CATTERY "MAKEOVER"

Hi everyone....
Just a quick note to tell you that the main cattery will not be taking in any adult cats for the next week or so. This is simply because we need to re-paint and do a few odd jobs. If we had cats in the room it would definitely distress them.
Our Mum and Baby room is still in operation although we DO NOT HAVE ANY KITTENS at present.
For any further details please call us direct at the rescue on 0161 653 6530. Thank you, Faye.

Another Sad Loss

Sorry, but yet again I write with some sad news. Splodge, one of our resident cats had been on foster with me since he suffered his 1st stroke in December 2007. A real fighter, Splodge (who was about 11 years old) bounced back to life with little sign of him ever having a stroke, apart from his little tongue that would hang at the side of his mouth!. Splodge was back to normal and enjoying life as part of my family. He would sleep literally on top of me each night as if he were the boss of the house and was "on guard"...well he did use to sort my daft dog out now and again. Sadly though Splodge suffered his second stroke in February of this year and needed to be put on permanent medication. For the majority of the time he was okay with this but as he began to lose weight he went for another check-up. x-rays, blood tests were explained to me that he needed more medication. He would need liquid paraffin as well, as he had a tendency of becoming impacted. Over these past 4 days though Splodge had begun refusing food and administering his medication was getting even harder. He was crying to me as if he was saying "please no more" and the medication was vital. I took him to our vet on Monday 13th April and explained to him all of his symptoms. Splodge was impacted again (even though he had been having the paraffin) and the vet explained that sedating him could be very risky with the damage the stroke had put on his heart. He was also having problems with his bladder. The vet and myself came to our decision- together. Not an easy one to make for anybody, but he agreed with me that in the past we had said that Splodge would have quality of life and not quantity and that this was the right time to let him go rather than see him suffer and struggle in the forthcoming days or weeks. Splodge was put to sleep at 10.15 13th April 2009. He will have a private cremation and his ashes will be buried alongside our mascot cat, Barney.

May he rest in peace and be remembered fondly. x x x x x x x

His space on my radiator cover in our lounge is empty as is a part of my heart. Loving you always "Splodgey Wadge" x x x x Faye x x x x

Our Sad Loss

It is sad news today I am afraid. As many of you who have visited the rescue will know that we not only have cats, but along the way we have rescued rabbits, ducks and goats. On Friday 3rd April one of our white Sister goats passed away. The two of them came to us in March 2001 when they were about a year old. Sparkle and the late Crystal were brought to us in a fairly poor condition and they were not used to having so much space. Throughout their first few months we had them tethered out during the day so that they would learn where their new home was and then at night we bedded them in the stables. Gradually we got together enough money to buy sheds for them to live out in the field so that we could admire them all day and they could live as normal a life as possible. We then took on a Pygmy goat we called Twinkle or Twinky as she is better known as. Even though she was the smaller of the 3 she is definitely the boss. Giving volunteers the runaround when it was time for their hooves to be trimmed! Crystal however during this past week had started to lose weight and was not as active as the other two. We sought veterinary help but even with this and the care of the volunteers, Crystal sadly died. It is upsetting to see such a big character pass away and we are making sure that the other two are adapting to their loss.

R.I.P. Crystal, you'll not be forgotten.

Faye, Deputy Rescue Manager.