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Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Monday, April 06, 2009
Newsletter 24 April 2009
Dear Friends – welcome to CATWEL newsletter number 24.
We are having to ask people to be patient! The autumn of 2008 was one of the worst I have known since I became involved in cat rescue. After an exceptionally busy ‘kitten season’ - when priority is always given to mothers and kittens – the phone never stopped ringing, with demands that stray and abandoned cats be taken into care immediately. What some people fail to realise is that the space we have is limited. Also, if we have a mother and kittens in a pen, it could be occupied for at least three months! We don’t home the kittens until they are eight weeks old, and then we have to get their mother spayed – and find her a home, which often takes months. Also, we get occasional ‘bouncers’, re-homed cats which are returned to us. They always get priority as we guarantee we will take cats back if things don’t work out. Added to all this we have the ‘credit crunch’ and mortgage foreclosures, which exacerbate the situation! I do keep a waiting list, but it is long and, inevitably, we sometimes have to let a cat ‘jump the queue’. If it’s a choice between a 5 year-old male who has been waiting for months and a 6 month old female kitten, we have to take the kitten – she could end up having a litter outside, which might be the start of a feral colony. Also, she will be easier to home, thus releasing valuable space. When people phone, the cats are invariably referred to as ‘strays’ – although they may have been feeding them for months, sometimes for years. The fact that they are off on a long cruise next week has nothing to do with it, of course… So what I am trying to explain is that we are doing a difficult job in difficult times, and the situation is unlikely to improve any time soon! If we can’t help someone immediately, it is not because we don’t want to, it is because we can’t. If only we had a lovely farm with lots of ground!
OUR ANNUAL SOCIAL was a great success! Because so many of our supporters prefer not to venture out of doors on a winter evening, we decided to hold it on Saturday afternoon
December 6th. It was a popular decision, and many of our ‘regulars’ attended. It was lovely to see you all, and the time passed so quickly that I didn’t get a chance to thank you properly for coming along, and for your unfailing support throughout 2008. We are extremely grateful.
Our resident cats enjoyed a special Christmas dinner! Marilyn and Gerry Oram were given a turkey, and as they are vegetarians they donated it to CATWEL. Our cats hope Marilyn and Gerry’s nut roast was delicious, too!
Grateful thanks to Lynne Isanski, for donating £100 in memory of her beloved father Ron, who loved all animals, but cats in particular. Thanks also to Sian and Gwyn Davies, who donated £100 in memory of their beautiful longhaired tabby cat, adopted from CATWEL. We greatly appreciate the generosity of people who remember human or feline loved ones by helping us.
WAS IT A HOAX? It was 10.30 on a Saturday night. I was on my way to bed, Iris was already in bed. The young woman who phoned said she had found a four month old kitten in a box in the Bay area of Cardiff. I explained that we would not be able to help until the following morning, when arrangements would be made to collect the kitten at 8.30am. The woman said she could not keep the kitten overnight as she had a Husky dog. I suggested that she kept it in her bathroom, isolated from the dog, and she agreed. Next morning Iris contacted me. She had phoned three times to confirm the arrangements, but had no reply. At 11am she called at the apartment – again, no reply. The strange thing is, I know the particular apartments in the Bay where this person supposedly lived – and no pets are allowed. So why did she say she had a Husky? Could it just have been someone, a bit bored and playing around, who wanted to drag us down to the Bay at 11’0’clock at night? Certainly not my idea of a joke, nor Iris’s.
AN URGENT REMINDER! Flea sprays and powders intended for dogs and containing Permethrin can kill cats. Cats can even be affected if they go near a dog which has been treated with one of these products. Please - be aware!
MANY THANKS to the Jean Sainsbury Animal Welfare Trust for their very generous grant. This will enable us to improve the public area of Ty Mair, our homing centre. We will use it enlarge the office, and improve the storage and toilet facilities. All these areas are essential for the efficient running of the centre. Also, grateful thanks to the Pet Plan charitable trust. They too will be awarding us a grant, and this will be used for other very necessary projects at Ty Mair. Strangely, we receive more help from English charitable trusts than from those situated more closely to us! Help which is greatly appreciated.
All’s well that ends well! During our Spring Fayre a young woman approached me, asking how she could trace the owner of a young cat which had been ‘hanging around’ her house in Lake Road North. She wanted to keep the cat, if possible, but didn’t want to deprive someone of their pet. Her family had already named the cat, and they all loved her, even the dog! We agreed that I should visit the next day, and scan the cat for a microchip. The scan produced a number, and we very quickly established that the owner lived in the Heath area. Regrettably, the ‘finders’ had only advertised the cat around Roath Park. But it turned out that the original owners had only had the cat for three weeks before she went missing – and had been talked into adopting her by their vet, to whom she had been taken as a stray. Unfortunately, their tom cat didn’t approve, and he was spraying everywhere in protest! The solution, of course, was an obvious one - the little cat stayed with the people who had found her, and everyone was happy, including the dog!
WE ARE STILL DIGGING FOR GOLD! PLEASE CONTINUE TO LOOK OUT FOR SCRAPS OF GOLD AND SILVER – LIKE BROKEN CHAINS OR BROOCHES, AND SINGLE EARRINGS! OLD MEDALS AND BADGES, TOO. WE CAN CONVERT ALL THESE INTO CASH. AND WE ALWAYS WANT BOOKS AND BRIC-A-BRAC,ETC!
A home for Gabby! My husband and I were emptying the food donation box in Sainsbury’s Thornhill Store when a lady approached us. She explained that someone she knew was terminally ill. The person had made provision for the care of her own cat, but no help was forthcoming for the stray she had been feeding. The lady confirmed that the stray was a domestic cat which had been thrown out by the resident of a Gabalfa flat. At that time he was an un-neutered kitten of six months, and in the three years since then he had never been loved, or had a home. Even the person who had been feeding him tried to shoo him away, but where could he go? We agreed to take him into care in early September 2008. He was not even litter trained, but with a lot of patience Helen put that right. However, during this training process it became clear that he had a bowel infection. A stay at the vet’s and a special diet greatly improved things, and he – now named Gabby – was soon using his tray and enjoying normal food. He was almost ready for homing, but nobody wanted him. Being chased away had made him timid, and when anyone visited his pen he ran away and hid. All the CATWEL helpers loved Gabby, but other people wouldn’t give him a second glance. That is, until a lady called Christine saw him! Her fourteen year old cat had died the previous Saturday, and she was desperate for another. When Christine phoned me, I told her about the various cats we had in care, but it was Gabby she was interested in. No, she didn’t mind that he was timid and not especially beautiful, nor if he didn’t turn out to be a ‘lap cat’. She just loved big tom cats. So they were introduced, and it was love at first sight! Gabby didn’t hide, he rubbed against her and purred. No other cats were viewed, they had chosen each other. We love it when this happens – because there really is a cat for everyone, if we can just get them together!
Can cats return in spirit? A gentleman recently told me of a strange happening, following the death of his old cat. He used to cook frozen fish by quickly bringing it to the boil in a pan, then removing it from the heat so that the house would not smell of fish. It was then mixed with tinned food and thoroughly enjoyed by his cat! When the cat died he gave the remaining fish to his neighbour, who lived on the other side of his drive. A few weeks later he went downstairs one morning to be met with the unpleasant smell of boiling fish. The smell did eventually disappear, but it came back a few days later. He assumed his neighbour had been boiling the fish, and when they met he remarked that it had not taken long for her to use it. But no - the fish was still in her freezer! A Spiritualist friend suggested that maybe his cat had returned to thank him for his kindness. What do you think?
CATWEL’S WET AUTUMN AUCTION! Once our fund-raising events are over they are usually forgotten as we start planning future ones. However, the auction held on September 5th 2008 was an exception. Everywhere was soaked, there were floods, and despite predictions that the rain would stop on the 5th, the weather disagreed and it continued to pour down. The ‘gang’ worked hard in transporting and setting up, and by evening everything was ready. I looked around the room despondently, wondering how we would clear it later if the rain kept everyone away. I felt certain that would be the case! Then, a miracle – one by one our supporters turned up, the room was full of smiling faces, and we raised £967! You will never know just how greatly you are appreciated, for your generous donations of money, and goods to sell, and for your unstinting support of our fundraising events. Thank you all so very much.
Sometimes we just get lucky! Hugo came to us from the home of an elderly gentleman. The reason for re-homing him was that he was terrified of going out, for fear of being attacked by local youths. Pippa was not keen on children, either! She was a young tortie and got on well with adults. However, she hated being penned and used to shake with fear. Fosterer Roz decided to put them together in a bedroom. The two complex little cats quickly became firm friends, playing and sleeping together. But how would we find a home for them? Then along came Rachel, a lovely professional lady who was used to having cats with funny ways, and who wanted to adopt two ‘indoor’ cats! When I told Roz, she thought Christmas had come! So Hugo and Pippa went with Rachel and have settled wonderfully. And not only did Rachel give two ‘difficult’ cats a home – she is now a valued member of our team, and helps with our fundraising, and at Ty Mair most Saturdays. What a result, for Hugo, Pippa and CATWEL!
So much for family promises… The old gentleman knew he was dying. His only anxiety was for the welfare of his beloved companions, a cat and a dog. However, his worries were over when his daughter agreed to care for the cat, and his son for the dog. After their father’s death the dog was quickly removed by the son. There are rumours that it is not being looked after properly, but I don’t know if that is true. However, I received a phone call from one of the old man’s neighbours, telling me that his council flat was being redecorated and that nobody was caring for the cat. Iris visited the neighbour regularly and took cat food. Then, at last, the daughter made an appearance and remarked to the neighbour that the cat was still there. She then drove away, making no provision for her father’s cat, which was living in a makeshift shelter that would no longer be available when new tenants moved in. Not surprisingly, the cat came into CATWEL’s care! A gentle fourteen year old, who deserved much better treatment from the family of her late owner. After a great deal of veterinary treatment, including the removal of a benign leg tumour and four teeth, she was given the usual flea and worm remedies and blood tests, and pronounced fit for re-homing. The treatment, naturally, was expensive – but so worthwhile, that’s what cat rescue is all about! Then two lovely young ladies offered dear old Mitsy a home, where she would be warm and safe. However, Claire and Menai had adopted her when their CATWEL cat Monty went missing - and via his microchip he was eventually found! Claire and Menai told us ‘we were concerned with how our two elderly residents would get on’, but apart from some hissing, all is well. ‘Mitsy’s coat is glossy and she has put on weight… and Monty is as friendly as ever’.They added ‘we may not have planned on owning two cats, but we are very happy with these two and are sure they will keep us entertained for many years to come.’ So are we!
This bloomin’ recession – as soon as it hit the headlines the throw-outs started. How much does it cost to feed a little cat? During the frugal thirties, the war years and those following, money was scarce but people still fed their cats. These days, many of them just get dumped!
Welcome to Jenny - fostering again after a serious illness. We’re delighted to have you back!
A MICRO-CHIPPING MYSTERY – As you know, I’ve frequently related stories of our micro-chipping experiences (see page 3 of this newsletter!). Sometimes we take in cats which have been chipped, but the owner has abandoned the cat. It is then necessary for us to prove that we have tried to trace them by advertising in the local paper, to confirm that the cat has indeed been abandoned. Alternatively, we have to prove that a chipped cat has been officially signed over to CATWEL. Not always straightforward! However, the most complicated mix-up occurred recently, when we accepted a cat from an owner who had been evicted from her home. She told us where the cat could be found - sitting on the front doorstep of a house in Splott. We collected the cat, found it a lovely new home, and set about getting the micro-chip details changed. There was a snag, though – the number had been allocated to a horse! Fortunately, a further scan located another chip, which did give the cat’s real details. But what about the horse? It can be mysterious, this cat rescue business!
Our first kittens of 2009 were born on March 25th - the little family is doing well!
A HAPPY ENDING – we do get them, and they make all the work we do worthwhile. A number of years ago I was asked to help with a cat which had given birth in a young lady’s house. We had the mother cat spayed and homed her kittens. The young lady wanted to keep ‘mum’ and named her ‘Precious’, and we were very happy for them both. Until recently, that is, when a neighbour phoned to advise me that the owner had moved away and no longer had any interest in Precious. Also, the poor cat was suffering from a severe flea allergy, which must have been causing her terrible distress. It was agreed that Iris would investigate, and a place was set aside for her at our homing centre. However, when the day to take her into care arrived, she had disappeared! We managed to track her down at a kind gentleman’s home where she had been spending some of her time. He was happy for us to take her to the vet, and although we had been told she was timid he brought her to the door in his arms. Precious was examined, given an injection to relieve the irritation and ‘Stronghold’ to eliminate the fleas, then returned to the new home she had chosen for herself – and where ‘her’ gentleman was anxiously waiting for her. It has been agreed that Precious will be treated on a monthly basis to avoid further problems, and she is now living permanently and very happily only yards away from where she was ‘dumped’. A wonderful result.
Many thanks to Waitrose, Pontprennau for including us in their March 2009 charity collection.
And ever onwards!
Below we have news of our future fundraising events:
Saturday, May 30th – Summer Fayre at Christ Church Hall, Lake Rd North, starts 2pm.
Saturday, July 11th – our stall at Roath Park, part of a charity event beginning at noon.
Friday, September 4th – Auction, Christ Church Hall, viewing from 6.15pm, bidding 7.15pm.
Saturday, October 2nd – Autumn Fayre at Christ Church Hall, starts 2pm.
Saturday, December 5th – CATWEL social afternoon, starts 2pm.
NB: subject to the availability of sufficient goods, we may hold a second auction sometime in November (possibly 6th). This will be confirmed by notices in the South Wales Echo.
HOMES NEEDED! NB: All the cats currently on our web-site have been homed. It is in the process of being updated. Some new residents looking for homes include:
1. Two 3year old sisters - one tabby and white, one black and white.
2. 2year old tabby male, very good natured.
3. Black mother and kitten, kitten a bit timid. Need to stay together.
4.12-18 month old female, white with black patches.
5. 1year old black male, super temperament.
6.1year old black & white male.
Thank you very much for reading our 24th newsletter - we do hope you enjoyed it, and we look forward to seeing you at our fundraising events.
We are having to ask people to be patient! The autumn of 2008 was one of the worst I have known since I became involved in cat rescue. After an exceptionally busy ‘kitten season’ - when priority is always given to mothers and kittens – the phone never stopped ringing, with demands that stray and abandoned cats be taken into care immediately. What some people fail to realise is that the space we have is limited. Also, if we have a mother and kittens in a pen, it could be occupied for at least three months! We don’t home the kittens until they are eight weeks old, and then we have to get their mother spayed – and find her a home, which often takes months. Also, we get occasional ‘bouncers’, re-homed cats which are returned to us. They always get priority as we guarantee we will take cats back if things don’t work out. Added to all this we have the ‘credit crunch’ and mortgage foreclosures, which exacerbate the situation! I do keep a waiting list, but it is long and, inevitably, we sometimes have to let a cat ‘jump the queue’. If it’s a choice between a 5 year-old male who has been waiting for months and a 6 month old female kitten, we have to take the kitten – she could end up having a litter outside, which might be the start of a feral colony. Also, she will be easier to home, thus releasing valuable space. When people phone, the cats are invariably referred to as ‘strays’ – although they may have been feeding them for months, sometimes for years. The fact that they are off on a long cruise next week has nothing to do with it, of course… So what I am trying to explain is that we are doing a difficult job in difficult times, and the situation is unlikely to improve any time soon! If we can’t help someone immediately, it is not because we don’t want to, it is because we can’t. If only we had a lovely farm with lots of ground!
OUR ANNUAL SOCIAL was a great success! Because so many of our supporters prefer not to venture out of doors on a winter evening, we decided to hold it on Saturday afternoon
December 6th. It was a popular decision, and many of our ‘regulars’ attended. It was lovely to see you all, and the time passed so quickly that I didn’t get a chance to thank you properly for coming along, and for your unfailing support throughout 2008. We are extremely grateful.
Our resident cats enjoyed a special Christmas dinner! Marilyn and Gerry Oram were given a turkey, and as they are vegetarians they donated it to CATWEL. Our cats hope Marilyn and Gerry’s nut roast was delicious, too!
Grateful thanks to Lynne Isanski, for donating £100 in memory of her beloved father Ron, who loved all animals, but cats in particular. Thanks also to Sian and Gwyn Davies, who donated £100 in memory of their beautiful longhaired tabby cat, adopted from CATWEL. We greatly appreciate the generosity of people who remember human or feline loved ones by helping us.
WAS IT A HOAX? It was 10.30 on a Saturday night. I was on my way to bed, Iris was already in bed. The young woman who phoned said she had found a four month old kitten in a box in the Bay area of Cardiff. I explained that we would not be able to help until the following morning, when arrangements would be made to collect the kitten at 8.30am. The woman said she could not keep the kitten overnight as she had a Husky dog. I suggested that she kept it in her bathroom, isolated from the dog, and she agreed. Next morning Iris contacted me. She had phoned three times to confirm the arrangements, but had no reply. At 11am she called at the apartment – again, no reply. The strange thing is, I know the particular apartments in the Bay where this person supposedly lived – and no pets are allowed. So why did she say she had a Husky? Could it just have been someone, a bit bored and playing around, who wanted to drag us down to the Bay at 11’0’clock at night? Certainly not my idea of a joke, nor Iris’s.
AN URGENT REMINDER! Flea sprays and powders intended for dogs and containing Permethrin can kill cats. Cats can even be affected if they go near a dog which has been treated with one of these products. Please - be aware!
MANY THANKS to the Jean Sainsbury Animal Welfare Trust for their very generous grant. This will enable us to improve the public area of Ty Mair, our homing centre. We will use it enlarge the office, and improve the storage and toilet facilities. All these areas are essential for the efficient running of the centre. Also, grateful thanks to the Pet Plan charitable trust. They too will be awarding us a grant, and this will be used for other very necessary projects at Ty Mair. Strangely, we receive more help from English charitable trusts than from those situated more closely to us! Help which is greatly appreciated.
All’s well that ends well! During our Spring Fayre a young woman approached me, asking how she could trace the owner of a young cat which had been ‘hanging around’ her house in Lake Road North. She wanted to keep the cat, if possible, but didn’t want to deprive someone of their pet. Her family had already named the cat, and they all loved her, even the dog! We agreed that I should visit the next day, and scan the cat for a microchip. The scan produced a number, and we very quickly established that the owner lived in the Heath area. Regrettably, the ‘finders’ had only advertised the cat around Roath Park. But it turned out that the original owners had only had the cat for three weeks before she went missing – and had been talked into adopting her by their vet, to whom she had been taken as a stray. Unfortunately, their tom cat didn’t approve, and he was spraying everywhere in protest! The solution, of course, was an obvious one - the little cat stayed with the people who had found her, and everyone was happy, including the dog!
WE ARE STILL DIGGING FOR GOLD! PLEASE CONTINUE TO LOOK OUT FOR SCRAPS OF GOLD AND SILVER – LIKE BROKEN CHAINS OR BROOCHES, AND SINGLE EARRINGS! OLD MEDALS AND BADGES, TOO. WE CAN CONVERT ALL THESE INTO CASH. AND WE ALWAYS WANT BOOKS AND BRIC-A-BRAC,ETC!
A home for Gabby! My husband and I were emptying the food donation box in Sainsbury’s Thornhill Store when a lady approached us. She explained that someone she knew was terminally ill. The person had made provision for the care of her own cat, but no help was forthcoming for the stray she had been feeding. The lady confirmed that the stray was a domestic cat which had been thrown out by the resident of a Gabalfa flat. At that time he was an un-neutered kitten of six months, and in the three years since then he had never been loved, or had a home. Even the person who had been feeding him tried to shoo him away, but where could he go? We agreed to take him into care in early September 2008. He was not even litter trained, but with a lot of patience Helen put that right. However, during this training process it became clear that he had a bowel infection. A stay at the vet’s and a special diet greatly improved things, and he – now named Gabby – was soon using his tray and enjoying normal food. He was almost ready for homing, but nobody wanted him. Being chased away had made him timid, and when anyone visited his pen he ran away and hid. All the CATWEL helpers loved Gabby, but other people wouldn’t give him a second glance. That is, until a lady called Christine saw him! Her fourteen year old cat had died the previous Saturday, and she was desperate for another. When Christine phoned me, I told her about the various cats we had in care, but it was Gabby she was interested in. No, she didn’t mind that he was timid and not especially beautiful, nor if he didn’t turn out to be a ‘lap cat’. She just loved big tom cats. So they were introduced, and it was love at first sight! Gabby didn’t hide, he rubbed against her and purred. No other cats were viewed, they had chosen each other. We love it when this happens – because there really is a cat for everyone, if we can just get them together!
Can cats return in spirit? A gentleman recently told me of a strange happening, following the death of his old cat. He used to cook frozen fish by quickly bringing it to the boil in a pan, then removing it from the heat so that the house would not smell of fish. It was then mixed with tinned food and thoroughly enjoyed by his cat! When the cat died he gave the remaining fish to his neighbour, who lived on the other side of his drive. A few weeks later he went downstairs one morning to be met with the unpleasant smell of boiling fish. The smell did eventually disappear, but it came back a few days later. He assumed his neighbour had been boiling the fish, and when they met he remarked that it had not taken long for her to use it. But no - the fish was still in her freezer! A Spiritualist friend suggested that maybe his cat had returned to thank him for his kindness. What do you think?
CATWEL’S WET AUTUMN AUCTION! Once our fund-raising events are over they are usually forgotten as we start planning future ones. However, the auction held on September 5th 2008 was an exception. Everywhere was soaked, there were floods, and despite predictions that the rain would stop on the 5th, the weather disagreed and it continued to pour down. The ‘gang’ worked hard in transporting and setting up, and by evening everything was ready. I looked around the room despondently, wondering how we would clear it later if the rain kept everyone away. I felt certain that would be the case! Then, a miracle – one by one our supporters turned up, the room was full of smiling faces, and we raised £967! You will never know just how greatly you are appreciated, for your generous donations of money, and goods to sell, and for your unstinting support of our fundraising events. Thank you all so very much.
Sometimes we just get lucky! Hugo came to us from the home of an elderly gentleman. The reason for re-homing him was that he was terrified of going out, for fear of being attacked by local youths. Pippa was not keen on children, either! She was a young tortie and got on well with adults. However, she hated being penned and used to shake with fear. Fosterer Roz decided to put them together in a bedroom. The two complex little cats quickly became firm friends, playing and sleeping together. But how would we find a home for them? Then along came Rachel, a lovely professional lady who was used to having cats with funny ways, and who wanted to adopt two ‘indoor’ cats! When I told Roz, she thought Christmas had come! So Hugo and Pippa went with Rachel and have settled wonderfully. And not only did Rachel give two ‘difficult’ cats a home – she is now a valued member of our team, and helps with our fundraising, and at Ty Mair most Saturdays. What a result, for Hugo, Pippa and CATWEL!
So much for family promises… The old gentleman knew he was dying. His only anxiety was for the welfare of his beloved companions, a cat and a dog. However, his worries were over when his daughter agreed to care for the cat, and his son for the dog. After their father’s death the dog was quickly removed by the son. There are rumours that it is not being looked after properly, but I don’t know if that is true. However, I received a phone call from one of the old man’s neighbours, telling me that his council flat was being redecorated and that nobody was caring for the cat. Iris visited the neighbour regularly and took cat food. Then, at last, the daughter made an appearance and remarked to the neighbour that the cat was still there. She then drove away, making no provision for her father’s cat, which was living in a makeshift shelter that would no longer be available when new tenants moved in. Not surprisingly, the cat came into CATWEL’s care! A gentle fourteen year old, who deserved much better treatment from the family of her late owner. After a great deal of veterinary treatment, including the removal of a benign leg tumour and four teeth, she was given the usual flea and worm remedies and blood tests, and pronounced fit for re-homing. The treatment, naturally, was expensive – but so worthwhile, that’s what cat rescue is all about! Then two lovely young ladies offered dear old Mitsy a home, where she would be warm and safe. However, Claire and Menai had adopted her when their CATWEL cat Monty went missing - and via his microchip he was eventually found! Claire and Menai told us ‘we were concerned with how our two elderly residents would get on’, but apart from some hissing, all is well. ‘Mitsy’s coat is glossy and she has put on weight… and Monty is as friendly as ever’.They added ‘we may not have planned on owning two cats, but we are very happy with these two and are sure they will keep us entertained for many years to come.’ So are we!
This bloomin’ recession – as soon as it hit the headlines the throw-outs started. How much does it cost to feed a little cat? During the frugal thirties, the war years and those following, money was scarce but people still fed their cats. These days, many of them just get dumped!
Welcome to Jenny - fostering again after a serious illness. We’re delighted to have you back!
A MICRO-CHIPPING MYSTERY – As you know, I’ve frequently related stories of our micro-chipping experiences (see page 3 of this newsletter!). Sometimes we take in cats which have been chipped, but the owner has abandoned the cat. It is then necessary for us to prove that we have tried to trace them by advertising in the local paper, to confirm that the cat has indeed been abandoned. Alternatively, we have to prove that a chipped cat has been officially signed over to CATWEL. Not always straightforward! However, the most complicated mix-up occurred recently, when we accepted a cat from an owner who had been evicted from her home. She told us where the cat could be found - sitting on the front doorstep of a house in Splott. We collected the cat, found it a lovely new home, and set about getting the micro-chip details changed. There was a snag, though – the number had been allocated to a horse! Fortunately, a further scan located another chip, which did give the cat’s real details. But what about the horse? It can be mysterious, this cat rescue business!
Our first kittens of 2009 were born on March 25th - the little family is doing well!
A HAPPY ENDING – we do get them, and they make all the work we do worthwhile. A number of years ago I was asked to help with a cat which had given birth in a young lady’s house. We had the mother cat spayed and homed her kittens. The young lady wanted to keep ‘mum’ and named her ‘Precious’, and we were very happy for them both. Until recently, that is, when a neighbour phoned to advise me that the owner had moved away and no longer had any interest in Precious. Also, the poor cat was suffering from a severe flea allergy, which must have been causing her terrible distress. It was agreed that Iris would investigate, and a place was set aside for her at our homing centre. However, when the day to take her into care arrived, she had disappeared! We managed to track her down at a kind gentleman’s home where she had been spending some of her time. He was happy for us to take her to the vet, and although we had been told she was timid he brought her to the door in his arms. Precious was examined, given an injection to relieve the irritation and ‘Stronghold’ to eliminate the fleas, then returned to the new home she had chosen for herself – and where ‘her’ gentleman was anxiously waiting for her. It has been agreed that Precious will be treated on a monthly basis to avoid further problems, and she is now living permanently and very happily only yards away from where she was ‘dumped’. A wonderful result.
Many thanks to Waitrose, Pontprennau for including us in their March 2009 charity collection.
And ever onwards!
Below we have news of our future fundraising events:
Saturday, May 30th – Summer Fayre at Christ Church Hall, Lake Rd North, starts 2pm.
Saturday, July 11th – our stall at Roath Park, part of a charity event beginning at noon.
Friday, September 4th – Auction, Christ Church Hall, viewing from 6.15pm, bidding 7.15pm.
Saturday, October 2nd – Autumn Fayre at Christ Church Hall, starts 2pm.
Saturday, December 5th – CATWEL social afternoon, starts 2pm.
NB: subject to the availability of sufficient goods, we may hold a second auction sometime in November (possibly 6th). This will be confirmed by notices in the South Wales Echo.
HOMES NEEDED! NB: All the cats currently on our web-site have been homed. It is in the process of being updated. Some new residents looking for homes include:
1. Two 3year old sisters - one tabby and white, one black and white.
2. 2year old tabby male, very good natured.
3. Black mother and kitten, kitten a bit timid. Need to stay together.
4.12-18 month old female, white with black patches.
5. 1year old black male, super temperament.
6.1year old black & white male.
Thank you very much for reading our 24th newsletter - we do hope you enjoyed it, and we look forward to seeing you at our fundraising events.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Newsletter number 23
Dear Friends – welcome to CATWEL newsletter number 23
I am pleased to report that renovation work at our homing centre Ty Mair (Mary’s House) has almost been completed. We are especially indebted to our Centre Manager, Helen Powell, for working so hard to ensure that we now have a Centre that is second to none for up-to-date facilities. Helen not only designed the indoor pen area, ensuring that the cats have the maximum comfort and security, she also designed our wonderful new Isolation Unit. She managed the whole project to ensure her very high standards were maintained – and undertook many of the labouring tasks herself, to save the charity’s funds.
During all this she carried out her usual duties as meticulousy as ever, making sure the cats already already in her care were properly looked after. Her home resembled a building site but not once did she complain! There is still some additional work to be undertaken – the extension of the office, installation of new cupboards etc. Unfortunately, however, a shortage of funds has prevented the project being completed in “one go”.
Thank you Helen, from all your friends and colleagues at CATWEL – and of course, the fortunate feline residents!
·
ANNUAL PRIZE DRAW. It’s that time again, and most of you know the system. If you want to participate in the draw, please return the attached ticket with your details on the back and a donation of your choice. The draw will take place during our afternoon Christmas Social on December 6th 2008. Pleasesupport this event, as the sum raised helps a great deal towards the cost of the homing centre expenses and vet’s bills. THANKS – AND GOOD LUCK
Grateful thanks to Ann and Debbie, who generously donated carriers, food and £50 in memory of their two cats Wal and Cagney, who died within 6 months of each other, aged 21 and 19 years respectively.
·
BOY, GEORGE and the CATWEL website
“I’m so grateful to have him back” says Elaine Dando, who has been reunited with her cat George. Elaine had almost given up, after putting “1,400 leaflets through some vicious letterboxes, posters on lamp posts, posters in shops, traipsing around streets endlessly calling his name” Elaine had done all the right things, including posting photos of George on our website. The kind people who had been feeding him for several months saw them, and the rest is history! A happy ending thanks to Graham, who designed our excellent website and runs it so efficiently.
Another lucky cat to be reunited with his owner because of the site was BOY, who had been missing for two months before being found, trapped in a hotel basement in Newport Road. Although in a sorry state when he was found, owner Nichola tells us that Boy is now “well on the route to looking like his former glorious self” Thank you Graham and keep up the good work!
In Memorium: Our sympathy is extended to Carol Holland, who recently lost her dear mother, Mrs Doris Littlejohns. Carol, a very hardworking member of Catwel for many years, kindly named the charity as a beneficiary for donations in lieu of funeral flowers.
·
The sun shone for our summer fayre, the people came, and we had a very successful day! An excellent plant stall, lots of delicious cakes, also lots of books and “treasures”. Something for everyone! Tea was served in the sunny garden, and a good time was had by all. It raised just over £1,000, so many thanks go to all who supported it or provided the lovely goods for us to sell.
We all love happy endings! Once upon a time there was a lovely gentleman who saved all his one, five and ten pence pieces for CATWEL. He’d phone me and say every time, “Mrs Harris, do you want some money?” to which I would reply “I always want money Mr A!” He had usually saved between £60 and £80, and when I visited to collect it he was always smiling, the dog was always wagging its tail and the two cats were looking on.
Then sadly I had another call. His dear cousin and companion had died and he’d had a serious breakdown; he would no longer be able to care for his pets. A neighbour had taken his dog in, would we take his cats? Of course we would. One was very old and seriously ill and on the vet’s advice was “put to sleep” The other, Alfie, was healthy and good natured, and ten! Not surprisingly, we had him in care for several months, as not many requests come our way for male cats in double figures! But one day I was talking to one of our supporters, and quite by chance she told me about a lady who was looking for an older “indoor” cat for her grandmother.
Alfie immediately came to mind! What a success story. When I met the lady recently she told me Grandma absolutely adores Alfie, who is more than happy to spend his days on her lap. A grandson, trying to scrounge a left-over fish cake, was quickly told “That’s Alfie’s” and realises he’s gone down a tad in Gran’s pecking order! Stories like this keep us going!
·
CAT POWER? Jennie and her husband took a fancy to a little black and white cat that Jennie was fostering for us. As she had a “cauliflower ear” they felt it would not be easy for us to home her. Just one problem – or rather, three! Jennie has three dogs and she was anxious that the dogs might harm the little cat. So introductions were made with care, ensuring that the cat was never left alone with the dogs – until one day Jennie found them cowering in a corner, being challenged by this young and very small cat!
CATWEL CHRISTMAS CARDS can be ordered from Margaret, £3 for a pack of 6, or they can be bought at our events, along with individual cards at 60p each.
·
Remembering Gill Courtney. It is with great regret that I report the death of Gill Courtney, who has been mentioned frequently in our newsletters over the years. She played an essential part in caring for many of the cats helped by CATWEL, and will be sadly missed. Her family have our deepest sympathy.
Golden Oldies! And silver oldies, brass oldies.....Many thanks to everyone who responded to our appeal for odd or broken pieces of gold and silver jewellery, also coins, medals, etc. Amazingly, it has put £280 into our funds! Those bits may not look much when you bring them to me, but they are worth their weight in ...well, gold! And I’ve now been told there is a market for non-EU foreign coins, so think of us when clearing out those post-holiday pockets!
·
THE PRODIGAL JERRY! About ten years ago I homed two kittens with Betty and David Rees. One black and white, one ginger – Tom and Jerry – and both adored. Then, about 18 months ago, Jerry decided to move out. He was duly found to be living with a neighbour. Jerry was repeatedly brought home, but he always left again. That is, until recently, when one day he turned up, inspected the accommodation, looked out of “his” window and stayed! Tom was delighted. He had pined so much for his brother that he had even been receiving veterinary treatment for a lost appetite. He is eating properly again now. Why did Jerry go, why did he come back? We’ll never know. Let’s just hope the urge to leave has gone, and he stays put....
Our grateful thanks go to Mrs Catherine Pook, for donating the money given in lieu of funeral flowers in memory of her mother. Mrs Isabel Curtis, who died recently, aged 90, had a lifelong devotion to animal welfare.
·
When I recently decided to apply for a Tesco club card, I was asked if I would like to hear about special offers on alcoholic drinks, etc. I almost said no – then remembered the CATWEL raffles and said Yes, that would be useful for our cat charity events. Result? The lady taking my details is going to collect cat food for us, and will try to attend our “fundraisers”.
More Golden Oldies? Generally speaking, our rescued cats are either pregnant, and/or two or three years of age. We are rarely asked to take in elderly cats – although 2008 does seem to have been the exception to this rule! First there was Poppy, a cat I homed years ago, who came back when her owner became ill; then along came Arthur, a lovely ginger boy; then affectionate tortie Pebbles; and finally, Alfie, a mere youngster at ten years!
We were starting to feel like an Old Mogs Home! We even had eleven year old Monty waiting in the wings, being looked after by neighbours and advertised on our website. Well, luck was with us – Poppy was found a lovely home with an elderly lady, 14 year old Arthur went to Joan, a CATWEL member, and has settled in well with her other two cats. Our sweet natured Pebbles won the heart of a single gentleman and is very happily settled in a home in Rhoose, and as mentioned previously, Arthur has also landed on his paws! Which just leaves poor old Monty, but someone has expressed an interest in him so keep your fingers crossed!
·
Maria Wilkinson wrote to us about a small black cat which had been visiting her for several weeks, “coming in for scraps left over from our own cat’s dish” The little cat’s visits became increasingly frequent and prolonged, culminating in a “night of desperate mewing to come into our home”
Margaret was contacted for advice, as she had helped with a previous cat problem – and she suggested that Maria phone her cousin Beryl, who maintains CATWEL’s “Lost and Found” list. Maria gave Beryl a description of her little visitor, mentioning that there appeared to be damage to the front right paw – and Beryl instantly recalled seeing an Echo advert for a missing cat with a similar injury.
The advert had been placed in February, and it was now the end of March! Maria contacted the cat’s owners, and within an hour they had identified and collected Meg – whose damaged paw was the result of past surgery. Maria, thanking us, says “all this happened in the space of about two hours and would not have been possible without CATWEL”
Well done Beryl, keeper of the list!
Grey and white Benjy was a thin, sick cat nursed back to health by Roz. A lovely family, intending to adopt a kitten, fell in love with this handsome adult and gave him a home – only to be devastated a while later when he simply disappeared. A neighbour admitted accidentally bumping Benjy with his car, then seeing him run off. The search began, but it wasn’t until February that I had a call to say the wanderer was home!
He had been living in a nearby street and was eventually coaxed close enough by some kind people who had him checked for a microchip. The chip, of course, led them to Benjy’s delighted owners. The moral of this tale? YES, MICROCHIPPING WORKS!
Patience is a virtue! The family was so desperate for two kittens that a councillor rang me early one morning on their behalf, recommending their “loving home” in glowing terms. Later, the husband phoned me to confirm the request. The only kittens I had were two little tabbies; but, as I explained to the prospective owner, the female was timid and would need patient handling. That was no problem, and after work he arrived with his cat-carrier, assured me that his wife “loved all cats” and would devote lots of time to the timid kitten, and gave me a very welcome £20 donation! But an hour later his irate wife phoned me. The little female kitten had scratched her.
I explained again that she would need more time and patience than the boy. However, by 8 o’clock they had returned the “savage” kittens – and they even took back their £20 donation! I fostered the kittens myself, and within two days the female was running to greet me. They were homed just two days after that, and their new “Mum” writes that “We’ve called the boy Locki and the girl Freya….. they are so much fun! No more worries about the girl being shy, she has come out of herself and bosses the brother around!”
The winter can be dangerous for cats…. some festive plants, for example mistletoe and poinsettias, are poisonous to them….and so is antifreeze. And drivers, be alert- stray cats will often wriggle onto the engines of cars to keep warm! Also, cats love Christmas tree baubles, so avoid glass ones which can shatter, and cut paws – and remember that turkey and chicken meat is fine for cats, but definitely not the bones!
Allergies, moving house and going abroad…People give all sorts of reasons for wanting to rehome cats. But the one that really makes me cross is “we’re having a baby” How reassuring, then, to hear from Maria Badminton, whose family consists – in her own words – “of six (two parents, three cats and a baby)”
Maria tells us: “Having worked as fosterers for CATWEL for a few years, we are all too aware of the way cats can be pushed out of their homes following the birth of a child. Given that we had three rather spoilt cats ourselves, it was with some trepidation that I embarked on my own pregnancy… The cats were very interested in the pregnancy bump.
Kramer would lie on it while I was napping, as though she was keeping it warm. But nothing could prepare me for the fun we’ve had since the baby was born. We came home from hospital two days after the birth… Newman, our long haired noisy ginger cat, just climbed on his Daddy’s lap as usual, nudging the baby gently to get on, but sharing nicely.
The next morning Kramer brought us the usual crop of socks (stolen from the washing basket) but this time there were little baby socks as well as ours. Georgie, the least energetic of our cats, just likes the soft blankets….she does prefer the baby’s blankets to her own, however. A year on, cats and baby have become firm friends. As soon as the cats walk into the room a little hand goes out to stroke them… he giggles when he touches their fur and calls them all Georgie” Maria, thanks for a lovely story. Best wishes to all six of you!
·
CATWEL began, and continues, as a rescue group helping stray cats and kittens. We have never been here to solve the cat problems of people who are more than capable of solving their own. The kitten season has been the busiest I have ever known, yet not all requests for us to take kittens into care relate to those poor little scraps born in sheds or under hedges. Many have come form parents who have let their cat have a litter so that the children can enjoy seeing them born and reared.
And by the time that litter is about nine weeks old, they have decided to keep the prettiest; have managed to home one or two with friends or family; and are now panicking about the remaining few who ae becoming leggier and less cute by the day. I try to explain that to take the remains of the litter is not our remit – and would use up space needed by stray and abandoned kittens.
But they often seem to have great difficulty grasping this, along with our much repeated advice to have their cats neutered at six months.
As I write this, CATWEL has 29 kittens in care, plus two heavily pregnant cats which were too far gone for neutering when they came in. We will have to find good homes for them all. How helpful it would be if people who plan to let their cats have a litter “for the children” kept all the resulting kittens themselves – and left any other available homes for our needy little “rescues”!
INTO THE FUTURE! Forthcoming CATWEL events:
Unless otherwise stated, all events will take place at Christ Church Hall, Lake Road North
Saturday Nov 1st 2008 – Autumn Fayre 2pm – 4pm
Saturday Nov 22nd 2008 – we hope to have a stall at a Christmas Fayre at Heath Community Centre, Heath Park. Afternoon Event
Saturday Dec 6th 2008 – Christmas Social 2pm – pm
Saturday March 14th 2009 – Spring Fayre 2pm – 4pm
Friday April 24th 2009 – Auction: Viewing 6.15pm, bidding 7.15pm
Saturday May 30th 2009 – Summer Fayre 2pm – 4pm
Saturday July 11th 2009 – we have a stall at Roath Park. All day event.
COME ALONG AND HAVE FUN, AND HELP US RAISE MONEY FOR CATWEL!!
Don’t forget to return your draw ticket and donation – as they say about the lottery, you’ve got to be in it to win it – and have a very happy festive season.
I am pleased to report that renovation work at our homing centre Ty Mair (Mary’s House) has almost been completed. We are especially indebted to our Centre Manager, Helen Powell, for working so hard to ensure that we now have a Centre that is second to none for up-to-date facilities. Helen not only designed the indoor pen area, ensuring that the cats have the maximum comfort and security, she also designed our wonderful new Isolation Unit. She managed the whole project to ensure her very high standards were maintained – and undertook many of the labouring tasks herself, to save the charity’s funds.
During all this she carried out her usual duties as meticulousy as ever, making sure the cats already already in her care were properly looked after. Her home resembled a building site but not once did she complain! There is still some additional work to be undertaken – the extension of the office, installation of new cupboards etc. Unfortunately, however, a shortage of funds has prevented the project being completed in “one go”.
Thank you Helen, from all your friends and colleagues at CATWEL – and of course, the fortunate feline residents!
·
ANNUAL PRIZE DRAW. It’s that time again, and most of you know the system. If you want to participate in the draw, please return the attached ticket with your details on the back and a donation of your choice. The draw will take place during our afternoon Christmas Social on December 6th 2008. Pleasesupport this event, as the sum raised helps a great deal towards the cost of the homing centre expenses and vet’s bills. THANKS – AND GOOD LUCK
Grateful thanks to Ann and Debbie, who generously donated carriers, food and £50 in memory of their two cats Wal and Cagney, who died within 6 months of each other, aged 21 and 19 years respectively.
·
BOY, GEORGE and the CATWEL website
“I’m so grateful to have him back” says Elaine Dando, who has been reunited with her cat George. Elaine had almost given up, after putting “1,400 leaflets through some vicious letterboxes, posters on lamp posts, posters in shops, traipsing around streets endlessly calling his name” Elaine had done all the right things, including posting photos of George on our website. The kind people who had been feeding him for several months saw them, and the rest is history! A happy ending thanks to Graham, who designed our excellent website and runs it so efficiently.
Another lucky cat to be reunited with his owner because of the site was BOY, who had been missing for two months before being found, trapped in a hotel basement in Newport Road. Although in a sorry state when he was found, owner Nichola tells us that Boy is now “well on the route to looking like his former glorious self” Thank you Graham and keep up the good work!
In Memorium: Our sympathy is extended to Carol Holland, who recently lost her dear mother, Mrs Doris Littlejohns. Carol, a very hardworking member of Catwel for many years, kindly named the charity as a beneficiary for donations in lieu of funeral flowers.
·
The sun shone for our summer fayre, the people came, and we had a very successful day! An excellent plant stall, lots of delicious cakes, also lots of books and “treasures”. Something for everyone! Tea was served in the sunny garden, and a good time was had by all. It raised just over £1,000, so many thanks go to all who supported it or provided the lovely goods for us to sell.
We all love happy endings! Once upon a time there was a lovely gentleman who saved all his one, five and ten pence pieces for CATWEL. He’d phone me and say every time, “Mrs Harris, do you want some money?” to which I would reply “I always want money Mr A!” He had usually saved between £60 and £80, and when I visited to collect it he was always smiling, the dog was always wagging its tail and the two cats were looking on.
Then sadly I had another call. His dear cousin and companion had died and he’d had a serious breakdown; he would no longer be able to care for his pets. A neighbour had taken his dog in, would we take his cats? Of course we would. One was very old and seriously ill and on the vet’s advice was “put to sleep” The other, Alfie, was healthy and good natured, and ten! Not surprisingly, we had him in care for several months, as not many requests come our way for male cats in double figures! But one day I was talking to one of our supporters, and quite by chance she told me about a lady who was looking for an older “indoor” cat for her grandmother.
Alfie immediately came to mind! What a success story. When I met the lady recently she told me Grandma absolutely adores Alfie, who is more than happy to spend his days on her lap. A grandson, trying to scrounge a left-over fish cake, was quickly told “That’s Alfie’s” and realises he’s gone down a tad in Gran’s pecking order! Stories like this keep us going!
·
CAT POWER? Jennie and her husband took a fancy to a little black and white cat that Jennie was fostering for us. As she had a “cauliflower ear” they felt it would not be easy for us to home her. Just one problem – or rather, three! Jennie has three dogs and she was anxious that the dogs might harm the little cat. So introductions were made with care, ensuring that the cat was never left alone with the dogs – until one day Jennie found them cowering in a corner, being challenged by this young and very small cat!
CATWEL CHRISTMAS CARDS can be ordered from Margaret, £3 for a pack of 6, or they can be bought at our events, along with individual cards at 60p each.
·
Remembering Gill Courtney. It is with great regret that I report the death of Gill Courtney, who has been mentioned frequently in our newsletters over the years. She played an essential part in caring for many of the cats helped by CATWEL, and will be sadly missed. Her family have our deepest sympathy.
Golden Oldies! And silver oldies, brass oldies.....Many thanks to everyone who responded to our appeal for odd or broken pieces of gold and silver jewellery, also coins, medals, etc. Amazingly, it has put £280 into our funds! Those bits may not look much when you bring them to me, but they are worth their weight in ...well, gold! And I’ve now been told there is a market for non-EU foreign coins, so think of us when clearing out those post-holiday pockets!
·
THE PRODIGAL JERRY! About ten years ago I homed two kittens with Betty and David Rees. One black and white, one ginger – Tom and Jerry – and both adored. Then, about 18 months ago, Jerry decided to move out. He was duly found to be living with a neighbour. Jerry was repeatedly brought home, but he always left again. That is, until recently, when one day he turned up, inspected the accommodation, looked out of “his” window and stayed! Tom was delighted. He had pined so much for his brother that he had even been receiving veterinary treatment for a lost appetite. He is eating properly again now. Why did Jerry go, why did he come back? We’ll never know. Let’s just hope the urge to leave has gone, and he stays put....
Our grateful thanks go to Mrs Catherine Pook, for donating the money given in lieu of funeral flowers in memory of her mother. Mrs Isabel Curtis, who died recently, aged 90, had a lifelong devotion to animal welfare.
·
When I recently decided to apply for a Tesco club card, I was asked if I would like to hear about special offers on alcoholic drinks, etc. I almost said no – then remembered the CATWEL raffles and said Yes, that would be useful for our cat charity events. Result? The lady taking my details is going to collect cat food for us, and will try to attend our “fundraisers”.
More Golden Oldies? Generally speaking, our rescued cats are either pregnant, and/or two or three years of age. We are rarely asked to take in elderly cats – although 2008 does seem to have been the exception to this rule! First there was Poppy, a cat I homed years ago, who came back when her owner became ill; then along came Arthur, a lovely ginger boy; then affectionate tortie Pebbles; and finally, Alfie, a mere youngster at ten years!
We were starting to feel like an Old Mogs Home! We even had eleven year old Monty waiting in the wings, being looked after by neighbours and advertised on our website. Well, luck was with us – Poppy was found a lovely home with an elderly lady, 14 year old Arthur went to Joan, a CATWEL member, and has settled in well with her other two cats. Our sweet natured Pebbles won the heart of a single gentleman and is very happily settled in a home in Rhoose, and as mentioned previously, Arthur has also landed on his paws! Which just leaves poor old Monty, but someone has expressed an interest in him so keep your fingers crossed!
·
Maria Wilkinson wrote to us about a small black cat which had been visiting her for several weeks, “coming in for scraps left over from our own cat’s dish” The little cat’s visits became increasingly frequent and prolonged, culminating in a “night of desperate mewing to come into our home”
Margaret was contacted for advice, as she had helped with a previous cat problem – and she suggested that Maria phone her cousin Beryl, who maintains CATWEL’s “Lost and Found” list. Maria gave Beryl a description of her little visitor, mentioning that there appeared to be damage to the front right paw – and Beryl instantly recalled seeing an Echo advert for a missing cat with a similar injury.
The advert had been placed in February, and it was now the end of March! Maria contacted the cat’s owners, and within an hour they had identified and collected Meg – whose damaged paw was the result of past surgery. Maria, thanking us, says “all this happened in the space of about two hours and would not have been possible without CATWEL”
Well done Beryl, keeper of the list!
Grey and white Benjy was a thin, sick cat nursed back to health by Roz. A lovely family, intending to adopt a kitten, fell in love with this handsome adult and gave him a home – only to be devastated a while later when he simply disappeared. A neighbour admitted accidentally bumping Benjy with his car, then seeing him run off. The search began, but it wasn’t until February that I had a call to say the wanderer was home!
He had been living in a nearby street and was eventually coaxed close enough by some kind people who had him checked for a microchip. The chip, of course, led them to Benjy’s delighted owners. The moral of this tale? YES, MICROCHIPPING WORKS!
Patience is a virtue! The family was so desperate for two kittens that a councillor rang me early one morning on their behalf, recommending their “loving home” in glowing terms. Later, the husband phoned me to confirm the request. The only kittens I had were two little tabbies; but, as I explained to the prospective owner, the female was timid and would need patient handling. That was no problem, and after work he arrived with his cat-carrier, assured me that his wife “loved all cats” and would devote lots of time to the timid kitten, and gave me a very welcome £20 donation! But an hour later his irate wife phoned me. The little female kitten had scratched her.
I explained again that she would need more time and patience than the boy. However, by 8 o’clock they had returned the “savage” kittens – and they even took back their £20 donation! I fostered the kittens myself, and within two days the female was running to greet me. They were homed just two days after that, and their new “Mum” writes that “We’ve called the boy Locki and the girl Freya….. they are so much fun! No more worries about the girl being shy, she has come out of herself and bosses the brother around!”
The winter can be dangerous for cats…. some festive plants, for example mistletoe and poinsettias, are poisonous to them….and so is antifreeze. And drivers, be alert- stray cats will often wriggle onto the engines of cars to keep warm! Also, cats love Christmas tree baubles, so avoid glass ones which can shatter, and cut paws – and remember that turkey and chicken meat is fine for cats, but definitely not the bones!
Allergies, moving house and going abroad…People give all sorts of reasons for wanting to rehome cats. But the one that really makes me cross is “we’re having a baby” How reassuring, then, to hear from Maria Badminton, whose family consists – in her own words – “of six (two parents, three cats and a baby)”
Maria tells us: “Having worked as fosterers for CATWEL for a few years, we are all too aware of the way cats can be pushed out of their homes following the birth of a child. Given that we had three rather spoilt cats ourselves, it was with some trepidation that I embarked on my own pregnancy… The cats were very interested in the pregnancy bump.
Kramer would lie on it while I was napping, as though she was keeping it warm. But nothing could prepare me for the fun we’ve had since the baby was born. We came home from hospital two days after the birth… Newman, our long haired noisy ginger cat, just climbed on his Daddy’s lap as usual, nudging the baby gently to get on, but sharing nicely.
The next morning Kramer brought us the usual crop of socks (stolen from the washing basket) but this time there were little baby socks as well as ours. Georgie, the least energetic of our cats, just likes the soft blankets….she does prefer the baby’s blankets to her own, however. A year on, cats and baby have become firm friends. As soon as the cats walk into the room a little hand goes out to stroke them… he giggles when he touches their fur and calls them all Georgie” Maria, thanks for a lovely story. Best wishes to all six of you!
·
CATWEL began, and continues, as a rescue group helping stray cats and kittens. We have never been here to solve the cat problems of people who are more than capable of solving their own. The kitten season has been the busiest I have ever known, yet not all requests for us to take kittens into care relate to those poor little scraps born in sheds or under hedges. Many have come form parents who have let their cat have a litter so that the children can enjoy seeing them born and reared.
And by the time that litter is about nine weeks old, they have decided to keep the prettiest; have managed to home one or two with friends or family; and are now panicking about the remaining few who ae becoming leggier and less cute by the day. I try to explain that to take the remains of the litter is not our remit – and would use up space needed by stray and abandoned kittens.
But they often seem to have great difficulty grasping this, along with our much repeated advice to have their cats neutered at six months.
As I write this, CATWEL has 29 kittens in care, plus two heavily pregnant cats which were too far gone for neutering when they came in. We will have to find good homes for them all. How helpful it would be if people who plan to let their cats have a litter “for the children” kept all the resulting kittens themselves – and left any other available homes for our needy little “rescues”!
INTO THE FUTURE! Forthcoming CATWEL events:
Unless otherwise stated, all events will take place at Christ Church Hall, Lake Road North
Saturday Nov 1st 2008 – Autumn Fayre 2pm – 4pm
Saturday Nov 22nd 2008 – we hope to have a stall at a Christmas Fayre at Heath Community Centre, Heath Park. Afternoon Event
Saturday Dec 6th 2008 – Christmas Social 2pm – pm
Saturday March 14th 2009 – Spring Fayre 2pm – 4pm
Friday April 24th 2009 – Auction: Viewing 6.15pm, bidding 7.15pm
Saturday May 30th 2009 – Summer Fayre 2pm – 4pm
Saturday July 11th 2009 – we have a stall at Roath Park. All day event.
COME ALONG AND HAVE FUN, AND HELP US RAISE MONEY FOR CATWEL!!
Don’t forget to return your draw ticket and donation – as they say about the lottery, you’ve got to be in it to win it – and have a very happy festive season.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Newsletter Number 22 - April 2008
Dear Friends – welcome to CATWEL newsletter number 22.
Not much changes in the world of cat rescue! On the last day of January we took into care two heavily pregnant cats. We were hoping for a late start to the ‘kitten season’ but I suppose the mild weather during December and January contributed to the pregnancies.
The year 2007 had been extremely busy, and an outbreak of ‘cat flu’ at our rehoming centre did not help. However, eventually the cats and kittens recovered and were homed. As a result of the outbreak we took a careful look at our facilities, including work planned and work in progress – and we decided to make drastic changes to prevent any future recurrences.
As I write this letter, we are in the process of installing an isolation unit where all sick or ‘suspect’ cats will be placed upon arrival. Newly designed indoor pens are to be totally separate and individually ventilated. The work is proving to be very expensive, but if we are to properly care for the cats who come to us, that is unavoidable. So many of you are very generous with money, goods to sell, and cat food.
All this help is most gratefully received – in fact, we would not be able to carry on without it. Please continue your commitment to CATWEL, and if you have any fresh fundraising ideas we would love to hear them!
Good as gold! We had such a good response to our appeal for scrap gold and silver that we’re adding foreign coins/banknotes, badges and medals to our ‘wish list’! So please search through those old purses, wallets, etc!
Starring Oliver!
I had such a pleasant surprise one morning. A gentleman telephoned, to talk about the little kitten I had homed with him ten days earlier. He and his wife had waited two weeks to take possession of Oliver. They reserved him when he first came into care, but he could not be homed then because he had flu, and then a polyp which caused breathing problems and required surgery.
The family just took my word that he was a lovely natured sixteen week old lad and, without seeing him, waited patiently until he was fully recovered. The day finally arrived when Christine and I delivered Oliver. The gentleman was watching for us from the window, and immediately invited us into his spacious home. His wife quickly joined him, all smiles, and called Molly, their delightful eight year old daughter.
Her face was a picture when she saw what we had in our carrier! She knelt down and took Oliver in her arms, it was a lovely moment… Well, I’ve now had a progress report. Apparently Oliver had hidden behind the TV for two days, then started following everyone around the house, looking for fuss and attention. Then, that morning, the ultimate happened – Molly had left her bedroom door open, and woke to find Oliver sleeping on the bottom of her bed!
Such joy. Molly had been heartbroken when her previous cat died, and as there were so few kittens around at the time, her parents had not told her about the wait for Oliver - so he was a lovely surprise! And what a lovely new start for our dear little soul, who had arrived as a stray, starving and ill.
Molly and Oliver, we hope you have many happy years together – this is what makes cat rescue so rewarding.
Our thanks go to Dawn and Paul of Connaught Road for so generously making a donation in memory of their beloved cat Bilbo who died of cancer aged 16 years. We are very grateful for kind gestures like this.
Not so appealing, then?
Because the work at our re-homing centre is proving to be so very expensive, Marilyn and Gerry Oram have launched another appeal to grant-making trusts. As these trusts have so many demands on their funds, we expect to get rather more negative, than positive, responses.
But we were still somewhat surprised by the forthrightness of one response -
‘I duly received your letter seeking funds…We almost always reserve our funds for purposes favoured by the Harvey family and we shall not help you.’
Well, that’s telling us!
And talking about appeals…
As you may already know, CATWEL has a number of permanent feline residents, all of them un-homeable for various reasons but still enjoying a happy, comfortable life. It would help us enormously if we could find sponsors for these cats, as apart from the usual ‘living’ costs many are on permanent or frequent medication, which is expensive.
Just small sums donated regularly every month would make a real difference!
Full details can be found on our web site, or phone Margaret for details by post.
Remembering Harry
I’m sure many of you will remember reading about Harry, the beautiful black cat we took into care more than three years ago. As he was an un-neutered male we decided to test him for FIV and, sadly, the result was positive. There is usually no option but euthanasia for FIV cats, as they cannot be allowed to mix with healthy cats and it is almost impossible to find someone prepared to provide the long term sheltered care they need.
But the virus is spread by biting, and Harry was old and toothless. He was also sweet and gentle, and not yet displaying any signs of disease. So I just couldn’t make the decision to end his life without some very serious thought. Next day I was talking to my good friend Marilyn on the phone, and I told her of my dilemma.
She said she would call back, and an hour later she phoned to say that she and her husband Gerry were prepared to take him into care, where he would live with their family of disabled cats. Harry first took up residence in a heated cabin-plus-run with two elderly, partially sighted lads, Toto and Thomas.
They all got on very well indeed, but sadly after a year Harry’s companions eventually succumbed to old age and died. Harry then moved in with Ellington, Sidley and Celli, and again they all lived in harmony. This happy situation lasted for another two years, then the virus finally claimed Harry.
Marilyn and Gerry were very sad, but he’d had a good life with them and they’ll never forget him. And Ellington, Sidley and Celli? Marilyn says: ‘In the cabin they shared there are several heated beds. Most are on floor level, but one is a bunk-bed, and it was that one Harry liked best. Since his death, none of the others have slept in it. The bedding is changed every week but is always spotless! Are they waiting for him to return, I wonder – or is there something of Harry that just never left?’
PRIZE DRAW 2007 – Many thanks to everyone who participated, it raised £650! The lucky winners were: Mr&Mrs G Davies; Mr H Jones; Mrs J Donoghue; Mrs B Ham; Mr&Mrs Grainger; Mrs C Holland; Tom & Jerry; Dawn Williams; Lowri Thomas.
Did you know?
During 2007 we rescued and re-homed over200 cats and kittens!
"In the deep mid-winter..." the carol starts - and it certainly was when a little 12-week-old kitten turned up on a kind lady’s doorstep. To be precise, it was the 4th of January when she phoned me, a bitterly cold and rainy day.
The poor scrap was not only shivering, but smelt terrible, as if it had either been dumped in rubbish or searching through rubbish for food. Probably the latter, as its little mouth was full of plastic. To add to its troubles, it obviously had ‘cat flu’.
Thankfully Roz had just that day homed a cat, so we were able to take the kitten into care immediately. It quickly snuggled into the warm bed she had ready for it, and enjoyed a good meal. And a trip to our vet soon sorted out its flu!
In memory of two cat lovers…
We are always especially grateful when people remember CATWEL at times of great sadness. Sincere thanks go to Mr & Mrs Plant, who have made a donation in memory of their late son, who loved cats; and to the family of the late Mary Duffy, who have donated money given in lieu of funeral flowers, in memory of their mother. She too had a lifelong love of cats, and fed the many strays who turned up in her garden…….
Where had she been?
The little cat went missing on November 19th. Her owner immediately started looking for her, put posters with photographs wherever she could, and an advert in the paper – but all to no avail. Then, sadly, at 7.30am on December 18th a gentleman phoned.
He had witnessed a cat being knocked down by a car which just drove on. He stopped, and picked the little cat up from the middle of the road. She was dead. He took her to a vet, where she was identified from her collar details. She had gone missing from Llanederyn, Cardiff and was killed at Rogerstone, near Newport, a month later.
She was not thin, in fact looked well fed, so where had she been for a month, and why had she wandered off? Or had she ‘stowed away’ in a vehicle, perhaps? We’ll never know. It’s a very sad story – but at least her owner knows the end, and has been able to bury her in her own garden.
‘In God’s kingdom now’ writes Jim Wilmot, sending us a donation in memory of his much loved cat Whippo - and we send him our thanks and our sympathy. ‘A fruit and nut bar who ruined all my wallpaper’ he says, ‘unpredictable but very loveable’. Another lucky little cat who had a lovely life, and will be sadly missed.
Another in memoriam donation was given by Hilary Fifer, when her beloved cat Sweep died. Sweep joined Hilary’s family almost seventeen years ago, arriving, she says, on Hitler’s birthday! For a while this seemed uncannily appropriate, because Sweep was fearless, and fazed by nothing.
Not much changes in the world of cat rescue! On the last day of January we took into care two heavily pregnant cats. We were hoping for a late start to the ‘kitten season’ but I suppose the mild weather during December and January contributed to the pregnancies.
The year 2007 had been extremely busy, and an outbreak of ‘cat flu’ at our rehoming centre did not help. However, eventually the cats and kittens recovered and were homed. As a result of the outbreak we took a careful look at our facilities, including work planned and work in progress – and we decided to make drastic changes to prevent any future recurrences.
As I write this letter, we are in the process of installing an isolation unit where all sick or ‘suspect’ cats will be placed upon arrival. Newly designed indoor pens are to be totally separate and individually ventilated. The work is proving to be very expensive, but if we are to properly care for the cats who come to us, that is unavoidable. So many of you are very generous with money, goods to sell, and cat food.
All this help is most gratefully received – in fact, we would not be able to carry on without it. Please continue your commitment to CATWEL, and if you have any fresh fundraising ideas we would love to hear them!
Good as gold! We had such a good response to our appeal for scrap gold and silver that we’re adding foreign coins/banknotes, badges and medals to our ‘wish list’! So please search through those old purses, wallets, etc!
Starring Oliver!
I had such a pleasant surprise one morning. A gentleman telephoned, to talk about the little kitten I had homed with him ten days earlier. He and his wife had waited two weeks to take possession of Oliver. They reserved him when he first came into care, but he could not be homed then because he had flu, and then a polyp which caused breathing problems and required surgery.
The family just took my word that he was a lovely natured sixteen week old lad and, without seeing him, waited patiently until he was fully recovered. The day finally arrived when Christine and I delivered Oliver. The gentleman was watching for us from the window, and immediately invited us into his spacious home. His wife quickly joined him, all smiles, and called Molly, their delightful eight year old daughter.
Her face was a picture when she saw what we had in our carrier! She knelt down and took Oliver in her arms, it was a lovely moment… Well, I’ve now had a progress report. Apparently Oliver had hidden behind the TV for two days, then started following everyone around the house, looking for fuss and attention. Then, that morning, the ultimate happened – Molly had left her bedroom door open, and woke to find Oliver sleeping on the bottom of her bed!
Such joy. Molly had been heartbroken when her previous cat died, and as there were so few kittens around at the time, her parents had not told her about the wait for Oliver - so he was a lovely surprise! And what a lovely new start for our dear little soul, who had arrived as a stray, starving and ill.
Molly and Oliver, we hope you have many happy years together – this is what makes cat rescue so rewarding.
Our thanks go to Dawn and Paul of Connaught Road for so generously making a donation in memory of their beloved cat Bilbo who died of cancer aged 16 years. We are very grateful for kind gestures like this.
Not so appealing, then?
Because the work at our re-homing centre is proving to be so very expensive, Marilyn and Gerry Oram have launched another appeal to grant-making trusts. As these trusts have so many demands on their funds, we expect to get rather more negative, than positive, responses.
But we were still somewhat surprised by the forthrightness of one response -
‘I duly received your letter seeking funds…We almost always reserve our funds for purposes favoured by the Harvey family and we shall not help you.’
Well, that’s telling us!
And talking about appeals…
As you may already know, CATWEL has a number of permanent feline residents, all of them un-homeable for various reasons but still enjoying a happy, comfortable life. It would help us enormously if we could find sponsors for these cats, as apart from the usual ‘living’ costs many are on permanent or frequent medication, which is expensive.
Just small sums donated regularly every month would make a real difference!
Full details can be found on our web site, or phone Margaret for details by post.
Remembering Harry
I’m sure many of you will remember reading about Harry, the beautiful black cat we took into care more than three years ago. As he was an un-neutered male we decided to test him for FIV and, sadly, the result was positive. There is usually no option but euthanasia for FIV cats, as they cannot be allowed to mix with healthy cats and it is almost impossible to find someone prepared to provide the long term sheltered care they need.
But the virus is spread by biting, and Harry was old and toothless. He was also sweet and gentle, and not yet displaying any signs of disease. So I just couldn’t make the decision to end his life without some very serious thought. Next day I was talking to my good friend Marilyn on the phone, and I told her of my dilemma.
She said she would call back, and an hour later she phoned to say that she and her husband Gerry were prepared to take him into care, where he would live with their family of disabled cats. Harry first took up residence in a heated cabin-plus-run with two elderly, partially sighted lads, Toto and Thomas.
They all got on very well indeed, but sadly after a year Harry’s companions eventually succumbed to old age and died. Harry then moved in with Ellington, Sidley and Celli, and again they all lived in harmony. This happy situation lasted for another two years, then the virus finally claimed Harry.
Marilyn and Gerry were very sad, but he’d had a good life with them and they’ll never forget him. And Ellington, Sidley and Celli? Marilyn says: ‘In the cabin they shared there are several heated beds. Most are on floor level, but one is a bunk-bed, and it was that one Harry liked best. Since his death, none of the others have slept in it. The bedding is changed every week but is always spotless! Are they waiting for him to return, I wonder – or is there something of Harry that just never left?’
PRIZE DRAW 2007 – Many thanks to everyone who participated, it raised £650! The lucky winners were: Mr&Mrs G Davies; Mr H Jones; Mrs J Donoghue; Mrs B Ham; Mr&Mrs Grainger; Mrs C Holland; Tom & Jerry; Dawn Williams; Lowri Thomas.
Did you know?
During 2007 we rescued and re-homed over200 cats and kittens!
"In the deep mid-winter..." the carol starts - and it certainly was when a little 12-week-old kitten turned up on a kind lady’s doorstep. To be precise, it was the 4th of January when she phoned me, a bitterly cold and rainy day.
The poor scrap was not only shivering, but smelt terrible, as if it had either been dumped in rubbish or searching through rubbish for food. Probably the latter, as its little mouth was full of plastic. To add to its troubles, it obviously had ‘cat flu’.
Thankfully Roz had just that day homed a cat, so we were able to take the kitten into care immediately. It quickly snuggled into the warm bed she had ready for it, and enjoyed a good meal. And a trip to our vet soon sorted out its flu!
In memory of two cat lovers…
We are always especially grateful when people remember CATWEL at times of great sadness. Sincere thanks go to Mr & Mrs Plant, who have made a donation in memory of their late son, who loved cats; and to the family of the late Mary Duffy, who have donated money given in lieu of funeral flowers, in memory of their mother. She too had a lifelong love of cats, and fed the many strays who turned up in her garden…….
Where had she been?
The little cat went missing on November 19th. Her owner immediately started looking for her, put posters with photographs wherever she could, and an advert in the paper – but all to no avail. Then, sadly, at 7.30am on December 18th a gentleman phoned.
He had witnessed a cat being knocked down by a car which just drove on. He stopped, and picked the little cat up from the middle of the road. She was dead. He took her to a vet, where she was identified from her collar details. She had gone missing from Llanederyn, Cardiff and was killed at Rogerstone, near Newport, a month later.
She was not thin, in fact looked well fed, so where had she been for a month, and why had she wandered off? Or had she ‘stowed away’ in a vehicle, perhaps? We’ll never know. It’s a very sad story – but at least her owner knows the end, and has been able to bury her in her own garden.
Tarquin’s tale!
How lovely when we get feedback about the cats and kittens we home. Tarquin’s owner Virginia Farrell tells us that he’s ‘naughty but very loveable’ and a wonderful excuse to buy new curtains! She writes ‘Again thanks for such a laid-back little boy, and this will not be the last time I shall have a kitten from CATWEL. As long as I have the ability to share my home with a cat, I shall obtain them from you.’
Now that’s what we like to hear!
How lovely when we get feedback about the cats and kittens we home. Tarquin’s owner Virginia Farrell tells us that he’s ‘naughty but very loveable’ and a wonderful excuse to buy new curtains! She writes ‘Again thanks for such a laid-back little boy, and this will not be the last time I shall have a kitten from CATWEL. As long as I have the ability to share my home with a cat, I shall obtain them from you.’
Now that’s what we like to hear!
Hurray for E-Bay! I had a really lovely surprise last November. Jenny Jenkins – who adopted Bramble from us last year - phoned in response to the appeal to refurbish our rehoming centre. She asked if I would send her a Gift Aid form as she wished to make a donation. A few weeks later a cheque for £75 arrived - along with the form, which will substantially increase the donation. There was also a letter, explaining that Jenny had gathered together some goods she no longer needed, and had sold them on E-Bay. If other supporters would like to follow Jenny’s example, we would be most grateful!
Here comes Summer…
Or at least we hope so! Time to plan your holidays and to decide how best to care for your cat while you’re away. Will you use a good cattery, or the services of a kind friend or neighbour? If it’s the latter, and your cat is to be fed in your own home, we recommend that he/she is kept indoors during your absence.
Or at least we hope so! Time to plan your holidays and to decide how best to care for your cat while you’re away. Will you use a good cattery, or the services of a kind friend or neighbour? If it’s the latter, and your cat is to be fed in your own home, we recommend that he/she is kept indoors during your absence.
Cats with the freedom of the outdoors often get lonely, and wander off, when their owners are away. Better to install a litter tray, and have an anxiety-free holiday, knowing for certain that your cat will be there to welcome you home.
‘In God’s kingdom now’ writes Jim Wilmot, sending us a donation in memory of his much loved cat Whippo - and we send him our thanks and our sympathy. ‘A fruit and nut bar who ruined all my wallpaper’ he says, ‘unpredictable but very loveable’. Another lucky little cat who had a lovely life, and will be sadly missed.
Another in memoriam donation was given by Hilary Fifer, when her beloved cat Sweep died. Sweep joined Hilary’s family almost seventeen years ago, arriving, she says, on Hitler’s birthday! For a while this seemed uncannily appropriate, because Sweep was fearless, and fazed by nothing.
‘The Hoover in action was something to be chased,’ says Hilary, ‘and any attempt to control him by speaking sternly was blissfully ignored.’ When he visited the vet for his first vaccination, the vet ended up with torn hands, and Hilary’s daughter in A&E for a tetanus jab!
He was a voracious hunter, and bullied all the neighbourhood cats. But there were plusses too. He bonded closely with Hilary’s son Edward, who has learning difficulties, allowing himself to be stroked vigorously by Edward - but no-one else! And as the years passed Sweep did become more sedate, ‘sunning himself beneath our washing line rather than assassinating the local wildlife.’
In old age, when he developed diabetes, ‘he accepted his daily insulin injection with equanimity.’ He had an ideal life, with a good home, a large garden and woodlands to roam in, and - most importantly - a loving family. Hilary is certain he returned that love, and says ‘Thank you, Sweep. You are greatly missed.’ And we thank you, Hilary, for your kind donation and lovely tribute.
And more thanks go to so many people, who help in so many ways! To mention just some of them – everyone who responded to our re-homing centre appeal (it raised £1,500!); Javid, who provided the microphone, amplifier and speakers we desperately needed for our auctions; the list seems endless! We are so very grateful to you all.
Flea spray alert
According to the Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) cats are dying, because their owners spray them with flea treatments intended for dogs. These sprays contain the chemical permethrin and 97% of cats treated with it show signs of poisoning. Many die. So please check all sprays carefully before using on cats.
According to the Veterinary Poisons Information Service (VPIS) cats are dying, because their owners spray them with flea treatments intended for dogs. These sprays contain the chemical permethrin and 97% of cats treated with it show signs of poisoning. Many die. So please check all sprays carefully before using on cats.
And looking ahead!
Bingo&Quiz Eve/ Wed, May 7th/7pm for 7.30pm/Christ Church Hall, Lake Rd Nth
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
CATWEL Summer Fayre/Sat, June 14th/2pm/Christ Ch Hall, Lake Rd Nth, Cardiff
……………………………………………………………………………..
Charity Event (we have a stall!)/Sat, July 12th/Opens 12 noon/Roath Park, Cardiff
……………………………………………………………………………..
Auction/Friday, Sept 5th/View from 6.30pm, sale commences 7.15pm/Christ Ch Hall
……………………………………………………………………………..
Auction/Friday, Oct 17th/View from 6.30pm, sale commences 7.15pm/Christ Ch Hall
……………………………………………………………………………..
CATWEL Autumn Fayre/Sat, Nov 1st/2pm/Christ Church Hall, Lake Road North
......................................................................................................................
Coffee Morning /Sat, Dec 6th/10am-noon/Free coffee & mince pies!/ Christ Ch Hall
……………………………………………………………………………..
Please phone Margaret, 029 20 753475, for further details of these events.
Our very grateful thanks to Sian and John Gaskin of www.continuousink.com for printing this newsletter.
Bingo&Quiz Eve/ Wed, May 7th/7pm for 7.30pm/Christ Church Hall, Lake Rd Nth
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
CATWEL Summer Fayre/Sat, June 14th/2pm/Christ Ch Hall, Lake Rd Nth, Cardiff
……………………………………………………………………………..
Charity Event (we have a stall!)/Sat, July 12th/Opens 12 noon/Roath Park, Cardiff
……………………………………………………………………………..
Auction/Friday, Sept 5th/View from 6.30pm, sale commences 7.15pm/Christ Ch Hall
……………………………………………………………………………..
Auction/Friday, Oct 17th/View from 6.30pm, sale commences 7.15pm/Christ Ch Hall
……………………………………………………………………………..
CATWEL Autumn Fayre/Sat, Nov 1st/2pm/Christ Church Hall, Lake Road North
......................................................................................................................
Coffee Morning /Sat, Dec 6th/10am-noon/Free coffee & mince pies!/ Christ Ch Hall
……………………………………………………………………………..
Please phone Margaret, 029 20 753475, for further details of these events.
Our very grateful thanks to Sian and John Gaskin of www.continuousink.com for printing this newsletter.
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