Thursday 28 June 2018

Norman's success story and FIV cats


We currently have five gorgeous FIV positive cats looking for indoor homes. Our boys Lucius, Barney, King, Tony and Socks are hoping they will find loving forever indoor homes of their own. At Cats Protection Exeter Axhayes we home our FIV cats as indoor only cats. The virus over time (may take months or years) will cause the cat to have a weakened immune system and become more susceptible to disease and illness. By keeping them as indoor cats with no other non-FIV cats they can be protected from disease. It can also stop the spread of FIV virus to other cats. Indoor cats are safe from road traffic accidents and other outdoor dangers but they will require lots of interaction and stimulation to ensure they’re hunting behaviours are met.   

Norman in our care April 2017


We thought we’d share our FIV boy Norman’s story to help promote FIV homes. A few weeks ago we received a lovely email from Norman’s owner. Norman arrived back in April 2017 after his owner could no longer afford to keep after a change in circumstances. He was described is very affectionate and loves to curl up on your lap. During routine blood tests at our vets his results came back as being positive for FIV, so he needed to find an indoor home. He was adopted at the start of June 2017, a year later his owner has spent some lovely photos and an update on Norman’s new indoor life with him.....

Happy at home



His owner said “This coming Friday, it will be one year since Norman brought light back into my life – following the passing of the late Wiggy. Although still a little nervous of strangers or sudden movements, Norman has settled into his forever home very well. I cannot imagine life without him and worship him totally.”
Norman's new Catio
“We built him a Catio to help celebrate his Birthday and to give him some secure outdoor space, which he loves very much. We would both thank everyone at Axhayes for everything you do and bringing us together”. As you can see - Norman can enjoy the summer weather out in his new Catio.

Outside in his secure Catio


Sunbathing
 
 

We would like to thank Norman’s owner for contacting us and allowing us to share his story on our social media. We hope his story will inspire anybody who was thinking about offering an indoor home for any of our wonderful FIV cats. Interested in adopting any of our cats?? Please visit our website at www.axhayes.cats.org.uk

For more news about Exeter Axhayes Adoption Centre or Taunton Homing & Info Centre and the cats we have available for adoption, you can follow us on our Facebook @cpexeteraxhayes, Twitter and Instagram.

Wednesday 9 May 2018

Sheldon's story



Chilling on the sofa


Dear rescuers

I wanted to write and let you know how I am settling into my new home.  When my new guardians took me there I was very traumatized and scared. I was not motivated with food or anything.  They were very patient with me, left me alone to eat and did not pester me. They gave me a lovely soft igloo bed in an open cupboard where I felt safe.  They kept coming over and stroking me, bought me a brush and cat wet wipes to clean me as I just didn’t feel up to cleaning myself and I was a bit of a state after being in Birmingham for so long.

A week later and I was happy to sit on Erin’s bed and be stroked but liked to stay in my bed while they did this.  I never hissed at them as I knew they were kind but I was still very scared.


Feeling safe in my bed


By week two, I had progressed to coming out of my bed for Erin when she fed me and was purring.  There were quite a few other family members that came in and out of the house but they were all kind and patient with me. I didn’t like to move much but was becoming more confident every day.

Three weeks later and my guardian Erin has just had her birthday and her mum bought her a cat tree for me !!! I am now happy to be downstairs in the lounge during the day.  They have put my tree by the French doors so I can look outside when they are not home.  I am still not keen to be picked up and do not move around much but the hammock on the first floor of the cat tree is my favourite place where I now clean myself for hours. 



This cat tree is cosy
Great view of the garden from here
                                                 







I also found myself playing with the fishing rod toy yesterday that they were tempting me to chase.  My favourite food is chicken flavour and they give me cat milk so I can put on a bit of weight.  I am still very skinny but I am now very motivated by food.



Relaxing after playing


It has taken Erin three weeks to decide on a new name for me and she has finally decided on NACHO although her grandmother keeps getting confused and calls me Dorito!  Anyway, I just wanted to thank you for rescuing me from the streets and bringing me down to Devon as I have given one young lady so much joy and she loves me as much as I will love her in return.

Much love Nacho (Sheldon) XXXXxxx




Sweet dreams 

Monday 16 April 2018

Tabby Tom Appeal


Last month we launched our Tabby Tom Appeal – we thought we’d share Tom’s story and recovery all thanks to the generosity of our supporters.

Tom is a handsome long-haired tabby and white boy who came into our care after he was found starving and living on the streets of Birmingham. He was too hungry he resorted to eating the bread put out of the birds. Our adoption centre has been helping a local cat charity in Birmingham so Tom came down to Exeter to start a new life. During his routine veterinary examination, our vet discovered that Tom had a very badly infected ear and will need a life-saving surgical TECA operation (Total Ear Canal Ablation) which will cost £700. Following the operation Tom should be able to live a normal life, albeit deaf in one ear. Our deputy manager Phil launched the Tabby Tom Appeal on our JustGiving page in the hope we would raise the money for his treatment.


Tom before his operation


Everyone has been fantastic! We smashed our target within 24 hours. In total we managed to raise £778.50, we would like to thank everybody who donated towards his treatment. On March 27th Tom went to our Veterinary Hospital for the surgical operation on his ear. His operation was very successful and he spent a few days recovering at the Veterinary Hospital. By the 7th March he came back to Axhayes to continue his recovery. He still needs lubricant eye drops in his eye regularly as part of post-op. He is wearing a buster collar to stop him from scratching his ear and his stitches. He is enjoying lots of attention and tummy tickles from our CCAs who are caring for him.

1 week after his op

Two weeks later....lounging around in his bed

We will keep you all posted on his progress over the coming weeks and when he is available for rehoming. Again, we would like to say THANK YOU to everyone who donated to Tom’s operation. For more news about Exeter Axhayes Adoption Centre or Taunton Homing & Info Centre and the cats we have available for adoption, you can follow us on our Facebook @cpexeteraxhayes, Twitter and Instagram.

Wednesday 11 April 2018

Snuggles story

One of the most lovely parts of our job is hearing how cats affect our lives.

We recently received a lovely email from Mandy about a cat that was adopted from our centre 20 years ago.

This is the wonderful story of Snuggles....



On 19/9/1998 my life changed forever. My sister bought a kitten from you for myself and my son to join our family. My sister was his registered keeper, but I was his human mummy. He was a little ginger kitten 8 weeks old, his fur mummy and siblings were shades of black and black and white. You had called him Knave.



Snuggles with Mandy's Son


My son chose him because he walked in the opposite direction to the rest of his family. There began the most amazing, pure love relationship I have ever had in my life. We renamed him Snuggles, Snuggles Frankie Sox was his full name. He was called Snuggles because my son thought he was snuggly. Snuggles had an amazing life, he was free to come and go and had many cat adventures. He was a hunter and and adventurer and a bit of a reputation as a fighter in the neighbourhood too. He was so intelligent, and love to play games, hide and seek was his favourite, he would hide and wait to be found, and then I would hide and he would come and find me. Snuggles chose where he slept and this was by my side under the duvet with his head on the pillow.





                        
Snuggles developed diabetes at the age of 16 years, and then had to have insulin injections twice a day.  I learnt how to do this myself and to test his blood sugar levels, it was terrifying and didn't seem right to stick needles in him at first. Snuggles was so patient and tolerant and gave me the courage and confidence to maintain this for three years. Sadly Snuggles also developed kidney problems and arthritis. From then on Snuggles led a more sedate life, he had access to the garden which was then fenced off to stop him escaping, although he sometimes he still managed to scale the 6ft gate, to attempt escape. 


Snuggles relaxing in the garden

Sadly Snuggles' health deteriorated, and I had to make the hardest decision of my life. Snuggles passed away peacefully in my arms at home with the help of the vet on 5/3/18.

A light went out of my life that day, Snuggles was my best friend, and my soul mate.
I feel truly blessed and honoured to have been his human mummy for the best part of 20 years, and for that I will always be grateful.


 

So thank you from the bottom of my heart, for giving me Snuggles.


If you have a story that you would like to share with us and our Facebook readers, please email us at : exeteraxhayes@cats.org.uk and mark it for the attention of Di or Gemma ( Facebook editors)

Thursday 5 April 2018

The Scratching Post - Axhayes' newest place to be...


We hope you all had a fantastic Easter weekend! During the Easter weekend was our annual Easter Coffee Morning hosted by our Friends of Exeter Axhayes Group. The weather was thankfully dry on the day after week of rain and the threat of the snow returning. It also saw the official opening of our new tearoom – named The Scratching Post. All of this has been possible thanks to your generosity and supporting our events here at the centre. Thanks to the money we have raised over the years, we have been able to buy and set up our own tearoom on site for our future events.   
Just after it was built beginning of March

On our Facebook page we launched a competition to allow our followers to come up with names for our shiny new tearoom. The Scratching Post was chosen by popular vote by our staff members and Friends of Group. The lucky three winners came out for some free cake and goodie bags for them and their cats. We would like to thank everybody who helped get our tearoom up and running for our Coffee Morning we were worried we wouldn’t be able to use it in time. Special thanks to our volunteer Dawn for helping Mark (A/C manager) with painting the exterior when we had some sunshine. Thanks to Jan our new greenfingers volunteer for potting some lovely flowers around the grounds in time for Saturday. Thank you to our Friends of Group volunteer Libby for decorating the interior with lots of Easter bunting and tablecloths. Looked fantastic!

Looking great after few coats of paint

Decorated interior - lots of pretty bunting

Our fabulous homemade Easter cakes

The Scratching Post needs some more work on the interior in the coming weeks and we will share with you in the coming weeks on Facebook. Our Easter Coffee Morning was a huge success and very busy! We managed to raise in total £267 which is fantastic! Thank you to everybody who came out and supported us. All of the money will go towards helping cats and kittens here at the centre.

For more news about Exeter Axhayes Adoption Centre or Taunton Homing & Info Centre and the cats we have available for adoption, you can follow us on our Facebook @cpexeteraxhayes, Twitter and Instagram.

Thursday 8 February 2018

Cats at play

Playing with your cat is a great way to bond and have fun in the process. It's also important for their wellbeing and health as well as being key to a kitten's development.

Here at Exeter Axhayes Adoption Centre we keep our cats and kittens active with a variety of toys, scratching posts, puzzle feeders and cardboard boxes. All of our toys have been donated during Christmas Holidays (Santa Paws Appeal), from our Amazon wishlist, our VIP vouchers from Pets at Home, some are handmade by our supporters or donated in general. We would like to thank our kind supporters for our cat toys. These toys make cattery life a little easier for our cats. Our toys provide them with exercise, mental stimulation and help our cats and kittens bond with our CCAs and volunteers. Playing with these toys is also very important for our centre-born kittens development too. Here's some information about why playing is so important for cats and kittens....   



Why cats play
Cats that can freely go outdoors will often engage in hunting activity or will play with fallen leaves or grass blowing in the wind if there is no access to prey. The drive to hunt is not because they are hungry, but because hunting activity – the stalk, pounce, play and kill – releases feel-good hormones called endorphins. It's important that your cat is given lots of opportunity to play to keep them mentally stimulated.



Play is very important for cats, particularly kittens, as it teaches them the skills needed for life and lessons about the world around them. Play is a great way for a cat to use up some of their energy, keep fit and healthy and keep their brain alert and active. The best games encourage cats to stalk, pounce, chase and bat objects with a paw in a safe way.

Toys
Toys don’t have to be expensive as even a cardboard box with holes cut into it provides a fun hiding place. A ball of tin foil can make a perfectly adequate toy, as long as the cat can’t swallow it.
Play is more fun if you get involved too – you could use fishing rod toys with feathers on a string to mimic their prey. Allow them to catch and ‘kill’ the toy periodically will stop them getting frustrated. Cats like to win!


Older cats will love playing three or four times a day, while younger cats will be happy to play ten times a day or more.

Very short games of one to two minutes are fine. Swap toys around regularly to keep them interesting, but don’t leave your cat on their own with toys which could be shredded and eaten or ones that they can get tangled in. Check toys regularly for signs of wear, replacing them when needed.


Indoor cats need more entertainment than outdoor cats, so make dinner time more of a challenge by feeding cat biscuits through a puzzle feeder or a plastic drinks bottle, with biscuit sized holes cut into it. The cat will learn that batting the bottle releases a biscuit. It also means that he will take his time eating his food!
Cats love to climb and hide so getting a cat activity centre is a good idea, but a cheaper option is to give your cat some cardboard boxes to play in. Some cats go mad for the herb catnip. You can buy toys stuffed with dried catnip – give one to your cat and see what he does!

If you would like to donate a cat toy for any of our cats here at Exeter Axhayes Adoption Centre please visit our Amazon wishlist https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/registry/wishlist/2OAP2GCUQHOYK we appreciate any gifts we receive. Thank you for our support and generosity.

For more information about our adoption centre please visit www.axhayes.cats.org.uk. You can follow us on Facebook @cpexeteraxhayes, Twitter and Instagram.

Tuesday 30 January 2018

April update


You may remember our 15 year old lady April who came to us in December 2017. She was found in a bit of a state in a local skip hire yard. She was very thin, hungry and covered in dirt or arrival. She was microchipped, but sadly her owner had passed away. We managed to get in contact with her next of kin who was unable to take her and was happy for us to find her another home. A month later she was feeling much better and she'd put on weight, she was available for adoption at our Exeter Axhayes Adoption Centre.

April in our Taunton HIC


Sadly she hasn’t had much luck finding her forever home yet. Many of the cats around her were getting snapped up. To give her a change of scenery so she doesn’t get too fed up, she has travelled up to our Taunton Homing & Information centre. She is hoping she’ll have better luck finding a new home up there. She has already made herself very comfortable in her new pen and enjoying any attention from any visitors to come along to see her. We are keeping our fingers crossed it’ll be her turn to find a home very soon.

April is now at our Taunton Homing & Information centre. If you would like to meet her you can find us at Blackdown Garden Centre, West Buckland, Wellington, Nr Taunton, Somerset, TA21 9HY. Telephone - 01823 667945.Our Taunton cats will feature on our new website http://www.cats.org.uk/taunton-centre 

Sunday 28 January 2018

Success Story - Jean

 
Jean came into our centre back in May 2017. She had spent life outdoors, but she saw that life with humans was something she wanted. She had spent many months with us, due to being quite shy in her pen and staying under her hide. Many cats around were more confident cats in our homing corridor were up at the pen doors meowing or jump out of their beds to greet passers-by. Jean was a sweet cat once she got to know you and earned her trust. She just needed that special someone to give her a chance and help her settle into her new home.  

Jean at Axhayes Adoption Centre in May 2017
 A day in September turned out to be Jean’s lucky day. One of our visitors to our centre saw her and wanted to give her a chance. We are hoping her story will inspire anybody who wants to give a shy/timid cat a forever home. Her owner has been keeping us updated regularly with Jean’s (now renamed Luna) progress. Her owner has spent us a wonderful email, we would like to share with you….



She said “I adopted Luna back in September 2017. It has been a long but rewarding journey getting to know her and getting her to feel safe and confident in her new home. It is only in the last week that she has ventured downstairs with people about four and a half months after her arrival. She spent the first month hiding away. I put her food close so she could easily access it and talked to her regularly for short periods."





"She eventually came out and sat on the windowsill. I could see that she desperately wanted to be petted but was just too nervous. The first time she let me stroke her was about six weeks after she had been here. I bought lots of toys to try and draw her out to no avail. In desperation I tried a scrunched up post it note and it worked! She loved it! It was amazing to see her playing for the first time.
 

This last week has been amazing, she has come down and jumped on the couch, come into the kitchen and followed me down in the morning for her breakfast. She is now also jumping up on the bed and sleeps beside me. We still have a ways to go, but each new step forward is another step to getting this lovely little lady to be the happy cat she deserves to be.
With some cats you never know what has happened to them in the past or what trauma has befallen them. They just need a bit of extra time, love and patience. Please don’t overlook the shy, timid or nervous ones. They too can be wonderful pets and companions. Thank you.”
Luna (was Jean) ventured downstairs

We would like to say thank you to Jean (now Luna’s) owner for sharing your story with us and giving Jean a chance. We have loved receiving her regular updates on Luna’s progress during the past few months. If you've adopted any of our cats or kittens from Exeter Axhayes Adoption Centre or Taunton Homing & Info Centre, tell us how they are settling in to their new homes or how they are doing. Share your photos on our Facebook @cpexeteraxhayes, Twitter and Instagram. You can email us at exeteraxhayes@cats.org.uk, we love to see how our ex-CP cats are getting on, thank you.

Wednesday 24 January 2018

Success Story - Conker


You may remember our little black kitten Conker. He came to our Exeter Axhayes Adoption Centre back in October after he was found a member of the public rummaging through bins. He was desperately hungry, very dehydrated and was suffering from flu.  Our CCAs gave him lots of small meals to help build up his strength and re-hydration fluid to get him hydrated once again. Our vet gave him medication to treat his eyes and sniffles. A month later he was well and ready to find a new home.

Conker a week at Exeter Axhayes after he arrived


His new owner came in to our centre to meet him; he was quite shy and timid in his pen. He was brave enough to play pass the ball with her. She went away to think about it and speak to her daughter. Her daughter fell in love with him as soon she saw his photo. They contacted us straight away, the next day Conker was adopted and left Axhayes to start his new life. Conker has been with in his new home for two months now, his owner said “He took a couple of days to settle in and now we couldn’t imagine live without him. He is a cheeky and mischievous healthy boy who still plays passing the ball and loves playing with the conkers I have around my home”. We would like to thank Conker’s new owner for contacting us and sharing your story with us. We’re all so pleased Conker has settled in so well. Here are a few photos of him…   

Conker helping out in the office


Playing hide and seek
 
Conker is on the left with his new feline friend

If you've adopted any of our cats or kittens from Exeter Axhayes Adoption Centre or Taunton Homing & Info Centre, tell us how they are settling in to their new homes or how they are doing. Share your photos on our Facebook @cpexeteraxhayes, Twitter and Instagram. You can email us at exeteraxhayes@cats.org.uk We love hearing about our Ex-CP cats and kittens, thank you.

Thursday 18 January 2018

Help! My cat's gone missing!


Sadly, this is an all too frequent plea for assistance that we receive via our Helpline, social media sites and via our branches. Here is some advice about what to do….

Not all cats are house cats and it’s no surprise if your feline friend comes and goes as it pleases. However, if your return home greets you with little more than an untouched food bowl, you might be feeling helpless about what to do next. Don’t panic! Instead, read our guide on what to do if your cat goes missing.

All is not lost

Before you put a plan together, it is important you try not to worry. Even cats with a regular routine can disappear for days at a time and return later with no hassle. If you do find yourself in a situation where your cat is missing, it’s time to make an action plan.

1) Search first

It might seem obvious but it is important that the first thing you do is check around your home and garden. There’s every chance your cat might be hiding in the unlikeliest of places, from cosy cupboards to garden sheds. Shady places are favoured by felines when the weather gets warm, so check your garages and outbuildings if you have them.

2) Speak to your neighbours

The next step should be to ensure your neighbours are aware. Ask them to check their property, sheds and garages as well as keeping a look out. Talk to anyone who might have seen your cat recently; the postman, newspaper delivery people and your local vet are all worth speaking to.

3) Pick up the phone

Keeping a list of phone numbers pinned to a board or attached to your fridge in the event of your cat going missing is always a good idea. Keep the following details close at hand.

Speak to your local Cats Protection branch. To search for your local branch, visit www.cats.org.uk/find-us and enter your postcode

If your cat is microchipped, talk to Petlog on 0844 4633 999 so they can register your cat missing and also to check any ‘found cat’ reports in your area – lines are open 365 days a year 24/7

Register the details of your cat at www.animalsearch.co.uk

Get in touch with any other local animal rescue organisations in your area. Try www.catchat.org to find your local shelters

Call all local vet practices in your area

Speak to your local council’s Environmental Health Department. They’re likely to keep a record of cats found killed on the roads and although not an easy call to make, it is worth giving them a call to rule this out

 
4) Advertise

If you’re able to, make some flyers up to place around your area. Make sure to include a good description of your cat, the gender, age, colour, colour of the cat’s eyes, breed and any distinguishing features they may have. A photo is a big help.

A contact telephone is necessary but for your safety, it’s wise not to give your address. Take your flyers to local shops, vets and local notice boards.

5) Get online

Social media sites are packed with great resources to help track down your cat, as well as providing an opportunity to advertise your lost pet. Animal Search UK and CatAware have their own Facebook pages and with permission, you may also be able to post on the pages of local animal charities. If you have your own Facebook and Twitter accounts, it is worth posting up a picture of your cat and asking your friends to share or retweet; you’re likely to reach a larger number of people this way.

6) Tips and tricks

Hopefully by this time, your cat will have sauntered back in as if nothing has happened. If you’re still without your pet, it’s time to intensify your search with our handy tips and tricks.

If your cat has a favourite toy, try leaving it in your garden

Cats have a strong sense of smell so if there is a regular blanket or bedding that it usually sleeps on; leave it out in a dry spot to entice it out of hiding

Cats are generally more active at night, especially during hotter weather. Go out with a friend or family member when it is dark and call for your cat by name

Leave a bowl of water out and some food. Although you may find it attracts other animals, it is still well worth putting your cat’s favourite dish out to entice it out of its hiding place, perhaps with a tasty treat such as tuna


7) Keep your cat safe

Hopefully your cat will soon be home and safe but you can help to ensure this doesn’t happen again by following a few steps.

Keep your cat in at night. Even if your cat is particularly restless before bedtime, a little bit of exercise through playing will soon help them settle in for the night

Make sure your cat is microchipped and the information is kept up-to-date. Cats Protection believes all owned cats, even indoor ones, should be identified in order to trace their owner should they become lost or injured. The preferred method is to microchip as it is both permanent and safe

If you choose to fit a collar with your contact details attached, Cats Protection advises the use of a quickrelease or snap-opening collar in preference to an elasticated one. Always follow safety precautions when using cat collars; it must be fitted correctly and two fingers should fit snuggly underneath it when your cat is wearing it to prevent injury

Oscar reunited with his owners after 2 years

8) Don’t give up

Above all, it is important not to give up hope. We hear many tales of cats being found and reunited with their owners, sometimes years after they have gone missing. If you need more advice, contact our Helpline on 03000 12 12 12 or email
helpline@cats.org.uk (SOURCE: The Cat Magazine)

Saturday 6 January 2018

April's Story


At the beginning of December we received a phone call from the local skip hire yard about a poorly looking cat hanging around the skips looking for food. CCA Jackie went out and collected her and brought her into our care. On arrival as you can see from our photos she was in quite a state, her fur was full of dust and her feet were caked in muck too. She was bald around her neck where she was probably wearing a collar for many years. She would have had an owner at some point. She was very thin and hungry; she had probably been outside fending for herself for quite some time. It was lucky she came in before the weather really turned colder.
 
April on arrival
 
April on arrival
 
We cleaned her up, gave her a good groom and cleaned as much of the muck off her paws as possible. We scanned her for a microchip, she had a microchip. We found out her name was April and she was 15 years old. We tried to contact her owner with no luck, after a couple of days it turned out her owner had sadly passed away and his son was happy for us to find her a new home if nobody else came forward for her.

April after a groom and clean up

During the past month we’ve built up April’s weight with regular meals. Her fur is becoming shiny and clean once again. Her eyes are clean and bright too. She enjoyed her warm comfortable bed and all the attention she wanted. She was checked over by our vet, had all of her vaccinations and had blood tests etc. Her blood test results showed due to her old age, she has a renal condition, which can be managed with a special diet. We’re hoping this will not put any potential adopters off her.
 
April now feeling much better in her new bed she got for Christmas
 
She is the sweetest little cat; she’s gentle natured and loves attention. She will the best companion for somebody, all she wants is a quiet retirement home with someone who will love her forever. She is now available for rehoming. If you live in the Exeter, Devon, UK area, please get in touch with us www.axhayes.cats.org.uk. Thank you.