ELTHAM, SIDCUP & DISTRICT BRANCH Registered Charity No. 203644 AUTUMN NEWSLETTER 2019 MY FAIR SADIE! THERE was a big mystery about Sadie - why was she with us for so long when she was such a nice girl? Every now and then a cat takes weeks, even months, to find a home for some unexplained reason and sadly it has been Sadie this summer. Maybe it’s because a lot of potential owners want kittens or because many people are on holiday and delaying a decision to adopt a new pet. Her website listing made it clear she had a lot to offer as “an affectionate and lovable young cat who will be a super pet”. Jacqui first met Sadie last year in dramatic circumstances, as she recounted: “Picture the scene. The heavens had opened, thunder and lightning, and she was about to give birth hidden under a pile of rubbish in someone’s garden. “In the middle of all this, the people living in the house (who didn’t know she was there) let their large dog out (who did know she was there). “He started barking and pushing his face in while she was having her kittens. “Once the people realised what was going on, they called me. When I arrived, she was soaking wet and so were her three babies. She was a good, protective mum months later she was back in our care. Unfortunately and wasn’t going to let me near them. It’s difficult in sharing a home with youngsters was too much and so this situation because if I try to grab her and it doesn’t she needed a second chance. work, she will run off. A few weeks after putting Sadie back online, Jacqui “You can’t take the babies without her because that posted on Facebook: “She is still waiting for a nice would be so cruel (apart from the fact that they need home, she is a loving cat who doesn’t want to live with mum). And if you leave, she will move them and you other cats, only humans. won’t find them until they are older, by which time “She has had a bad start in life and through no fault they are not friendly to humans and mum is pregnant of her own she is now homeless. again and so history repeats itself. “Sadie loves a fuss and attention but so far no-one “Anyway, I ignored the growling and hissing and has called to inquire about her.” took a chance, grabbed her and put her in a basket But just as we were thinking it would never happen before she knew what was going on. for this lovely girl, the call we had been waiting for “Collecting her family was an easy task and off they finally came in. all went to Diane. Once the kittens were old enough, A couple from Bexleyheath with a 13-year-old they were found good homes and Sadie had settled son had seen her listing, came to visit and immediately down and was a loving pet.” fell in love with her! Sadie, aged two, was initially adopted by a family So at long last, Sadie met her special family and we with young children but it didn’t work out and six wish them all the best for their future together. www.elthamsidcup.cats.org.uk www.facebook.com/cpelthamsidcup A stable home.. IT is a peaceful and pastural scene with fields and hedgerows stretching into the distance as horses graze contentedly. These equine residents are the new SHAY neighbours of two of our former foster cats Shay and Kelly. The sisters have been getting used to life in the countryside after being offered a home by Alison, who owns three horses and looks after them in fields on a large farm near Offham in Kent. It is the perfect place for the cats who came into us aged six months and were very shy as they had not been handled much. After lots of care from their fosterer Jeanette, they gradually came round enough to be suitable for rehoming. As she had devoted a lot of time and care to the cats, we asked Jeanette if she would like to adopt them. She declined as she already had her own cat, telling us: “Thank you for the offer, though. I will miss them when they go.” We were looking for a special home with an KELLY owner who accepted that the girls would Continued on Page Three Kelly & Shay’s stable home Continued from Page Two never be lap cats and would only welcome human contact on their own terms. Kelly and Shay, now aged two, needed a place where they were given food and shelter while being able to come and go as they wished. They were featured in a previous newsletter and their story was passed on to Alison by a friend who lives in our area. Alison got in touch, saying: “I would love to have these two girls and care for them.” Then she had a long chat with Jeanette to find out all about the cats and decided that she could offer them what they Alison moved the pen to one time she had seen the cat and needed alongside her of the stables, opened it up she snapped a photo to show horses Toppe, a Dutch and let the girls settle in. Alison (above, left). Kelly Friesian, and piebalds Spirit They still had the security of looked content and healthy as and Cyrus. the pen and bedding which she surveyed her new domain, Alison’s plot includes a they were used to, along with which was a big relief. modern wooden stable unit space to explore among the Then a few days with plenty of space for Kelly bales of hay in the stable. later, Alison saw Kelly as well and Shay to stay while they After three weeks of and told us: “She let me get became acclimatised to their acclimatisation, Alison quite close. I’m thrilled.” new surroundings. decided it was time to open After a few more weeks, Alison The next challenge was getting the stable door to let them out. was able to report: “Kelly is them there! Although they She said: “I braved it today happy and living it up.” were much more used to and wedged open the stable It seems that Shay, who had humans and more confident, it door. Shay has gone out but always been the more shy would have been too stressful Kelly is still tucked up and one, is proving to be the more and difficult to get them into isn’t rushing to go out. It’s adventurous. cat carriers. nerve-racking!” She has been spotted on a The answer was to use a small There is a small wood next to neighbouring farm looking animal pen which Jeanette set her plot and it seems that healthy and appears to up in her home with blankets Kelly, once she braved the be living separately and food so they could get outside world, and from her sister at least for used to it while making Shay headed there, catching now. themselves comfy and cosy. their own food and topping up Alison said: “She’s a loner and Then, when the time came, she with what Alison left out in the seeks no affection sadly but is simply locked the door with stable. safe and fed.” the girls inside and the pen But there were no definite We’re very grateful to Alison was put in a van which Alison sightings until the day Kelly for offering the girls a forever had borrowed. was spotted on the track home and glad that they are Once Kelly and Shay had between the wood and stables making the most of it in their arrived at their new abode, by a friend. It was the second different ways. What’s in the kitty? A BIG thank you to supporters who donate saleable goods to the shop to help raise valuable funds. But sadly a lot of items not suitable to put on our shelves are also brought in. This diverts money away from cats as we have to pay for their disposal, and all POP INTO our rubbish collections, along with window cleaning, cost us just over £1,700 in the first six months of the year. On the plus side, we do receive a lot of better quality goods and our customers THE SHOP continue to come in for our excellent- value clothes, household items, books, OUR shop is vital to the branch in raising funds so toys etc. In this period, the shop’s we can help as many needy local cats as possible. income from the sale of goods was an It has been open for 30 years, a testament to the impressive £26,048. hard work of volunteers and generosity of Obviously a chunk of that was eaten up supporters who donate saleable goods and buy the by expenses for January to June, clothes, books, household items, toys, jewellery etc including just over £7,100 for rent and on offer at very reasonable prices. rates, and £622 for power bills, while On some occasions, however, we have had to running our van cost more than £2,000. close our doors early because we didn't have However, the balance went directly to enough helpers. cat work by helping to pay our So if you’re looking for a way to help cats and veterinary costs and fostering bills.