meet the resident cats

The House Cats

The numbers of house animals are limited as there aren't a lot of rooms but the elderly felines and the effete Persians have to be indoors at least through the winter.

Bagpuss

Bagpuss is an elderly Maine Coone who came to us after his owner’s engagement broke up and she was forced to leave her home. For a time he occupied a cattery with his friend Cocoa (who died of kidney failure aged 17) but at a certain point he started limping. The vet took X-rays and announced that he had what amounted to a sports injury and would have to live a quieter life. He now lives in the house.

Teddy - is a Selkirk Rex aged five and apricot-coloured He came from a breeder and was very unwell as he had been fed on raw contaminated meat. After stool tests we discovered he had Giardia - intestinal parasites - he had to be treated with two five day courses of Panacur Granules before his stools were normal. Then he was given a spot-on treatment for fleas which brought him out in scabs and made him scratch for hours (which can be a side effect of the treatment). He subsequently was diagnosed with ringworm which is very hard to get rid of.

The prescribed medicine nearly killed him and he developed epileptic fits before he finished the course. We then treated him with Betadine baths and occasionally Daktarin and internally with sulphur and garlic. When that was cured the poor mite became extremely allergic to all chemicals which made treating fleas very difficult. Twice he ended up on a drip at the vets so it has been uphill work to keep the youngster alive.

Finally they also diagnosed parasites in his blood and after being treated with heavy antibiotics he pulled through. His flea allergy was cured by giving him homeopathic sulphur 30 twice a day for 10 days and half a Brewer’s yeast tablet a day. Touch wood he now seems normal but it has been an uphill battle. He now has to be on Hills Hypo-alergenic food, is groomed daily with an old-fashioned flea comb and is give Johnson's 4 for Fleas which is an excellent herbal flea killer. However we are constantly on the alert as the tiniest change in his treatment can set him back.

Alfie - aged 20 has moved into the house after being part of the barn cat community. He came as a kitten when he was found in a carrier bag hanging from a tree. He was a very poorly kitten and it wasn't until the homeopathic vet Mark Elliott discovered he was allergic to chicken that he started to get better at the age of 6 months. Recently he went to the vets for a dental which unfortunately resulted in him having all the teeth removed and having a metal wire inserted to support the jaw. There was an 8 week recovery period so he had to come into the house. Now of course he won’t live anywhere else!

Fluff - aged 20 - a beautiful shade of apricot, looks like a girl but is a long-haired boy. He came to us at the age of 13 with two others when his owner died and the relatives took him to the vet to be put down. The vet called us and we came to the rescue.

Whispa - aged 19 - was such an obese white cat on arrival that we nicknamed her PUSSY GALORE. She had been in cat rescue for a year but nobody had wanted her as she needed a special diet. As most of our oldies have a special diet of Walthams Sensitive Diet or Hills ID or Trovet it seemed logical to take her on. She started off in the barn cattery but as she got older decided to move into the house with Alfie and Fluff.

Ollie 7 - is a white, blue-eyed Persian. When he arrived he was so light at first we thought the cat carrier was empty. He was full of worms and parasites but after a course of Panacur Granules followed by some Metranidazole he slowly recovered .He now needs to be on a very pure diet for life but is finally a normal weight. His ears, eyes and coat were all a mess but with antibiotic drops and laborious cutting and combing he is looking good. Unfortunately he is deaf as can happen with some white cats and needs to be kept in a safe environment.

Amelie 6 - has been returned to us rather surprisingly along with Tamsin after the couple we had homed her with split up. She came back very matted and spitting and hissing. Fortunately she has finally settled down and we can now do any grooming we like but initially she was so aggressive her knots had to be sorted out by the vet while she was under sedation. Her ginger coat is now luxuriant and glossy.She originally came from a small terraced house where there were 30 others. We rescued all of them and have found homes for most of them

Tamsin 9 - is Amelie's friend and has been returned with her. As she is easy to handle we were able to sort out her pretty white coat ourselves so she too now looks very healthy and shiny. We need to find a PERMANENT understanding home for both of them. They require 5 minutes grooming a day but are both great characters, love to play and are very affectionate.

The Top Cattery

This consists of four interconnecting chalets with outside runs.It is now used entirely for cats that need to be rehomed . The turnover is constant so they are visitors rather than residents.

Otto -is now in the house - aged 20 - a beautiful Tonkinese came with his sister Cleo who unfortunately died of kidney failure. She was addicted to cat biscuits but even the better ones like Hills, Nutro, Denes or Burns can be a problem when the cat hardly ever drinks any water as was the case with Cleo. We had rescued them from a squalid house belonging to an elderly breeder who was shutting down and getting rid of her animals, but the place was filthy and jumping with fleas and the cat litters were overflowing.

Otto is a lovely chocolate–point but suffers from epileptic fits so is unable to go anywhere, not even the vets, without a dose of valium to calm him down. The mere sight of a cat basket will set him off. Like his sister he would only eat biscuits if he had half a chance, but is forced to eat tinned foods of the non colourant, no sugar, no preservative variety and fresh chicken with a touch of Udo’s Oil like the others for their shiny, healthy coats with a mere 12 biscuits a day as a special treat.

In the barn cattery there are:

Oliver - 9 was rescued by us with his companion Charlotte the day before they were to be taken to the vets to be put down. Their owners were moving abroad. Astonishing really as Oliver looks like a Maine Coon and is a gorgeous cat who joins in the poo-picking every morning, following the wheelbarrows around and talking to the volunteers. He is a good hunter and needs to be a country cat.

Charlotte - 9 - came with Oliver and is short-haired tabby and white. She is extremely pretty with lovely turquoise eyes and loves a cuddle in spite of being an excellent night hunter. She would need to be rehomed with Oliver.

Simba - 20- is the cross between a Devon Rex and a local Tomcat and was therefore unwanted. He is tabby and white and looks like his dad but is very agile and has proved to be a major hunter. His favourite position is being draped around people's shoulders. He recently had a number of teeth out and is really too old for rehoming.

Duke - 19 - is pure white and Simba's best friend. Both Duke and Simba will be on Waltham's Sensitive Diet food for the rest of their lives.

Duchess - 20- she is Duke's mother and along with her son Duke was desperately poorly when we took her on. She still has a vulnerability and is prone to cystitis but we manage to keep it at bay with the homeopathic remedy Cantharis, a pure diet, and very regular worming.

Tigger - 14 - is a really macho tabby cat who was an entire Tom when we took him on. His owner said he couldn't keep him as his sister had an allergy to cats. When we went to collect him they said he wouldn't be home until the rush-hour traffic was over as he waited to cross the road. It took him a while to adjust to the country and to not being a Tom cat but now he would need a country home.

Sebastian - 6 - is a beautiful grey cat who is lucky to be alive. He came from a tiny house where he was an indoor cat along with 30 others (all of whom we rescued and rehomed). When he arrived his mouth bled the entire time and cancer was suspected but after removing most of his teeth he was fine. Shortly after being let out he was attacked by the resident fox with her cubs but fortunately the fight was interrupted as we do our last check at 10 pm and he survived.

Archie - 4 - a lovely white cat is Sebastian's best friend. He came with him and Candy but was in better condition. Being white he needs sun cream on his ears in the summer. He is very agile and needs somewhere where he can roam.

Candy - 4 - A pretty tortoiseshell feline came with Sebastian and Archie. She is more delicate with a lovely friendly disposition but spends most of her days up trees. At night in winter she prefers the company of her mini electric blanket to the others. She is very affectionate and would do well in a loving home, but is used to being outside so would need a garden.

Coffee - 23 - holds the record for longevity. Ironically although a pedigree Cornish Rex-Siamese cross she loathes humans and is feral which is why she has never been rehomed. Because you cannot catch her she has never had a vaccination or chemical spot-on treatment which could well account for her old age. However she also has very pure Denes food and wormers and Johnsons 4 for Fleas herbal pills in her food. Once - possibly scared by the fox - she got stuck up a tree for two weeks. We had to put food and water on the branches. It took 15 people and finally one forester to get her down she hates people so much!

Roly-Poly

Has recently been returned to us. His owner said she had not "bonded" with him after 8 months. More to the point was that he had worms and a very cowed personality when he came back. When h realised he was back he expressed his delight by running up all the trees and jumping over the other cats. We rarely get it wrong but if they do come back it is usually for good as we don't want them traumatised again.