Catwork

Introduction

Catwork is a small, private setup with the aim of helping cats that others seem to shun.


Due to the high numbers of cats in rescue, it is a sad fact that those that are not young, fit and attractive, can prove slow to be homed.

Tragically, this can lead to some of these cats being put to sleep.



There are many reasons that may cause an individual cat to be 'selected' to be put to sleep: They may simply be old, or have some behavioural problems, or have one of the fairly common cat viruses which are widely misunderstood and which raise unwarranted opinions and even fear!

We started by helping those cats that came our way by creating a small sanctuary where they can live and be cared for, for the remainder of their lives.

Unfortunately, being very small, we quickly became full, but continued to hear of more and more cats that were under threat of being put to sleep, in our view, unnecessarily.

We felt, therefore, that the best we could do to help more cats than those we could directly take in, was to help others to care for them, through providing information, advice and what support we can, where we can.

We are not vets or scientists, but, since starting Catwork in 1996, have gained quite a bit of hands-on experience. We wish to be able to pass on anything we know, and encourage others NOT to give up on these cats just because they may be 'inconvenient'!

We believe that the larger, national organisations ought to be providing facilities for the more difficult cases, and not simply disposing of the problems.

The 'convenience' ending of life (not euthanasia) is what upsets us. There should be much more done for the less easily homed, otherwise 'rescue' centres are not rescue at all. They can often be a fatal facility for cats deserving of better. More funds and attention should be given to helping them.

The final two lines of one of Barbara's poems, reflecting on a visit to one of the national 'rescue' centres, say it all about the attitude she observed:

"Too many cats, it's one of those days,
so which is the one to euthanase?"

These are all sensitive individuals, we feel this cannot be right!

<back to top>