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.  

Tuesday 2 January 2018

Santa Paws Appeal 2017

We hope you’ve had a fantastic Christmas and we wish you and your feline friends all a Happy New Year!

We would like to thank everybody who donated gifts for our Santa Paws Appeal 2017, which was a huge success! Each of our 120 cats and kittens at the centre during the holidays had a gift to open on Christmas Day. Few extra presents were given out too; many of these were blankets so our cats were extra snug in their beds. We would also like to thank Beryl for donating Turkeys for our cats Christmas dinners, which they all enjoyed. We thought we’d share some of the photos we had taken on Christmas morning and there’s a video link too….
Our gifts under the tree...
 

Blackie

Jasmine Rose

 
Taz
 
Tilly
 
Garlic
 
Crunchie and Tinker
 
 
For more information about our adoption centre please visit our website at www.axhayes.cats.org.uk. You can follow us on our Facebook @cpexeteraxhayes, Twitter and Instagram