Our local Cats Protection is co-ordinated by Marion, we laughingly say she knows so much about cats she actually must be one herself! She started out fostering for CP in 1991 and remarkably found homes for 189 cats in her first year!
In 1994 she founded Cats r Us based in Shildon, after the Darlington branch CP re-shuffled, then in 2003 when there was no local CP due to the closure of that branch, she formed our current branch named Wear Valley & Darlington District.She has been coordinator since then.
Marion’s husband Steven helps her, like her he is one of the nicest people you could ever meet, always pleasant.
Yet like Marion he voluntarily puts in long hours caring for cats, ferrying them for vets appointments, collecting food and bedding and putting up with abuse from people who think they have the right to demand their cat is taken in immediately they want rid of them.
They do have volunteer helpers to help with fostering the many cats and kittens and to fund raise, feed some of the ferals, etc, all very dedicated cat lovers who work very hard in their spare time!
You can read a lot more about Cats Protection by following the links on our local CP website.
The recent news of the cash donation by Marc in memory of his dear cat Red has touched us all and will give a much needed boost to the dwindling funds desperately needed more than ever these days to help needy cats and kittens.
THANK YOU Marc and THANK YOU Michael for making this possible via PoC.
The latest news today is that as well as the many adult cats in care, the branch which has 26 kittens already, has 5 more arriving today and 4 more to come in soon.
People on a low income can apply to CP for vouchers to have their cats neutered but too many can’t be bothered to do that, they let their cats breed and then expect CP to take in every resulting litter of kittens.
The waiting list for unwanted cats to come into CP care is getting longer every day.
Where will it all end? When will these people take responsibility for their pets and treat them as family, not as possessions to dispose of when it suits?
We can only be thankful for Marion and others like her, struggling to cope with this problem and also for the kind people who donate to help with this labour of love.
Over 180 cats in a year!!! Oh my! And I was over whelmed with 27!!! What a wonderful lady and super hubby!! It just makes no sense to me who anyone could NOT alter their cats!!! Spaying and neutering saves lives!!! I look at it almost like a type of abuse!!! Allowing a young kitty to start having litter after litter(and we all know how fast they can reproduce),and not caring for her health or where the babies will all live is horrendous! Ruth your article is super! And this kind lady , Marion is an Angel on earth! I can just imagine the many lives she has helped save over these many years!!! Just makes you stop in awe thinking about it!! Sadly there are way more cats and kittens then are people to be their loving care providers and help them ! With out the help of ya’ll my 27 ferals would have gotten fixed , but it would have taken me forever , thank gosh I wasn’t alone in that endeavor , so as many as Marion helps , mine seem a drop in the bucket!!! So many times I see “free kitten” signs posted in our neighborhood , it just makes me want to cry!! We can’t save them all , although Marion sure is making a huge dent in it!!!! My room mates daughter’s boyfriends cat has had ANOTHER litter and I told him if I have to I WILL come get that cat and it WILL get spayed!!! They KNOW better . Makes ya just wanna scream! I’m sure this wonderful woman many a time has wanted to snatch someone bald headed for being so nonchalant about it!! They just passed a law here in our city , yesterday ,that ANY animal picked up as a stray or taken to a low-income shot clinic MUST be spayed or neutered before being released to it’s owners!!! About time! Do Marion and her crew do their own surgeries? That would be the topper to her story for sure!!! What an inspiration she is!!! Thank you for sending me this link Ruth!! Hopefully , one day , we won’t be needed to care for homeless animals , or unwanted , senior and ill animals . One day I pray they can all find a home!!!Even if it’s just in a well loved and cared for feral colony! I love my ferals! And TNR does work!!!Thanks again Ruth!! And God Bless and keep you Marion!!!!
Such a brave little man, its lovely watching the video of him with Prince simply being a kitten and honing his fighting skills 🙂 Marion you’ve have done so much for him God only knows what would have happened if it hadn’t been for you …… and your reward feeling him snuggle into you, watching him grow knowing that some day he will be a member of a loving family. I wish him all the love and happiness in the world 🙂
Marion looks so lovely and all those kittens to feed and care for and find homes for must be such a headache.
I’m so glad some of Marc’s donation went to such a worthy rescue I have high respect for the Cats Protection volunteers.
Great article Ruth, having known her for a lot of years now I have a lot of respect for Marion, she really knows her stuff and isn’t frightened to stand up for cats in any situation, she must have had a lot of joy from caring for cats but also an awful lot of sadness and worry as well, Steven is great, never off the roads, he turns his hand to anything that needs doing and always cheerfully, between them they must have helped thousands of cats over the years. So I’m really glad that following Marc and Michael’s recent fundraiser in memory of Red a donation was sent to Marion’s branch of Cats Protection at a time when the branch has many, many kittens to care for and rehome as well as a waiting list of adult cats needing homes and local feral colonies to support.
I have a lot of respect for people who rescue and rehome cats. A lot of people and cats rely and depend on them. They deserve praise and reward.
I so happy some of the money is going towards Marion and Steve’s work. That’s just perfect, real hands on immediate use for the donation.
Thanks for writing about them Ruth – it’s nice to ‘know’ them and see the actual people on the ‘front lines’. They deserve all the help they can get.
Marc, did you see we got a comment from Joyce at WarmFuzzy’s on this page. Your money helped a cat called Popcorn who had an infection of the ear. She was taken to the vet. Great isn’t it to see the money go direct to a cat and to improve that cat’s life. Love that.
I saw that and was very pleased for Popcorn.
It’s wonderful how their share of money is helping not only the charities but individual cats who need it too.
Marc I didn’t know about your donation as I’m not on here as often as I’d like. How lovely and kind of you to help out when its so greatly needed a big virtual hug to you 🙂
Thanks Leah – I wish I could actually help in person, I would like that more than just donating but I’m somewhere far away where we don’t have an overt cat overpopulation issue and the few relatively empty shelters that exist have enough volunteers and some – I’ve asked but they don’t need the help. It’s the least I can do. I am going to try and make a habit of it every few months by saving up a donation. That’s a way I can help. Thanks for your message 🙂
This lady and her husband are real angels.Bless them and the work they do .
Thanks Nancy. There are some great people who do unheralded work to help cats. They deserve praise and reward.