Newsletter – Winter 2021
Well, Christmas is fast approaching and the cold weather is too. It is so lovely to see so many cats on the Island in such nice cosy homes surrounded by comfort and love… But not all are so lucky!
One way and another, we have had an incredibly busy year and between us, we have made many sad entries into happy ‘tails’ but there is a long way to go as always.
Our most recent rescue is ‘Lucy’. She is a dear little, gentle, loving, beautiful little girl. She is about 12 years young and came to us in a very neglected condition. Her little coat was thick with fleas and flea dirt and a tummy full of roundworm and tapeworms. Once she was both clean inside and out, I feel sure she felt so much better. ‘Lucy’ is hyperthyroid and was started on treatment immediately. Once her condition has improved, she will receive much-needed dental attention. My goodness little one you won’t know yourself after your full MOT & Service!
‘Lucy’ is now in a ‘Foster Home for Life’ where she has the comfort of a cosy, loving home and living a natural life with her new Mum and Dad. We shall continue to pay for her Veterinary treatment throughout.
We were called out to a kitten found in a garden late one night. ‘Mia’, as I named her, was barely 3 weeks old. Thankfully she had a very loud voice otherwise she would have perished for sure. Two days hours later we were called back as another sibling had been found, again with a very loud cry.
Due to their age, these babies needed hand-rearing, which is where Nicky Rea came to my rescue. Nicky took both ‘Mia’ and ‘Dodger’ and hand-reared them until they learned to lap about a week to 10 days later. It is AMAZING that these kittens survived, but that is THANKS to Nicky and her girls! ‘Mia’ and ‘Dodger’ are now in a SUPER new home and settled almost as soon as their velvet paws stepped out of our carrier. They are truly lucky to be alive and now have a lovely life ahead of them!
We have been very fortunate recently as we were asked if we could rehome three adult cats for a lady. Her circumstances had changed which sadly meant she could no longer look after ‘Cinders’ 7 years, ‘Esme’ 7 years and ‘Crowley’ 18 months old. Jo and Aidan were looking to offer a home to 2 cats, but guess what, they offered all three a home so they have been able to stay together! PURRFECT, they too are settling well with their new canine sister,14yo ‘Lizzy’ a Yorkshire terrier.
‘Bella’ came to us in the Summer after trying for several weeks to get into people’s black bins, not an easy task. She had hair loss, sore skin, heavily flea/worm-infested, and of course full of flea dirt. She was hungry, undernourished and all she wanted was love, somewhere to call home, food and comfort. Needless to say, I didn’t walk away without her, but with her. A kind family had been offering her food lately and then called us having seen she was in need of help.
‘Bella’ responded very well, she was health checked/spayed/microchipped, and vaccinated as soon as her condition allowed. NOW, she is in a SUPER home where she settled instantly. This little one really has fallen on all four paws and will never want for anything EVER again!
‘Oreo’ was just under 4 months old when he was hit by a car and suffered a fractured femur. It was midnight when we were called out and took him to the Vet, so until we knew his real name, we called him ‘Midnight.’
This lovely little boy was in one of our accident cages for 6 weeks post-surgery, then following X-rays, he was able to have a larger area after the 6 weeks cage rest. NOW he is completely fit and well and has settled in his new home with two other Feline Welfare rescues and they seem to have accepted this little hooligan quite happily. Now little one be careful!
Oh, poor ‘Charlie’ was with us for many months. He has been such a patient boy and has transformed from a timid stray to just loving life and loving everyone who is kind to him. ‘Charlie’ was an undoctored tom and he turned up wondering where his next meal was coming from. Because no one claimed him, he was soon off to Pet Doctors for a full health check, neutering, microchipping, and vaccinations. He gradually became more confident which was so lovely to see,
Well, AT LAST he is now in a LOVELY home and is a VERY happy boy. He could not believe his luck, he walked round and round his new home, up and down the stairs, coming back to report in every now and again! He seems to be settling well with his new feline sister ‘Holly’ and I think she is quite happy with ‘Charlie’s’ stunning looks and character! HOME AT LAST ‘Charlie Boy’!
When ‘Daisy’ came to us for rehoming, she had had two litters of kittens but was adamant she didn’t want to live with the 3 male kittens that their owners had kept. That has all changed, as she is now in a SUPER home with a quiet couple and is the only pet and she is LOVING it. A lot of Mums don’t want to live with their kittens in the long term and it is so sad when this happens, but in ‘Daisy’s’ case it has worked out very well as she now has a PURRFECT life with her new Mum and Dad with no furry paws around to upset her…
‘Marley’ has recently moved into his LOVELY new home and has settled SO well with ‘Betty’, an exotic, and ‘Cheeto’ who was a roaming undoctored tom, both of these furry people came from us, at different times, over the last few years. ‘Marley’ has such an exceptional character he really does, he will be 10 next year and he just wants to be loved and live in comfort, he is our gentle giant because one thing ‘Marley’ isn’t is small!
‘Tabitha’ our 15-year-old elegant little lady had been with us for several months waiting patiently to catch someone’s eye… Then recently, it happened! She is now in a ‘Foster Home for Life’ and she settled in SO quickly it really was heart-warming! She had lost her Mum of 15 years, but she has found love again which is truly AMAZING!
‘Sassy’ was found at a Holiday Camp on the Island in a very sad state. She was very thin, heavily flea/ worm-infested, and had a broken tail and an open wound. Off to the Vet she went. Her tail had to be amputated and it healed really well, apart from one little hiccup. ‘Sassy’ gradually started to put on weight and regain condition and confidence. How did she get to the Holiday Camp, did someone bring her on holiday with them, and then she went missing? Who knows?
‘Sassy’s’ story is complete now as she is in a LOVELY new home, carpet under her paws and all the home comforts. Oh, and a new, much older feline friend. Be Happy Little One…
‘Smokie’ came to us emaciated and unkempt with a heavy flea and worm burden. It took quite a while to put her back together again and she also needed dental attention, which she has now had. Our Vets think she is probably 9-10 years old but now she is back to full strength, condition, and weight, she behaves more like a two-year-old! She races around her new home at 100 mph and causing a draft as she goes! She is one very happy girl. Jan was fostering her but then decided she couldn’t part with her!
‘Marble’ also came to us in an APPALLING condition. Her skin was SO sore it affected her walking. This was total neglect. She was microchipped but it hadn’t been registered and no one reported her as missing. It took several months to get ‘Marble’ back to full health. Her skin was SO bad that it took a lot of time and Veterinary care before her little body recovered. NOW though she is living in the lap of luxury and she is absolutely ADORED by her LOVELY new owners. ‘Marble’ you have now truly landed on all your furry paws and you will never, ever want for anything EVER again!
‘Romeo’, a Siamese, had been roaming around aimlessly trying to invite himself into people’s homes. He was undoctored so was also looking for any available felines of the female kind! Goodness knows how many Siamese kittens he is responsible for! Sorry ‘Romeo,’ we put a very prompt end to your antics! We did manage to trace his owner and they asked us to rehome ‘Romeo’ as he didn’t like their dog so was never going to stay with them. Well as you have guessed all that is behind him now, he is in a SUPER home with two Siamese fanatics and he has settled SO well and they worship the ground he walks on!
‘Toffee’ came to us in an APPALLING condition. The usual in these sorts of cases, grossly underweight, flea/ worm infested, dirty, unkempt and very, very hungry. He is an older cat, probably about 15-16 years young. ‘Toffee’ has now increased his weight 3 fold and is a very happy and contented boy. He has become a permanent resident with Jane and Colin, his past now just a distant memory. He is now living like a King surrounded by warmth, comfort and will never want for anything ever again.
‘Sid’ our amputee eventually found a forever home this Summer. ‘Sid’ was taken straight to Pet Doctors when he was found badly injured. He was stray and undoctored but had been visiting a couple for food for quite a while. He had a badly fractured femur but sadly also had damage to the radial nerve so had no feeling in his leg at all. He had been injured 2 to 3 days prior to being taken to the Vet but avoided being captured. Anyway, poor ‘Sid’ had his leg amputated and his recovery was AMAZING it really was! His attitude was ‘why have 4 legs when 3 are just as good? Nothing was going to hold our boy back! Having waited months and months, he went to live with a Veterinary Nurse and her husband in a quiet area with his very own garden and all the LOVE in the world. It took a LONG time ‘Siddy’, but your home was well worth the wait…
‘Whisper’ came to us in the first lockdown when her owner sadly passed away and she was ‘home alone.’ She went to a SUPER foster home but just no one showed interest in adopting her. However, it worked out even better in the end as her foster carers ADOPTED her which was AMAZING! So she stayed where she had been for nearly a year and everyone is so, so happy for her…
‘Lemi’ came to us with a very bad reputation! But that is no surprise as he was 3 years old and undoctored! We very soon corrected that! Luckily, he tested negative for feline leukaemia and FIV which was a great relief. Undoctored male and female cats are at much greater risk of contracting these viruses, both of which, will eventually become life-limiting and they are also a risk to other cats. ‘Lemi’ is actually still looking for a loving home in a safe area as the only pet. In his original home, there were other cats and a dog and he basically left home and took up residence in neighbours gardens. All that is behind him now and he is looking forward to having a PURRFECT home with his very own human slaves!
Well, we had a strange one recently! I had gone to see someone regarding a long-term stray, you’ve guessed it, another undoctored tom! Extensive inquiries had been carried out to no avail, so we booked him in to be tested for feline leukaemia and FIV, neutering, microchipping, and vaccinations so he now has a permanent home with his ‘rescuers’ and all the comfort and love he desires. Whilst there I was told about a Siamese who had been living outside in an area nearby for 2 years. Within two days this little girl was safely in the warm being cared for.
‘Lillie’ was microchipped, so we managed to trace her owner. Although I didn’t know she was driving her car when I called, I think she nearly went off the road (not literally!) when I told her ‘Lillie’ was with us! Because they had not heard via her microchip company, they thought she must have passed away, but to hear she was very much alive came as a huge surprise! ‘Lillie’ is with us for rehoming, by request of her owner as they are no longer in a position to have her. So, this beautiful girl is looking for a home as the only pet and with no young children. This advice was given to us by her previous owner. She will probably be with us over the Festive Season now as we will soon cease homing until the beginning of January. ‘Lillie’ is 3 years old and is looking for LOVE with someone who understands and LOVES the breed.
The Heart of Feline Welfare
Our work would not be possible without the AMAZING help from ALL our volunteers and businesses that put themselves out for our furry feline friends. They are ALL truly dedicated and work so hard to turn around all these less fortunate feline lives. Our work can be heartbreaking but it is SO, SO rewarding to see them get well, become trusting, and then set off to SUPER CARING new homes. The good, kind people make up for those who have allowed these furry people to suffer…
We would like to THANK ALL the staff at Pet Doctors: Jayne, the Clinical Director, the Vets, Veterinary Nurses, Receptionists and in particular Nicola Cosmi and Alessandra Fasciani who go that extra 10 miles to help us with the cats in our care, quite often at very short notice.
Without you, our work would be impossible. xx
We have several very dedicated Foster Carers who have taken in a continuous stream of cats needing help. Without all your help Feline Welfare would not exist. THANK YOU SO MUCH for your support, your help in SO MANY different ways, and your endless dedication to our less fortunate feline friends who come in all sorts of sizes, conditions, characters both domestic and feral. xx
So MANY, MANY THANKS to Jane Cresdee and Colin Midmore who have had a record number of cats in their foster home this year, both domestic and feral. They have spent MANY hours trapping feral cats and kittens, who have then been neutered/spayed/microchipped and after a convalescent period have been released back where they have shelter and regular food. Jane came up with the ‘Dog Cage’ method for those who proved to be difficult and did not want to give up their freedom by walking into a humane cat trap! So far, they have fallen for it every time. She now needs to patent her idea! They also go out at a minute’s notice to scan any stray, injured, or deceased cats on the roadside and take it to safety after knocking on doors in the area trying to trace an owner. Posters also are put up in some cases. Jane and Colin’s help is endless and always ongoing. xx
Netty Betty Smith has fostered many of our feline friends again this year. At present, she is caring for ‘Lillie’ and has also been looking after ‘Tabitha’, ‘Bella’, ‘Jeremy’, ‘Bobby’ and ‘Rupert’ just to name a few.
Thank you, Netty and your girls for all your loving care! xx
Jan Kelly has been fostering for us since the Summer and at present is looking after ‘Lilly’ for us. Jan was also fostering ‘Smokie’ but she has now become a permanent resident! ‘Misty’ stayed with Jan briefly while we had her health checked, spayed, etc and she then moved in with her lovely new owners.
Thank You, Jan. xx
Corinne Perks again has helped us by Fostering the most recent one being ‘Mischief’ and she has now in fact become a permanent resident and is settling well with Corinne’s other cats. We have had ‘Mischief’ for SO long with no one showing an interest in adopting her, but now she has ‘a home for life’.
THANK YOU, Corinne. xx
We probably will be asking Corinne to foster again by mid-January… xx
Alice Robbins has also fostered for us over the past 2 years, some have been injured and have needed surgery for fractures, but as Alice is a Veterinary Nurse, what better person to care for them! Alice is about to take ‘Lola’ and ‘Luna’ for us, possibly just before Christmas, as where they are at present, the son is positive for Covid so we have had to delay moving them for a while…
THANK YOU, Alice . xx
Mary Longley has been fostering ‘Charlie’ for many, many months for us, and has managed to keep him sane bless her. xx Also, she had ‘Solo’ prior to ‘Charlie’. Mary has a huge outside heated unit with a run looking over her lovely garden. The next one going to Mary will be ‘Spex’.
THANK YOU for helping us for yet another year Mary. xx
Jenny Young has been a FANTASTIC help with fostering, helping with our Raffles, selling online to help raise funds and she has also joined our Trustee Team. xx If Jenny’s plans go ahead, she may well be opening a Boarding Cattery sometime in the future.
THANK YOU Jenny. xx
Andy Marshall has been fostering ‘Minnie’ after we were alerted to her by a holidaymaker on the Holiday Camp. It took a lot of TLC to get ‘Minnie’ well again and she still awaits a loving and safe home. Andy also went out when we were called about ‘Charlie’ – he was quite timid so needed to be trapped.
THANK YOU, Andy for all your help. xx
I would like to THANK Doreen Moore and Susy Bainbridge for spending quality time with the cats in our care. This is SO valuable to both us and our furry friends, it also shows them there are other humans out there and not just me.
Thank you for giving up your free time especially when both of you lead such busy lives. xx
Fundraising
We have several AMAZING supporters who donate to us by Standing Order every month. This really, really helps us as you can imagine and we are SO, SO grateful to each and every one of you. xx
If this is something you may like to do to help us, please get in touch on 01983 521 778 – anytime.
Vanessa has been beavering away doing Car Boot Sales, once they were permitted to restart, she has also been selling, mostly clothes, online for us and has done AMAZINGLY well which is INCREDIBLE!
THANK YOU, Vanessa. xx
Liz and Doug have been on the move for the last few months and are now living in Binstead, having moved from East Cowes. We have bought a large shed between us to house all the goodies we have for sale. They did have a stall at the Donkey Sanctuary at Wroxall recently and are really hoping to get back to selling in the Spring, you never know we may even be able to have our Fayres next year.
THANK YOU, Liz and Doug. xx
Our Neutering/Spaying/Microchipping Scheme has really begun to take off again which is a really nice feeling. With the lockdowns, it has been difficult and at times impossible to get our furry people ‘done’. To see this improving again now is very refreshing, long may it continue…
Covid has A LOT to answer for, apart from the obvious. Because owners weren’t able to get their cats spayed, MANY have jumped on the bandwagon and taken advantage of the opportunity to make money from breeding their pets. You will see on the Internet sites kittens being sold for between £100 – £350, sometimes more. This is ILLEGAL. Anyone breeding their pets and selling them must have a local authority license AND must register with Inland Revenue as it is classed in law as a BUSINESS.
Please can keep you an eye on the likes of Wightbay, Pets4Homes, and Gumtree, etc. If you see people advertising kittens or puppies for sale on more than one occasion. PLEASE report them to Trading Standards and Inland Revenue, as they WILL look into it.
If you would like any advice, please don’t hesitate to contact me on 01983 521 778 – anytime. xx
We have struggled this year to raise much-needed funds but we have had an incredible response to our appeals on Facebook. We have had some very hefty Vet bills and a lot of cats/kittens needing extensive surgery and treatments, so it really hasn’t been easy at all. Thanks to all your AMAZING support we have managed to make ends meet and have continued to take many cats & kittens into our care.
Our furry friends ALWAYS come first. We offer them the very best care and we find SUPER new homes for each and every one of them, which leads me on to ALL the WONDERFUL people who have adopted from us, both past and present. You complete the story for every cat and kitten in our care by offering them such AMAZING, LOVING, SAFE and CARING homes, we could not do any of our work without such special people like you.
Grateful THANKS go to Johnny Keywood and Rob at Ace Waste for collecting our used cat litter and hay (from the rabbits) for another year free of charge, we are SO, SO grateful to you all at Ace Waste, we really are. xx
We would also like to thank Suzanne and her team at the RSPCA Isle of Wight Branch Registered Charity No. 205311 at Godshill for all the help they have given us throughout the year. You have all made it possible for us to rescue even more cats and get them to safety when you then take over their ongoing care. xx
THANK YOU, Suzanne and your team . xx
Well, as always, we pray that next year we will see more kindness, less neglect, and cruelty towards all animals and our feathered friends also. It would be a much nicer world if suffering by human hands could only come to an end. Those who can’t defend themselves should be loved and cared for. One day maybe …
We will still be here doing what we have done for 42 years and with all your help we will succeed by rescuing many less fortunate felines here on our beautiful Island.
