Give a cat a home

Cats Protection is constantly on the lookout for loving homes for the cats in its care. Donna Ross finds out about Misty, an affectionate cat who has been looking for a new family since September last year

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WHEN unwanted cats, or ones which have to be rehomed due to unforeseen circumstances, are given to Cats Protection, it doesn’t normally take long for them to be offered a permanent address.

Unusually, Misty, a grey and white female, neutered cat, has been living with her foster carer, Morag Seaton, at her Inverurie home for more than nine months now.

Morag, who fosters cats for the Inverurie and Alford branch, said: “Domestic cats come into our care for a number of reasons. Misty came to us as her family were moving abroad – it was very, very sad for them to give her up. She had been homed for a weekend but, unfortunately, the family decided against keeping her.

“I don’t know why she is sticking – she is a lovely cat.”

Seven-year-old Misty is in her prime. She eats well, is micro-chipped and litter trained, and loves being taken for walks.

“She is very affectionate and enjoys playing with her toys, but she lets you know if she’s not happy with something.

“She likes nothing better than me putting on her harness and lead and taking her round the garden. She loves sniffing things and investigating.”

Morag became a foster carer for Cats Protection more than a year ago after she was given a kitten to rehome – but her own cat didn’t get on with the little cat and she found herself looking for a new home for it.

She contacted Cats Protection and met Jill Sutherland, who is a foster carer in Alford.

“She had a couple of pens in her garden and I thought I could do it, too. I decided to go for it and Cats Protection provided me with pens for the cats to live in.”

The Inverurie and Alford branch also covers Oldmeldrum and Kintore, as well as more rural areas. It was founded 14 years ago and, since then, has found new homes for more than 2,000 cats and kittens.

Since taking on her role with Cats Protection, Morag has had 30 cats in her care, but Misty is the first to “stick”.

“It is such a shame as she is a gorgeous domestic cat. She has some markings above her eye which make her look quite grumpy – this could be putting people off.

“I have children and she gets on well with them, although I don’t think she would be good around toddlers. She is getting very frustrated being kept in a cat pen and would like nothing better than to have a place of her own to call home.

“Ideally, it would be good if she could go to a family or a single person willing to dedicate time to her, who lived out of town and had a garden where she could have a good wander and trees to climb.”

Cats Protection has a home-check system where potential homes are vetted to ensure they are suitable.

“Basically, they go through a list of questions and a check list to make sure they’re not going to be living near a busy road, among other things.”

All cats go to their new homes with six weeks’ free insurance.

Morag also has a neutered male cat called Brook waiting for a home. The grey cat is very vocal and affectionate.

“I love caring for them. I don’t get upset when it’s time for them to go as I know I’m just the person in the middle,” she said.

“I try to detach myself from what’s going on – I know that they are going to a loving home where they will receive a lot of care and attention.”

If you think you could offer Misty or Brook a loving home, call 01888 511331.

Without foster homes, many cats wouldn’t have the second, or third, chance they deserve. So many lovely cats already end up abandoned on the street, sick, hungry, homeless, or in shelters where their fate is very uncertain.

There are also a number of feral colonies which Cats Protection helps to feed and neuter, and sometimes cats from these colonies can be rehomed to farms.

The organisation would love to be able to help all cats, but is limited by funds and volunteer numbers, and is faced with the difficult decision of deciding which cats are in most desperate need of help.

Last year, it re-homed 251 cats and kittens, and helped many more by issuing neutering vouchers, paying for veterinary treatment for stray cats and offering advice on cat care.

It has a mailing list of about 40 members and a core team of about 15-20 volunteers who are actively involved in the front line of cat care – they are always pleased to welcome new members.

As well as becoming a foster carer, there are a number of other ways you can help the branch continue with its vital work, including sponsoring a cat pen or making a donation.

To find out more about Cats Protection and view cats looking for a new home, visit www.cats-inverurie.co.uk