Our vision is a world where every cat is treated with kindness and an understanding of its needs.
Hello! You are reading the fourth issue of the Cats Protection Newsletter in Telford and Wrekin Area. Hope you enjoy our newsletter!
Over the years we have helped many cats and kittens to find a new loving home. There are many reasons that cats are taken into our care, including relationship break-ups, evictions and elderly people having to be taken into a care home. It can be a heart-breaking time, and we will do what we can, but please be patient. We often have a long waiting list for places in pens. If you would be able to foster a cat or would like to adopt a cat, please visit our website for more information! Here are some of the events we have attended and cats we have helped in 2011:
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There are many cats who find themselves in dire situations. When I adopted my two cats from the cats protection league, they’d been wormed at six weeks old. This had stripped the lining of their stomachs, they were very sick, and the oldest of the two sisters Cleo contracted rhinitis. She now has a permanent breathing difficulty, and a constant snort. They both have fragile stomachs, and it took a fair few vet appointments before they were in the all clear. My housemate also has two cats adopted from the cats protection league. Whilst their past is uncertain, their behaviour displays signs of abuse and neglect. Now both pairs of animals are much better, and much happier, and despite their problems we both love our pets dearly, and wouldn’t change them for the world.
It’s terrible when animals are mistreated, neglected or their owners find themselves unable to look after them. The Cats Protection League takes in hundreds of cats and kittens every year, the ones most in need of our love and care. No matter the age, or the state of the animal they will always try and re-home them, and rely on donations to keep going. Foster owners take on several cats or kittens at once, so they have somewhere familiar and secure to stay whilst they wait for their new owner. If these animals ever need the Cats Protection League again, they will always do their best to help. All they really need though, is food, warmth, shelter and someone or several someone to love them. Not unlike humans. By Alexia.
Almost every cat is adopted, in at least one sense of the word, sometimes we know the family they come from, or the cats they’re bred from. Sometimes we take on the pets of our friends and families, sometimes we know their pasts sometimes we don’t. However, so long as they’re taken on with good intentions and open heart all pets will flourish no matter what the home.
My adopted cats Cleo and Sadie.
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We will be selling second hand books, CP merchandise and a range of other items in the Woodland Hall. For more updated indormation and exact dates and times visit our website: www.cats.org.uk/telford/events. We are always looking for people to help support these events, so if you could help for a couple of hours, or bring along some bric-a-brac for us to sell, it would be much appreciated. Further information from the website above.
Hello Cats Protection League!
Hi Cats Protection!
Lately my two year old cat has been acting out of character. Can it mean something or is something wrong? Should I take her to the vet?
What are worms and what can I do to stop my cat from getting them?
Thanks! Mary from Ironbridge
There are two main types of worms that infect cats roundworm and tapeworm. Most cats will suffer from roundworm at some point in their lives and infection is not always visible. It is advisable to treat for roundworm in adult cats and for kittens.
Yes there could well be something wrong. Changes of behaviour are often an external indication of physical or psychological issues. Changes in eating or drinking, changes in activity levels, changes in social interaction, the development of aggression or hiding away could all be signs that something is amiss. You should first consult your vet to check that there are no physical problems: he or she should be able to refer you to a qualified behaviourist if the change appears to have a psychological origin.
Emily from Telford
Tapeworm, if present, will be noticeable as segments are passed in the cat's faeces and can be seen clinging to the animal's legs. When dry, the segments are cream coloured and look like grains of rice. Good treatments for both tapeworm and roundworm are available from veterinary surgeries. Please consult your vet for advice on treatment frequency, as this depends on the preventative product used.
Answers from the Cats Protection Website www.cats.org.uk. To ask questions, email them to pr.catsprotection@gmail.com.
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Our cats are always neutered, microchipped and vaccinated prior to rehoming. They also come with 4 weeks free insurance. Cats Protection ask adopters for a fee when rehoming a cat. If you feel able to make a donation on top of the fee that would, of course, be gratefully received. We know times are hard so thank you for your decision to rehome a CP cat. Our branch is entirely run by volunteers and all proceeds go to the welfare of our cats.
Pepper Pot is a tabby female kitten with striking markings. She loves being cuddled, but not by children under 5. She is fussy with her food, but likes biscuits. She also likes climbing curtains! Pepper Pot gets on well with older children and dogs. She needs to have another cat to play with and would get on well with Martin.
Martin is a playful kitten who likes stealing pot pourri! He needs a home away from busy roads as we suspect he wouldn't have much road sense. He is approx. 19 weeks old (as of 14th Jan) Martin plays quite roughly, so we think it's best to home him along with Pepper Pot, who is used to his antics.
Alice is a beautiful black kitten who was born in our care. Her mother, Petal, was pregnant when we took her in. She can live with a family and other cats, who prefers to be indoors.
If you are looking for a feline companion, please visit our website for further information and updated list of cats for adoption: www.cats.org.uk/telford/adopt-a-cat
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Cats Protection is to host the 2012 Association of Dogs and Cats Homes (ADCH) Conference for the first time.
The cat charity will be holding the conference at the Copthorne Hotel, Effingham, Gatwick, on 14-15 March 2012 - close to the charity’s headquarters, the National Cat Centre in Chelwood Gate, Sussex.
Nick Edmans, Cats Protection’s Director of Communications said “As a member of the ADCH, Cats Protection works closely with other charities and organisations to improve the prospects and welfare of unwanted cats, so we are delighted to be organising this year’s conference.
The conference brings together cat and dog charities from around the UK to share best practice and knowledge to further improve the “We are expecting around 250 delegates from help they offer to the 250,000 unwanted the world of animal welfare – more than in animals brought to rescue charities each year. previous years – and are looking forward to a very exciting conference that will help Delegates will hear presentations on issues broaden the skills and knowledge of ADCH such as animal hoarding and abandonment members – to help them to help more cats alongside talks on issues such as fundraising, and dogs.” the law and digital communications. Cats Protection is the UK’s leading cat welfare charity and helps over 230,000 cats and kittens each year through a national network of 257 volunteer-run branches and 30 adoption centres. The charity’s vision is a world where every cat is treated with kindness and an understanding of its needs.
From Cats Protection Website (www.cats.org.uk)
Two Friends
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Microchipping offers cats a safe and permanent method of identification and increases the chances of a lost feline being safely reunited with his owner. Here are some common concerns regarding to microchipping: Microchipping is the most effective way of identifying a lost pet (chips don't come off or put the cat at risk of injury like collars can) Each microchip has a unique number which is stored on a national database. A scan of the chip reveals the owner's name and address from the database's records A microchip is slightly smaller than a grain of rice and is inserted under the cat's skin between the shoulder blades The procedure is very simple and is no more painful than an injection. A cat will not be aware of the microchip's presence once inserted
Remember you should change your microchip details if you move house. You can do this by contacting your microchip database – find the phone number on your microchip paperwork’.
Cats Protection is a member of a Microchip Advisory Group (MAG), aiming to improve the standards of microchipping across the UK.
Text and picture from Cats Protection Website (www.cats.org.uk)
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Like the Egyptian goddesses before her, Cora was entertaining herself with vole hunting. She would probably be too late to get indoors tonight, but she was so full of energy she didn’t much care. Slowly, stealthily, she crept through the forest. Her eyes glinted green and her ears twitched, listening for the scurrying of feet or the twitching of bushes.
As she bounded around, slinking through the undergrowth and bounding over logs hidden deep inside the woods surrounding her home, she heard the noises she’d been searching for. Taking off at a run she chased the poor unfortunate creature through the woodland, trying to keep up. She had no hope of catching it, but there was honour in the chase… She burst through a bush and found herself in a very small clearing.
Her vole sped across the grass, and emitted a small squeak when it slipped back into the forest, and Cora stood for a moment glowering. Blast. She wandered back to her home, fed up with hunting now, and curled up on the mat on the doorstep. In the moonlight, her black paws seemed bathed with silver, and that in turn reminded her of a very interesting story Mrs. Sanderson had told her…
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In a place of the world referred to as Burma the belief was that an image of the goddess Tsun Kyan-Kse, placed in a temple on the side of Mount Lugh, transformed a hundred cats into her own image. Mrs. Sanderson had heard it, so she claimed, when she’d been backpacking in the mountains. Cora couldn’t imagine anything more horrifying than trecking in the cold and wet away from home.
The head monk of the temple, the Kittah, was called Muh-Ha, and he had been blessed by the God Song Hio – who had braided gold into his beard. The sacred man had always meditated in silence before the statue of Tsun Kyan-Kse, and heard from her that the soul would be reborn into an animal, before reaching Nivana, and so he kept close to him and cared for a white cat. The creature had yellow ears, who reflected the golden sun, and a brown nose and feet, dark as the earth it trod on. And it stayed faithfully by Muh-Ha’s side as he meditated.
One night, with the moon shining brightly as much as it was now, Muh-Ha entered a trance. He was so deeply inside this transcendent state that he felt no pain when the Siamese invaders broke into the temple and murdered Sinh’s master where he sat. The white cat pawed at his robes, trying to make him awaken, but the Kittah monk was dead. Then, something incredible occurred.
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Sinh turned his face towards the golden statue of Tsun Kyan-Kse. For a moment Sinh glowed, then his fur became golden like the goddesses statue, and his eyes became the brilliant sapphire blue that Muh -Ha had spent so long gazing into in meditation. Whether he was a reincarnation of Tsun Kyan-Kse no one knew, however his paws, that were laid on his masters body, were turned the purest white and the other order members, who had been before so stricken with fear they just intended to flee, calmed enough to listen to the serene look Sinh gave them. Cora imagined this to be the look she gave Mr. Sanderson when he went to move her from a comfy position on the chair, and thought better of it. They ran and closed the bronze doors of the temple, and thus stopped the Persian invasion.
The next morning, so the story went, another ninety nine cats had been transformed by the events of that evening. Together they banded, and as the other monks tried to decide who would take over the position of Kitteh, they slunk into the chamber where the meeting was being held and circled around the youngest candidate. He later succeeded Muh-Ha. And seven days later Sinh passed away, carrying the soul of his beloved master Muh-Ha with him. From then on, the order believed that a Kittah was reincarnated as a Birman cat, before they finally reached Nivada. Cora gazed at her own silvery white paws reflected in the moonlight. Humans had funny tales about cats. She liked that one though, very heroic, and loyal. She didn’t think she could ever find it in herself to leave the Sanderson family… The lock clicked behind her, and the front door opened letting warm light from the hall fall onto the porch step. “Cora…” Mrs. Sanderson sighed sleepily. “You naughty girl. You know we can’t sleep unless you’re inside!” Cora slipped indoors, her fur shifting from silver back to black, and rubbed against Mrs. Sanderson’s legs apologetically, before bounding into the living room to find her place on the sofa. Yes. It was far nicer here. “Is she in, Gail?” A tired voice called from the upstairs bedroom. “Yes Johnathon.” Mrs. Sanderson closed and locked the door, and padded quietly upstairs. “Good. Come to bed, and we can finally get some rest.” Written by Lex.
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Our second Cat Playhouse goes to Victoria from Telford. The Cats Protection will contact the winner.
Congratulations to the winner!!!
Although a Fire Engine, Plane and Tank Cat Playhouses have found lucky owners, we still have one more prize.
In the next issue a Pink Car Cat Playhouse will find a lucky owner. All you have to do is sign up for our free digital newsletter and send us an email to pr.catsprotection@gmail.com with the title subject “sign up”.
Prizes were provided by “SUCKUK” visit them at www.suck.uk.com or call them at 020 7923 0011 Page 10
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1. Every year, nearly four million cats are eaten in Asia. 2. On average, cats spend 2/3 of every day sleeping. That means a nine-year-old cat has been awake for only three years of its life. 3. Unlike dogs, cats do not have a sweet tooth. Scientists believe this is due to a mutation in a key taste receptor. 4. When a cat chases its prey, it keeps its head level. Dogs and humans bob their heads up and down. 5. Female cats tend to be right pawed, while male cats are more often left pawed. Interestingly, while 90% of humans are right handed, the remaining 10% of lefties also tend to be male.
Do you go stay in uncomfortable positions or continue to stay in one place because the cat is curled up on your lap asleep? Does it always take you longer than expected to read a magazine, because the cat keeps curling up on it while you're reading? Do you frequently leave your dresser drawer open when you leave for the day, because the cat jumped into it and is now asleep? Do you have pictures of your cat in your wallet and of course bring them out when your friends share pictures of their children? (Don't lie, polls show that 40 percent of cat owners do carry their pet's pictures in their wallets) Do you expect your friends and family to say a few words to your cat when they call you on the phone? THINGS YOU CAN LEARN FROM YOUR CAT (author unknown) Make the world your playground. Whenever you miss the sandbox, cover it up. Dragging a sock over it helps. If you can't get your way, lay across the keyboard till you do. When you are hungry, meow loudly so they feed you just to shut you up. Always find a good patch of sun to nap in. Nap often. When in trouble, just purr and look cute. Life is hard, and then you nap. Curiosity never killed anything except maybe a few hours. When in doubt, cop an attitude. Variety is the spice of life. One day, ignore people; the next day, annoy them. Climb your way to the top, that's why the curtains are there. Make your mark in the world, or at least spray in each corner. Always give generously; a bird or rodent left on the bed tells them, "I care".
Try to fill in the missing numbers. The missing numbers are integers between 0 and 9. The numbers in each row add up to totals to the right. The numbers in each column add up to the totals along the bottom. The diagonal lines also add up the totals to the right.
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We desperately need more fosterers to enable us to take in more cats, but also more fundraisers so that we can bring in the money we need to pay the extra vet fees.If you are interested in volunteering with us, please see the Volunteering section of our website for more information. This Valentine´s day do something special !!!