By Ruth aka Kattaddorra
Kays Hill cattery is coming along very nicely now with one side of the pens in the building completed and full of unwanted cats. You can see a list of some other posts about the cattery, including its construction, by clicking this link.
They had radiators installed for this winter by a kind volunteer and it’s snug and warm in every pen. Hopefully in the future there will be the same number of pens the other side and outdoor runs too, but as always money is too short to do all this at present.
Many more cats have been relinquished lately by people saying they can’t afford to keep them any longer, more have been dumped in boxes by the gates.
Yes things are bad in the North East of England but I think people give up their pets too easily. I expect those people still have their luxuries, such as TV and new clothes. They don’t consider the financial burden of food and vets bills they are putting on Kays Hill and other Rescue Centres too.
Gerty is the last one of a family of 15 abandoned cats still without a home, she has been at Kays Hill for 20 months now, hard to rehome because she was so traumatised at the abandonment by the person she loved and trusted and also because she is very shy. She had a chance last year of a home but became so panicky when her prospective adopters went to collect her, that she was ill and had to be taken to the vets, the people changed their minds, no second chances for her.
Leanne had the good idea of teaming Gerty up with Marcus, a more confident cat and the photo of them shows how well that worked out. She looks very well and very content.
This is what it says under their photo on the rehoming page:
‘Gerty and Marcus are to be homed together as Gerty gets very anxious without him. Marcus is a very friendly cat with gorgeous markings and who loves attention. Gerty is more likely to stay out of the way but in the right home with her best friend, Marcus may help her come out of her shell’
We hope someone will come along soon and fall in love with and adopt both those cats, because although they are well looked after and loved at Kays Hill, it’s every cat’s right to be in a loving home environment of their own.
The person who abandoned the cats has never enquired even once about them. Of the 4 cats the RSPCA took, 2 in a bad state were PTS, we don’t know the fate of the other 2.
Of the others, one was PTS last year, this was tragic as he had just gone, along with one of his brothers, to a wonderful home, when cancer in his jaw was diagnosed. His adopter was heartbroken.
Thankfully the others are all doing well in their new homes, a happy ending to their story, we just hope Gerty has a happy ending to her story one day soon too.
So very sad for you all at losing Gerty and Karrot, and sad to think of how Gerty missed out on a loving home of her own due to the way she had been forced to live before she came to you. Even though she couldn’t accept the love offered to her at Kays Hill she was well cared for, safe and happy with Marcus, there is nothing at all for you kind souls to feel guilty about.Karrot was lovely, I remember her well. RIP Gertie and Karrot, you were both loved whether you wanted to be or not.
I’m so sorry at all this bad news,poor little Gerty and now Karrot to have to be PTS so young.
I have no words to tell you how sad I am for you at Kayshill.
So sorry for you all at Kays Hill Leanne, I know it breaks your heart to lose an animal, 2 cats in 2 days is devastating for you.
Now you’ll be worrying about the vets bill.
I’ve shed tears for little Gerty and now today Karrot, she was such a lovely little cat too.
At least Gerty was warm and fed and loved and respected by you up there, she probably had more attention than she did at home as we know now that the quiet or nervous ones of the 15 were probably just left to it!
Take care, we will try to get up to see you soon.
we wanted so much for gerty to spend the last part of her life in a loving, understanding home, she deserved this at the very least. the fact that she had to spend it in a sanctuary is very sad. obviously we did what we could for her and fed her, kept her as comfortable as possible, kept her safe. but she should have had a home to call her own, a fireside to lie in front of, a kind and loving person who had taken her home just because they wanted to give her the best they could. unfortunately her fears and anxieties, caused by abuse from evil and heartless people, stopped her from being able to trust anyone. we feel guilty that we could’nt do more for her, but in the end, on vets advice, it was the kindest thing to have her pts and we know that, but it dos’nt make it any easier. but her life should have been different, her life should have been spent playing like a kitten, not knowing fear or pain or knowing comfort when held, you just could’nt do that with gerty, it terrified her. i can only hope that the ones who caused her life to be so miserable will know the same misery and fear a tiny little cat, who did’nt deserve any of it, did. sorry about the rant but i’m really upset about losing her. to make matters worse we have just had to have one of our own cats pts because of kidney failure, karrot was only 5 years old but was born with tiny kidneys that just got to the point they could’nt function any more. i’m feeling pretty rotten today. marcus is living with prince, as i knew he would miss gerty terribly and we did’nt want him to be alone, they are getting on well, curled up together, next to the radiator, last time i looked in.
Poor little Gerty. I feel sorry about this. She deserved better.
Sad news today from Kays Hill. Gerty was very ill and has been PTS.
I can’t write more at present,I’m too sad that the poor little soul was betrayed by the one person she loved and trusted.
Thanks to Leanne and Kevin for taking in her and her brothers and sisters and caring for them so well, it must be heartbreaking for you to have lost the last one of those cats waiting for a home.