ANIMALS IN NEED

Beautiful Oliver is now ready for his fur-ever home Black puddy-tats are loveable too Just purr-fect; Amber the Devon Rex

Turning sad ‘tails’ into happy stories

Irresponsible owners are fuelling a year on year increase in unwanted cats and kittens. Animals in Need is one of the brilliant rescue centres taking the strain, as Pulse's Sammy Jones found out.

They might be much more independent than their canine opposites, but puddy-tats still need the love of a good owner, and a full belly. Should the mood take them, they might fancy a lap to curl up on, too.

Sadly, at Animals in Need, the cattery is always occupied by those felines who have used up a few of their nine lives, or who have simply been dealt a bad hand.

Sally Smith is the charity’s ‘cat lady’, and has been looking after the waifs and strays who find their way to the Little Irchester centre for the past 15 years.

“They settle in much quicker than dogs as long as they are fed, warm and fussed – on their terms, obviously!” Sally said, “They manage to adapt to their temporary home with us relatively easily.”

There are many reasons why Tiddles ends up at the rehoming centre; everything from allergies, to owners who are unable to afford the expense of veterinary bills. Heartbreakingly, some are simply left behind when families move away.

“Just thinking that people can be so callous as to move away and leave a member of their family behind is particularly upsetting,” Sally said.

“We also get people who hand over cats that have terminal illnesses which they fail to mention, and by the time we do find out what’s wrong, it’s too late to do anything. We are there to help, we just need to be given the opportunity to do so.”

But there are heartwarming ‘tails’ to share too – like the story of Oliver the feral feline who had cancerous tips on his ears. He had been a street cat for 10 years before Sally trapped him and turned his life around.

“...being able to successfully treat him, and then to see him turn into the loveliest, cuddliest boy,” is one of Sally’s favourite

stories, “You can actually see the love and gratitude in his eyes.”

On average, Animals in Need takes in between 250 and 300 cats every year. And it’s a problem that is getting worse.

“It is so frustrating that no amount of information or advice seems to be raising awareness of the situation,” Sally said, “There are so many cats in rescue, and ideally they would all find homes before any more kittens are bred. Rescue centres also vaccinate, neuter and microchip cats, which saves the adopter from the initial vet bill, and helps to keep numbers of unwanted litters down.”

Black cats and those in their senior years tend to spend much longer looking for their fur-ever homes than a mischievous little bundle of fluff, or an usually coloured one will do. Us humans are a fickle lot, aren’t we?

“I don’t understand the problem with black cats at all,” Sally says, “People still associate them with bad luck, and we are also told that black cats lack any kind of expression on their faces! They are all gorgeous and no matter what colour they are, all cats have many facial

expressions. You just need to know how to read them. “Senior kitties are wonderful – and they are so appreciative of a warm lap and being pampered in their twilight years. They can still be playful in short bursts and usually have better manners than the youngsters!” Having so many mouths to feed means that the charity gets through a lot of tins of cat food, bags of cat litter and toys to provide a little light relief to these lonely puddy’s. Even if you are unable to offer Fluffy a home, you can still help the charity in its amazing work – by donating blankets and toys, and dry and wet food. AIN also runs a sponsorship scheme for just £30 per year. Sally goes the extra mile and takes her ‘work’ home; she currently shares her abode with seven cats, all Little Lucky was found in a from AIN. The majority have box next to a stream various disabilities too. “Can you tell I like cats?” she asks with a laugh, “Luckily, my other half likes them too, bless him!” It’s not always easy dealing with the unwanted and their tales of woe, but Sally wouldn’t change it for the world. “I feel honoured to be part of such an amazing organisation, saving lives and improving situations for both the animals and the people who need our help,” she added, “All the hard work and tears are insignificant in comparison to the success stories.”

What to consider before you take in a puddy-tat:

> It’s a lifetime commitment, so moggie needs to be factored into your long term plans > Pet insurance can be pricey, but is necessary. Vet bills can easily run into thousands of pounds – money that few of us have to hand

> Neutering is the responsible thing to do – and more than that, it’s essential

> When you rehome any animal, you are responsible for their happiness.

There is no room for failure

> ‘Adopt, don’t shop’ is more than just a cute slogan. It’s the real deal.

> To find out more about AIN's work, or if you would live to enquire about rehoming one of their cats, please visit: www.animals-in-need.org

Then and meow: Joseph as a tiny rescue kitten and (inset) all grown up

Joe's purr-fect ending

Pulse knows only too well the difference you can make by adopting, and with patience and love you can transform lives – and in turn, they’ll enrich yours. Joe was born in a garden shed in Milton Keynes in late autumn. Two litters of kittens were found crammed into the freezing space, and all struggling from the lack of food and warmth. The mother needed veterinary care, and so Joe and his brothers and sisters were split and sent to foster care whilst tiny. Joseph was the smallest of them all, a real runt of the litter. He had fleas, worms, a dodgy bottom (!) and a serious eye infection. He wasn’t in great shape, but by the time Pulse’s Sammy Jones visited a foster home to pick a new member of her family, Joe was taking his first steps on a long road to recovery. “We loved his inquisitiveness and made him ours,” Sammy said, “It took some time, a lot of veterinary visits, even more eye drops and cuddles galore, but this timid little bundle turned into a healthy, strong little boy. His character and quirks have stolen our hearts, and 10 years on, he and his big ‘sister’ Minnie definitely think that our sole purpose is to cater for their every command. And we’re only too happy to oblige! “We rescued them both, but it’s not a one-way street. Animals do so much for us too, don’t they?”