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rom the mountains of the north to the low lying borders in the south, across the islands, towns and cities, Cats Protection is busy at work throughout Scotland. There are 49 branches serving over 30,000 square miles, nearly 1,200 volunteers and four Scotland-based members of CP staff – a scattered but committed team making a better life for thousands of cats. There are six island branches and I was lucky enough to visit three of these.
Over the sea to Arran
In the first of a two-part feature on Cats Protection’s work in Scotland, Francesca Watson island hops, visiting some of the charity’s more remote volunteers
The Isle of Arran, accessible only by ferry, sits in the Firth of Clyde between Ayrshire and Kintyre and is sometimes referred to as Scotland in miniature; Highlands with mountainous terrain in the north and Lowlands with rolling green hills in the south. It is 167 square miles, has over 5,000 residents and around 1,500 homes. Cats Protection’s presence comes in the form of Branch Co-ordinator, Linda Wood assisted by a handful of volunteers. The banner on the branch website says “We may be small but our hearts are big” and after meeting Linda and observing her dedication there is no doubt about that. On average, the branch homes 12 cats per year, no mean feat when you consider that 20 per cent of the houses are holiday homes. On the day I was in Arran, Linda had just managed to home three kittens from the same litter and, as luck would have it, the lady adopting was happy to take all three. As with all CP volunteers Linda promotes neutering as best as she can and is making good progress in getting across the message of its importance. In 2008/9 22 cats were neutered but in 2009/10 that figure almost doubled. English-born Linda arrived in Arran eight years ago. She and her husband, Jeff, found the house of their dreams up a winding lane with views of the sea and a lighthouse in the distance. They felt it was a safe house for them and their cats. It was after a year on the island that Linda got in touch with the Cats Protection branch to see if she could help out with fostering and when the then Branch Co-ordinator left the island a few years later, Linda took up the reins and has run the branch ever since, at times almost single-handed. Linda is keen to attract more volunteers to extend the work the branch can do. “We have a few people who help out, but there is no one regular. Journeys take far longer than first imagined on the island due to the terrain and the weather; roads are twisted and sometimes inaccessible and I think people are frightened of the time involved. I’m working hard to convince the residents that we’re a great team to be a part of and that they could really make a difference even with a small amount of time.” Linda is ensuring that word of Cats Protection and the wide work that it does spreads beyond the island. “Reputation and good relationships are key to all good things in a small community,” Linda says, “and our branch is now known on the mainland. I’m frequently called for advice from people there; whether it’s about cat care, neutering or rehoming I’m there to take the calls and do the best I can for them.” The branch has also fostered a strong relationship with the ferry company, Caledonian MacDonald which is more than happy to help out by taking volunteers and cats back and forth and even will take unaccompanied cats, ensuring they are safely stowed and then met on the other side. This support from the ferry company also means that the expanse of sea does not hinder an extremely good relationship with a mainland veterinary surgery. “We give the vets a lot of business and they’re very grateful for that, they’re happy to be associated with Cats Protection – a good reputation and recommendation means a stronger and more positive presence for both of us. We can be very isolated on the island but even though this surgery is on the mainland I know that they are there to answer any queries or help with any problems at any time. They’ll even go and pick up the cat from the ferry and return him after treatment,” Linda explains.
The Cat Spring 2011
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