A is for Ace!

Hi everybody,

My name is Ace - you heard from me a few blog posts again, but Leanne has let me take the reins again because unfortunately I am still here at the Centre :( I try my best to look presentable when people come to see me but the right people still haven't come along and most people still pass me by.

I've heard some people say that it's because I'm a Staffie. Yes, I might be a bit muscly, but I'm a real gentle giant. I love people to bits! Can you look past your pre-conceived ideas about what you think a Staffie is like, and look at the kind of dog I am?

I was left tied to a park bench which was really traumatic for me but I still trust people because I know they're not all like that. The staff here aren't like that! And every day I see dogs going to loving homes with people who aren't like that. I just wish my person would come along.

I do have a bit of a fault - since I've been at the Centre I find it very hard to deal with dogs. You have to understand, it's very stressful being surrounded by barking dogs all day long (i'm quite quiet compared to them!) and so they do irritate me. If I'm trying to have a nap all I have is other dogs barking at me. It's not very nice and for that reason I find it hard to get along with dogs anymore, so I would need to be in a home without any other dogs. Also, for that reason the staff do put something they call a muzzle on me when I go for a walk. It reminds me to behave and it helps to protect me and other dogs really.

Yes, I know it can be off-putting when you know about my fault. But really, nobody is perfect are they? Everybody has something they're not overly proud of. I promise to love you forever, and be devoted to you if you do take me on. After having a bit of a bad start in my life I would love to spend the rest of my days being secure in the knowledge that I am loved, to have a lovely warm bed and lots of yummy food. Isn't that all any dog wants?

Lots of love,

Ace x

Having a bit of a scare!

Halloween is coming up and lots of people are looking forward to having a scare - either by going on a ghost walk, having a spooky party or watching a horror film. That's all good fun, but I had the wrong kind of scare a couple of weeks ago...

Hi, my name is Pearl and I came into the Centre with my daughter, Ruby. Unfortunately, how we came in was the scary part. Our owners were finding it difficult to care for us any longer and so they put us through the gap in the side of the gate at the RSPCA. We were both very scared and ran for cover. Luckily the staff caught us and calmed us down quite quickly - I dread to think what could have happened!

Me after my op!

We were given lots of yummy food and love, and we slowly started to recover from the shock. I've now had my little op to make sure I don't have more babies (one is definitely enough!) and we're ready to go up for adoption to find a new family. I really hope we never have to go through that again so if you're looking for  couple of cats who you will love forever (and who in turn will love you forever!) then please come and see us.

My beautiful daughter, Ruby

Lots of love,

Pearl and Ruby

Neutering's the Name of the Game

I know this blog is specifically for the animals to talk but sometimes I (I'm the one who helps the animals to articulate what they want to say) wrestle it off them if there's a really pressing matter I want to discuss.

This time the issue is the neutering of cats. We've spoken about it many times before but it's just so important that I really feel I need to mention it again. 

This year we have seen an increase in the number of abandoned kittens, pregnant mums and nursing mums coming into the Centre. Year on year ourselves and other rescue centres see this increase. This year we offered a deal over the summer whereby we neutered and micro-chipped cats for a highly reduced rate to try to curb the flow of cats coming into the Centre, however the flow of cats to the Centre never seems to slow.

When members of the public call us because they sadly need to part with their cats the vast majority of the time we are unable to help them simply due to the high volume of abandoned cats who are brought to us by Inspectors or left on our doorstep by members of the public. We have a finite number of spaces for cats and, being only a small Centre, this number isn't high. 

Anise was found abandoned in a box with her mother and her sister

A prime example happened on Monday of this week. Two cats were pushed through the gap at the side of our gate when we were closed in the morning. Luckily two members of the public saw what had happened and banged on the gate to alert us. The cats were too stunned to move far and we caught them easily. They are recovering well from their abandonment but this is a case that is happening all too regularly. 

The big driver of the abandonment of these cats is lack of neutering. When a cat is let out the back door or goes through the cat flap, as an owner you basically have no control over where that cat is going. Unfortunately due to the financial climate it can be quite difficult to find the money to afford one cat, let alone the 4 or 5 kittens that cat may then produce. When that happens, owners feel desperate and can resort to abandoning the cat family if they feel they have no other option. 

Please please please tackle the problem BEFORE it happens. Book in and neuter your cat. If you are struggling there are some organisations who can help with neutering costs and the cost of neutering one cat will fall far below the cost of feeding, flea treating, worming and vaccinating kittens. 

Male cat owners are NOT exempt from this. It can be easy to forget the consequences of letting neutering slip by the wayside when you own a male cat however in order to be a responsible pet owner you need to consider this. Although you may not see the after-effects, your cat may be impregnating every stray/feral female cat in the area, along with the female cats who have homes. These stray and feral females then have to give birth in somebody's shed or garden and, if the kittens are lucky enough to survive after living outside, they will either become feral cats themselves, adding to the breeding problem or, if they're lucky, they will be brought into a rescue centre. This endless cycle puts further pressure on rescue centres and on the cat population.

Another incentive for neutering male cats are the health benefits. Neutering reduces the risk of many diseases, eliminates the risk of others and also reduces the likelihood of your male cat wandering and fighting with others. 

Some people believe that neutering animals takes away their choice however it is important to remember that cats are NOT people and they don't actually have a choice. We have to make it for them. It is far more beneficial for a female cat to be neutered at 6 months old and live a long life with her owners than for the female cat to remain unneutered and have at least one litter (she could potentially have 2-3 litters) of kittens every year. Bearing in mind that a cat can have anywhere from 2-8 kittens per litter - that is a huge amount of kittens for her to carry, feed and care for.

There are so many benefits to neutering. I know, kittens are very very cute - but they grow up. And they also all need homes; there are only so many people out there with space to rehome kittens.

If you have any questions about neutering or would like to discuss it further you are welcome to contact the Centre for advice.