkets for permission to hold fundraising/information stalls. There is already a regular stall held in St Peter’s Street, Derby, and they would like this to continue. Is this the job for you? Last but not least, volunteers are needed at our charity shops in Derby and Wirksworth. Full training and support will be given to the successful applicants for all of the above vacancies. Anyone who is interested should contact the Cat Line on 01332 206 956 (voicemail) or enquiries@ derbydistrictcp.org.uk and leave their details.

Find your local Cats Protection: 03000 12 12 12 • www.cats.org.uk

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ateshead & District Branch is seeking a committed G fundraiser, who will have the support of existing members but who will hopefully recruit and manage/lead a small, dedicated team. As a small group covering a vast area, fresh ideas are desperately needed.

We are also in need of a Treasurer. The successful applicant will need a sound knowledge of finance on the level of a small business. Those interested in either post should contact the branch on telephone number 0191 420 3180 or write to Gateshead and District Branch Cats Protection, PO Box 232, Washington, NE38 0WA uildford & Godalming Branch is looking to fill a number G of roles in the local area. If you think you could provide hands on help fostering cats or finding new homes for cats already in our care then please get in touch. We are also looking for enthusiastic fundraisers to help raise vital funds. If you can help out at an event (or even organise one!) then we would love to hear from you! You can contact us on 01483 422 529 or email Volunteer4guildfordcats@gmail.com. tockport Branch is looking for a Fundraising Co-ordinator.

S We have a dedicated team of fundraising volunteers

helping our branch but we need a Co-ordinator to help with organising fundraising events such as fairs, quizzes, race nights, Zumbathons or fashion shows. This role may interest a volunteer with an interest in events management and fundraising. If you are interested in this role, would like to know more about the post or chat to other members of the group, please call Jacky Goodman on 0161 439 1274, email stockport.cp@hotmail.com or visit one of our events. eignbridge & Totnes Branch is urgently looking for cake T makers and plant growers to help meet demand for coffee mornings. Also, if you live near Totnes and could help with coffee mornings or man a market stall, please phone Barbara on 08453 712 727.

More voluntary opportunities For more volunteering roles across the UK, from fundraising to fostering, please visit www.cats.org.uk/ volunteer-do-it and enter your postcode to search.

Looking for a home Eltham, Sidcup & District

Manny and Socks

Preston

to find a new home to settle in to. He’s a friendly cat, who would prefer not to share with other pets, and he’d like access to a garden once he’s settled in.

Poppy

Newbury & District

Marvin

☎☎ 08453 714 218

Males, nine months old They were in a litter of five born in a shed and are shy as they didn’t get handled until late. Their more confident mum and siblings were adopted and we’d love Manny (black) and Socks (tabby and white) to have a permanent home. They would suit an outdoor home in a stables, large garden, farm or similar situation – or an indoor home with a patient owner. Or they could live in a house with an owner/s willing to give them time and space to learn to be confident with people. We would travel if you could offer them a home. Please call Jan on the number below.

☎☎ 07772 679 854

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The Cat Summer 2013

Female, 11 years old Poppy came into our care when her owner died and she has been with us for quite a few months. She is a strong-willed cat who will need an experienced owner.

Contact us for more details.

Bracknell & Wokingham Districts

North Ayrshire Branch

Male, two years old Blue is an adorable big, friendly, young male cat. His only issue is that he is FIV+.

This means that he needs an understanding indoor home, perhaps with restricted monitored garden access, so he cannot come into contact with other cats. The branch would be able to provide ongoing support and advice regarding his welfare. Please don’t overlook him.

Blue

☎☎ 08451 770 708

Snoop

Male, 10 years old Snoop was a stray, and his owner was traced through his microchip, but they weren’t able to take him back. So Snoop would love

Male, 12 years old Marvin was originally homed to a garden centre as a feral, but he became friendly and used to people and had started to attack customer’s dogs. He was in poor condition when he arrived back in our care and was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism so is on medication. Marvin is now much better and is looking for a new home – one without dogs!

☎☎ 01635 200 111

☎☎ 08453 714 212

Ways we help: Rehoming • Neutering • Raising awareness

CP IN ACTION

Thank you… emel Hempstead & Berkhamstead Branch would like H to say thank you to all the readers of The Cat who donated towards Marty’s appeal (Autumn 2012 issue). The branch managed to raise more than £350. Marty recovered fully, was homed to one of the vets who treated him and is happy and adored. orthampton Branch would like to thank readers who sent N them donations for Elvis who was featured in the Spring issue.

The donations are still coming in and we are delighted with your generosity. We are pleased to report that Elvis has fully recovered from his ordeal, has been adopted and gone to a lovely new home. orsham & District Branch would like to thank everyone H who kindly sent donations towards the cost of Murphy’s hip operation and aftercare following our appeal in the Winter

2012 issue. We are pleased to tell you he has made a complete recovery and has been successfully rehomed where he is happily running and leaping around. tockport Branch would like to thank all those who sent S donations following our appeal about Heath in the Spring 2013 edition of The Cat magazine. Heath has now recovered and has found a permanent home. rafford Branch would like to say thank you to Lorcan and T the Dillon family – owners of Jessi-Cat, Cats Protection’s National Cat of the Year for 2012 – for helping us fundraise at Pets at Home Trafford Park. They turned out to be a big hit with the customers and helped us put more money in the “kitty”! Cat mascot Homer, on loan from the National Cat Centre, also proved to be very popular and kept our fundraisers nice and warm in the cold weather.

A sad farewell…

Pat Greenhalgh One of the founders of Bury St Edmunds Cats Protection has passed away after a long illness.

Pat Greenhalgh, who ran the Brookfield Cattery, cared for homeless and abandoned cats in the town for 20 years until she retired. Pat had a separate pen area for 10 CP cats in her garden.

Penny Alborough, Co-ordinator of the Bury St Edmunds Branch of Cats Protection, said: “Pat’s devotion to cats, particularly less fortunate cats, was legendary. She and her family did so much to help them and were instrumental in getting our local branch established. We are so grateful for all she did and will miss her greatly. The best tribute we can pay her is to continue her important work and this we will most certainly do.”

Mrs Greenhalgh’s funeral took place on 1 March at West Suffolk Crematorium. Donations in her memory can be sent to the Bury St Edmunds Branch of Cats Protection. Cheques should be made payable to Cats Protection Bury St Edmunds.

Janet Petry and Ruth Fleming Bracknell & Wokingham Districts branch would like to say a sad farewell to Janet Petry and Ruth Fleming. Janet answered the branch’s telephone helpline for many years. Ruth was a Fosterer for the branch in the days before the Reading branch was split into Reading and District and Reading (E) Wokingham and Bracknell.

Janet Petry

By Lesley Raybould To the ladies and gentlemen of the Bracknell & Wokingham Districts Branch (you know who you are) who arranged a funeral service in February for my late friend and CP volunteer Janet Petry.

Janet was a Duty Officer who took phone calls each Wednesday on behalf of the branch. She lived with a succession of cats, the most recent being Daisy who was adopted through CP and who passed away just a few months before Janet.

Janet had no surviving family and, but for the kindness and determination of this group of people (most of whom had never met her) her funeral would only have been a necessary formality. Instead it was a happy occasion where her life and her love of cats were remembered and a beautiful poem entitled First Day in Heaven and a Eulogy were read by branch members.

The finale, which would have brought a smile to Janet’s face and greatly appealed to her rich sense of humour, was the choice of Tom Jones’ What’s New Pussycat to conclude the celebration of her life.

Janet is not here to thank you all. Please accept this on her behalf.

Myrtle Ferguson – Framlingham & Saxmundham Branch

By Mrs KB Lusted It is with much sadness that I have to report the death of Myrtle Ferguson, who died on Sunday 13 January 2013 after a briefly-diagnosed illness.

Myrtle was a great lover of all creatures great and small and would not watch television programmes which showed cruelty towards them. Myrtle was an artist and many of her paintings are displayed at the Queen’s Head, Brandeston, Norfolk.

She was a special supporter of Cats Protection and designed many cartoons of cats for Christmas cards which sold out immediately. The money raised was given for the good of the cause. She was a great friend of the Framlingham & Saxmundham Branch.

Find your local Cats Protection: 03000 12 12 12 • www.cats.org.uk

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Diary of events

Find out what’s going on near you...

Stalls The branch also regularly holds a book stall at Reading Farmers’ Markets on the first or third Saturday of the month and at Purley Farmers’ Markets each second Saturday. Further details appear shortly before each of these events on our website www.readinganddistrict cats.org

Cats Protection at national shows South of England Show 6–8 June: Ardingly, West Sussex The Pet Show 20–21 July: Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire Festival of Quilts 8–11 August: Birmingham NEC The Cake & Bake Show 13–15 September: London Earls Court

ENGLAND BERKSHIRE Bracknell & Wokingham Districts Meetings To be held at 8pm on the following Mondays: 24 June, 29 June, 29 July at Our Lady of Peace (OLOP) Church Hall, Wokingham Road, Earley (Earley Cross Roads), RG6 7DA. Fairs 2 June: Twyford Donkey Derby, 1st Twyford Scouts, King George V Recreation Ground, Twyford, Berkshire.

From 1–5pm.

7 June: Pets at Home Fundraising Weekend in aid of Cats Protection, Winnersh store TBC, Unit 1, Gazelle Close, Winnersh, Berkshire, RG41 5HH. From 10am–3pm.

8 June: Pets at Home Fundraising Weekend in aid of Cats Protection, Wokingham store, Bridge Retail Park, Finchampstead Road, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG40 2NU. From 10am–3pm.

8 June: Collection at Dobbies Garden Centre, 166 Hyde End Road, Reading, Shinfield, West Berkshire, RG2 9ER. From 9am onwards.

9 June: Pets at Home Fundraising Weekend in aid of Cats Protection, Bracknell Store, Skimped Hill Lane,

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Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 1EN. From 10am–3pm.

13 June: Sale of second hand goods at Woodley Pagoda, Woodley Shopping Precinct, Crockhamwell Road, Woodley, Reading, Berkshire, RG5 3J. From 8am onwards.

15 June: Winnersh Summer Fete, Bearwood Recreation Ground, Sindlesham, Berkshire. From 10am–4pm.

22 June: Collection at Asda, Lower Earley, Chalfont Way, Reading, Berkshire, RG6 5TT. From 9am onwards.

13 July: Summer Fair, Carnation Hall, Chavey Down Road, Winkfield Row, Bracknell RG42 7PA. From 1–4pm.

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE Milton Keynes

Teignbridge & Totnes

Events 8 June: Stall at West Bletchley Carnival from 12 noon–5pm.

16 June: Community desk in thecentre:mk shopping centre, Milton Keynes.

28 July: Community desk in thecentre:mk shopping centre, Milton Keynes.

17 August: Community desk in thecentre:mk shopping centre, Milton Keynes.

26 August: Stall at Stony Stratford Town Fayre on Horsefair Green, Stony Stratford from 12 noon–5pm.

Fairs and events Third Saturday of every month: Coffee morning at Homing centre Ogwell from 10am–12 noon.

6 July: Homing show at Holcombe Village Hall near Dawlish from 2–4pm.

3 August: Anniversary party of the branch to be held at Methodist Church Hall, Bovey Tracey from 2–4pm.

We will have stalls at charity fundraising events on the Den, Teignmouth and the Lawn Dawlish on 28 May, 1 June, 18 June, 6 August and 23 July.

DERBYSHIRE

ESSEX

Ashfield & Amber Valley

Rayleigh, Castle Point & District

Collections 1 June: Collection and Table Sale. Hucknall High Street, Derbyshire.

29 June: Collection and Table Sale, Ripley Market Square.

DEVON

Events 1 June: Jumble sale, Catholic Hall, Bath Road, Thatcham.

From 11.30am to 1pm. Entry fee is 30p. Jumble accepted at the hall from 9–10.30am or previously at Newbury Adoption Centre.

27 July: Jumble sale, Catholic Hall, Bath Road, Thatcham. Details as above.

East Devon

Events and shows 20 July: All Saints Parish Hall, Downshire Square, Reading RG1 6NH. From 1–3pm.

Fairs 7 July: Friends of Group running stall at Open Garden event, Shapcott Barton, East Knowston, South Molton.

Events 11 August: Friends of Group marshalling the Matford Car Boot, Exeter.

Volunteers needed.

Newbury & District

Reading & District

Exeter Axhayes Adoption Centre

Fairs and events 29 May: Coffee and cake, Public Hall, Budleigh Salterton. From 10am– 12 noon.

9 June: Stand at Colyton Tramway Station for Seaton Tram’s Classic Car Show.

From 10am–5pm. Take a tram ride and come and see us.

13 July: Morning coffee and cake and stalls at the Town Hall, Colyton. From 10am– 12 noon.

10 August: Cats Tea party at Homefield, Longdogs Lane, Ottery St Mary. From 2.30–4.30pm.

8 June: Methodist Hall, Eastwood Rd, Rayleigh, SS6 7ED. From 10.30am–1pm.

21 July and 18 Aug: Vets4Pets, Eastwood Rd, Rayleigh SS6 7JN. From 12 noon–3pm.

GREATER MANCHESTER Stockport Fairs and events 8 June: Didsbury Festival, Didsbury Park, Wilmslow Road, Didsbury. From 11am–4pm. We will be selling new Cats Protection goods as well as bric-a-brac, books, toys, plants and petcare products. We will also be running a lucky dip for children.

29 June: Heald Green Festival, Outwood Public Hall, Outwood Road. Come and visit our stall – items and attractions as per Didsbury Festival entry above.

Ways we help: Rehoming • Neutering • Raising awareness

DIARY

6 July: Hazel Grove, United Reformed Church, Short Street, off Commercial Road, off A6 Buxton Rd. From 10am–12.30pm.

3 August: Family Fun Day, Torkington Park, Hazel Grove. From 11am–4pm. This is our biggest event of the year. The Fun Day includes a variety of attractions including a dog show, birds of prey, children’s rides and games. We will have a wide range of stalls eg face painting, toy stall, plant stall, Cats Protection New Goods stall, book stall. Refreshments will be available including a good selection of delicious home-baked cakes, buns and biscuits at our cake stall. (Please note that these attractions are to be confirmed at the time of writing and the programme is subject to change.)

August (date tbc): Summer Fair, The Donkey Sanctuary Assisted Therapy Centre, Green Fold, Abbey Hey, Manchester, M18 8RJ. (Elisabeth Svendsen Trust/ Donkey Sanctuary centre for children and donkeys). Items for sale and attractions as per Didsbury Festival entry above.

Trafford Events 8 June: Sainsbury’s Sale – bagpack.

13 July: Sainsbury’s Urmsto 27 July: Table in Sale precinct.

LANCASHIRE Preston Events 8 June: Jumble sale, St Leonard’s Church Hall, Marshall’s Brow, Penwortham, PR1 9HY. From 11am–12 noon.

SUSSEX Crawley, Reigate & District Shows 9 June: Horticultural Society Hall, Ifield Ave, Crawley, RH11 7AJ. From 11am–3pm.

30 June: Barnfield Care Home, Upfield, Horley, RH6 7LA. From 11am–3pm.

21 July: Colman-Redland Centre, Croydon Road, Reigate. From 11am–3pm.

11 August: Barnfield Care Home, Upfield, Horley, RH6 7LA. From 11am–3pm.

Events 23 June: Summer barbeque at Salfords Club, Mead Ave, Salfords, Redhill. All day.

18 August: Lunch on the Bluebell Railway’s Golden Arrow Pullman train.

From 12 noon–4pm. If you would like to join us on this special day, please email treasurer@catsprotection.co.uk

Horsham & District Events 8 Jun: Flag Day, Tesco Store, Broadbridge Heath. From 9am–5.30pm.

22 Jun: Catstravaganza, Holy Trinity Church Hall, Rushams Road, Horsham 2.30–4.30pm.

Stalls 20 Jul: West Chiltington Village Show, West Chiltington Golf Club – Driving Range 1.30–5.30pm 28 Jul: Sparks in the Park, Horsham Park 12 noon–5pm.

Mid Sussex Fairs and shows 6 May: Stall at Cuckoo Fayre behind Queens Hall, Cuckfield. From 11am–4pm.

19 May: Stall at Haywards Heath Spring Festival, Muster Green, Haywards Heath. From 11am–4pm.

27 May: Stall at Staplefield Fun Day. From 11am–4pm.

1 June: Stall at Lindfield Village Day, Lindfield Common. From 11am–4pm.

6-7 July: Stall at Smallholders’ show Ardingly Showground. From 9am–5pm.

Event 11 August: Annual garden party at Cuckfield Cattery, Deaks Lane, Cuckfield RH17 5JB. Lots of stalls, tea and cakes, cats for rehoming, free admission and parking. From 2–5pm.

Please support as this is our main fundraising event for the year.

Collections 18 May: Lindfield Street Collection. From 9am–1pm.

1 June: Cuckfield Street Collection. From 9am–1pm.

15 June: Collection at Sainsbury’s Haywards Heath.

From 9am–4pm.

SCOTLAND AYRSHIRE North Ayrshire Shows 25 August: Cat adoption show at Eglinton Country Park near Kilwinning. From 11am–1pm. Free entry.

GLASGOW Glasgow Adoption Centre

17 August: Annual open day from 12 noon–4pm at the centre.

WALES BRIDGEND Bridgend Adoption Centre

17 August: Summer Open Day at the centre, Green Acres, Pant Hirwaun, Bryncethin, Bridgend, CF32 9UJ.

Deadlines All branches are encouraged to send in their success stories and diary dates for every issue. The deadlines for the next three issues are: • 14 June – Autumn 2013 • 13 September – Winter 2013 • 06 December – Spring 2014 Individual stories should be max 250 words and may be edited for clarity and length. Please send CP in Focus and Diary entries as separate documents.

We are now legally required to add text to appeals explaining that funds not used for the featured cat will be used for other cats in our care.

Images should be attached to the email separately, not embedded into a document; minimum requirements for print publication are 300dpi (high resolution) in jpg or tif format. Original digital camera photographs are usually better than those taken on a mobile phone.

Please email your submissions to editorial@cats.org.uk or post your entries to: CP in Focus, The Cat magazine, Cats Protection, National Cat Centre, Chelwood Gate, Haywards Heath, Sussex, RH17 7TT. Thank you.

Find your local Cats Protection: 03000 12 12 12 • www.cats.org.uk

The Cat Summer 2013

57

Contacts England South East Bredhurst Kent *Matts * Hill Road, Hartlip, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 7XA ☎☎ 01634 232 471 88www.bredhurstkent.cats.org.uk Friends of Bredhurst Kent Adoption Centre Chelmsford & District *Willow * Grove, Deadmans Lane, Galleywood, Chelmsford, CM2 8LZ ☎☎ 01245 478 389 88www.chelmsford.cats.org.uk Eastbourne *63 * Marshfoot Lane, Hailsham, East Sussex, BN27 2RB ☎☎ 01323 440 101 88www.eastbourne.cats.org.uk Friends of Eastbourne Adoption Centre Haslemere *Chase * Lodge Studio, Upper Hammer Lane, Haslemere, Surrey, GU27 1QD ☎☎ 01428 604 297 88www.cats.org.uk/haslemere Friends of Haslemere Adoption Centre National Cat Adoption Centre *Chelwood * Gate, Haywards Heath, Sussex, RH17 7TT ☎☎ 08707 708 650 88www.ncac.cats.org.uk Friends of the National Cat Adoption Centre North London *135 * Junction Road, Archway, Greater London, N19 5PX ☎☎ 0207 272 6048 Basildon, Brentwood & District ☎☎ 01268 285 778 88www.bascats.org.uk Bexley & Dartford ☎☎ 01322 611 911 88www.cats.org.uk/bexley Bromley ☎☎ 0208 402 8860 88www.bromleycatsprotection.org.uk Camberley & District ☎☎ 08453 712 745 88www.camberley.cats.org.uk Canterbury & District ☎☎ 01227 266 838 88www.cats.org.uk/canterbury Caterham, Redhill & East Surrey ☎☎ 08453 712 739 88www.eastsurrey.cats.org.uk

Find your nearest CP branch, adoption centre or charity shop...

Croydon ☎☎ 0208 763 0072 88www.croydoncpcats.org.uk

Romford & District ☎☎ 01708 451 341 88www.romford.cats.org.uk

Eltham, Sidcup & District ☎☎ 07772 679 854 88www.cats.org.uk/elthamsidcup

St Albans & District ☎☎ 08453 712 064 88www.stalbans.cats.org.uk

Epsom, Ewell & District ☎☎ 08452 601 387 88www.epsom.cats.org.uk

Southend & District ☎☎ 01702 710 630 88www.catsprotectionsouthend .pwp.blueyonder.co.uk

Folkestone & Hythe ☎☎ 01303 237 744 88www.folkestonehythe.cats.org.uk Great Amwell & District ☎☎ 08453 712 736 88www.greatamwell.cats.org.uk

Tenterden & District ☎☎ 01233 501 184 88www.tenterdencats.org.uk

Harlow, Epping Forest & District ☎☎ 01992 579 539 88www.harlow.cats.org.uk

Three Rivers & Watford ☎☎ 01923 283 338 88www.cats.org.uk/threerivers

Hastings & District ☎☎ 01424 754 328 Hemel Hempstead & Berkhamsted ☎☎ 08453 711 851 88www.cats.org.uk/dacorum Hendon, Finchley & Mill Hill ☎☎ 0208 952 1350 88www.hendon.cats.org.uk High Wycombe & South Bucks ☎☎ 01494 448 849 88www.buckscats.org.uk Hillingdon ☎☎ 01895 443 637 88www.hillingdon.cats.org.uk Hornchurch & District ☎☎ 01708 755 211 88www.hornchurch.cats.org.uk Horsham & District ☎☎ 08453 712 749 88www.cats.org.uk/horsham Lea Valley ☎☎ 08453 134 746 88www.leavalley.cats.org.uk Lewes, Seaford & District ☎☎ 01273 813 111 88www.lewes.cats.org.uk Maidenhead, Slough & District ☎☎ 01628 620 909 88www.cats.org.uk/maidenhead Maidstone ☎☎ 08453 712 758 88www.maidstone.cats.org.uk Medway Towns ☎☎ 08453 712 757 (Neutering only)

Chiltern ☎☎ 08452 602 396 88www.chiltern.cats.org.uk

North Hertfordshire ☎☎ 01438 228 877 88www.northherts.cats.org.uk

Colne Valley ☎☎ 08452 601 384 88www.colnevalley.cats.org.uk

Paddington 88www.paddington.cats.org.uk

The Cat Summer 2013

Tendring & District ☎☎ 08453 712 742 88www.tendringcats.org.uk

Guildford & Godalming ☎☎ 01483 422 529 88www.guildford.cats.org.uk

Mid Sussex ☎☎ 01444 414 884 88www.cats.org.uk/midsussex

58

Swale ☎☎ 08453 712 755 88www.swale.cats.org.uk

Greenwich ☎☎ 0208 8538 666 88www.catsgn.org.uk

Chichester, Bognor Regis & District ☎☎ 08453 712 760 88www.cats.org.uk/chichester

Crawley, Reigate & District ☎☎ 08453 712 734 88www.catsprotection.co.uk

Sutton & Cheam ☎☎ 0208 330 0176 88www.sutton.cats.org.uk

Rayleigh, Castle Point & District ☎☎ 01268 750 831 88www.catsrayleigh.org.uk

Thurrock & District ☎☎ 08453 712 752 Tunbridge Wells, Crowborough & District ☎☎ 01892 516 377 88www.uckfield.cats.org.uk Welwyn Hatfield & District ☎☎ 08453 711 855 88www.welwynhatfield.cats.org.uk Woking & District ☎☎ 01483 721 700 88www.woking.cats.org.uk Worthing & District ☎☎ 01903 200 332 88www.worthingcatsprotection.org.uk Canterbury & District **28 William Street, Herne Bay, Kent, CT6 5EQ Caterham, Redhill & East Surrey *20 * Chipstead Valley Road, Coulsdon, Surrey, CR5 2RA ☎☎ 0208 660 7475 Chichester, Bognor Regis & District *7a * Crane Street, Chichester, West Sussex, P019 1LH ☎☎ 01243 774 737 Colne Valley *75 * High Street, Halstead, Essex, CO9 2JD ☎☎ 01797 274 667 Cricklewood *70 * Cricklewood Broadway, Cricklewood, London, NW2 3EP ☎☎ 020 8450 4878 Croydon *13 * High Street, Purley, Surrey, CR8 2AF ☎☎ 0208 763 9898 Ealing & West London *3a * Albert Terrace, Pittshanger Lane, Ealing, W5 1RL ☎☎ 0208 998 3940 Eltham, Sidcup & District *14 * Tudor Parade, Well Hall Road, Eltham, London, SE9 6SX ☎☎ 0208 859 6009

Folkestone & Hythe *139a * High Street, Hythe, Kent, CT21 5JL ☎☎ 01303 238 661 Greenwich *18 * Old Dover Street, Blackheath, London, SE3 7BT ☎☎ 0208 858 2220 Hastings & District *43 * London Road, St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, TN37 6AJ ☎☎ 01424 203 778 Lea Valley *145 * Chase Side, Enfield, Middlesex, EN2 0PN ☎☎ 0208 367 4813 Medway *34 * Canterbury Street, Gillingham, Kent, ME7 5TX ☎☎ 01634 571 270 *142 * Franklin Road, Gillingham, Medway, ME7 4DG ☎☎ 01634 578 436 Sutton & Cheam *16 * The Broadway, Cheam, Sutton, Surrey, SM3 8AY ☎☎ 0208 642 1575 Tenterden & District *Lakehurst * House, Unit 1, 94c High Street, Tenterden, Kent, TN30 6JB ☎☎ 01580 765 277 Worthing & District *35 * Rowlands Road, Worthing, West Sussex, BN11 3JJ ☎☎ 01903 200 332

South & South West Cornwall *Point * Road, Carnon Downs, Truro, Cornwall, TR3 6JN ☎☎ 01872 870 575 Exeter Axhayes *Little * Hill Cottage, Clyst Honiton, Exeter, Devon, EX5 2HS ☎☎ 01395 232 377 88www.axhayes.cats.org.uk Isle of Wight *122 * Marlborough Road, Ryde, Isle of Wight, PO33 1AW ☎☎ 01983 562 609 Newbury & District *Heatherpine, * Curridge Road, Curridge, Thatcham, Berkshire, RG18 9DH ☎☎ 01635 200 111 88www.newbury.cats.org.uk Ferndown Homing Centre *51 * Cobham Road, Ferndown Industrial Estate, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 7QZ ☎☎ 03000 120 175 88www.ferndown.cats.org.uk Andover & District ☎☎ 01256 892 019 88www.andovercats.org.uk Barnstaple & District ☎☎ 01271 860 787 88www.cats.org.uk/barnstaple Basingstoke & District ☎☎ 08451 771 364 88www.basingstoke-cats.org.uk

Ways we help: Rehoming • Neutering • Raising awareness

FIND US KEY:

Adoption Centre

Homing Centre

Bath & District ☎☎ 01225 835 606 88www.bath.cats.org.uk

Midsomer Norton & Radstock ☎☎ 01761 436 486 88www.midsomer.cats.org.uk

Blandford & Sturminster Newton ☎☎ 01258 858 644 88www.blandfordcats.org.uk

Minehead ☎☎ 08453 712 761 88www.minehead.cats.org.uk

Bournemouth & District ☎☎ 08453 712 762 88www.bournemouthcats.org.uk

Okehampton & District ☎☎ 08453 712 751 88www.okehampton.cats.org.uk

Bracknell & Wokingham Districts ☎☎ 08453 714 212 88www.cats.org.uk/bracknell

Oxford & District ☎☎ 01235 221 147 88www.oxford.cats.org.uk

Bridgwater ☎☎ 01278 684 662 88www.bridgwater.cats.org.uk

Plymouth & South Hams ☎☎ 08453 712 753 88www.cats.org.uk/plymouth

Bristol & District ☎☎ 01179 665 428 88www.bristol.cats.org.uk

Portsmouth ☎☎ 08453 712 743 88www.cats.org.uk/portsmouth

Cheltenham ☎☎ 08453 712 730 88www.catsprotection.net

Reading & District ☎☎ 08452 602 395 88www.readinganddistrictcats.org

Cherwell ☎☎ 07716 596 212 88www.cherwell.cats.org.uk

St Austell & District ☎☎ 01726 817 837 88www.staustell.cats.org.uk

Cirencester, Tetbury & District ☎☎ 01285 657 894 88http://cirencats.tripod.com/

Salisbury & District ☎☎ 08453 712 068 88www.salisburycats.co.uk

East Devon ☎☎ 01884 277 929 88www.eastdevoncats.com Exeter ☎☎ 01392 276 291 88www.exeter.cats.org.uk Falmouth, Helston & District ☎☎ 08453 712 729 88www.cats.org.uk/falmouth Fareham & Waterlooville Districts ☎☎ 08452 601 504 88www.fareham.cats.org.uk Farnham & Wey Valley ☎☎ 01252 334 644 88www.weyvalley.cats.org.uk Forest of Dean ☎☎ 01594 841 511 88www.cats-forestofdean.co.uk Frome & District ☎☎ 07733 390 345 88www.cats.org.uk/frome Glastonbury & Wells ☎☎ 01749 850 660 88www.stray-cat.co.uk Gloucester ☎☎ 07891 112 654 88www. gloucester.cats.org.uk Gosport Town ☎☎ 02392 582 601 88www.gosport.cats.org.uk Holsworthy, Bideford & District ☎☎ 08453 712 717 88www.holsworthycats.org Honiton ☎☎ 01404 452 41 88www.honiton.cats.org.uk Launceston & District ☎☎ 01566 773 814 88www.launcestoncatsprotection.org Mere & Gillingham ☎☎ 01747 840 621 88www.mere-gillingham-cp.co.uk

Southampton ☎☎ 08453 712 718 88www.cats.org.uk/southampton Stroud ☎☎ 01453 828 326 88www.stroud.cats.org.uk Swindon ☎☎ 01793 644 536 88www.swindon.cats.org.uk Taunton & Wellington ☎☎ 08452 602 397 88www.taunton.cats.org.uk Teignbridge & Totnes ☎☎ 08453 712 723 88www.teignbridge.cats.org.uk Torpoint & Rame Peninsula ☎☎ 01752 829 104 Torquay & District ☎☎ 01803 557 014 88www.torquay.cats.org.uk Truro & District ☎☎ 08452 601 386 88www.trurodistrict.cats.org.uk Weston-Super-Mare & District ☎☎ 08453 712 066 88www.westonsm.cats.org.uk Weymouth & District ☎☎ 01305 262 737 88www.westdorset.cats.org.uk Winchester & District ☎☎ 01962 883 536 or 01962 884 468 88www.winchestercatsprotection.co.uk Wootton Bassett & District ☎☎ 07928 674 433 88www.wootton.cats.org.uk Yeovil & District ☎☎ 01935 412 755 88www.yeovilcatsprotection.info

Branch

Charity shop

Bournemouth & District *333-335 * Charminster Road, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH8 9QR ☎☎ 01202 530 757 Bristol & District *272 * North Street, Bedminster, Bristol, BS3 1JA ☎☎ 0117 963 9028 Cheltenham *20 * St James Street, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL52 2SH ☎☎ 01242 234 494 East Devon *72 * High Street, Sidmouth, Devon, EX10 8EQ ☎☎ 01395 513 394 Forest of Dean *28a * Newerne Street, Lydney, Gloucestershire, GL15 5RF ☎☎ 01594 841 848 Honiton *137 * High Street, Honiton, EX14 1LW ☎☎ 01404 423 12 Mere & Gillingham *High * Street, Gillingham, Dorset, SP8 4AA ☎☎ 01747 833 669 Plymouth *91 * Mutley Plain, Mutley, Plymouth, Devon, PL4 6JJ ☎☎ 01752 255 193 Reading & District *11 * The Triangle, Tilehurst, Reading, RG30 4RN ☎☎ 0118 945 3733 Swindon *39 * Regent Circus, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN1 1PX ☎☎ 01793 531 410 Taunton & Wellington *48 * Bridge Street, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 1UD ☎☎ 01823 322 244 Truro & District *23 * Pydar Street, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 2AY ☎☎ 01872 276 351 Weymouth & District *31 * Great Western Road, Dorchester, DT1 1HF ☎☎ 01305 213 358

Central Birmingham *Packhorse * Lane, Hollywood, Birmingham, West Midlands, B47 5DH ☎☎ 01564 822 020 88www.birmingham.cats.org.uk Friends of Birmingham Adoption Centre Derby *White * Cottage, Long Lane, Dalbury Lees, Ashbourne, Derbyshire, DE6 5BJ ☎☎ 01332 824 950 88www.derby.cats.org.uk Friends of Derby Adoption Centre Evesham *c/o * Dogs Trust Kennels, 89 Pitchers Hill, Wickhamford, Evesham, Worcester, WR11 6RT ☎☎ 01386 833 343 88www.eveshamcpl.org

Find your local Cats Protection: 03000 12 12 12 • www.cats.org.uk

Hereford *Cobhall * Villa, Allensmore, HR2 9BP ☎☎ 01432 277 543 Friends of Cats Protection Hereford ☎☎ 07787 434 756 Mansfield *Mansfield * Road, Warsop, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, NG20 0EF ☎☎ 01623 845 846 Nottingham *The * Gate House, New Farm Lane, Nuthall, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG16 1DY ☎☎ 0115 938 6557 88www.nottingham.cats.org.uk Ashfield & Amber Valley ☎☎ 01246 825 165 88www.cats.org.uk/ashfield Bedford & Biggleswade ☎☎ 08442 496 911 88www.bedford.cats.org.uk Burton on Trent ☎☎ 01283 511 454 Corby & District ☎☎ 08453 714 209 88www.cats.org.uk/corby Coventry ☎☎ 02476 251 491 88www.coventrycats.org.uk Derby & District ☎☎ 01332 206 956 88www.derbydistrict.cats.org.uk Halesowen & District ☎☎ 08453 712 062 88www.halesowen.cats.org.uk Leicester & District ☎☎ 01162 881 318 Lichfield & District ☎☎ 08453 712 741 88www.cats.org.uk/lichfield Luton, Dunstable & District ☎☎ 08453 712 746 88www.luton.cats.org.uk Mid Warwickshire ☎☎ 01926 334 849 88www.cats.org.uk/midwarwick Northampton ☎☎ 08447 003 251 88www.cats.org.uk/northampton North Birmingham ☎☎ 08452 601 503 88www.northbirmingham.cats.org.uk North Shropshire ☎☎ 08452 602 389 ☎☎ 07792 165 437 88www.cats.org.uk/north-shropshire Rugby ☎☎ 01788 570 010 88www.cats.org.uk/rugby South Birmingham ☎☎ 08453 711 854 88www.southbham.cats.org.uk Stafford & District ☎☎ 08452 601 509 88www.stafford.cats.org.uk Stoke & Newcastle ☎☎ 08452 601 385 88www.stoke.cats.org.uk

The Cat Summer 2013 59

KEY:

Adoption Centre

Stourbridge, Dudley & Wyre Forest ☎☎ 08448 848 520 88www.cats.org.uk/stourbridge Telford & District ☎☎ 08542 601 502 88www.telford.cats.org.uk Walsall Borough ☎☎ 01922 682 005 88www.walsall.cats.org.uk Wellingborough & Rushden ☎☎ 08453 714 209 88www.cats.org.uk/wellingborough Wolverhampton ☎☎ 01902 651 173 88www.wolverhampton.cats.org.uk Worcester & District ☎☎ 01905 425 704 88www.worcestercats.org.uk Bedford & Biggleswade *12 * The Springfield Centre, Kempton, Bedfordshire, MK42 7PR ☎☎ 01234 840 827 Coventry *34 * Far Gosford Street, Coventry, CV1 5DW ☎☎ 02476 222 105 Derby & District *31 * The Wardwick, Derby, DE1 1HA ☎☎ 01332 360 080 *Institute * Buildings, North End, Wirksworth, Derbyshire, DE4 4FG Halesowen & District *9* High Street, Blackheath, Rowley Regis, West Midlands, B65 0DT ☎☎ 0121 559 3135 Hereford *13 * Commercial Road, Hereford, HR1 2BB ☎☎ 01432 278 016 Ludlow & District *5* Old Street, Ludlow, Shropshire, SY8 1NW ☎☎ 01584 878 606 Mid Warwickshire *27 * Regent Street, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, CV32 5EJ ☎☎ 01926 338 250 Pershore *Royal * Aracde, Pershore, Worcestershire, WR10 1AG ☎☎ 01386 550 440

Homing Centre

East Dereham *Hoe * Road Farm, Hoe Road, Longham, Dereham, Norfolk, NR19 2RP ☎☎ 01362 687 919 88www.dereham.cats.org.uk Friend of Dereham Adoption Centre 88fodereham@talktalk.net Downham Market *Wards * Chase, Stowbridge, Kings Lynn, Norfolk, PE34 3NN ☎☎ 01366 382 311 88www.downhammarket.cats.org.uk Friends of Downham Market Adoption Centre 88cpfriends.downham@hotmail.co.uk Bolton & Radcliffe ☎☎ 07760 780 759 88www.bolton.cats.org.uk Breckland ☎☎ 01842 810 018 88www.cats.org.uk/breckland Bury St Edmunds ☎☎ 01284 850 887 88www.cplbury.org.uk Cambridge ☎☎ 01223 356 999 88www.cambridge.cats.org.uk

Spalding & District ☎☎ 01775 725 661 88www.spalding.cats.org.uk

Carlisle & District ☎☎ 01228 540 330 88www.carlisle.cats.org.uk

Stamford & District ☎☎ 01778 571 343 88www.stamford.cats.org.uk

Chesterfield & District ☎☎ 08453 712 754 88www.cats.org.uk/chesterfield

Waveney ☎☎ 08453 714 202 88www.waveney.cats.org.uk

Crewe & District ☎☎ 01270 588 710 88www.crewe.cats.org.uk

Cambridge *172 * Mill Road, Cambridge, CB1 3LP ☎☎ 01223 566 997

Culcheth & Glazebury ☎☎ 01925 764 604

Grimsby & District *57 * Second Avenue, Grimsby, DN33 1NH ☎☎ 01472 277 520 Ipswich *184 * Bramford Lane, Ipswich, IP1 4DP ☎☎ 01473 742 226 Lincoln *381 * High Street, Lincoln, LN5 7SF Norwich *193b * Plumstead Road, Norwich, NR1 4AB ☎☎ 01603 438 820

Dewsbury, Wakefield & District ☎☎ 01924 261 524 88www.cats.org.uk/dewsbury Doncaster ☎☎ 01302 840 777 88www.doncaster.cats.org.uk Durham City & District ☎☎ 01388 720 689 Gateshead & District ☎☎ 0191 420 3180 88www.cats.org.uk/gateshead Halifax, Queensbury & Brighouse ☎☎ 01484 711 728 88www.cats.org.uk/halifax

Ely & District ☎☎ 01353 699 430 88www.ely.cats.org.uk

North

Lancaster & Morecambe ☎☎ 01524 850 112 88www.lancaster.cats.org.uk

Framlingham & Saxmundham ☎☎ 01728 723 499 88www.framandsax.cats.org.uk Grimsby & District ☎☎ 01472 276 600 88www.grimsby.cats.org.uk Haverhill & Stour Valley ☎☎ 08453 719 599 88www.stourvalley.cats.org.uk Horncastle & District ☎☎ 01526 388 535 88www.horncastle.cats.org.uk Ipswich ☎☎ 08453 712 069 88www.ipswich.cats.org.uk

North Walsham & District ☎☎ 01692 535 858 88www.cats.org.uk/northwalsham Norwich & District ☎☎ 08454 941 900 88www.norwich.cats.org.uk Peterborough & District ☎☎ 08453 712 750 88www.peterborough.cats.org.uk St Neots & District ☎☎ 01480 476 696 88www.stneots.cats.org.uk Scunthorpe & District ☎☎ 01652 651 001 88www.scunthorpe.cats.org.uk Skegness, Spilsby & Alford ☎☎ 01754 830 621 88www.skegnesscats.org.uk

60 The Cat Summer 2013

Calder Valley & District ☎☎ 01706 810 489 88www.caldercats.org.uk

Harrogate & District ☎☎ 01423 889 598

Stourbridge & District *27 * Lower High Street, Stourbridge, DY8 1TA ☎☎ 01384 422 208

Worcester & District *53 * St Johns, Worcester, WR2 5AG ☎☎ 01905 426 748

Sleaford & District ☎☎ 01529 488 749 88www.cats.org.uk/sleaford

St Neots & District *10 * Cross Keys Mall, Market Square, St Neots, PE19 2AR ☎☎ 01480 476 696

Milton Keynes ☎☎ 01908 318 810 88www.mkcats.org.uk

Wolverhampton *54 * Warstones Road, Penn, Wolverhampton, WV4 4LP

Charity shop

Chatteris, St Ives & District ☎☎ 0845 371 2758 88www.chatteris.cats.org.uk

Stafford & District *Market * Stall 48, St John’s Indoor Market, Stafford

Telford & District *75 * High Street, Broseley, Telford, TF12 5EX ☎☎ 01952 884 388

Branch

St Helens *100 * Chester Lane, St Helens, Merseyside, WA9 4DD ☎☎ 01744 817 718 Warrington *Animal * Village, Slutchers Lane, Bank Quay, Warrington, Cheshire, WA1 1NA ☎☎ 01925 411 160 York *582 * Huntington Road, Huntington, York, North Yorkshire, YO32 9QA ☎☎ 01904 760 356 88www.york.cats.org.uk

Hull & District ☎☎ 01482 790 284

Macclesfield ☎☎ 0845 603 8138 88www.macclesfieldcats.org.uk North Sheffield ☎☎ 01142 456 371 88www.northsheffield.cats.org.uk North Tyneside ☎☎ 0191 296 3512 88www.cpnewcastle.co.uk Northumberland East ☎☎ 07749 713 142 (6–9pm) 88www.east-northumberland.cats.org.uk

Atherton & Wigan Metro Areas ☎☎ 01942 888 693 88www.athertonwigan.cats.org.uk

Preston ☎☎ 08451 770 708 88www.cats.org.uk/preston

Barnsley ☎☎ 01226 762 658 88www.cats.org.uk/barnsley

Rochdale ☎☎ 01706 522 440 88www.cats.org.uk/rochdale

Beverley & Pocklington ☎☎ 01482 861 866 88www.bpcp.org.uk

Sheffield Hallam ☎☎ 01142 493 330 88www.catsprotectionshop.com

Blackburn & District ☎☎ 01254 260 107 88www.blackburn.cats.org.uk

South Wirral ☎☎ 0151 355 9813 88www.southwirral.cats.org.uk

Boston & District ☎☎ 01406 424 966 88www.boston.cats.org.uk

Stockport ☎☎ 0161 439 1274 88www.stockport.cats.org.uk

Burnley & Pendle ☎☎ 01282 693 400 88www.burnley.cats.org.uk

Teesside ☎☎ 01642 589 090 88www.teesside.cats.org.uk

Burscough & Liverpool Bay ☎☎ 0151 526 5999 88www.liverpoolbursc.cats.org.uk

Trafford ☎☎ 0161 610 2189 or 0161 969 0331 88www.trafford.cats.org.uk Wear Valley & Darlington ☎☎ 07792 699 918

Ways we help: Rehoming • Neutering • Raising awareness

FIND US

88www.cats.org.uk/wearvalley

Scotland

West Cumbria ☎☎ 01946 590 079 88www.westcumbria.cats.org.uk

Arbroath & Carnoustie *15 * Kinaldie Holdings, Arbroath, DD11 5SH ☎☎ 01241 434 605 88www.arbroath.cats.org.uk

Wharfe Valley ☎☎ 08451 947 292 88www.wharfevalley.cats.org.uk Barnsley *95 * High Street, Wombwell, Barnsley, S73 8HS Chesterfield & District *13 * Stephenson Place, Chesterfield, S40 1XL Lancaster & Morecambe *4-6 * Regent Road, Morecambe, Lancaster, LA3 1QG ☎☎ 01524 850 112 Leeds *Suite * 26, Bramley Shopping Centre, Leeds, LS13 2ET

Clackmannanshire & Stirling *The * Marion Hunter Cat Adoption Centre, Ochivale Terrace, Fishcross, Alloa, Clackmannanshire, FK10 3HT ☎☎ 01259 720 555 88www.clackscats.org.uk Dundee & District *102 * Foundry Lane, Dundee, DD4 6AY ☎☎ 01382 450 035 Glasgow *Cardyke * Farm, Langmuirhead Road, Auchinloch, Glasgow, G66 5LD ☎☎ 0141 779 3341 Friends of Glasgow Adoption Centre

Newcastle upon Tyne *162-166 * High Street East, Wallsend, Tyne & Wear, NE28 7RP ☎☎ 0191 2627 377

Shetland *Gott, * Shetland, ZE2 9SH ☎☎ 01595 840 588 88www.cats.shetland.co.uk

Teesside *7–8 * Ramsgate, Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, TS18 1BS ☎☎ 07432 379 292

Alness & District ☎☎ 08453 714 204 88www.alness.cats.org.uk

York *13 * Walmgate, York, YO1 9TX ☎☎ 01904 620 361

Wales Bridgend *Green * Acres, Pant Hirwaun, Bryncethin, Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, CF32 9UJ ☎☎ 01656 724 396 Wrexham *Alma * House, Madeira Hill, Wrexham, Clwyd, LL13 7HD ☎☎ 01978 313 574 88www.wrexham.cats.org.uk

Ardnamurchan & Mull ☎☎ 01967 431 203 88www.cats.org.uk/ardnamurchan Barra & Uist ☎☎ 07050 121 586 88www.cats.org.uk/uist Caithness ☎☎ 08453 714 217 88www.caithnesscatsprotection.org.uk Central Aberdeen ☎☎ 01224 749 568 88www.catsprotection.org.uk Central Dumfries ☎☎ 01387 710 083 88www.centraldumfries.cats.org.uk

Aberystwyth & District ☎☎ 01970 822 120

Cumnock & Doon Valley ☎☎ 08453 714 219

Carmarthenshire Fundraising 88www.cats.org.uk/carmarthenshire

Deeside ☎☎ 07837 342 660 88www.cats.org.uk/deeside

Colwyn & District ☎☎ 01492 660 221 88www.colwyn.cats.org.uk

East Neuk of Fife ☎☎ 08453 714 210 88www.eastfife.cats.org.uk

Gwent ☎☎ 08453 712 747 88www.gwentsouthcp.org.uk

Ellon & District ☎☎ 01358 721 204 88www.cats.org.uk/ellon

Newtown & District ☎☎ 01686 670 277 88www.newtown.cats.org.uk

Eskdale & District ☎☎ 01387 376 738 88www.eskdale.cats.org.uk

Swansea & District ☎☎ 08452 179 648 88www.swanseacats.co.uk

Fort William & District ☎☎ 01397 772 071 88www.cats.org.uk/fort-william

Swansea & District *85 * Brynymor Road, Swansea, SA1 4JE

Fraserburgh ☎☎ 01771 637 744 88www.cats.org.uk/fraserburgh

Wrexham & District *60 * Chester Street, Wrexham, LL13 8BA ☎☎ 01978 310 555

Giffnock ☎☎ 01416 385 110 88www.cats.org.uk/giffnock Glasgow ☎☎ 08453 712 722 88www.glasgow.cats.org.uk

Huntly & Keith ☎☎ 01466 760 311 88www.cats.org.uk/huntly

West Lothian ☎☎ 08453 712 719 88www.cats-westlothian.org.uk

Inverclyde ☎☎ 01475 529 462

Central Aberdeen *96 * King St, Aberdeen, AB24 5BA ☎☎ 01224 634 894

Inverness ☎☎ 07815 910 861 88www.inverness.cats.org.uk Inverurie & Alford ☎☎ 01467 625 695 88www.cats.org.uk/inverurie Isle of Arran ☎☎ 01770 820 611 Isles of Lewis & Harris ☎☎ 01851 830 749 88www.cats.org.uk/isle-of-lewis Isle of Skye ☎☎ 07817 943 072 Lanarkshire ☎☎ 08453 714 213 88www.lanarkshirecats.co.uk Montrose & Brechin ☎☎ 08453 712 738 88www.montrosebrechin.cats.org.uk Moray ☎☎ 07837 342 646 88www.cats.org.uk/moray Nairn ☎☎ 08453 712 714 88www.nairn.cats.org.uk North Ayrshire ☎☎ 08453 714 218 88www.northayrshire.cats.org.uk Orkney Islands ☎☎ 01856 771 642 88www.orkneycats.co.uk

Clackmannanshire & Stirling *The * Marion Hunter Cat Adoption Centre, Ochivale Terrace, Fishcross, Alloa, Clackmannanshire, FK10 3HT ☎☎ 01259 720 555 Dundee & District *102 * Foundry Lane, Dundee, DD4 6AY ☎☎ 01382 450 035 *5* Reform Street, Monifieth, Dundee, DD5 4BA ☎☎ 01382 534 316 Orkney Islands *85-87 * Victoria Street, Stromness, Orkney, KW16 3BS ☎☎ 01856 850 919 Outer Aberdeen & District *187 * George Street, Aberdeen AB25 1HZ ☎☎ 01224 658 565 Turiff & District *6-8 * Duff Street, Macduff, Banffshire, AB44 1TL ☎☎ 07847 395 017 West Fife *6* Arberlour Street, Rosyth, Fife, KY11 2RD ☎☎ 01383 417 548

Northern Ireland

Outer Aberdeen & District ☎☎ 01224 705 252 88www.cats.org.uk/outeraberdeen

Belfast *270 * Belfast Road, Dundonald, Newtownards, Northern Ireland, BT16 1UE ☎☎ 02890 480 202

Peebles & Biggar ☎☎ 0707 4357 228

Friends of Northern Ireland Adoption Centre

Perth ☎☎ 08458 622 206 88www.perthcats.co.uk

Armagh ☎☎ 07709 483 550 88www.armagh.cats.org.uk

Peterhead & District ☎☎ 07791 834 226 88www.peterhead.cats.org.uk

Coleraine ☎☎ 07792 699 416 88www.cats.org.uk/coleraine

Renfrewshire ☎☎ 0141 876 4133 88www.renfrewshire.cats.org.uk

KEY:

South Ayrshire ☎☎ 08453 714 216 88www.southayrshire.cats.org.uk

Adoption Centre

Stewartry & District ☎☎ 01557 339 233 88www.stewartry.cats.org.uk

Branch

Homing Centre Charity shop

Stonehaven ☎☎ 01569 739 396 88www.stonehaven.cats.org.uk Stranraer & District ☎☎ 01776 840 619 Strathspey ☎☎ 08453 712 725 88www.strathspey.cats.org.uk Tain & District ☎☎ 08453 712 737 88www.tain.cats.org.uk West Fife ☎☎ 01383 419 975 88www.westfife.cats.org.uk

Find your local Cats Protection: 03000 12 12 12 • www.cats.org.uk

The Cat Summer 2013

61

Welcome to Kids’ Corner! We love to hear from our younger readers so please send in your catthemed letters, jokes and drawings. Every picture printed wins a prize! Write to us at: The Cat magazine, National Cat Centre, Chelwood Gate, Haywards Heath, RH17 7TT or email editorial@cats.org.uk.

Don’t forget to tell us your name, age and address. The deadline for submissions for the autumn issue is 14 June. There’s lots more fun, too, at www.cats.org.uk/cats-for-kids

Artists’ alley

Thank you to our Kids’ Corner artists for sending in your drawings, you all win a JellyCat. Clockwise from right: This picture of a daredevil rollercoaster cat is from six-year-old Maisie of Northamptonshire. ‘This is my cat at the fair,’ Maisie writes. ‘Her name is Pip.’ Six-year-old Rachel Morris of Carlisle sent in this neat picture of a sweet black-and-white cat.

This happy-looking ginger cat, drawn by sevenyear-old Isabel from Anglesey, looks like he’s enjoying the sunshine.

62 The Cat Summer 2013

Lauren lends a hand

Helping to trap cats is not an easy task, but 11-year-old Lauren took it in her stride as she became North Birmingham Branch’s youngest ever cat trapper.

Last year, Lauren helped the branch’s welfare team to trap some outdoor cats in a specially-designed cage in her garden so they could be taken to the vet. This year, there were four kittens left to catch and Lauren sprang into action.

Lauren, who has always been an animal lover, showed nerves of steel as she waited for the cats to be tempted into the cages before releasing the doors.

The cats aren’t harmed at all by being trapped and as they are outdoor cats they are released back into their area after their visit to the vet.

1 2 3 4

1 Cats with white or pale fur may need this to protect their noses and ear tips from the sun (but only if it’s made for pets!)

2 Your cat may seek this on a hot day.

3 Cats may do this often in hot weather.

4 Make sure your cat has plenty of this fresh liquid in the summer – and all year round.

Many cats enjoy warm summer weather, but they should also be able to choose to keep cool and out of the sun. This crossword is all about what cats need in the summer. Look at the clues and see if you can fill in the answers, which will reveal a word going downwards in the grey boxes.

Your cat will do this in hot weather! Write the word and your name, age and address on a postcard or sealed envelope and send to: The Cat magazine, National Cat Centre, Chelwood Gate, Sussex, RH17 7TT. You can also enter by email by sending the same details to competitions@cats.org.uk Remember to put Kids’ Corner in the subject heading. Be sure to enter before the deadline of 12 July.

Illustrations: Rus Hudda

Thanks to Kong who provide our cats’ prizes for Kids’ Corner. Kong design toys and grooming products for both cats and dogs. www.kongcompany.com

The Cat Summer 2013 63

MAKING MEMORIES

The kitten who came to stay Marion Gordon recalls how vivacious Skip enriched her life.

S

hortly after one of my cats died, I visited my uncle on his farm for the weekend and he mentioned he had a kitten looking for a home. I had resolved not to replace my cat, so I told him I couldn’t take the kitten.

However, as I loaded my car to go home, who should pop his head out from around the end of the house but the kitten? He stared up at me with his head tilted at an angle.

I ended up taking him home with me just as my uncle had known I would.

Back home, the kitten settled in quickly and became firm friends with my other cat. My boyfriend Dale and I decided on the name Skip from the children’s television programme, Skippy the Bush Kangaroo.

There was a game that Skip and I often played together.

We would go around the back of the house to the car park.

I would throw a piece of gravel in the air and Skip would launch himself up and grab the gravel mid-air. He would then lower the gravel to the ground in preparation for the next throw, of which there were many. He reminded me of a goalie at a football match.

Another moment Skip and I shared was bath time. As soon as the bath started running, he would assume his position on my bathrobe on the toilet lid. As I slowly submerged myself under the warm bubbles, he settled down for his snooze. So there we would be for at least two hours, I with my book and Skip curled up, sound asleep.

Once he ventured along the edge of the bath and, unfortunately, fell in. He was out like a shot, shaking snowy bubbles from his fur and vigorously shaking his little pink paws. Skip never made that mistake again.

Dale and Skip had their own idea of fun. Dale liked to watch television in the bedroom while lying on his front. Skip would lie on the lower half of Dale’s back and there he would sleep.

64 The Cat Summer 2013

Skip liked to alternate sleeping between our bed and the hammock. During the day in order not to miss out on current events he would perch on the top of the kitchen cupboards where he had a 360 degree view of the household goings on.

He would also frequently hide under a carpet in front of the fireplace – not one of his better ideas.

Skip loved the dinner table being laid. I am sure he felt it was being done just for him. He would jump up on a chair and wait patiently for the food. He was allowed to sit at the table but he was never bold enough to get up on it.

When I walked the dogs in the beautiful Scottish Highlands, Skip would join us. He would jump into fields then jump out onto hedges then into and out of gardens. This seemed to make him very content.

On one occasion, he climbed a tree and could not get down.

I grabbed a ladder and propped it against the tree. I reached up for Skip, tapped my shoulder and he jumped down onto it in a very nimble fashion. Emergency averted.

One night I went to close the cat flap at the usual time and Skip was nowhere to be found. I left it open for a late arrival but there was still no sign of him the following morning.

I remembered that Skip had a friend in the house opposite – a huge fluffy ginger cat – and that the owners were away.

Over I went and within moments had spotted Skip. The people had forgotten to turn the cat flap to lock both ways so Skip had been able to go into their porch but not back out again. He did look sorry for himself.

I let him out and he made a big fuss of me. He was very hungry and thirsty but more than anything just pleased to be home.

We were deeply saddened when Skip passed away after many happy years. He was an exceptional cat with endearing ways and a loving personality. He will never be forgotten

Illustration: Rus Hudda

Remembering cats through helping others This section offers readers the chance to pay tribute to a beloved cat by helping others. Donations go towards pens for our branches, which help house cats and kittens while they wait for new homes. Please send your donations to: R emembering Cats, The Cat magazine, National Cat Centre, Chelwood Gate, Haywards Heath, RH17 7TT. C heques should be made payable to ‘Cats Protection’. Tributes will be printed in the next available issue. Please note that this is an increasingly popular page and we cannot guarantee that your dedication will appear in a particular issue. Please print your tribute clearly to avoid errors (no more than 20 words) . Thanks to readers of The Cat, 315 pens have now been bought.

T OMMY WHITE – nice natured feral cat. Friendly with all the wildlife and loved by everyone. We miss you Tom.

INDY , a loving friend.

C Passed away 24.05.83 aged 16. Asleep in her favourite garden. Till we meet again, Peter.

SPIKE 20.01.92 and WILLIE 24.10.95. My best friends, remembered always – Gwen.

GINGER , EMMA , P URDIE , BLACKIE , CRUFFY .

PERKY and S You are our family and we love you more than ever. God bless, little ones. Mommy and Daddy and Isabella.

PIGGY – Our gentle little girl. PTS 24.07.10 age 20.

Never a paw raised in anger.

Remembered always by your adopted family.

My beautiful little girl SWEEP . Passed away 06.02.2012 aged 15. Always in my thoughts and dreams.

Dad x OLIVER – pts 16.01.13. Our beautiful brave boy. Thank you for 13 wonderful years.

Missed so much. Love from Mummy and Aunty Lisa x In loving memory of BEN , a loving friend. Passed away 11.07.05 aged 16. Asleep in his favourite garden. Till we meet again, Peter.

In loving memory of C UMFY , a loving friend.

Passed away about 1965 aged 16. Reunited with our Mum and Dad. Till we meet again, Peter.

Beloved ASHA , PTS 06.02.13. Our tiny tyrant and our little girl. We miss you so much. Ian, Amanda and Milo.

TIMMY , July 1992 – 10.04.12. Miss you very much, many happy memories. Always in our thoughts. Kenneth and Linda.

M ITTEN – a stately dowager duchess in white fluffy mules. Left us at 19 years of age 08.03.13.

Greatly missed by Melissa, Heather, Louise, Howard, Ollie, Pushkin and Marley.

In loving memory of PANDORA , PTS 29.12.12 aged 17 ½. Reunited with Lucky, Mishka and Tilly Whiskers. Greatly missed and loved by us all. Linda, Geoff, James and Monty.

S ASHA – 16.02.94 – P ORTIA – 15.07.99 – S ASHA – 22.12.05 – and P URDY – 16.11.11. My gorgeous Siamese seal point babies, missed so very much, in our hearts forever. Love Mummy and Tia. JACK – Adopted 27.04.99 aged approximately three years. PTS on 11.03.13. You were our special boy. We shall always love you. Mom, Dad and Fur-kids.

Treasured memories of M ONTY – rescued 2009, PTS 02.01.13 aged 13 ½. A lovely old tabby. Loved and missed by Sue and Gordon.

In loving memory of T WIGGY 16.05.07. Loved and sadly missed. Always in our thoughts and hearts.

Love Mummy, Daddy, Leo. LUCKY 23.06.10. Our handsome black boy. His young life taken by a hit and run driver. Sleeping in his favourite place in the garden. Greatly missed.

Sheila and Ivan xx

Kit Kat – Our one-eyed gentle giant, adopted from CP. With us for the last five of his 19 years. Much missed.

Annie, Mike and Catherine x M ork , K ari , Leila , S pooky , Smudge , Squidgy , Merlot and K it . All the cats I’ve loved and lost but will never forget. Always in my heart.

CJ xxx K atya , my lovely Russian blue. Soft pawed and soft hearted. Will miss you always. Lara.

Basil – Age 10 – you were lovely but bonkers and so loved a roll around and belly brush – RIP under the gooseberry bush in the garden – purrrrr (Billy cat misses you)

T reacle – beautiful black half-Burmese cat who entertained us with your antics for two decades. We miss you. Becky and family.

JAMIE STEWART RTS 1989 aged 10, SADIE PTS 2004 aged 16. HAMISH passed away 2012 aged 15.

I miss you.

The Cat Summer 2013 65

B k reviews Looking for a great book about cats? Check out our reviews before you buy...

Pusska Moggyinsky Ballet Company b y Maria McArdle For anyone who did ballet as a child and has an abiding passion for cats, dogs, wallabies, meerkats etc this children’s illustrated book is a delight. A talented ballet company is based in the secret cellars of an English stately home, here in a flurry of fur and feathers, a whole world of music and dancing exists. From the front of house to the backroom boys and girls, the reader is taken into a magical world where cats do pirouettes under the watchful gaze of Ballet Master Maestro Erico Poochetti, ducks are in charge of costumes, border terriers play the piano and rabbits play the harp – it leaves with you just one question; how can I get front row tickets? Francesca Watson Pusska Moggyinsky Ballet Company (paperback £7.99) is published by Matador. (www.troubador.co.uk ISBN 978-1780883564)

When Cats got Stuck up Trees and Pigeons Fell Down Chimneys y John Brookland b It’s late at night in London, 1972. You spot a cat swept along on the Thames. Who are you going to call? Back then, Londoners called on the expertise of the RSPCA London Night Emergency Service.

Join author John Brookland, who worked as a driver on the team, as he recounts his night-time adventures such as helping to rescue a cat from the roof of Alexandra Palace. Well-written and entertaining, this book will be of interest to animal-lovers and anyone interested in the history of animal charities or welfare. It is slightly let down by the inclusion of two graphic images of badlyinjured animals – the book would not have suffered in any way if they had been omitted. But overall, it’s a good read. Rebecca Evans When Cats Got Stuck Up Trees and Pigeons Fell Down Chimneys is an independently-published book and ebook available from online stores such as Amazon (ISBN 978-1479230419)

The Amazing Adventures of Perch the Cat

by Anthony Kessel We first meet the spritely ginger cat Perch in a pet shop, ruminating on how ‘[s]he needed a kind and caring owner’. Luckily for her, she is chosen by kind Charlie, former England cricket captain and soon settles happily in her new home. This adventure story follows Perch’s exploits, which are set in a dazzling variety of locations and historical periods, as well as her progressive journey of self-discovery which is aided by her assortment of animal friends. Interspersed with insightful reflections, including musings about the meaning of a cat’s life, this book is the perfect gift for children aged 8 to 11. The straightforward style and charming pencil sketches also make this an excellent choice to read aloud to younger children. Petra Coghlin The Amazing Adventures of Perch the Cat (paperback £5.99) is published by Matador (www.troubador.co.uk ISBN 978-1848767591) WIN

Omzak the Space Warrior Cat b y Jaylen Grace

Omzak is an arrogant space cat, who is sent to earth to become more humble after starting a fight with a Varian called Skabbert. While on earth he becomes friends with several domestic cats and an 11-year-old girl called Jodie. However, things are not all they seem as cats begin to mysteriously disappear. It seems it’s up to Omzak to find out who’s doing it and stop them.

My favourite character is Pasha, the first Earth cat Omzak meets. She is very self-righteous and confident as well as being very sweet. However I dislike Skabbert as he is an evil and malicious character. My favourite part in the book is when he is dropped off on Earth and meets Pasha and Jodie as it is amusing and refreshing.

I would recommend this book to 6-10 year olds. Ylena Green, aged 14 Omzak the Space Warrior Cat (Hardback £10.99) is published by Book Guild (www.bookguild.co.uk ISBN 978-1846247965) We have two copies of Omzak to give away to readers. Enter in the usual way marking your entries Omzak.

Books received Donna Antoinette Coleman

The Secret Life of Cats by Rowan Barnes-Murphy The Wisdom of Animals by Vernon Coleman and Cats and Doggerel by Daphne Lanham Kit and Cadenza, a tale of Tyrone cats by Kevin D’Arcy

66 The Cat Summer 2013

ANSWERS Spring 2013 crossword answers Across: 7 At the double, 8 Freeze, 9 Adults, 10 Closer, 12 Preach, 13 Axe, 14 Animal, 16 Costly, 18 Quaint, 20 Leaves, 22 Sleepwalker.

Down: 1 Pair, 2 Athens, 3 Deferral, 4 Toga, 5 Abjure, 6 Vertical, 11 Languish, 12 Peculiar, 15 Mailed, 17 Snacks, 19 Type, 21 Eire.

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Š Crown Pet Foods Ltd 2013 - All Rights Reserved. Credit: Stable Design Limited

For healthy digestion, skin and coat

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