Over may years reporting on cat stories, I have found that it is not uncommon for there to be moments when cat and animal rescues struggle with a particularly severe input of discarded cats or puppies. Although there are many reasons for cat owners dumping their cat or cats at a shelter, the underlying issue is the culture of cat ‘ownership’ which can fall short of what is desired. And what is desired is a tall responsibility: adopting a cat is for the life of the cat.
When one adopts a cat, be they a rescue animal or purchased from a breeder (inappropriate if one is honest), one really should have the mentality which says that this will be a long relationship, perhaps over 20 years, with the incumbent expenses which are high. It is expensive to look after a cat for his or her lifetime and it is getting more expensive than ever in a diabolically expensive UK with continual inflation above the desired level currently. Even the illegal immigrants and legal migrants to the country complain about the cost of everything. They soon realise that it is not a land of milk and honey and it isn’t.
So when Celia Hammond asks for donations to contribute to the upkeep of almost 1,000 cats and kittens at its London and Sussex centres the cause is – in the words of the Celia Hammond Animal Trust – “The level of animal abandonment at our doors is currently at an all-time high”.
They don’t explain why there is this high level at present. My guess is that the cost-of-living in the UK has become oppressive for many including those who adopted a pet during better times.
And yet, in truth, when one adopts a kitten or adult cat one has to factor in the variables going forward. You have to ask “if my personal circumstances change and money becomes tight for me; will I still be able to afford the cost of cat caregiving?”
That is a question that needs to be asked BEFORE adopting. The budgeting needs to be done carefully beforehand. That is a tough call sometimes when one is enamoured by a sweet-looking kitten peering out of a cage at a rescue center. But it must be done.
The most important decisions about cat adoption occur before the adoption happens.
Too many people dump cats at shelters but at least they are getting rid of their cat at a shelter. Many also simply abandon them. I remember living in Notting Hill Gate in the 1980s and a neighbour moved from the area and simply left her cat behind.
She was a female and, of course, I ended up adopting her. She lived with me for many years and was a beautiful companion. She died of kidney disease, a very common cause of death among domestic cats. Although her diet was excellent. A preponderance of dry cat food or only providing dry cat food can, I believe, hasten the arrival of chronic kidney disease in domestic cats.
I couldn’t write this short post without making a donation: £20 + gift aid on a one-off basis. Not much in the grand scheme of things. But ‘every little helps’. At the time of writing about £30,000 has been raised. Her target is £230,000. A long way to go and the number tells us how expensive it is to care for 1,000 cats [link].
I have always admired Celia Hammond. She dedicated her life after modelling to animal rescue. Such an admirable cause. She must be a good woman.
I can’t end it there without mentioning another aspect of irresponsible cat ownership: not sterilising your cat and allowing them to breed. It all falls under the umbrella of poor cat ownership (caregiving). It results in the ‘kitten season’ unwanted kitten overpopulation problem at no-kill cat shelters.
It really is the height of irresponsibility to allow a female cat to procreate. I can remember a neighbour of mine doing this many years ago. She tried to persuade me to take one of the kittens; a blind male. I couldn’t take him on. I was raising my cat at the time and there is an added responsibility in raising and caring for a blind cat.
Sometime later she told me he was lost! She probably killed him. It makes me very sad.
Here is a short note about Celia Hammond
Celia Hammond (born 25 July 1943) is a British former model who has dedicated much of her life to animal welfare. She rose to prominence in the 1960s, appearing in Vogue and other leading fashion magazines, working with celebrated photographers such as Norman Parkinson and Terence Donovan. Hammond became known for her striking looks and presence in an era that defined much of modern fashion.
Her commitment to animals began early in life. As a teenager she became vegetarian, and although she modelled fur in her early career, she was profoundly affected after seeing footage of the Canadian seal cull. That experience changed her outlook: she refused to model fur again and became increasingly active in the fight for animal rights and welfare.
In 1986, she founded the Celia Hammond Animal Trust (CHAT), an organisation dedicated to neutering and rehoming stray and abandoned animals. The Trust opened its first low-cost neutering clinic in Lewisham in 1995, followed by another in Canning Town in 1999. These clinics offer affordable veterinary services, with a focus on humane population control. The Trust also runs a sanctuary in Brede, East Sussex, which provides long-term refuge for animals that cannot be rehomed immediately.
CHAT has become particularly respected for its work with feral cats. Hammond pioneered humane trapping methods and personally carried out rescue work, often heading out herself to help distressed or abandoned animals. She has campaigned for local authorities and the public to adopt more compassionate approaches to animal care.
Her lifelong dedication has been recognised with awards including the RSPCA Award for her work with feral cats, the Richard Martin Award, and the Pride of Britain Award for animal welfare. Even today, Hammond remains actively involved in the day-to-day operations of her Trust, continuing to champion the cause of vulnerable animals.
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