Success story - Jelly Bean

Back in June of this year, a tiny black kitten was brought into the centre by a kind lady. She was rescued from a farm where she was born. She was only 20g when she came in which was very small for her age. She was too little to be at the centre on her own, so CCA Di took her home with her for extra TLC. She needed to be hand fed as she was too little to eat for herself. Di named her Jelly Bean. In her foster home she really flourished, she gained weight and got into all sorts of mischief. She loved to play with Di's border collie dog. Once she was feeling better, she returned to the centre and quickly found a home.

          

         Jelly Bean enjoyed snuggling in her hooded bed

Jelly Bean was very cuddly and loved attention

                                                      

                                                Jelly Bean playing in her pen at the centre

She is now six months old and her owner has been in touch with us. We are pleased to hear that she is loving life, loves being out in the garden and loves chilling out by the fire in the evenings. Hasn’t she grown??? We would like to thank her new owners to sending us the photos and email update. We’re pleased she is doing so well and is happy.

 

Santa Paws Appeal 2014

Exeter Axhayes Adoption Centre has launched their Santa Paws appeal 2014!!!

So what is the Santa Paws Appeal?

It is a simple idea. We are asking people to fill and donate a box full of cat goodies. Things that could go in the box could be:

Cat/kitten food

• Cat treats
• Cat toys
• Cat biscuits
• A Christmas card to the cats
• Maybe a monetary donation
• And let’s not forget the volunteers and staff who look after the cats 365 days a year... maybe some chocolates, sweets, biscuits. (Please wrap these gifts up separately and labelled for staff and volunteers)

Fill the box, please remember it is for cats & kittens so please make sure that there is nothing that will pose a choking hazard to any of our furry friends. Once you have filled your box, you can decorate the box, wrap it in Christmas gift wrap, a ribbon or bow would be lovely. Cats and kittens love playing with paper too!

Where can I drop off my box?

You can drop off your gift to our adoption centre: - Cats Protection Exeter Axhayes, Little Hill Cottage, Clyst Honiton, Exeter, Devon, EX5 2HS. You can also go to one of our drop off points which are listed below….   St David’s Veterinary Hospital (next St David’s Train Station)   St David’s Veterinary Hospital in Exminster   We would like to thank all those listed for kindly agreeing to support us in the Santa Paws Appeal.   Last year's appeal - thank you to everyone who donated gifts

For more details about our Santa Paws Appeal, please visit the Santa Paws website https://sites.google.com/site/santapawsappeal/home or join the Santa Paws Appeal facebook group. Thank you very much for your support and have a Happy Christmas!  

Success Story - Gargara

You may remember Gargara from earlier this year, her and her friend Ghisdubar came in to us back in May and were a little shy and anxious to start with. After months of TLC and confidence boosting from our staff and volunteers they both found separate homes a few weeks ago. Little Gargara finally found a new month last month, her new owners have been in touch with us…..

They've said “I can't believe we have had Gargara for four weeks now. Although not the bravest cat, she is really affectionate and loves a good stroke, rolling over in ecstasy and purring loudly. She also makes a funny squeaky sound when she comes to greet us. She has spent most of the last four weeks in our study, which has patio doors that she can look out across the garden to the aviary and to the bird feeders. All of our other (seven) cats have been in to meet and sniff and seem completely unfazed by the new-comer. She is gaining in confidence and we hope that soon she will be wandering around the house and venturing out like the rest of the gang.”

We would like to thank her new owner for getting in contact with us and we’re so pleased she is finding her feet. We always love hearing about how our ex-Axhayes cats and kittens are doing. You can contact us via facebook or our email. Thank you.

Is your cat missing? All is not lost

At Cats Protection we understand how traumatic it can be when a much-loved pet suddenly goes missing. Follow the advice in this blog to aid your chances of finding him safe and well.

Look

Cats are well known for their curiosity and ability to find unlikely sleeping places, so check the following places:

-       All Rooms

-       Cupboards

-       Boxes

-       Household appliances like washing machines

-       Sheds and Garages

-       Vehicles

-       Gardens

-       Hedgerows – watch out for snares

-       Lost and Found sections in local newspapers

Advertise

There are several ways of letting people know that your feline friend is missing:

-       Put posters (available from Cats Protection) on trees

-       Distribute leaflets to local shops, garages and Post offices

-       Contact local schools, newspapers and even radio

-       Use local noticeboards including a recent photograph of your cat

Inform

You can also let individuals and organisations know – don’t underestimate the power of word-of-mouth communication. Contact:

-       Neighbours

-       Local veterinary surgeons

-       Local schools – children are particularly observant when it comes to animals

-       Local Cats Protection branch 08702 099 099

-       Local RSPCA – 0300 1234 999

-       Local PDSA – 0800 917 2509

-       Local Blue Cross – 01993 822 651

-       Missing Pets Bureau – 0870 1600 999

-       Pet Search UK – 0121 743 4133

-       Animal Search UK – 07884 316 943

-       The cleansing department of your local council

-       Delivery people – post, newspaper, milk etc

Offer a reward

If you decide to do this, make sure you say “Large reward”. The word is relevant and what is small you might be large to another person, particularly a child. Remember not to include the amount you are offering. Depending on the provider, your pet insurance may cover the cost of this.

And finally

Please remember that the earlier you report your cat as missing, the more likely it is that he will be found. Also observe the following considerations:

-       When your cat is found, inform any people or authorities who have been asked to look for him

-       Cats Protection recommends that all cats are microchipped. This is harmless and makes it easier to trace the owners of found cats.

-       Cats Protection also recommends that all cats are neutered. Unneutered toms are more likely to roam and unneutered queens are known for finding quiet places to give birth – therefore increasing the chance that they could become lost. (Courtesy of Cats Protection)

Special Appeal - Bob and Wizz

You may have been following their antics on Facebook or seen them at our centre; Bob and her best pal Wizz are looking for a loving forever home together. Bob is the fluffy one who is approximately 7 years old and yes she’s a girl – don’t blame us she came in with that name ha ha! Wizz is the short haired boy and he is approximately 5 years old. They are hugely popular with everyone who meets them; they are the best cats we’ve had here for a long time.

Bob - the day she came in

Originally Bob and Wizz came in from the RSPCA as part of a rescue which saved 80 cats from the same house. Sadly they came into us in a terrible condition from years of neglect. Due to this Wizz has a stomach condition we now have under control with medication (we will take this forward with any potential adopters). When Bob came to us her fur was in bad condition and she was quite skinny. They spent many months being nursed back to health. They’ve had regular handling as they weren’t used to being picked up and stroked. Now Bob’s fur has grown back, she gets regular grooming, which she is getting used to and doesn’t mind being pampered. Now all happy and healthy, they would love a home together…

Cuddled up together

 

Christmas present via our Santa Paws appeal 

 

Christmas Day - the box is more fun

 

 

Most recent photo of them in their favourite spot

 

 

We have never met two cats that share such a bond, they truly love and depend on each other, where one is the other one is calling to each other if out of sight. So if you are looking for two cats with the most endearing, entertaining and cheeky character ever, then look no further, you will be the lucky ones adopting this fabulous pair! If you are interested in adopting these two and you live in the Exeter area then please get in touch with us - www.axhayes.cats.org.uk. Thank you.

Success Story - Iiman

You may remember our little cat Iiman. She was found living rough and came into us with a group of her friends back in February 2014. She was a nervous little girl when she arrived, after much TLC from our CCAs and volunteers she soon gained her confidence. She was finally rehomed in July we were all very pleased for her. Her owner has been in touch via email with news on how she is settling in to her new home and shared some lovely photos of her….

Iiman is now called Willow. Her owner says “She is still settling in well a lot happier and less nervous than when we first brought her home. She has a good appetite now, especially loves chicken and James Well Beloved Fish biscuits. She spends a lot of time in the one room but will venture out to see the other cats of an evening. As yet we have decided not to let her out as we feel it is too soon. One of our cats who was a bit nervous took eight weeks but is now very confident. She really is a pretty little thing her coat is looking really healthy and glossy as you will see from the pics. Feel we are very lucky to have her here. The other cats are slowly getting used to her as well which is good.” 

We would like to thank her new owner for getting in contact with us. It’s always nice to hear how our cats and kittens are getting on in their new homes. If you have adopted any of our Axhayes cats or kittens, please feel free to contact us with news and maybe a picture or two. Thank you for your support.

New toys for our cats and kittens!

Since March we have received over 40 gifts from our Amazon wishlist. We would like to say a BIG thank you to everyone who has donated a gift or two for our cats and kittens. We have started to post some more photos of some your gifts with our cats and kittens on our facebook page.  

One of our items on our wishlist is a Kong Active toy, which is a cat toy we haven’t seen before as it comes from America. We have been lucky to receive two of them thanks two of our supporters Claire and Gillean for purchasing them last month.

Our lucky kittens Blanche and Beattie got to play with this new toy. In no time at all, they were soon playing with the feather wand and the catnip tail on the toy. Their favorite part of the toy was of course the feather wand. Blanche pulled it off (it unclips off easily) she was batting at around the pen while Beattie watched.

 

 

 

 

 

 

As soon as Blanche’s guard was down, Beattie swooped in and took it from her. Growling at Blanche if she tried to take it back, but after a while they played with the feather wand together. Hours of fun! They are very pleased with their new toy!

Over the weekend we gave out some of a new kickeroo toys to Stripes, Odeon, Birch and Sycamore. All of these guys loved their new kickeroos. The denium kickeroo had catnip inside the pocket on the side which had soon taken effect on Stripes. He had an audience of visitors and a volunteer watching him rolling around with his new toy. After half an hour he needed to sleep the catnip off. We would like to thank Bex for the kickeroo toys.
 

 

For those who haven’t heard of our Amazon wishlist, it’s a way you can donate to us by buying items we need rather than giving cash. If you would like to donate a gift to any of our cats and kittens please follow the link below. http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/registry/wishlist/2OAP2GCUQHOYK
Thank you very much for your support and generosity

Volunteer – give a little time, make a big difference.

Here at Exeter Axhayes Adoption Centre we are always looking for dedicated volunteers to join our team. Volunteering is the most worthwhile thing you can ever do. It gives a real sense of achievement, allows the development of new skills and the social possibilities are endless!

Lend a Hand at the centre….

With around 150 to 200 cats and kittens in our care at any one time, this adds up to a lot of cleaning and cats in need of some T.L.C. There are opportunities to get involved here at the centre helping out cleaning pens or socialising cats.

Cat Care Volunteer/Cleaning pens  

As you can imagine, this necessary part of the job can be hard, dirty work and not for the faint hearted, in return it provides an excellent opportunity to learn new skills and get to know more about the nature of cats. If you have a practical mind and are happy to undertake physical work you could become part of our extremely valued team of dedicated volunteers.

Socialising Cats and Kittens

For some cats, especially if they have had little human contact, building trust and confidence can be painstakingly slow. If you have a gentle, patient quiet nature and an affinity with cats perhaps you would enjoy working with our particularly needy cats. Often all that is required initially, is someone to spend time sitting quietly at the back of a pen maybe reading a book, not paying too much attention to the cat, giving it time to simply get used to you being there, in time a cats natural curiosity will get the better of it and it will become more inquisitive. (Cats don’t really like to be ignored!)

 

Alternatively you may like to spend time with some of the many cats in our care who have come from loving homes, they have wonderful personalities and just crave human company, a bit of one to one time again enjoying a bit of a fuss and some cuddles.

Fundraising Volunteers

Our friends of Exeter Axhayes Adoption centre is a group of volunteers who meet monthly to organise fundraising events and activities to help raise essential funds for the centre. Whether you enjoy organising and assisting with coffee mornings and street collections to more high profile events such as our Easter Open Day and Firewalk your contribution will be highly valued. It’s a great way to meet new friends, have some fun and help make a difference to the lives of so many abandoned and unwanted cats and kittens .

 

Green Fingers Volunteers

Our Adoption Centre is set in the Devonshire countryside, with lovely gardens surrounding our outdoor cat pens and adoption centre. If you’re an enthusiastic gardener with a few hours to spare, we’d love to hear from you. We’re looking for volunteers to make our green spaces welcoming for wildlife and visitors alike. You’ll enjoy fresh air, keeping active and meeting new people while making our centres look inviting to potential new adopters. Essentially your passion for all things green will help us focus on all things feline.

As a Green Fingers volunteer you will spend your time cutting grass and hedges, weeding, planting, preparing pots and soil and managing our green spaces all year round. Knowledge and confidence in gardening would be advantageous for this role but more importantly rolling up your sleeves, enjoying being outside and having a creative flair will make this the role for you.

 

DIY Volunteers

If you’re handy with a hammer or skilled with a spanner, we’d love to hear from you. We’re looking for DIY volunteers willing to spare a few hours to help with a range of practical tasks in our centre; from painting and basic maintenance to checking alarms and basic checks on our vans. You don’t have to be qualified tradesman, we are looking for people with confidence in their abilities, a working knowledge of health and safety, people skills and a can-do attitude.

By keeping busy, meeting new people and putting your skills to great use you’ll keep our 27 year old adoption centre safe, maintained and welcoming, helping us to focus fully on the cats in our care.

If you are interested in getting involved and have a few hours to spare a week, please contact us on 01395 232377. Thank you.

Microchipping

Microchipping offers cats a safe and permanent method of identification and increases the chances of a lost cat being safely reunited with his owner.

Why should cats be microchipped?

Microchipping is the most effective way of identifying a lost pet. Microchips don’t come off, or put cats at risk of collar-related injuries. They can also assist with ownership disputes – although please not that a microchip is not absolute proof of ownership, but may be presented as evidence. Each microchip has a unique 15 digit number linked to a database holding your contact details, allowing you to be quickly traced if your cat strays and is scanned for a microchip.

The Procedure

A microchip is slightly smaller than a grain of rice and is inserted under the cat’s skin between the shoulder blades with a dedicated device known as an implanter. The procedure is very simple and is no more painful than an injection. Your cat will not be aware of the microchip’s presence once it has been inserted.

How much will it cost?

You can expect to pay around £20 to £30 for the procedure.

 Are there ongoing costs associated with microchipping?

If you need to amend your details then a fee is payable to the database. Dependent on the database used, this may be a one-off fee for the lifetime of your cat to cover future updates, or a fee each time you update. Updating contact details is an owner’s responsibility – and is a vital part of the microchip’s value – enabling you to be reunited quickly with your cat should they stray or be lost. 

Who can microchip my cat?

Vets, local authorities and trained and insured members of animal welfare organisations may offer microchipping.

When should I have my cat microchipped?

There is no minimum age, but it will depend on the preference of the trained implanter. Many cats are microchipped at the time of first or second vaccination but it can also be done at any time after this. It is ideal to get your cat microchipped before letting it outside for the first time.

How will I know my cat’s details have been registered following microchipping?

You will be sent registration documents following the microchipping procedure, usually within a couple of weeks of it taking place. If you don’t receive these, double-check with the person who microchipped your cat. Keep your registration documents and cat’s microchip number safe.

How do I check my cat’s microchip?

The person implanting the chip will place a hand-held scanner over your cat to check the implantation has been successful. Upon detection of the microchip the scanner will display the microchip’s unique number. Some owners ask to have their cat’s microchip scanned and the microchip checked while having its annual check-up at the vets. While movement of chips or chip failure are extremely rare, it is peace of mind to know the microchip is still working. Microchips are not programmed with global positioning satellite technology so you cannot track your cat’s whereabouts.

What if I lose my cat?

If you do lose your cat, it is important to double-check with the database that provides the aftercare service for your cat, to ensure your contact details are correct and up to date. If your lost cat is found and taken to a vet, local authority or animal welfare organisation to be scanned, you will be contacted and advised of your cat’s whereabouts.

What if I move home or change phone numbers?

Remember that you should update your cat’s microchip details if you move home or change any of your details – this is essential to ensure you can be traced should your cat stray. This is especially important if you have brought your cat into the UK through the Pet Travel Scheme or through quarantine. If your cats strays with your details still registered overseas and his legal entry to UK cannot be ascertained your cat face a further period in quarantine or even euthanasia by the authorities if he becomes lost, you cannot be traced and his legal entry to the UK cannot be ascertained. NB Simply putting your cat through the pet travel scheme or quarantine does not automatically update your records, so it is important that you remember to do this.


In the UK, you can update your cat's registered details by contacting your exisiting UK database company, or Petlog - on 0844 4633 999 or via www.petlog.org.uk - or Anibase - on 01904 487 600 or via www.anibase.com

What if I want to rehome my cat?

Contact your microchip database as transfer of ownership documents should be completed. If your cat is relinquished to a rehoming organisation such as Cats Protection, the organisation will ask for a signed copy of your cat’s microchip registration documents authorising transfer of registered ownership details, or may ask you to complete an alternative form.

Microchip cat flaps

If your cat has been microchipped, you may want to consider installing a microchip cat flap in your home. These identify cats trying to enter your home by scanning their microchips and will only allow entry to those whose microchip number you have programmed in to the cat flap.

Cats Protection and microchipping

All cats and kittens over 12 weeks of age adopted from Cats Protection will already have a microchip as part of the charity’s Minimum Veterinary Standards. We will help you register your contact details with the microchip database at the time of adoption. (Source: Cats Protection)