Kats & Kits: Question Time

Three questions have cropped up this week;

Are all our cats neutered?
What do the cats eat and how do we feed them all?
What do the helpers do?

The answer to the first question is very important and I'd like to clarify some of the earlier postings. Yes all our cats are neutered, the ones that live with us permanently and the ones that are homed. They also have any dental work that is necessary, have a general health check, and are treated for fleas and worms. This all happens as soon as possible after they come to us. The only exceptions would be nursing mothers, they are neutered when the kittens are about seven weeks and any cat that is in ill health or very underweight. Kittens must be neutered between five and six months and we ask anyone who adopts a kitten to get the vet to sign a form confirming this has been done.

The second question could be answered by saying they are fed very well. I don’t know why people think that cats that have had a rough time should be fed any old food, once they have settled in they are just as fussy as any pampered house cat. We have three areas where the permanent cats feed. Cats for re-homing are fed individually in their pens. What do they have? Two varieties of good quality dried food and fresh water are always available, and every morning they have generous helpings of once again good quality tinned food. Old cats, convalescing cats and nursing mothers get fed several times a day.

As for the third question, the helpers would say they do everything. Someone once asked me what hours the helpers worked and I could only answer "as many as were needed to finish the job that day."

Everything is cleaned and disinfected every day, litter trays scrubbed and refilled, bedding replaced where necessary, water changed, floors mopped. Whoever is on feeding duty also washes and disinfects the previous days dishes. These jobs are done every day without fail regardless of anything else that might be going on. The best part of the job of course is being with the cats and helpers are encouraged to spend time with them everyday, making a fuss of them and making sure they are well and in good health.

Kats & Kits

The Diary of a Rural Cat Sanctuary

Character Cats

27 September 2006

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