RSPCA cattery team in Cheshire show true dedication

Feb 3 2011 by Rhiannon Cooke, Chester Chronicle

STAPELEY Grange is also home to a cattery which has 38 purpose-built pens - 24 of which can be viewed by visitors who are looking to adopt a cat or kitten.

The other 14 are reserved for injured and sick animals.

In 2010, 294 cats and kittens were rehomed, with a further 18 being reunited with their owners, a major benefit of having your pets micro-chipped.

A further 22 feral cats were also caught, neutered and returned to the wild to ensure that the local feral population is controlled to some degree.

In December alone, a team of 25 volunteers worked a total of 682 hours to ensure each animal is given regular human interaction and is fed twice a day.

Heather Hogan, 61, lives in Nantwich and has been volunteering at the cattery for 10 years. She said: “I first came to the cattery because my daughter adopted a cat from here.

“I’ve always liked cats and I now tend to work with those who are very timid and need to get their confidence back.

“I adopted a cat which was brought into the centre with seven broken ribs. Most of the cats that we see haven’t had the best start in life and to see them looking healthy again and happy is wonderful.

“Volunteering is extremely rewarding and I always look forward to coming to the centre. It’s fantastic to see a cat or kitten paired up with their new owners.”

Although finding a ‘forever home’ is the main priority at the cattery, many animals stay at the centre for many months.

Volunteer Carol Mottram, 61, said: “Cats need to have constant human contact so that they can be re-homed but you have to have patient and work at their pace and not force them.

“This can take a long time in some cases and other animals are often with us for a while as they may need ongoing treatment or have a disability of some sort.

“The staff and volunteers are very good at matching cats to their new owners and we always carry out home visits before we allow a cat to be adopted and we conduct post homing surveys to find out how they are doing in their new surroundings.”

Adoption fees at the cattery are £60 for a cat and £80 for a kitten.

The fees include neutering, a course of cat flu and enteritis vaccinations, worming and flea treatment and a complete vet check.

Similar treatment would cost over £160 at a veterinary practice.

To donate to either the cattery or wildlife centre, write to RSPCA Stapeley Grange, London Road, Nantwich CW5 7JW or call 0300 123 0722.