July has been another incredibly busy month at Cats in Distress. Kitten season is well and truly upon us, our foster homes are full, and we’ve continued helping cats of all ages find the loving homes they deserve. Thank you to everyone who has supported us through donations, volunteering, sharing our posts and adopting – we simply couldn’t do it without you.
The rescue has been busier than ever with kittens arriving almost daily, each needing safety, warmth and lots of care before they’re ready to find loving homes.
Here at Cats in Distress, the cats always come first – and if you know us, you wouldn’t expect anything less. Our latest arrivals have even taken over part of the office, with Amy Parratt happily giving up her desk after four tiny kittens were found abandoned at the side of the road by John Wood.
Were they dumped? We’ll never know. What matters is that they’re now safe.
When they arrived they were frightened, hungry and clearly hadn’t had the best start in life. Since then, they’ve settled into office life brilliantly, although it’s involved far more than eating, sleeping and playing. They’ve all been treated for fleas, received eye drops three times a day for conjunctivitis, and completed a five-day course of Panacur to help them on the road to recovery.
They may not realise it, but things could have ended very differently. Thankfully, they’re now warm, safe and thriving in our care.
July was another exceptionally busy month for our Working Cats Project, with six different locations requiring support.
In just one week alone, we received three new referrals involving mother cats and kittens. One particularly challenging case involved four mother cats caring for around 14 kittens of varying ages.
Our priority has been to prevent the cycle from continuing. During the month, six young “spicy” kittens were rescued into care, while two older kittens will be neutered before being safely relocated. The remaining kittens will also be neutered and relocated over the autumn before they have the opportunity to reproduce.
Throughout the summer, we’ve focused on neutering as many female cats as possible to prevent further litters. The male cats will be neutered during the cooler months, when breeding activity naturally slows and there is less risk of more kittens being born.
Every cat helped through the Working Cats Project is another step towards reducing the number of unwanted kittens and improving the welfare of community cats across our region.
We’re delighted to say we’ve now raised almost two-thirds of the funds needed for our future Isolation & Intensive Care Unit, bringing us another step closer to creating a dedicated space where sick, vulnerable and infectious cats can receive the specialist care they deserve.
This month, we were incredibly grateful to receive a generous legacy donation of £2,000 from the late Joan Bevan, who kindly chose to remember Cats in Distress in her will. Joan’s thoughtful gift will go directly towards our £15,000 ICU Appeal and will make a lasting difference to the cats we care for for many years to come.
Thank you to everyone who continues to support this project. Every donation, every fundraiser and every share helps bring us closer to making this much-needed facility a reality.
A huge thank you to everyone who has been supporting us in both the MyGivingCircle grant programme and the Benefact Group’s Movement for Good Awards. Every vote gives us the chance to secure vital funding to support our rescue work and help make our future ICU project a reality. If you haven’t already cast your vote, there’s still time to support us.
https://mygivingcircle.org/vote
We’re delighted that several of our cats and kittens found their forever homes during July.
The highlight of the month was undoubtedly Beau, our wonderful 12-year-old Birman, who had been waiting patiently for the right family. We were absolutely thrilled to see him finally chosen and heading off to his new home, proving that older cats really do deserve a second chance.
We also said goodbye to playful kittens Fi and Freya, while beautiful black cats Hetty and Darren found loving homes of their own. Black cats can often spend longer waiting for adoption, so seeing them begin their new lives is always extra special.
We wish them all a lifetime of happiness with their new families.
Not every cat is lucky enough to find a home quickly, and this month we’d like to shine a light on Milo.
Six-year-old Milo has come such a long way since arriving in our care as a nervous, anxious cat. While he still likes to take things at his own pace, his confidence grows every day and he’s becoming increasingly affectionate. He loves a fuss, enjoys chasing his feather teaser and has even started curling up on his foster mum’s lap and joining her on the bed.
Milo is looking for a calm, adult-only home where he can be the only pet, allowing him to continue building his confidence and enjoy all the attention for himself. With a little patience, he’ll reward his new family with a lifetime of love and companionship.
Could Milo be the one you’ve been waiting for?
Every cat that comes into our care has a story.
Some arrive as frightened strays, some are believed to be feral, some are abandoned, and others are simply lost souls who have never known security. No matter where they’ve come from, our job is the same – to give them the time, patience and care they need to feel safe again.
Meet Sophie and Pearl… two very different stories, but both showing just how resilient cats can be.
Sophie
We were contacted by Holly after she discovered a mum cat and her kittens hiding beneath a garden shed. Assuming Mum was feral, our Working Cats team stepped in to safely trap her, and Jenny took her to the vets to be neutered.
To everyone’s surprise, the vets felt Sophie was actually quite friendly. As we had a space available, she came into our care instead of being returned.
Understandably, Sophie was terrified. She spent her first two days perched high on a shelf, wanting nothing to do with anyone. But with patience, kindness and a quiet foster home, she’s slowly realised people can be trusted.
Just ten days later, she’s transformed from a frightened little soul into a cat beginning to enjoy the comforts of home life.
Pearl
Pearl was brought to us by Cats Protection Glastonbury after being found completely alone on wasteland, with no sign of her mum or siblings.
She wasn’t feral, just incredibly scared. She would quietly hide away, watching everything around her. She had no idea how to play and, although she’d gently purr when cuddled, she was happiest once she was put back down into the safety of her hiding place.
As she arrived on her own, we introduced her to two kittens of a similar age. At first she simply didn’t know how to respond to them.
Slowly, things began to change. Within a week she was venturing out, exploring her surroundings and watching the other two kittens causing chaos. Now she’s started playing herself, comes out confidently for meals and has even formed a lovely bond with Radley, often snuggling up beside him.
We don’t know where Pearl came from, but it’s clear she’s known people before. She just needed someone to show her that she was safe again.
These are the transformations that happen every single day at Cats in Distress. Sometimes all a cat needs is time, patience and someone willing to believe in them.
