TWO XMAS

BAZAARS FOR 2009!!

AS ABOVE IN RIPON ON SATURDAY 28^TH NOVEMBER 2009 AT ALLHALLOWGATE METHODIST CHURCH HALL NEXT TO RIPON BUS STATION – 10AM TO 3PM. ALL WELCOME – PLEASE SUPPORT US!

Cat of the Edition

‘Tango’ – now ‘TUPPENCE’

Tango – renamed Tuppence April 2007

“I’m enclosing a photo of Tuppence which totally shows how relaxed he is!” writes Irene Helps of Tadcaster (pg. 2)

In this Issue Autumn ‘09 Page 1 Events/Cat of the Edition - Tuppence Page 2 Tuppence – Irene Helps/Ginger Cat – Anne Smith P Page 3 Tippex’s Diary - Hannah Beck Page 4-5 Fundraising news/Co-ordinator’s Report - Bette Pages 5 Xmas Bazaars/Treasurer’s Message - Patty Page 6-7 Homing Issues - stories/photos - Janet Page 8 Useful Contacts

FROM TANGO TO TUPPENCE

Branch member, Irene Helps, of Tadcaster wrote to say that she thought it was about time that she wrote the story about her cat, Tango (now called Tuppence), for Whispurrs: -

“I’ll start from the first day I picked him up from Hannah Beck in Harrogate on Sunday 22 April 2007. Tango, as he was known then, was having 5 weeks’ cage rest after a car accident left with injuries including a broken pelvis.

I was so excited that I couldn’t wait to get back from a 4-week holiday in Australia with family on my Dad’s side. I took Tango home and let him do what he wanted to do – which was to go straight upstairs and under my bed! No way could I get him downstairs. I went to bed and he went downstairs. I decided to leave him alone and let him come round when he was ready. At around 2am I heard him crying so I went downstairs and picked him up and took him up to bed. He has slept on my bed every night since then.

He has always been like a little lapdog really – always following me around, lying next to me when I am sat outside and always welcoming me home after a hard day’s work. He is also such a wonderful conversationalist!

A year last May, I noticed that he was taking a long time when he was outside relieving himself. A visit to the vet told me that he had cystitis. A couple of weeks later I noticed the same again and took him straight back to see the vet. It was more serious this time. II don’t know the name for it, but he was forming crystals in his wee and he was extremely ill for a few weeks. He had to have a catheter in for a week and he took that in his stride. Unfortunately during this time he wasn’t allowed upstairs and had to spend 2 weeks confined to the conservatory. When he had recovered, it was a race to see who could get onto the bed first! The problem could reoccur at any time so I am ever watchful of systems.

Tuppence isn’t the type of cat to sit on your knee and give you loves, but he has a great character and reminds me of Michael Barrymore when he says “Awight?” because he sounds just like that!

I moved in with my elderly parents in April this year and Tuppence settled in very quickly. In fact, he’s more at home here than at my old place.

I love him to pieces and can’t imagine being without him.”

Irene

GINGER CAT – Anne Smith

Branch member, Anne Smith, spoke to Patty and she said she wanted to thank you us for the help we gave her regarding the little ginger cat.   The vet was a very nice person, but said she could not save the little cat. Anne wrote as follows: -

“One Sunday evening in the summer just as we were going to bed, a lady and her daughter knocked on our door to say that a ginger cat had run in front of their car and they had knocked it down.   It had run into our garden.   Having two cats of our own, one from Cats Protection and feeding a little ginger stray, I feared the worst. It was the stray cat. 

I went out with torches looking, couldn't sleep, got up early searching, but all to no avail.  At 9am as I was going out to play golf, I found it lying in the rear garden hardly breathing.   I rang my friend to cancel golf and asked her to come round. We rang the RSPCA who gave us the telephone number of Oakbeck Veterinary Surgery, so we then telephoned Oakbeck , explained our predicament and a very kind female vet, Miss Blackburn, said, "Oh dear, bring the little sausage here!"   I was nearly in tears as I was so touched by her kindness.  

We gently lifted him into the basket and he was soon given painkillers.   Later I rang Janet from Cats Protection and she said Bette would telephone me which she did.   I was and remain so very grateful to Cats Protection as they were willing to help this little cat.  I said we would home him.   Unfortunately it was not to be as he was so badly injured he had to be put to sleep.   He was only two years old and that was very sad as he had not had a very good life until he came to visit us one day and we started feeding him.   We were extremely upset to think that he had somehow crawled back to our door as that was the
only place he knew he was fed at.”  

Perhaps Cats Protection would like o put this account into their Whispurrs magazine and also mention the fact that if
anyone finds an injured cat, do ring the RSPCA and they will give you a number which you tell the vet and it is necessary to pay £60 plus VAT to the vet for them attending to a stray cat. (This will subsequently be reimbursed.)  

Another important fact I learned from Cats Protection is how to lift an injured cat.   "Lift by the scruff of the neck and let it dangle, then you are in no danger of hurting it if you try to lift it bodily. Lower it gently into a basket.”

Anne sent this to Bette for Whispurrs for inclusion and also sent a kind donation to Patty to say ‘thank you’.

TIPPEX’S DIARY - Hannah Beck

October 2009

I seem to have been very busy recently trying to look after two baby kittens, who were poorly, at the same time as making friends with 4 frightened older kittens, and then reassuring an older kitten still who had been found in the street, and did not know what was happening. It has certainly kept me on my toes as I have had to offer friendship, fun and reassurance at the same time as being an almost full-time mother to the kittens. Hannah is really no good at washing kittens. She puts them in a bath of water, and then dries them – they don’t mind, but it’s

nowhere nearly as good as a good hard licking with my tongue.

It all started with 2 beautiful kittens – Jaffa and Pickle – very friendly (to me at least). They liked being stroked, they didn’t mind being picked up and they liked to play wildly with me in the back room. They did not really seem to see the point of being in a cage at all, and once they were out we could really have a good game. Jaffa was extremely handsome with his long ginger hair and I really quite fancied him! Their sisters came next and they were very frightened – so frightened, in fact, that they spent most of their time hiding under the beds and all you could see was two mounds in the cage. I tried talking to them when Hannah wasn’t near, but as soon as she came back in, they hid again. It was all a bit confusing. They were in the top cage, while Jaffa and Pickle were in the bottom cage, allowed to play out. Still, everyone was busy talking to everyone else, Hannah included.

Then Alan came round with 2 tiny kittens, and I could see that my work was going to be cut out looking after them. Their mother had apparently been run over and they were less than a week old. Suddenly everyone’s routine was altered. These kittens were being fed all the time with syringes first, and then bottles, and Hannah kept taking them to see the vet. The first night was particularly confusing. Usually Roxy is allowed to sleep in the bedroom next to Hannah’s side of the bed, and I sneak up at 4 o’clock in the morning and sleep on the middle of the bed when no-one is looking. I have to watch the kitchen clock to make sure that it is exactly 4 o’clock. (They always shut me in the kitchen when they go to bed, but between us Roxy and I can always open the door).

Anyway to get back to that first night : Hannah and John went to bed as usual, and then 2 hours later, Hannah was downstairs again feeding the 2 kittens with a syringe, in my kitchen, where she had left the kittens in front of the Aga. I helped as much as I could, washing the kittens as she fed them, and making sure that no milk was wasted on their chins. I let Hannah wash the other end. Then Hannah went back to bed. Well this was very disturbing, so I wandered round the house, wondering what to do, and found a window open at the top of the house - just a tiny amount. Well they don’t call me ‘Houdini’ for nothing. I always find tiny openings a challenge, so I squeezed through and found myself on the top of the house. It was quite fun up there for a bit, but then it got a bit boring. There was nowhere comfortable to lie down.

A couple of hours later, I could hear Hannah getting up again, and going downstairs, and I wasn’t there to help her. I couldn’t get back in the way I came out. It’s never as easy getting in as getting out. Then I heard her going all round the house. I think she was looking for me. She even went outside and started looking for me there, but I couldn’t think how to let her know where I was. Some 2 hours later, she was down again, dressed this time, and after feeding the kittens she really began looking for me. I was getting quite worried by now, but she didn’t look in the right place. Then she started going out, and when she talked to the man next door, I decided I had to shout at her. I absolutely screamed, and eventually she looked up and saw me on the roof of the house right at the end of the street. I couldn’t work out how to get back. I stuck my claws out, but they could not get a grip on the roof, and even when Hannah went back inside and opened the window wide, I kept sliding on the roof. I looked down and I was scared stiff – it was a very long way down! Eventually they opened the window in the top flat next door and when Hannah went into their flat, I knew it was safe to go in. I don’t recommend a night on the tiles (literally!) to anyone!

The routine with the kittens went on like this for some time, with Hannah getting up every two hours in the night, but after that first night I got used to it.

Hannah seemed to be worrying about Will and Win all the time. They were very poorly, and I had my work cut out just to keep them clean. Hannah kept on bathing them. I’m glad she doesn’t do that to me. Once they were eating food as well as bottles, she didn’t seem to mind them eating my food, but she wouldn’t let me eat the very tasty food she was putting down for them until they had finished. It didn’t seem really fair. They’re much bigger now, and it is hard work to hold them still to wash them, but I don’t let them get away with it.

Meanwhile, Jaffa and Pickle were still keen on playing, but not being very friendly to Hannah. I managed to persuade Pickle to come exploring with me one evening into the front room, while Hannah was too busy watching TV to notice that I had opened the door, but it upset Pickle when Hannah had to catch her to get her back, so it wasn’t really worth it. Branston and Marmite don’t hide any more, but they are still very nervy, and even though they like being stroked, Branston always hisses, and they keep their distance.

We now have a very nice cat staying with us called Turps, short for ‘Dick Turpin’ apparently, because she looks as though she is wearing a highwayman’s mask. She got lost and was found hiding under a car, but her owners haven’t claimed her yet. She is very friendly, but very hungry. When she first came, she howled all the time, but now she only shouts at meal times. I am looking forward to the time when she can come out and play too.

Well, back to work and that’s all for now!

Love, Tippex x x x

_____________________________________________

FUNDRAISING NEWS

CALCUTT GALA – SUNDAY 12^TH JULY 09 - £120 raised (profit)

ST PETER’S CHURCH, HARROGATE – REFRESHMENTS DAY

15^TH AUGUST 2009 - £240 raised

WETHERBY EVENT – SATURDAY 12^TH SEPTEMBER 2009 - £200

A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE WHO HELPED AT/SUPPORTED THESE EVENTS!

CO-ORDINATOR’S NEWS

FROM BETTE

A big thank-you to everyone who has so kindly supported us in the work we do.

Having come back to working with Harrogate Branch last year, the work with cats doesn’t seem so different from what happened in the Branch before I stopped co-ordinating. There just seems to be much more of it! As you are probably all aware, the work with cats can be quite seasonal with lots of kittens for ¾ of the year (spring, summer and autumn) and then mainly adult cats during the winter months.

We never have enough resources to undertake all the rescuing and re-habilitation that comes our way, but we do try hard with what we have. One of the main problems at the moment is colonies of cats that are starting to breed around the district. We have for many years tried to keep colonies in check by neutering and returning to the location. They, when controlled, can do a good job. When un-controlled, however, they breed indiscriminately, kittens suffer from inbred diseases and the cats themselves are often poorly and suffering from viruses. They then can pose a threat to local domesticated cats and cause problems for them too. We are currently working hard to eliminate as many of these problems as we can. We are always on the look out for volunteers who would like to be trained to undertake welfare work. If you think you can help please contact Bette on 01423 889598. I will return your call as soon as possible.

Now I need to tell you about our forthcoming events in November as these are important to raise the badly-needed funds for our branch: -

Christmas Bazaars

We are now looking forward to our biggest fundraising event of the year, our Annual Christmas Bazaar in Harrogate on Saturday 14^th November 09. However, this year we are holding another bazaar on 28^th November in Ripon at Allhallowgate Methodist Church Hall (next to Ripon Bus Station). We are hoping to make these really great Christmas events from the point of view of fundraising. There’ll be lots of stalls, refreshments, cakes, raffles and a tombola - something for everyone, and lots of bargains to beat these really lean times.

Please come along and support us - we look forward to seeing you there!

PLEA – WE NEED SUITABLE TOMBOLA AND RAFFLE PRIZES, AS WELL AS GOOD-QUALITY SECOND-HAND PAPERBACK BOOKS FOR THE BOOK STALL. PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING UNUSED XMAS/ BIRTHDAY PRESENTS OR ANYTHING SUITABLE FOR THESE. THANK YOU!

Christmas Food Collection

PS. Please remember the cats. We like to treat them to that little something special at Christmas too. A little tin of special food or a toy is always helpful to make it special for them too.

A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all our readers!

From Bette

TREASURER’S THANKS

From Patty

I would like to thank all those people who have sent in donations this year. I can tell you that it makes a lot of difference and your generosity doesn’t go unnoticed by all of our volunteers.

Also, the sponsors do a fantastic job, knowing that we have a steady amount coming in each month just helps us to keep going.

As you can imagine, our biggest outlay is the veterinary treatment. We get help from Headquarters Cats Protection towards our neutering costs, but it is never enough for the whole year. We have, in previous years, sent out details to our sponsors about the cats they are sponsoring, but this year we are a bit thin on the ground with volunteers. We hope you will forgive us and hope that by next year we might be able to resume normal services!

Thank you to all of you who are so very generous - you do make a huge difference! (Patty)

____________________________

HOMING STORIES - Janet

Janet has asked me to include the following plea on behalf of two of our cats currently being fostered: -

WE NEED A HOME – please!!

WHISKY AND WILLOW

A loving home is needed for this lovely pair of cats, Whisky and Willow who are 18 months old. They are a brother and sister who are very close.  They both have lovely personalities and have had such a very sad start in life that they deserve a second chance.  Do you know someone who could give them that special home together?  If so, please ring Janet on 0795 8761483. Whisky is shown below:

Willow

Our Homing Officer, Janet, passes on information and photographs of cats which have been homed in recent times. Here is a selection of some fortunate felines’ tales: -

Rupert with his sister, Mattie

Hello! I’m Rupert and this is me making myself comfortable on my big sister, Mattie. I adopted a couple of humans a few weeks ago and, when I arrived, she was already there. She had also adopted them via Cats Protection but, because she had a hard start in life, it took her a while to come out of her shell when she first acquired them. Mattie and I became great friends almost immediately. She is teaching me how to train humans and I’m teaching her how to be mischievous!

I am very gentle and very inquisitive. I have a short grey and black coat whilst Mattie has long ginger and white fur (perhaps ladies wear their hair longer than men!). I seem to get bigger every day and I wonder if my friend Rachel, who looked after me previously and gave me my name, would recognise me now that I’m a big boy?

My new friends are amazed how energetic I am. My favourite hobbies are running, jumping, climbing, purring and (did I mention it?) being mischievous.

My day begins with a nice lie-in (well; you might as well start as you mean to continue). The maid (or sometimes the butler) prepares breakfast for Mattie and me. They always prepare the same food for us both but that doesn’t stop me swapping bowls several times just to make sure that she hasn’t got anything different. If I don’t like what they have provided, I stare at them and miaow a lot and they give me something else. Bless them: if I didn’t know better, I’d think they could understand everything I say!

After breakfast I like to go on a tour of inspection just in case something has changed overnight and, anyway, there is always something new to smell. My tour generally takes me to the top of my scratch post. How strange that the maid and butler go to such trouble to persuade us to use this to sharpen our claws when there is perfectly good furniture around!

From the top of my scratch post, I can look out of the window and keep an eye on my domain. Some very strange things happen outside. Occasionally a noisy monster with shining eyes swallows up the maid and butler and takes them away. Some time later, it returns and regurgitates them and, would you believe it, they come out with bags of food for Mattie and me.

In the afternoon, I try to fit in a game of football. Sometimes Mattie joins in but generally she just sits and watches. I think that she must be impressed by my skills as she lets me snuggle up against her when I have tired myself out. However busy I am, there is always time for a snooze.

I would advise any cats reading this to consider adopting a human too. They do the strangest things (they spend ages looking at a box even though I have never seen anything come out of it), but they can be trained and Mattie tells me that it is worth the effort. Well, I think I’m going to sleep now. Goodbye!

(Thanks to Sam and Mary Graham for sending this story/ photograph to us.)

MOLLY

When Cats Protection came to my rescue, I'd had a bit of a rough time, but it wasn't long before my pretty face and snuggly personality attracted Jayne and Craig’s attention when they came to visit me at my foster home. 

They didn't take me straight away, but I just knew they would be back for me! I was right and upon their return, off I went to my new home in Whixley.  Well, as you can see from my picture, the rest is history and I'm now well and truly in charge.  At first my new Mum and Dad said I couldn’t go into the bedroom, but that rule didn’t last long (thank goodness!).  I like to have a little wander outside, but I don’t go too far, and prefer it if Jayne and Craig are with me. 

Life is good now, thanks to my being irresistible.  Did I mention my favourite hobby? No, well it’s growling at the postman - that's great fun!!

SASHA

This is Sasha, a more mature lady, looking very settled and happy in her loving new home (second photograph below), together with a picture of her when she was first taken in by CP. What a difference! She is now a very confident, contented lady thanks to Yoko and Graham.

BEFORE (when taken in)

AFTER (with Yoko and Graham)

There will be more homing stories in the next issue of Whispurrs. The next issue is due out in January and will be the ‘Winter Edition’ – all contributions welcome (Editor)

www.whispurrs.org.uk – website for information