Cats Protection – Page 6 – The NEN

Widow makes 75-mile dash to be reunited with long-lost Laddo

Christmas came early for a Doncaster widow when her long-lost cat was found 75 miles away and she made a cross-county dash to Skegness to bring him home.

Laddo became a much-loved companion to retired NHS worker Sybil Gillatt after the unexpected death of her husband Keith. So when the long-haired black cat went missing last November, she felt the great loss of the family cat.

Mrs Gillatt, aged 70 years, said: “Laddo didn’t come back as usual that evening. I didn’t worry too much because he’d sometimes do that and would sleep under the shed, but when he didn’t come when I called him in the morning, I knew that wasn’t right.

“The weather was quite bad that day so my son thinks that Laddo might have climbed in the back of a trailer from a nearby farm without the driver knowing. I looked for him for days and put up notices but nobody had seen him. He was gone.”

Even then, Sybil couldn’t allow herself to lose all hope. One year on she still kept his bedding, toys and scratching post in the hope that Laddo, three years old when he took off, might return.

Mrs Gillatt said: “I lost my husband, Keith the year before. We had so many plans, then suddenly it was just me and Laddo. He was company for me. So when he disappeared I was lost. I’ve had a horrible year without Keith and Laddo, I really have.

“My family kept saying they’d get me another cat but nothing could replace Laddo. Although I started to fear that I wouldn’t see him again, there had to be hope. People might think it sounds silly but I needed to believe that.”

What she couldn’t have known was that, for eight of those 12 dreadful months, Laddo was being fed and cared for as a stray in a garden near Skegness – 75 miles from home.

Cat lover Karen Rice, said: “In April what I thought was a feral cat started to visit my garden. When he turned up he was thin, his coat was a mess and he was very timid. He wouldn’t allow me anywhere near him but I took pity on him and named him Foxglove.

“I fed and wormed him and it reached the stage where I could get close enough to stroke the top of his head. That was a turning point and he enjoyed fuss on his own terms. Gradually over the months he gained weight and he is now quite a big cat. He’s a really handsome lad.

“As the nights got colder I tried coaxing him in but he seemed to prefer being outdoors whatever the weather. There was some tension with one of my other cats and I knew that if they couldn’t accept him, I would need to contact Cats Protection to find him a new home.”

Before that decision had to be made, Karen borrowed a scanner to check the microchips in her own cats. Luckily, Foxglove was around that day so she scanned him too and was surprised by what she found.

Karen said: “I couldn’t believe it when he was chipped. I contacted my local Cats Protection branch, gave them the chip number and the next day they phoned to tell me that the owner had been traced. She was over the moon that her cat had been found.”

Mrs Gillatt added: “I couldn’t believe it was true. I am so grateful that Laddo had been looked after by a cat lover like Karen and that Cats Protection were able to trace me. I’m so glad we got him microchipped. Without that chip, I wouldn’t have been driving over to collect my boy.

“When I brought him home, Laddo sat in the middle of the room and had a good look round. Then he went and sat by the settee where he always used to sleep. Later that evening he kept going to the cupboard where I always kept his food and I couldn’t think why. He’d been fed and had his treats, so he couldn’t be hungry. But then I remembered his favourite brush.

“As soon as I took it out he rolled on his back to be brushed. He really was so pleased to be home, he remembered everything. He hasn’t asked to go out once – and I’m just fine with that. I really am so grateful to have him home again. This is the best Christmas present ever.”

Laddo’s joyful homecoming perfectly illustrates the important message of Cats Protection’s Christmas campaign to encourage microchipping for cats.

https://youtu.be/9E9xeZGli1k

The tear-jerking animation created by multi award-winning Aardman Studios (www.cats.org.uk/christmas) is inspired by the true story of a young boy reunited with his missing cat, Casper.

Fiona of Cats Protection’s Skegness and District Branch said: “It is such a lovely story, especially at this time of year. It’s heartwarming that we were able to make Christmas special for at least one more cat and his owner, especially as the story was so similar to the magical Cats Protection Christmas animation.”

Cats Protection’s work has continued throughout the COVID-19 crisis, thanks to the charity’s generous supporters who make it all possible.

To donate to the Skegness and District Branch and support cats like Laddo, visit: www.cats.org.uk/christmas/donate

According to Cats Protection’s CATS report 2020, over a quarter (26%) of owned cats in the UK are not chipped. The charity is actively campaigning to change this by making it a legal requirement for cats to be microchipped, as it is for dogs.

12 tips to avoid sending your cat crackers at Christmas

Curiosity can have a notorious effect on cats, so the advent of tinsel, baubles and seasonal plants can turn a cosy Christmas home into a tempting playground of hazards for our furry friends.

To help keep kitty safe this Christmas and New Year, Cats Protection has shared 12 top tips for feline-friendly festivities to ensure the season can be enjoyed by all.

Watch Santa’s video guide on how to keep cats safe at Christmas: https://youtu.be/x6ZnKB5PNbE

Christmas trees present a tempting challenge so avoid placing breakable ornaments within reach and discourage climbing. Real trees can seep toxic preservatives so the base should be a no-go area for puss.
Glass baubles, tinsel and decorations with tiny parts can be dangerous to cats and should be avoided. If your tree is real, vacuum often as pine needles are a choking hazard and can hurt feet.
Dressing up your cats will make them stressed. It can be tempting to involve your cat in festivities, but fancy dress can restrict movement, risk injury and prevent grooming or stretching.
Toxic plants like holly, ivy, poinsettia, lilies and mistletoe are potentially dangerous to cats. A full list of harmful plants can be found on Cats Protection’s website here.
Human food is not for cats and rich foods like chocolate can be toxic and should definitely be off the menu. Overfeeding can make a cat overweight and risk health problems such as diabetes.
Christmas can be loud and cats may want a safe place to retreat to when things get noisy. Cats can be startled by bangs such as Christmas crackers, party poppers and general commotion.
Tidy away presents and wrapping after opening gifts. Wrapping paper, elastic bands and ribbons can be a tempting hazard so keep your cat from nibbling at them.
Cat-friendly toys can be a treat at Christmas but pick ones with embroidered features, not plastic or glass ones which can come off. If you buy cat edible gifts, go for special pet treats.
Screen open fires and don’t hang decorations near them. Avoid danger by reducing temptation.
If you’re going away consider a cat sitter over a cattery. Cats like a familiar environment so keeping your cat at home can ensure they feel less stressed. Most of all; make plans early.
Prepare for fireworks especially at New Year, when the loud bangs and bright lights can cause anxiety, so keep your curtains closed and consider a calming pheromone plug-in diffuser.
Do not give cats as presents. Cats are a commitment beyond Christmas and are not to be treated as novelty gifts. Cats Protection does not home cats during the holiday season.

Christmas advice can be found at: https://www.cats.org.uk/help-and-advice/cats-at-christmas

Cats Protection’s work has continued throughout the COVID-19 crisis, thanks to generous supporters who make it all possible.

To donate and help more cats this Christmas, visit:

www.cats.org.uk/christmas/donate

Home Again: Grieving girl reunited with long lost cat

A cat missing for nine months and presumed dead is reunited with a grieving young girl – and her reaction is priceless.

After nine months of searching for her beloved cat, 10-year-old Katya Harmon had reluctantly accepted that she wouldn’t see Timmy again. The pair had been inseparable since they bonded eight years previously and the loss made 2020 an even more difficult year for Katya.

Katya’s father Perry had died of cancer in the summer and the family was so overcome with grief that her mother Svitlana took extended leave from her role as a care home worker to come to terms with the loss and care for Katya.

In January the Surrey family moved from Chertsey to West End, Woking. Timmy was kept indoors for the first few weeks but, on only the second time being let out in his new neighbourhood, he failed to return home. They searched garages and sheds, knocked on doors and posted on social media, but no sightings were reported.

Katya was inconsolable for weeks, living in hope of his safe return. After being missing for nine months, mum Svitlana felt the time had come to accept that Timmy was gone for ever and she would need to help her daughter heal. The process started with Svitlana getting rid of Timmy’s toys and bedding, unaware that their luck was about to change.

Within days, Svitlana received a ground-shaking call while doing the school run. Incredibly, Timmy had been found safe and well and would be coming home, thanks to him being microchipped (https://youtu.be/moZDgX-dfEc).

Pauline Welch, Welfare Officer for Cats Protection’s Woking and District Branch said: “We had a report from a lady who had been feeding a suspected stray cat for a couple of months. I went round and scanned him for a microchip, which he had thankfully. While there I looked up the number on our system and saw that it had been registered to an address in Chertsey.”

Although Svitlana hadn’t updated their address on Timmy’s microchip, her mobile number remained the same and Woking’s Cats Protection team (www.cats.org.uk/woking) was able to call and break the happy news.

Pauline said: “The lady who answered was indeed missing her cat Timmy and was over the moon that he’d been found. Her daughter had been devastated when he went missing and had asked her mum that very morning if she’d ever see him again. It’s a heart wrenching story with a happy ending.

“It certainly brought a few tears to our eyes, that’s for sure!”

Relieved mum Svitlana was bowled over when she took the call. She said: “I had just taken Katya to school when I received a totally unexpected call from Cats Protection. I had given up hope of ever receiving such a call. Timmy was coming home. It was almost unbelievable.

“I knew that Katya would be overjoyed to see Timmy. That was when I hit on the idea of filming that special moment, to capture Katya’s reaction to finding Timmy hiding on her bed.”

No sooner had Pauline made the call than Timmy was delivered back to his home.

All the while Katya was at school and couldn’t imagine the surprise waiting for her on her return.

Thankfully, Svitlana captured that moment when Katya is reunited with her beloved cat on video: https://youtu.be/moZDgX-dfEc

The joyful return of Timmy went some way to improving a devastating year for Katya and her mum.

Svitlana said: “We’ve had it hard this year, like so many people. It has been hard to see any end to it. And then I had a miracle call from Cats Protection. It really brought some light back into our world.

“If it wasn’t for that microchip, we wouldn’t have Timmy home with us now. He won’t leave Katya’s side and she is besotted with him. He came back to us two days before my birthday; that really was the best present I could have hoped for this year.”

Cats Protection’s work is possible thanks to the generous donations of supporters and volunteers, especially during the COVID-19 crisis when fundraising has been hit hard.

To donate to the Woking and District Branch and to support cats like Timmy, visit: www.cats.org.uk/christmas/donate

Timmy’s story mirrors Cats Protection’s Christmas campaign featuring a tear-jerking animation created by multi award-winning Aardman Studios. The beautiful three-minute animation is inspired by the true story of a young boy and his missing cat, Casper, and highlights the value of microchips for pets.

To watch the Christmas animation, visit www.cats.org.uk/christmas

According to Cats Protection’s CATS report 2020*, over a quarter (26%) of owned cats in the UK are not chipped. The charity is actively campaigning to change this by making it a legal requirement for cats to be microchipped, as it is for dogs.

Volunteer opportunities for people who love talking about cats

Cats Protection, the UK’s largest cat charity needs to recruit more contact centre volunteers to help answer the public’s cat related enquiries Monday – Friday for around 3 hours per week during office hours.

Based from their own homes, contact centre volunteers are the friendly and passionate voices manning the National Information Line on behalf of the charity’s extensive branch network.

Using a selection of resources, volunteers provide information and advice to members of the public about a wide range of cat-related topics, including adopting or rehoming, helping stray cats and general cat care. By ensuring callers get the help they need, volunteers directly improve the lives of thousands of cats per year.

Volunteers will need to be over 18 with previous professional call-handling and customer service experience. A calm and empathetic manner and excellent listening and communication skills are also essential. Applicants also need to have access to a Windows 7 or above computer with a consistent internet connection.

The charity will provide plenty of assistance and support materials, a tailored online training programme and 1:1 support from a Volunteer Team Leader throughout the training and induction process. Volunteers also have access to a friendly and supportive private Facebook group and receive a quarterly Contact Centre volunteer newsletter.

Charlotte Hardman, Contact Centre Volunteer Team Leader said: “Our volunteers tell us that they find the role rewarding because they are helping people whilst learning more about cats and the charity in general.

“Ideally we need people who are available for at least 3 hours per week, but we can be flexible and would love to hear from as many people as possible.”

To find out more and apply to be a Contact Centre volunteer, please visit: https://www.cats.org.uk/support-us/volunteeropportunities?id=6693

For any enquiries please email contactcentre.recruitment@cats.org.uk

A video about volunteering for Cats Protection can be found here:

http://bit.ly/VolunteeringforCP

Letters: Black Cat Day

Dear Editor,

Cat lovers have a lot to celebrate this Black Cat Day (27 October) with Cats Protection’s news that black and black-and-white cats are no longer overlooked as they once were.

Since we created the awareness day in 2010 to highlight that black cats took longer to rehome than other cats, they now spend 11 days less on average in care than before, prior to moving to their new loving homes.

Around 65,000 black or black-and-white cats have been homed through our adoption centres in the decade since the campaign started, a remarkable 44% of all cats homed through our centres during that time.

We would like to thank readers for their support and for helping us make a real difference. Not only do these cats now spend less time in our care, but each year thousands celebrate the day and engage with our #BlackCatDay hashtag on social media.

Throughout the campaign, Cats Protection has explored reasons why black cats might be less popular, working to change perceptions and buck the rehoming trend. These included black cats being seen as unlucky or not photogenic in selfies.

We would love to invite readers to celebrate and showcase their black cat knowledge by hosting a quiz for friends and family while also raising vital funds for their local branch or centre.

More details about the quiz and Black Cat Day can be found at www.cats.org.uk/black-cats

Yours faithfully,

James Yeates

CEO, Cats Protection

Cat lovers urged to support compulsory microchipping of pets

The UK’s biggest cat charity is asking animal lovers to get in touch with their local MP to urge them to support compulsory microchipping of pet cats.

Cats Protection is campaigning for microchipping to become a legal requirement for pet cats, as it already is for dogs, to help improve feline welfare.

The charity will be hosting an online event for politicians on 20 October 2020, and is asking supporters to get in touch with their local MP to ask them to attend and pledge their support to the charity’s campaign.

Cats Protection’s Head of Advocacy & Government Relations Jacqui Cuff said: “We need to get as many MPs as possible to support a change in the law to make it compulsory to microchip pet cats.

“After years of campaigning by Cats Protection, major political parties put compulsory microchipping of cats in their 2019 election manifestos. But no progress has been made and the issue risks falling off the political agenda.

“As a nation of animal lovers, we know that many people will want to see their local MP taking a keen interest in animal welfare issues. By getting in touch with your MP and asking them to join in our online event you’ll be helping us move a step closer to a law change which will benefit countless cats and kittens in the future.

“Our campaign for compulsory microchipping of pet cats is one of a number of issues we’re working on to improve feline welfare across the UK. We’re grateful for support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery, which helps make this work possible and ensures a better future for one of the nation’s favourite pets.”

Microchipping is the safe and permanent way to identify a cat and reunite a lost cat with their owner. Owners of unchipped cats can suffer unnecessary heartbreak not knowing the fate of their cat if they go missing.

Yet despite this, statistics show that over three million owned cats (29%) are still not microchipped (PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report 2019). Making microchipping compulsory will significantly drive up numbers of microchipped owned cats. Microchipping was made compulsory for dogs in 2016 and as a result 92% are chipped.

To support Cats Protection’s campaign and send an email to your MP, please visit www.cats.org.uk/microchippingcampaign

To find out more about Cats Protection’s campaign for compulsory microchipping of pet cats, please visit www.cats.org.uk/what-we-do/campaigning/microchips-reunite

Could your cat be a winner in the Alternative Cat Awards?

Cats Protection is asking cat owners to send in their feline footage for a new set of lockdown-based awards.

Sadly this year’s National Cat Awards, due to take place on 6 August at The Savoy in London, has had to be postponed until Thursday 5 August next year.

In its place, the charity is launching its Alternative Cat Awards 2020, which celebrates how cats and their owners have been keeping each other company during lockdown.

Whether it’s providing companionship, interrupting meetings, disrupting home schooling or getting involved in workouts, Cats Protection would like owners to show just how entertaining and supportive their feline friends have been, by sending in footage.

If your pawsome pal has made an outstanding contribution to your life this year, just upload a video of them to Instagram or Twitter using #AlternativeCatAwards into one of the following categories:

#PurinaPurrfectTeamwork – Celebrating the bond between cats and their owners working or studying during the lockdown period
#MischievousMoggy – Cats with interesting and playful behaviours that may have performed challenges or been a source of entertainment during lockdown
#SeniorKitizen – Mature cats aged 11 years and above
#PurrfectlyImperfect – Celebrating cats living happy, healthy lives with a disability, health issue or superficial aesthetic deformity
#BestNewcomer – Cats adopted from an animal rescue organisation in 2020

Category winners will be announced on Cats Protection’s social media channels throughout the day on Thursday 17 September 2020.

At the end of the day, the public will be asked to vote in a People’s Choice award for their favourite category winner, to be announced on Wednesday 23 September by cat-loving comedian Bob Mortimer.

The awards are sponsored by Cats Protection’s long-term corporate partner PURINA® and the five category winners will receive a bumper pack of Cats Protection goodies worth £100, with the People’s Choice winner also receiving a pair of tickets to next year’s National Cat Awards at The Savoy in London.

For full terms and conditions, visit www.cats.org.uk/aca

Cat charity warns public to be vigilant over online kitten sales

The UK’s biggest cat charity has issued a warning about the risk of online sellers capitalising on the COVID-19 pandemic to sell poorly-bred kittens.

Cats Protection says that demand for new ‘lockdown pets’ may make it easier for unscrupulous vendors to sell kittens which may be sick or too young to be parted from their mothers.

With figures from the Government’s Petfished campaign showing a huge 125% increase in adverts posted across online marketplaces during lockdown for puppies, kittens, dogs and cats, the charity says buyers need to be more vigilant than ever^[i].

Cats Protection’s Head of Advocacy & Government Relations Jacqui Cuff said: “With so many people now working from home for the foreseeable future, it’s understandable that many would want to bring a new pet cat into their household. But buyers must be aware that this demand creates the ideal conditions for unscrupulous sellers who put profit before welfare.

“These profit-driven sellers may be selling kittens which are sick or too young to be separated from their mothers, which can lead to high vet bills. Sadly, some kittens bred in poor conditions may not survive, which can be incredibly distressing for their new owner.

“Unscrupulous sellers have always existed, but the COVID-19 restrictions can give them an extra layer of invisibility. Before the lockdown, buyers may have heard alarm bells if a seller offered to deliver a kitten to them, or said it was not possible to view the kitten with its mother. But the guidelines and restrictions on visiting other households means it is now very difficult to be sure of a kitten’s background.

“Before the COVID-19 pandemic, we may have been seeing moggies selling for around £50, but nowadays a quick scan of online adverts will find moggies for sale for hundreds of pounds. It is clear to us that there are individuals out there who are intent on putting profit before welfare”.

Cat lover and former keyboardist of progressive rock band Yes, Rick Wakeman, backed Cats Protection’s call for buyers to be vigilant and urged them instead to consider adopting a rescue cat.

He said: “I’d urge anyone thinking of getting a kitten to get in touch with a reputable rehoming charity like Cats Protection. Adopting from Cats Protection gives you the peace of mind of knowing your new pet has had all the necessary veterinary checks, and helps give a cat in need a second chance in life. And by adopting a rescue cat, you’ll help to reduce the demand which encourages unscrupulous sellers from trading in kittens.”

To make adopting from a charity safe and easy, Cats Protection’s Hands-free Homing scheme ensures cats and kittens can be rehomed following social distancing measures.

Cats Protection’s warning follows the Government’s Petfished campaign to help the public research pet sellers thoroughly online before buying a new pet.

Cats Protection advises buyers to think carefully before purchasing a kitten from an online advert and refer closely to its Kitten Checklist.

Buyers can view this, and a wealth of other tips and advice for purchasing a kitten, by visiting www.cats.org.uk/help-and-advice/pregnancy-and-kitten-care/buying-a-kitten-online

Cats Protection is the UK’s largest cat charity, helping around 200,000 cats every year through a network of around 230 volunteer-run branches and 37 centres.

Kim-Joy invites amateur bakers to enter a cat-inspired competition

Bake Off star Kim-Joy is judging a summer baking competition to help unwanted cats

The cat-loving celebrity baker will pick the overall winner of Cats Protection’s Pawsome Afternoon Tea at Your Place happening on the charity’s social media sites throughout July and raising funds for cats in the charity’s care.

The competition will consist of weekly cat-themed baking challenges with entrants asked to post a photo of their creation along with a hashtag. Cats Protection will select the weekly winners, with Kim-Joy naming her overall champion at the end of July.

A small donation is requested with each entry which will aid thousands of unwanted felines in the charity’s care including five young kittens rescued from a waste bin in Birmingham.

Named Faith, Giles, Spike, Xander, and Willow, after characters from TV show Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the charity hopes the five will make a full recovery after which they can be found new homes.

“I hope Pawsome Afternoon Tea at Your Place generates a lot of entries because it will help guarantee brighter futures for many unwanted and abandoned cats, says Kim-Joy.

“My own two rescue cats, Inki and Mochi, are my pride and joy and they cheer me up every day. They sit with me whenever I compose recipes or bake and they like to rip up the kitchen roll when my back is turned! I wouldn’t be without them!”

“The competition is a great way for bakers to indulge their hobby while keeping safe in the lockdown and helping a very worthy cause, says Zoe Thompson, Events Organiser for Cats Protection.

“We’ll be judging all entries on appearance, creativity and effort and good luck if you choose to take part.”

If you’d like to take part, please register at www.pawsometea.org

Cats Protection is the UK’s leading feline welfare charity, helping around 200,000 cats each year through a national network of around 230 volunteer-run branches and 37 centres.

Letters: Thanking People’s Postcode Lottery players

Dear Editor,

I would like to thank players of People’s Postcode Lottery for their continued support as Cats Protection enters its third year of funding.

During these challenging times, Cats Protection is working flat out to keep caring for cats and the wonderful support we receive from players has never been more appreciated.

People’s Postcode Lottery players have helped us find loving new homes for thousands of cats by supporting essential cat care assistant and volunteer team leaders roles at our centres across England, Scotland and Wales, and funding our two cat behaviour posts (specialists who provide advice and support to our centres and branches). In addition, 10,000 microchips have been provided to our centres, helping to ensure that cats leave our care with a safe and permanent means of identification.

Over the coming year, players will also be supporting our important advocacy work, helping us create a better world for cats via campaigns such as Purrfect Landlords and Microchips Reunite, as well as helping to cover the overall costs of looking after cats at our centres.

Anyone wishing to find out more about the work of Cats Protection, or needing cat related advice, can visit www.cats.org.uk

Kind regards,

James Yeates
Chief Executive, Cats Protection