Warning
In this cold weather please can we remind everyone to be aware of the dangers of antifreeze, which is highly toxic to cats. With all these burst pipes about, its worth checking your car radiator is not leaking antifreeze where a cat may lap it up. S4C Television Programme This week we had a camera crew from S4C, who were making an item for their programme Wedi Tri, which is on weekdays at 3.00 pm. We will let you know what date it will be shown, as soon as we hear. Bertie was his usual self, posing for the camera, and getting in on all the best shots.
Apology
We would like to apologise for the details on the sponsor page being out of date. Some of these cats have been given loving homes, for which we are very grateful. Some of them, have very sadly died. Unfortunately, we are not able to update this page, so cannot change the details. So if you have given a home to one of these cats, and they are still on the sponsor page, we do apologise.
Funding
Please remember that you can raise money for us at the Easy Fundraising website. By registering that you are support us (look for "Old Cat People") you can raise money for us with everything you buy online. It costs you nothing, and helps us enormously. Just click on the banner above.
So far you have raised £98.35 We have 10 members registered. Thank you so much. How long before we reach £100?
March 2010 easyfundraising Competition - WIN! £150 To Spend With Clarks
This March easyfundraising are offering you the chance to win a fantastic £150 to spend with high street shoe retailer Clarks.
Every time you shop online with easyfundraising between 1st and 31st March, you'll be entered into a free prize draw to win this great prize.
How Do I Enter?
1 x entry into the draw when make a purchase through the easyfundraising site until March 31st 2009. Make 20 purchases and you'll get 20 entries into the draw! It’s as simple as that!
2 x entries when you make any purchase from Clarks.
1 x entry when you refer a friend to easyfundraising. You'll get one extra entry for every friend you tell! Log in to www.easyfundraising.org.uk/oldcat and visit the Refer a Friend page for more details.
1 x entry when you register with easyfundraising to help support us. Sign up right now at www.easyfundraising.org.uk/oldcat and you'll receive one entry into the draw. Remember Your Cat in Your Will
We have many requests for help when an owner dies and the cat is left. Sometimes neighbours and friends step in. Sometimes the cats are just left to fend for themselves. Sadly, it can often be days before anyone even realises there is a cat there. We've even had cases where cats were left locked in the house and a neighbour eventually realised they were there and had to break in to get them some food and water.
More people are avoiding all of this by simply making provision in their will for their cat, should something happen to them. You can arrange for a relative to look after the cat, or you can name a rescue organisation and leave instructions for the cats care. In all cases, the kindest thing would be to make sure there is some money left to help the carer provide all that your cat needs. But whatever you choose, it is best to get it down in writing, so everyone knows what will happen.
Some people carry a card in their purse saying there is an animal at home, with a contact number of a friend or relative who is willing to see to the cat. This ensures that if they are taken ill whilst out and about, someone will ring the friend, and the cat will be cared for.
Just a bit of time and thought now, can avoid a lot of suffering for your cat later on.
Holiday Time We have a site for a small number of caravans or tents. This is a very peaceful spot, ideal for a quiet holiday. If you would like to know more, please do ring us on 01691 830539, or see the website www.thegoodlifecaravansite.com. This can give you a chance to spend more time with the cats, or just come for a holiday. We'd love to see you. Taking bookings now for 2010.
Courses
We have courses running here at Argae Cottage in conjunction with New Modalities. Pathways to Inner Calm, and Redesign Your Life. Check out the website www.newmodalities.co.uk and look at the one day courses section.
Sponsorship
Got some great news guys. You may have noticed the short videos that we've been making, using the Animoto website. Well, the wonderful people at Animoto have given us a free pro account, which means we can now make longer slideshows. If you have any photos of cats you have homed through us, send us your pics, and we'll make a slideshow out of them. You can have a look at Animoto at www.animoto.com.
FIV
We are alarmed to hear that more and more cat rescues
and similar organisations including some veterinary
practices seem to be using the FIV test as an excuse to
euthanase stray cats. WE DO NOT CONDONE THIS!. Usually
we will take in the cats as they are, neuter them if
necessary and isolate them if appropriate to assess them
for behaviour and illness. If your cat or a stray cat is
ever tested positive for FIV, please do not be instantly
persuaded to put the cat to sleep unless the cat is
obviously suffering.
Don't take our word for it...go to the website of the
"original
cat action trust" where Maureen Hutchinson
BSc BVMS MRCVS Cert Companion Animal Behaviour
Counselling has written a very informative article about
FIV. She has kindly given us permission to link to her
article which we will hope will help you make an
informed and balanced decision at what is a very
difficult time. Homeopathy may also be able to help with
both FIV and other feline diseases.
SHOP now OPEN!
We now have a little shop - the
CAT CABIN on site where you can pick up a bargain -
books, bric-a-brac, ornaments and other quality items at
fantastic prices! Plus we are always available to talk
about our cats.
Please
ring to make sure we are in before you make a special
journey - we would hate to miss you.
Did you know that… Neutering your cat
is the ‘right’ and
responsible thing to do.
There are organisations
who are willing to
provide financial
assistance in meeting
some / all of the cost
of getting your cat
neutered (Contact Mark /
Stella for further
information). Neutering
a cat will cost you
around £30-£50. This is
a tiny fraction of the
cost of caring for a
pregnant cat and her
many litters. It is also
much less than the vet
bills you could face if
your un-neutered cat
contracts one of the
many diseases entire
cats are at risk from.
If you haven’t got pet
insurance for your cat
and are ever landed with
a vet’s bill at a time
when you can least
afford it, the vast
majority of vets will
let you pay in
instalments.
Girl cats can have three
litters a year
(typically 3 -7 kittens
per litter); resulting
in weakness, thinness
and often ill-health. In
her lifetime, a single
female cat and her
offspring can be
responsible for around
50 million kittens.
This may seem like a
ridiculously high number
but consider the facts:
a cat can breed from
about 4 months of age, a
female cat can have 4
litters a year, a single
litter usually contains
up to 7 kittens, when
each of those kittens is
4 months it too can
breed etc.
The figure for tom cats
is impossible to
estimate because there
are no limits as to the
number of females a
single tom can
impregnate.
If you're
thinking of getting a
cat or kitten then go to
an animal rescue, (we
are always happy to
help) and we will advise
you on all aspects of
caring for your pet. But
here are a few practical
thoughts:
From
birth to around 3 /4
weeks kittens get all
their dietary
requirements off ‘mum’;
so it is essential that
she gets the best of
everything – forget ‘eating
for two’
she’s ‘eating for
(typically)
three to
five’!!!!
From
about 3/4 weeks kittens
will need to have extra
food provided by their
human helpers. Kittens
have tiny tummies and
need to be fed ‘little
and often’ generally
around a teaspoon of
tinned kitten food /
cooked chicken (no skin
or bones) / cooked fish
twice a day in addition
to the milk provided by
mum puss.
By eight
weeks, they will need to
be fed 6 – 8 times per
day, typically consuming
around 200 grams of
kitten food per day in
addition to the milk
supply still being
provided by mum puss.
Kittens should also have
access to a shallow
container of fresh clean
water at all times.
At 10 /
12 weeks mum puss will
be becoming fed-up with
the demands her babies
are making on her for
milk and will start to
wean them. (At this time
she is also preparing to
come into season again
if not neutered).
Consequently the babies
will need 250 / 350
grams of kitten food per
day divided between 4
meals.
Follow
this advice, and behave
responsibly in terms of
regular worming,
neutering and
vaccination and you can
usually look forward to
the pleasures and
pressures of being owned
by your kitten for the
next 15 years!!!
reproduced by kind
permission of Oakwood
Veterinary Centre.
Contact: 01691 679699
Local Car Boot Sales
These are regular events and
more often than not we will have our stall. Come and get
some bargains - of course we always take good quality,
clean items to sell on either on our stall or in our
new shop - The Cat Cabin at Argae Cottage.
