Hello once again!! It doesn’t seem very long ago that I was writing the Summer Newsletter!!!

We have unfortunately had the worst year for nearly 30 years, which is a very sad state of affairs.  There have been, and still are, so many cats and kittens waiting to come into the Rescue Centres, not just here on the Island but Nationwide.  The Charities just can not cope with the number needing to come into care.  The County Press have been very supportive in highlighting the ‘Cat Crisis’ as a lot of people just are not aware of what is happening in the cat world, so the coverage has helped to spread the word, and each time homes have been offered by the general public, which is very much appreciated obviously, and that in turn has enabled us to bring more into care.

One of the biggest problems is the amount of indiscriminate breeding, which seems to be increasing year by year.  People are purposely breeding from their pet cats and then selling the kittens for between £15 – £60 sometimes more if they can convince the prospective buyer that they are part Pedigree, or are an unusual colour – I saw a classic on Wightbay, someone advertising black tabby kittens, but they were bog standard black kittens, and as they got older the strips would not even be visible – it makes you wonder how many would have fallen for the description, and at the same time parting with extra cash!! The internet is helping to add to the Cat Crisis as all the advertising is free, so little or nothing, apart from the feeding, is spent out on the kittens and the mother so the money they get is clear profit, which encourages them to do it again.  We are finding several serious health problems with kittens being sold privately, not all being immediately obvious to those buying them, some only being identified by blood testing, but the end result sometimes being terminal unfortunately or at least very costly for the new owner.

Several people are finding it difficult to sell their kittens, so are now offering them free – lets hope those people contact us to get the mother spayed, so at least they will not be faced with the same problem again next year.

We are trying very hard to help address this problem by continuing to run our Special Neutering and Spaying Scheme, we have also incorporated Microchipping into this service, which helps to reunite strays coming into care with their owners, also it is the safest and most reliable way of identifying their pet.  Until this Summer we had been running the Neutering Scheme with the RSPCA Animal Home at Godshill, but unfortunately they are longer involved, which has obviously effected the financial side quite considerably.  We are always looking for financial help with this scheme, because if it fails due to lack of funds it will have devastating results, as some cat owners can not afford the full Veterinary cost, so the inevitable will then happen.  If you know someone on a low income who may need some help, then please pass our number to them and we will be happy to help if we can.

Now a bit of catch up time!!

In our Summer Newsletter we told you about ‘Suzie’ 11 years old and ‘MeMe’ 4 years.  They have both been with us for over 3 years now.  But I am pleased to report that ‘Suzi’ is now in a very loving home with June.  She settled almost as soon as she crossed the threshold, and seems absolutely thrilled to be the only cat and being the sole centre of attention!! ‘MeMe’ isn’t on her  own, as ‘Marmite’ has been with her for a few months now, so although she probably wondered where ‘Suzi’ had gone, there was no pinning or stress involved.  So we really hope that it won’t be long before the two of them will catch someone’s eye, so they too can start a new life.

‘Alfie’ and ‘Amie’ are also now in a loving home, where they have settled very well, and seem quite happy with their new human slaves!! They were fostered by Corinne for nearly a year, so again had to wait a very long time to be chosen – maybe if they hadn’t had black and white coats on they may have been chosen sooner?

‘Tasha’ 12 years and ‘Lucy’ 10 years went to a new home very recently, and they are settling very well, in fact I think have taken over!! ‘Loui’ their existing cat, she also is an ex Feline Welfare resident, wondered what was happening when the girls first arrived, but they are all settling down together now, which is great news.  So the 3 ‘older’ ladies should now be able to live out their lives in the luxury they deserve!!

‘Ellie’ abandoned in a cardboard box in a Car Park is now in a loving home with a much older cat and a little boy.  She is thrilled with her new home, and her owners adore her.  What a shame her original owner wasn’t more responsible when he/she reached the decision to part with her – dumping her being completely unacceptable.

‘Missy’ 15 years old came to us a few months ago.  Her owner had acquired a puppy in May last year – puppy moved in ‘Missy’ moved out.  So she spent all last winter out in the cold, not even going in for food.  Her owner was moving to the mainland and if we hadn’t managed to take ‘Missy’ before the deadline she was destined to continue to live outside for the rest of her life!! Now well having come to us very thin, which was totally due to lack of food, because although she was hyperthyroid, she gained all her weight and more before having her operation.  She is now with a very caring couple and has settled as if she has always been there!! If you look on our web site you will see her favourite place – yes right in front of the fire – even though the bungalow is centrally heated she still asks for the fire to be put on – well you can always move away if it gets too hot can’t you!! To think how she spent last winter, in fact the last 18 months, well I better leave what I think to your imagination!! NEVER again will she be out in the cold.

‘Charlie’ was a stray and took up residents in someone’s garden.  He also helped himself to their cats food, but once they realised he was there they started to feed him.  Was he claimed, no, yet another who seems to have come from nowhere!! Unfortunately very few ‘strays’ match up with the people who are desperately looking for their much loved missing pet.  ‘Charlie’ is now in a new home and has taken over the whole house and his new ‘Mum’ so at least his story has had a happy ending at last.

‘Bella’ obviously abandoned by her previous owner and left to have her kittens outside.  ‘Bella’ is very affectionate but because they were born with no human contact, her kittens were feral.  Someone in the neighbourhood managed to catch the little blue kitten, which left us to catch the remaining 4 babies.  They were about 7 weeks old when they came to us, but they have come round really well, although still very weary of people they don’t know.  There are three black and one black and white, so we are waiting for special people to come along, who are willing to give them the time they need to settle in a home – they make wonderful pets once they have got through the initial settling in period – I know as I have several myself, in fact the majority of mine are ex feral.  ‘Bella’ is now in a loving home and has blossomed into a lovely little character.  She had a bowel infection when she came to us but that has cleared and everything is now back to normal thankfully.

‘Bonnie’ is also probably 12 years or more.  She was in a very poor condition when found by her rescuer.  She needed treatment at the Vet and dematting, but once she had received all the treatment, including a dental, she very soon started to improve.  She too is now in a loving home, with a cat of similar age.  She is an absolute delight, and her new owners are thrilled with her.  Where are her previous owners?!  Perhaps it is just as well we don’t know!!

‘Aggie’ probably about 12 years old came to us completely emaciated, dirty and hungry. She was in fact hyperthyroid, but did improve greatly prior to her operation, so her weight was not just due to the thyroid.  Very soon after her thyroid operation she set off to her new home, where she has settled really well, and within minutes took over her new ‘Mums’ bed!! ‘Aggie’ featured in one of the County Press articles, and it was due to that which lead to her being offered a new home, which was lovely.

‘Oliver’ also well into his teens – maybe 16, came to us again in an appalling condition.  Like ‘Aggie,’ he was dirty, flea infested, emaciated and his coat full of mats.  Off to the Vet we went, and when he woke I don’t think he knew who he was!!! His mouth was one of the worst the Vet had seen, that being pure neglect, but once he had completed all his treatment he felt as if he had been reborn!!  ’Oliver’ has returned to his rescuer and he is now much loved and has all the home comforts he could ask for.  He will never be out in the cold again, and he will always be truly loved.

‘Jessie’ only a year old was being driven around the Island by her owner, while she was trying to find someone to take her.  Thankfully Julie and David at DJ’s Boarding Kennels were able to help us, so the owner took ‘Jessie’ over to them – her long trip then almost at an end.  ‘Jessie’ is now in a new home where she has settled well with a small dog.  She had been living with a dog apparently, so homing her with another canine friend did not pose a problem.

All the feral kittens we trapped during the Summer all found domestic homes, and they are all growing up fast now!! Their mothers were spayed, microchipped and health checked before being released back to carry on with their lives.  Both are fed and looked out to, and if there is ever a problem in the future we will be contacted.  ‘Tigy’ in particular is as pampered as you can make a feral cat, and she is very appreciative of all the facilities now at her disposal!! One very lucky feral lady!!

Now on to the little people we still have looking for new homes:

I have already mentioned ‘MeMe’ and ‘Marmite.’  ‘MeMe’ is black and white 4 years old and ‘Marmite’ a year old is tortoiseshell.  They are lovely little characters, and are desperate to find a home to call their own.

‘Toby’ ginger and white is approx: 18 months to 2 years old.  He is a lovely chap, very friendly, playful and outgoing.  He turned up as an undoctered stray, but again he was never claimed.  He was being fostered by Al and Linda, so whilst there was mixing with their cats and a puppy, so we know he will be able to go to a home with other animals.

‘Honey’ tortoiseshell 8 years old and ‘Misty’ blue 5 years old are looking for a home together.  When we had the call from their previous owner he gave us 10 minutes notice!! They were in the throws of moving out of their house, and were handing the keys over in 10 minutes time!! That has to be a record!!! Sally kindly fostered them until I had space here, so that helped to get them out of that immediate crises – or did it? ‘Honey’ arrived but no ‘Misty?’ They had both got out of the house, they managed to get ‘Honey’ back in but not her daughter.  So ‘Honey’ arrived at Sally’s Friday afternoon, but ‘Misty’ not until the following Tuesday.  The people moving into the property locked the cat flap so ‘Misty’ couldn’t get in, whether anyone was feeding her goodness knows, so we were very relieved when she duly arrived.  ‘Honey’ was particularly pleased to see her as she had been crying for her, which was all very distressing.

‘Oliver’ 18 months old and ’Daisy’ 2.5 years both black and white are also looking for a home together. ’Daisy’ has apparently already had at least two homes, so we are hoping to find a home for life for both of them.

I have already mentioned ’Bella’s’ kittens who are also waiting patiently for those special people to come along and fall for their many charms!!!

We do have two vacancies at the moment – one will be taken by a feral Mum who has brought her kittens to someone’s garden and they are at present under the shed – so once we know they are eating and how many there are we will start setting the humane trap.  I am hoping Mum can go back once she is spayed, micro chipped and health checked, with of course a source of food and with these kind people keeping an eye on her welfare.  At present we need to prioritize as who to take in next, apart from this little family.

If you feel you can offer a home to one or two of our rescue cats, either now or in the future, please do not hesitate to contact us.  Our web site is now updated regularly, so you can always view our cats needing a new home on www.felinewelfareiow.co.uk I also now have an email address as follows: nikki.hazelgrove@gmail.com or you can contact the hotmail address on the web site which will automatically come through to me.

Our work has only been made possible because of all the help and support we have received throughout yet another year.  Many people have helped in many, many ways, and for this we are most grateful.  We are all important pieces of a jigsaw, and we need all the pieces to be able to help all these very unfortunate felines.

Liz, Doug, Vanessa and Chris have been working hard on the Fund Raising front, which is invaluable support, and we are very grateful for all your dedication and hard work.

Sally, Linda and Colin and Corrine have fostered for us throughout the year and we again are very grateful for their help.

Jenny joined us back in March.  She kindly comes up every evening to spend time with the cats and kittens in our care – this has been a great help to me, and her visits benefit the cats a great deal, so again grateful thanks Jenny.

Nigel and Katrina have helped in many ways during the year.  Nigel always helps with the photocopying and printing of the Newsletter – so any mistakes are mine, he can’t be blamed for those!! Also most other printing is undertaken by Nigel as well.

Al has taken on the task of updating our web site this year which is a great help, he has helped in various other ways with posters etc. Al has also done a lot of work on our shelters this Summer, which has improved them greatly.  Al and Lin have taken on 4 of our ex feral kittens this year, and fostered ‘Toby’ for a while as well.  So we are very grateful for all their help.

I would like to thank all the Vets, Nurses and Receptionists at Green and Forster for all their hard work throughout the year.  Not all our little people are easy, especially the ferals, but they are always willing to help no matter what we arrive with!! So I would like to thank you all for your dedication.  Brace yourselves for the coming year!!

Julie and David at DJ’s Boarding have helped us several times this Summer, by offering to house some of the cats needing help immediately.  They have taken them for us until they were either homed, which did happen in a couple of cases, or when I had room here.  Thank you both very much, your help is much appreciated.

Creature Comforts again have provided a marvellous service, and again we are most grateful.

If you feel you would like to help us in any way, please do not hesitate to contact me.  We could really do with some more foster homes, so if you would be willing to foster on a short term basis please contact me for more details.

If you are having a clear out, or know someone else who is, then please remember us if you have any saleable items that you no longer want, as we can change the items into money to benefit the cats.

We shall endeavour to continue our work and turn all their sad tails into happy ones, but we do need your help to achieve our goals.

We will leave this year behind with the hope that next year is alot better for all our animal friends, we certainly will do our best to achieve just that.

DAISY

My fur is matted, I am crawling with fleas,

As I huddle for warmth, under the trees.

I am old and my body is thin,

I sleep outside, because I cannot get in.

My skin is so sore, my wounds they do weep,

From out of those wounds, pus it does seep.

My legs are too weak, to jump the wall so high,

As my tired body heaves, a huge sigh.

My fur it is thin, my skin is on show,

My belly swollen, my back legs move slow.

No fresh water, I drink from a puddle,

I sleep where I can, curled up in a huddle.

I am old, I deserve more than that,

I need a stroke, on a warm lap.

I want to belong, I want to be loved,

Not be out in the cold, with stars up above.

I treasure the small amount of kindness,

I know folk feel sorry for this bundle of mess.

I am a mess not fit to be seen,

I know my coat could be shiny and clean.

I do not understand, what I have done so wrong,

I just want to be loved, just to belong.

Why have I been neglected, for so many years,

All I do is cry, my sad cat tears.

Fragile like Daisy petals, scattered on the ground,

Life so hard and sad,  before I was found.

My last few months on earth, have been so happy,

of that I am sure,

I have felt safe, loved, and so well cared for.

As I close my eyes and forever go to sleep,

I float like a daisy, on waters so deep.

Deep and peaceful, and I thank you for that,

As I snuggle with love upon your lap.

Goodnight darling Daisy.                         Sue Southam  –  2010.

Sadly, Daisy was later tested a.i.d.s positive and was laid to rest.