Your Pets Daily - Cat adoption

Pet Adoption Simplified With New Central Database For Rescue Dogs & Cats

Katie Court — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 12:00:00 +0000

A team of animal lovers in Cambridgeshire, who are determined to make finding the right pet to adopt a great deal easier, have launched a new central database to simplify the process of finding rescue dogs and cats in need of adoption.

Recent TV and news articles confirm that there has been a dramatic rise in the number of pet owners parting with their dogs and cats. There are many reasons why a family may need to rehome a pet, but every pet is relovable and deserves a safe and loving home. The cost of living crisis has taken a huge toll on many households, leaving pet owners struggling with the cost of pet food and vet bills. Because of this, animal shelters and rescue homes have seen a 48% increase in the number of pets being taken to shelters.

Despite over 800,000 online searches being made by potential adopters every month, over 100,000 animals are simply not found and many remain in shelter for several months - even years. Sadly, in some cases, long term shelter residents can face euthanasia. The problem is clear and obvious. Potential pet adopters face the fragmented task of searching over 1,000 separate animal shelter websites to find the right dog or cat to adopt - and many give up. The fact is, no central database for animals available for re-homing exists, yet websites such as Rightmove for property or Autotrader for cars have proven to be the 'go to' websites for their industries.

Work began in 2022 to create a website and develop a community of animal shelters and people willing to adopt a dog or cat. The website aims to be of nationwide appeal, connecting animal lovers with shelters from all over the country, making the adoption process more accessible to all. The website will also provide valuable pet adopting community information and resources to help pet owners care for their new furry friends. In April 2023 the group launched the website https://www.relovablepets.co.uk

This solution was not revolutionary but evolutionary and simple. By replicating the service provided by Rightmove and Autotrader, the adopting public would have access to a single database of animals and in doing so, increase their chances of a successful adoption. The website would also deliver benefits to shelters too by providing access to a wider geographical audience, and therefore driving more enquiries directly to them.

"We are thrilled to have developed a solution that simplifies the pet adoption process and connects animal lovers with their perfect pet. We understand the challenges of searching and registering with the many shelters to find the right pet, and our goal is to make it easier for everyone," said founder Elaine Scott.

The organisation have launched a crowdfunding appeal to help cover the initial costs of digitally connecting animal shelter lists with the Relovable Pets website to create a dynamic and live central database. Their fundraising project ends on the 16th June and needs to raise £25,000 to secure the funds. More information can be found at https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/relovable-pets and all donations no matter how small are welcome.

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Mature Moggies Combat Loneliness

Tom Stone — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 08:00:00 +0000

As loneliness becomes an increasing public health concern, Cats Protection, The UK's leading feline charity, is encouraging people to find companionship with loving mature moggies.

Despite having a lot of love to offer, scores of unwanted OAP felines are struggling to find their forever homes and take on average three times longer to rehome than energetic young kittens.

Daniel Cummings, Behaviour Officer at Cats Protection, said: "It's a common misconception that older cats don't play or interact much with owners, when in actuality, mature cats are just as loving and playful as younger cats. In fact, it could even be easier to introduce a mature cat to a home than a younger cat or kitten."

Mature Moggies Day is on 16 June and Cats Protection aims to show people that an older cat can make the perfect companion, especially for those who are battling loneliness.

Nine out of 10 cat owners think that owning a cat has a positive effect on their mental wellbeing, and nearly two-thirds of owners who regularly work from home say their cat helps them by calming them down.

"Loneliness is affecting millions of people across the country, particularly as they adjust to life after lockdown." Daniel continued. "Cats can help prevent feelings of loneliness in all sorts of ways, whether providing entertainment through play or being there for a soothing cuddle. Often, people tell us it is a great source of comfort to simply have another living being in the home to care for and talk to."

"Some people may be worried about adopting an older cat because they are concerned that they have had too many negative experiences in the past and will have lots of complex behavioural issues. The reality is that a lot of mature moggies in our care have come from happy loving homes, but sadly their owner was just unable to care for them any longer.

"The amount of love these older ladies and gents have to give is vast. If you are someone who is struggling with feeling lonely, adopting an older cat could not only provide you with the company you crave, but you will also be doing something wonderful by giving a loving home to a cat.

"In the same way as a human's personality develops as they get older, a cat's personality shines more with age too. It's even easier to find the perfect match with an older cat because they are pretty robust in who they are. You could walk into an adoption centre today and find a kindred spirit sitting there waiting for you."

If you are adopting a cat, make sure you take time to chat talk to the Adoption Centre staff and ensure you provide everything a cat needs to settle into a new home. Cats Protection has produced a guide on how to care for elderly cats, including behaviour to look out for, recommended diets, and how to ensure they're comfortable at home.

All cats adopted from Cats Protection have been health checked and come with four weeks' free pet insurance which will cover any new conditions that arise after adoption.

For advice on caring for older cats, visit: www.cats.org.uk/mature-moggies

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Sight loss is no obstacle for plucky Puss

Jessica Curtis — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 20:00:00 +0000

A cat that was suffering with a painful eye condition is now thriving in her new home after being cared for by a cat charity.

When 10-year-old Puss was signed over to Cats Protection's Bridgend Adoption Centre due to a change in family circumstances, she was suffering with a condition called Keratitis. This was causing Puss severe pain and discomfort and had resulted in an almost total loss of sight.

Several treatments were tried to help manage this but when none were successful the decision was made to operate to remove both of her eyes, to improve her quality of life.

Centre Manager Sue Dobbs said: "This was one of the hardest decisions I have been faced with in my role at Cats Protection. I needn't have worried so much, though, as it was absolutely the best thing for Puss. She astounded us all with how quickly she recovered!

"Two days after surgery she was playing with her toys and it's been full steam ahead since then. She was like a different cat in personality, much happier and more content once she was no longer suffering from the eye pain she had been experiencing.

"I'd like to say a huge thank you to players of People's Postcode Lottery, whose generous support helps us to care for cats like Puss until we can find new homes for them."

Puss' care was kindly supported by players of People's Postcode Lottery, who have raised over £4.8m for Cats Protection since 2018 to help support the charity's work across England, Scotland and Wales.

Once Puss had made a full recovery from the operation, she was soon adopted by Jo, who said: "Puss settled in with us brilliantly and is now a key member of our family.

"Any concerns we had about adopting a blind cat disappeared as soon as we brought her home. She's adjusted incredibly well to being blind and seemed to have mapped the entire downstairs of quite a big house very quickly. She has such an affectionate character, enjoys playing with her toys and is very chatty at mealtimes.

"I would really love for anyone looking to adopt a cat to consider an older one or one with specific needs. They can be so rewarding and, in my experience, bring such joy to the household."

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Cat with only one working kidney finds furr-ever home

Your Pets Daily Editor — Sat, 23 Dec 2023 16:00:00 +0000

Players of People's Postcode Lottery help Cats Protection provide vital care for cats and kittens in need

A friendly young cat has found her purr-fect home after facing some health challenges that required extra medical attention from experts at Cats Protection.

Luna, previously named Monkey, was just six months old when she was taken into Cats Protection's North London Adoption Centre with eight other cats from a multi-cat household. She was then transferred to the charity's National Cat Adoption Centre in Sussex, where she could be looked after by the onsite vet clinic, as it was clear she needed some extra care.

Investigations by the vet team showed that her left kidney and uterus had not formed normally, meaning that she only has one functioning kidney. Blood tests also showed that Monkey had an increased white blood cell count, which indicates infection or inflammation.

She received antibiotics and a lot of TLC, leaving her in in reasonably good health, but it is possible that she could develop kidney disease in the future. This meant it was important to match her to an owner who was willing to take her on despite some uncertainty about her future health.

Happily, when Chris, Sam and their sons Max and Oliver spotted Luna on the centre's website it was love at first sight and they were not deterred by her medical history.

The family adopted their existing 17-year-old cat LouLou from the National Cat Adoption Centre nine years ago. Having sadly lost their other older cat, Bruno, earlier this year, they decided the time was right for a new feline addition to their household.

Chris, who lives in Tunbridge Well, Kent, said: "Despite learning of Luna's health conditions, we connected with her straight away, and knew that we would be able to give her the same love and attention we have given LouLou to date!"

The family knew that introductions between Luna and LouLou would need to be handled delicately, so for the first couple of weeks Luna was allocated her own space at the top of the house so she could start to feel safe in her new environment.

"We took it in turns to sleep up there with her at night so that we could keep an eye on her, and she could get used to us being around," explained Chris. "We then opened up the rest of the house to her over the next two weeks, so that she could meet LouLou and gradually start to explore her new home.

"Luna is a one off, that's for sure! She has an abundance of energy and curiosity, and she fears absolutely nothing - and no one. Now she is going out into the garden she is utterly mesmerised by anything that flies and buzzes!

"The relationship between Luna and LouLou is going well, too, and LouLou is starting to accept Luna. They both have the freedom of the whole house but are often seen settled (fairly!) near each other."

Karen Thompson, Deputy Manager at Cats Protection's National Cat Adoption Centre, said: "Luna was with us for quite a while due to her health issues, so it's just lovely to see her settled so happily into her new home. She is very affectionate and has the most amazing purr, which really stole the hearts of us all here at the centre.

"We're also so grateful for the ongoing support we receive from People's Postcode Lottery players, as it helps us to care for cats like Luna that really need it."

The unwavering support of players of People's Postcode Lottery is ensuring the well-being of cats like Luna at Cats Protection's centres. Since 2018, players have raised over £7.3 million for the charity, awarded through the Postcode Animal Trust. The trust champions the conservation and welfare of animals, highlighting the profound joy that animals bring to people's lives.

To date, players of People's Postcode Lottery have raised over £1.1 billion to support good causes across Britain.

Anyone in the Sussex area who would like to enquire about adopting a cat can visit www.cats.org.uk/ncac or call 01825 572 850 for more information.

For those elsewhere in the UK, information about adopting a cat can be found at: www.cats.org.uk/adopt-a-cat

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‘Hands-off Hardy’ to ‘Happy Hardy’

Katie Court — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Overlooked moggy, whose care was supported by players of People's Postcode Lottery, has landed on his feet with his understanding new owner

Black-and-white moggy Hardy was one of the longest stay cats at Cats Protection's Cornwall Adoption Centre until an adopter decided to take a chance on him.

Hardy had been in care for one year, almost to the day, when Mark Robinson saw him on the centre's website and got in touch to arrange a visit.

The intelligent kitty was a firm favourite with the centre team, but his aversion to hands-on affection earned him the moniker 'Hands-off Hardy' and meant it took longer than normal to find his purr-fect home.

Operations Manager Libby Jepson said: "We absolutely loved Hardy at the centre. He was one of the most intelligent cats we've ever had in our care. He loved a fishing-rod toy and mastered all of our puzzle feeders, but he did not want to be cuddly in any way – that was simply not for him!

"Hardy really needed a special owner who was willing to work with our Behaviour team to help him settle in at his own pace, without expecting immediate direct interaction from him."

Regional Behaviour Officer, Elin Williams, explained: "Hardy struggled with coming into care, so the centre contacted us in the Behaviour team for support. I gave them advice around managing his stress and frustration levels, which included adding in more hides and vertical space, giving him his food in puzzle feeders, and providing play opportunities that enabled him to express his innate hunting behaviours without accidentally hurting his carers."

"As well as providing support for cats that are in Cats Protection's care, our team offers six months of advice to all new adopters so people can contact us if their new feline friend shows any challenging behaviours in their new home. In this case, I also provided a settling in plan specific to Hardy, so he could put his best paw forwards in his new home."

Happily for Hardy, Mark was more than happy to take on the challenge. With access to lots of outdoor space, outbuildings and caravans, he was able to provide an ideal setting to allow Hardy plenty of freedom to explore and expend his energy.

Hardy now spends his days following Mark to the greenhouse and workshop, visiting the caravans in the field, greeting anyone who comes onsite and enjoying a nice dust bath on the main driveway.

He also has a favourite chair, which no-one else is now allowed to use, and spends a few hours each evening asleep on Mark's knee.

Libby added: "We're so thrilled to see that Hardy has found his forever home with Mark. We're so grateful that he came forward to offer him a second chance.

"I'd also like to thank players of People's Postcode Lottery, who help us look after cats like Hardy, by supporting both our cat care costs at the centre and the work of our Behaviour team."

Another cat currently seeking a more rural home is Rainbow, who has been in care for three months now. Rainbow finds a typical domestic home quite stressful, so would benefit from living somewhere with lots of outdoor space where she can do lots of exploring and interact with her human family members on her own terms.

If you're in the Cornwall area and would like to consider adopting a feline friend, such as Rainbow, you can visit the Cornwall Adoption Centre's website at www.cats.org.uk/cornwall or get in touch via cornwall@cats.org.uk or 01872 870 575.

Those living in other areas of the UK can find out more and see cats in need of homes in their area at www.cats.org.uk/adopt-a-cat

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Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home reveal record year for number of pets seeking new homes

Katie Court — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 12:00:00 +0000

- It'll be lonely this Christmas for almost a hundred dogs and cats in Edinburgh as a record number of families have had to make the difficult decision to give up their pets this year –

With a rise in the number of households welcoming new pets to their family during Covid, coupled with the financial devastation of the cost-of-living crisis, 2023 has seen the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home taking in more pets than ever before.

So far this year, the Home has received a staggering 1,208 surrender requests (898 dogs and 479 cats). The dramatic increase in demand has left the Home unable to take in 85.8% of the requests.

Additionally, since January 2023, more than 561 enquiries, a 33% increase from last year, have been made by families struggling to make ends meet and subsequently seeking support to help keep their pets at home, and the Home's food bank service across East and Central Scotland has seen a 39.4% increase in demand from last year.

But all hope is not lost, as thanks to the hard work of its staff and volunteers, the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home team has already supported 148 dogs and 72 cats to find new loving homes for life this past year and has managed to keep over 4,500 pets with their owners through community support services such as pet food banks, educational content and training, and other outreach services.

The Home has also delivered a fantastic 85 emergency dog first aid courses and an additional 144 full dog first aid qualifications to pet owners in Edinburgh, helping to keep the city's pets safe and healthy.

Piper is one pet who came into the hands of the Home earlier this year, heavily pregnant and living outside as a stray.

Piper was brought to the Home by a couple after they had seen her around their neighborhood for a couple of months and had attempted to find her owner via Facebook and various other groups to no avail. When they noticed that Piper's belly was getting bigger, they put it down to a potential health problem and decided to bring her in – luckily just in time.

Piper gave birth to 4 healthy kittens on her very first night in the Home, without which, she would have had to try and find a safe space to give birth outside and her kittens might not have made it. The team had her settled into the Home quickly on the night she arrived and witnessed the relief she felt being able to give birth to her kittens in a safe environment. By the morning, the first of her litter had arrived.

Just a few months later, Piper has been happily rehomed with vet nurse Lauren, who fell in love with Piper when she visited Lauren's vet practice for mastitis treatment after giving birth, and then again to be spayed.

Lauren and her partner visited Piper a couple of times at the Home and enjoyed playing with her and getting to know her. From the first night they took her home, she was snuggled up on their bed, enjoying head scratches and cuddles and is slowly gaining trust to come up to them and sit on their laps.

Lauren said: "It just feels like my life wasn't complete without having a cat and she's just fitted in so well, I feel like it was meant to be. She's honestly amazing. I love her little personality, she's independent but so friendly and affectionate as well, she's the perfect cat."

Pipers kittens; Snowflake, Calico, Atreyu, Maya are are all doing well and have recently gone to their own loving homes.

Lindsay Fyffe-Jardine, CEO of Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home said: "Thanks to the hard work of our team, the support of volunteers who have donated almost 2,000 hours over the course of the past year, and the generosity of the people of Edinburgh and beyond for their kind donations, we have been able to help many pets through preventative community work and by caring for and rehoming animals who come to us. However, to help us keep on top of the unprecedented increase in demand, now more than ever we're relying on funding from public donations to enable us to support owners going through hard times to stay together with their pets, or rehabilitate and rehome pets like Piper."

The Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home finds winter an especially difficult season as higher costs drain funds while demand for their vital services increases. To help get through the winter months, the Home recently launched a Winter Appeal, seeking donations to enable the Home to cope with the increased demand, continue providing vital support to animals in need and help people to keep their beloved pets at home.

To make a donation and to read more of their life-altering stories please visit www.edch.org.uk/winterappeal OR text SURRENDER to 70560 to donate £5.

Donations of £20 can provide a cat with the vaccinations they require to be rehomed or £100 could keep a dog warm in the Home for three months.

Texts will cost the donation amount plus one standard network rate message, and you'll be opting into hearing more from Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home. If you would like to donate but don't wish to hear more, text SURRENDERNOINFO instead.

The support of generous donors has kept Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home open for 140 years and given Piper and hundreds like them a safe place to recover and find love. The Home has become an important part of the city and to bring this to life Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home has photographed some of its former residents that have now been rehomed; Reggie, Truffle, Martha, and Toffee, at some of Edinburgh's other iconic locations including the Forth Bridge, Greyfriars Bobby and Edinburgh Castle.

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Cat adoption numbers decrease as online buying rises

Your Pets Daily Editor — Wed, 12 Oct 2022 10:29:10 +0000

The UK cat market is showing an increasing trend towards buying cats over adopting, driven by a desire for a particular breed and convenience.

The proportion of bought cats purchased instead of adopted has increased by 12% in the last five years, according to Cats Protection's Cats and Their Stats Report 2022 which takes a unique and unrivalled look at the relationship between people and their pet cats.

The third report published by Cats Protection – the largest cat survey of its kind – also found the internet is becoming an increasingly popular place to buy cats, with 76% of those surveyed saying they'd bought their cats online in the past 12 months.

The report found that Facebook has become significantly more popular as a source for buying a cat (despite Cats Protection's Big Kitten Con campaign earlier this year which focused on the dangers of buying online) with over 200,000 cats bought via the platform in the last year.

Peter Shergold, Head of Field Operations at Cats Protection, said: "The CATS Report 2022 has shown a worrying uplift in the purchase of cats online. Of course, there are many responsible sellers out there but there are also unscrupulous ones who hide behind the anonymity of the internet to sell kittens that are far too young to have been taken from their mothers, or that are in poor health.

"However, there is some positive news. Following Cats Protection's Big Kitten Con campaign, Facebook responded saying that it has taken down a number of ads, and now has a full-screen alert when someone searches on the platform for a kitten to buy, informing the user of Facebook's rules."

Convenience and a desire for a specific cat or breed have been shown to be significant factors behind the increase in online cat buying.

Twenty-nine per cent of those surveyed said they chose to buy rather than adopt because it was the easiest or quickest way to get the cat they want.

"There is a clear necessity for rehoming charities to adapt their adoption process to encourage consumers to adopt instead of shopping for cats online." Peter continues, "the welfare of the cat is the most important thing, so we need to find ways to meet this need for convenience while protecting the cat. One way to do this could be direct homing where cats would be homed straight from the person giving up the cat to the adopter, with Cats Protection facilitating the process."

The CATS Report also uncovered a number of key cat welfare challenges in the years ahead:

Approximately 1.2 million cats remain unregistered with a vet, with almost a quarter (24%) of cat owners saying that cost was the biggest barrier to making vet visits as often as they would like.
Up to 3.2 million cats are not fully protected against diseases that are preventable with vaccination.
Less than two-thirds of owners are regularly protecting their cats against parasites such as fleas and worms.
Thirty per cent of all cat owners expressed significant concern over being able to afford bills and other living costs over the next 12 months due to price increases.

Peter said: "The UK is still very much a society of cat lovers, with more people estimated now than ever before to be enjoying the benefits of cat ownership. Cats Protection will continue to find ways in which the charity can help support cat ownership and ensure that as many cats as possible experience good welfare.

"For instance, we encourage anyone thinking of buying a kitten online to use the Kitten Checklist, which is available at www.cats.org.uk/buying-a-kitten and details everything you need to check to make sure you're buying a happy, healthy pet.

"Cats Protection also runs programmes across the UK where we can help people on limited incomes with the cost of microchipping and neutering their pet cats.

"Understanding the current challenges that cat owners face and recognising trends early is important to help charities, veterinary professionals and the wider pet industry provide the most appropriate support to cat owners."

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Search launched for the UK’s most marvellous moggy

Your Pets Daily Editor — Fri, 14 Jan 2022 09:00:57 +0000

Cat lovers across the UK are being invited to nominate their furry friends for the biggest event in the feline year – the National Cat Awards.

Run by the charity Cats Protection, the annual event celebrates the nation's most marvellous moggies, with heart-warming tales of devotion, courage and companionship.

This year's event also features a new Cat Colleagues category to honour the feline heroes who have helped their owners adjust to working from home, or have made going to work a little easier during the pandemic.

Entries open on Tuesday 11 January and owners have until noon on Thursday 10 March to nominate their cat in one of four categories:

Cat Colleagues – Cats who bring joy to the workplace or make working from home a pleasure
Most Caring Cat – Cats that positively impact a person's health or wellbeing
Furr-ever Friends – Tales of friendship between children and cats
Outstanding Rescue Cat – Fabulous felines adopted from animal charities

Helping to launch the awards, cat lover and BBC weather presenter Owain Wyn Evans said: "I'm a big fan of cats, not just because they're such amazing animals, but also because of the incredibly positive impact they can have on people's lives. It's such an honour to be helping launch the National Cat Awards, and I really hope this national celebration of our feline friends will inspire more people to welcome a cat into their lives."

Cats Protection's Awards organiser Kate Bunting said: "Over the past two years, the UK's pet cats have played an even more important role in our lives – whether it's keeping the kids' company during home schooling, being a companion for people living alone in lockdown or simply being there during times of uncertainty.

"From chilled out cats that provide comfort and support, to the mischievous moggies that make us smile, cats undoubtedly have a special place in the hearts and homes of millions of people. We're thrilled to once again be hosting our National Cat Awards and are looking forward to sharing many wonderful stories of moggy marvelousness!

"We hope that by celebrating some of the UK's most incredible cats we'll inspire more people to consider adopting a cat in 2022."

Winners will be selected by a panel of celebrity cat lovers before being announced at a star-studded ceremony at London's Savoy Hotel on 4 August 2022.

The winner of the National Cat of the Year will inherit the title from Minty, a three-legged moggy from Holywell, Wales, who helped six-year-old Connor Raven cope with severe learning difficulties and medical conditions.

To nominate your cat, or for further information about the Awards, log on to www.cats.org.uk/national-cat-awards from Tuesday 11 January.

To find out more about adopting a cat from Cats Protection, visit www.cats.org.uk/adopt-a-cat

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