On
December 18th I was lucky enough to be invited to Cats Protection
Tyneside Adoption Centre again! I was originally scheduled to go for ‘Vet Day’
but unfortunately it was changed because of Christmas. This didn’t mean I was
going to pass up the chance of more cat cuddles though! And of course, another
excuse to chat to the incredible and inspiring staff that work and volunteer at
the Centre, so I was more than chuffed when a few of them asked to feature
their own cats as part of the ‘12 Cats of Christmas’ series.
We
started the visit with another trip to the little shop where Tyneside Adoption
Centre sell cat toys, scratch furniture, cups, notepads… the whole shebang! I
was touched when Customer Engagement Advisor Chris Jackson presented me with a
little gift bag with two toys for Emmy. She got a knitted mouse and a catnip
filled, soft toy sprout! When I got home, she managed to pick the mouse out of
my handbag before I had the chance to put them both in her stocking!
Next,
we headed to the ‘Meet and Greet’ room where cats meet prospective owners where
they’re a family and it’s impractical to greet the cat in it’s enclosure. This
time, Junior was in it! Another heartwarming gesture was that staff had
actually put him in and set the room up like a sitting room because his mate
was at the Vets and he was missing him! How thoughtful is that?! So, the room
had cozy vibes with plenty of comfy surfaces and hiding areas as well as toys!
At eleven years old, I was so impressed with how playful and agile he was! Often,
people are put off adopting older cats for many reasons; one being that they
might not get to have them for long and another being the belief that they’re
less interactive and more independent. Junior definitely proved this last one
wrong!
After
a bit of playtime with Junior, we went to the enclosures and I met Sophie! On
the way to the Centre, Chris had warned me that Minnie’s Sister was now ready
to be rehomed (Minnie has been since I met her) and without even knowing, I
spotted her straight away! I only asked how old the fluffy cat was and Chris
laughed and told me it was Sophie! Of course, I had to go in and get some love
from her!
Finally,
we checked out the Vet Suite where the cats and kittens receive physical
examinations and treatment. Every Tuesday, a Vet from a nearby Practice comes
in and examines all of the new cats (meaning they usually have their health
check within five days of arriving at the Centre). They’re all given worm and
flea treatment, initial injections and – if in the Centre longer than three weeks
– their second, as well as being microchipped and neutered – a Cats Protection
priority.
On
leaving, Chris pointed out the progress in the number of adoptions they’ve had
this year – almost 200! That’s nearly 200 cats and kittens living in their ‘furever’
home and just as many people having a new best-friend! Adoptions have now stopped
over the Christmas period and will resume in January so as to prevent the trend
of them being given as Christmas presents and with a lack of knowledge as to
the commitment necessary to own a cat. However, you can still visit the Centre
and are able to reserve a cat that would be ‘purrfect’ for you! (Not even sorry
for the puns!)
https://twitter.com/CatsProtection
https://www.cats.org.uk/
https://www.cats.org.uk/tyneside
https://www.facebook.com/CPTynesideAdoptionCentre/
https://twitter.com/CPTynesideAC