Pregnancy and Having a Cat: Dispelling the Old Wives Tales!

Every year cat’s protection receives hundreds of calls from concerned pregnant women who fear they will contract toxoplasmosis from their cat. Though cats do play a part in the life cycle of the parasite, human contact with the cat alone does not increase the risk of infection. Statistically non- cat owners are just as likely to contract the disease and even vets are no more likely to be infected with the parasite than non-vets.

Research has shown that the biggest risk of contracting the infection is through eating undercooked meat or consuming contaminated soil via unwashed vegetables. Contracting the infection will not make you seriously ill however; it could affect unborn babies if it is picked up for the first time during early pregnancy.

 

 

 

 What is toxoplasmosis?

 

Toxoplasmosis is caused by the microscopic parasite T.gondii (Toxoplasma gondii)

Cats become infected with this parasite when they consume uncooked meat that contain the T gondii cysts, this includes infected rodents. Cats will begin to shed the oocysts in their faeces for 10-14 days but do not usually shed again unless the cat contracts a serious illness such as FeLV or FIV meaning a healthy adult cat should not pose a risk to their owner or an unborn child. Good hygiene considerably reduces the risk of infection as oocysts only become infectious between one and five days after being passed in the faeces.

How to reduce the risk of infection via cats

 

·     Get somebody else to change your cat’s litter tray possible and if you cannot, wear gloves and wash your hands thoroughly after.

·    Change cat litter daily as T.gondii is infectious between one and five days after the cat defecates.

·    Do not feed your cat raw meat.

·    Keep outdoor play sand boxes covered.

·    Wear gloves when gardening in case a cat has defecated in the area.

   

If you have cats it is very likely that you've already contracted toxoplasmosis and become immune to it and fortunately with good hygiene it is unlikely that you will contract toxoplasmosis during pregnancy. If you are still concerned you can get your cat tested at your local vets. To further reduce the risk, ask somebody else to clean the litter trays for you daily and if not possible use gloves and wash your hands thoroughly after.

 

For more information please visit: http://www.cats.org.uk/uploads/documents/cat-care-leaflets-2013/VG20_Cats_and_pregnant_women_-_Toxoplasmosis.pdf

 

 

Katie Button: A Tribute to our Friend.

On the 17th on December 2016 we here at Bridgend so sadly and suddenly lost one of our beloved friends and colleagues Katie. We wanted to dedicate a blog post to her just to share with the world just how much she meant to us and to share with you all about the incredible work she did with cats.

Katie first joined CP Bridgend over 10 years ago as a cat carer, she had come and gone as an employee over the years pursuing other ventures such as veterinary nurse work, however at the end 2016 she joined us again for 3 months. Katie always volunteered at the centre in helping with the trapping and neutering of feral cats. She often fostered the feral kittens in her own home taming them and bringing them to the centre to find true forever homes. Not only did Katie do this in her own time outside of work she also spend her holidays over in Greece (particularly Rhodes) with a welfare charity trapping and neutering the ferals and strays over there.

Katie loved Greece so much she even got married there in 2015 and her 2017 plan was to move out there with her husband (and animals!) and work with the cats.

 

Although Katie's passion was working with cats, Katie loved all animals and was an advocate for the wellbeing and lives of all creatures great and small. Every animals life mattered to Katie and she would actively stand up for their rights and was vegan.  

 

Katie also loved to help out other people too, she often helped those less fortunate in any way she could.



 

We all have special memories of Katie and she will be truly missed by us all. You only had to meet Katie once for her to make an impact on your life.

Her radiant personality and positive outlook will inspire us all to continue our work with the same passion and energy that Katie had.

X

Happy Endings in 2016.

 

Hello!

 

2016 is nearly at an end and we have had many highs and lows here at the centre this year but would like to focus on some of our happier outcomes, so, we would like to share with you a few of the special cats who's stories moved us in 2016 and who all ended up going to loving homes this year, despite their circumstances.

 

Megan:

 

Megan was found in a multi-cat household crawling around the floor in unsuitable conditions at just 2 days old after being rejected by her mother. It was very hit and miss for Megan during the first 4 weeks but she was a complete fighter and pulled through remarkably with the help of our kitten fosterer (read her story here).

 

Maxine:

Maxine was one of our biggest characters this year, she came to us as a stray at the beginning of January and sadly didn't find a home until 10 months later! We know the pen environment can be stressful for some cats and this was the case with Maxine who didn't enjoy much of a fuss. We have had updates from her new owner who says she is now a lap cat! This just goes to show what a loving home means to a cat like Maxine :)

Bailey & Victor:

Bailey and Victor came in with man other cats and kittens (including Megan above), they had terrible cat flu and most of them were in our Isolation for months on end. Sadly 3 of their siblings didn't make it through the flu and passed away. We ran a JustGiving page to help pay for some extremely expensive medicine for them as a last shot at hope to save the others lives. As you can see the before and after photos speak for themselves! We were overwhelmed with the donations we received and are so thankful for every single one.

Chloe:

Chloe went missing in 2010 when she jumped out of her cat carrier during a vet visit and ran off. Little did her owner know that she had been taken in by an elderly lady just over a mile away. The elderly lady was sadly going into care and bought the cat into us to rehome, we always scan  new cats for a chip when they come into us and were shocked to find Chloe had been registered as missing for 6 years! We rang her owner who was just as shocked as she had heard reports of a similar looking cat being involved in a traffic accident. The pair were reunited and as saw as Chloe saw her original owner she rolled over and started purring!

All the staff at the centre would like to say a big heartfelt thankyou to all our supporters and volunteers. Seasons greetings and all the best for 2017!

x



Day in the Life of a Cat Care Volunteer

My name is Rachel and I am a volunteer cat carer at the Cats Protection centre in Bridgend. I have been volunteering for approximately six months and do so on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

 

My role comprises of cleaning the pens, ensuring that the cats have clean water and the cleaning of equipment. When all the necessary tasks are completed, I have my 'special time' with the cats, providing them with affection and encouraging them to play. This activity, whilst being pleasant for both myself and the cats, helps the cats to become more sociable and accustomed to human contact. In order to gain increased knowledge, I also spend time in the admissions area, where the cats which have been brought in needing care and homing, are processed. As a volunteer, I cannot participate in this procedure, but I find all aspects of the work of the Cats Protection centre, to be interesting and informative.

 

My time spent at the centre is always enjoyable and brings a variety of situations and events that require prompt action. Knowing that cats who were once in poor condition and in dire need of food, shelter and veterinary assistance, have finally found a loving home, is the best possible outcome and a truly rewarding experience. The staff and other volunteers have made me welcome, our little team works well together and we are all of one mind, the welfare and adoption is always our top priority.

The Cats Protection centre fundraises regularly throughout the year and I participate in these events and am frequently delighted when significant amounts of money are raised. The centre also hosts Fun Days which incorporate a theme, for example, Black Cat Day. Incidentally, when black cats become available for adoption, they can often be the least popular. Open days such as a black cat day promotes their homing suitability during a pleasant fun day proves advantageous to the black cats and provides a great day for staff, volunteers and visitors.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer then please contact the centre via email or telephone :)

Fundraising For Cats Protection

My name is Kate Hall and I'd like to tell you a bit about fundraising for the Cats Protection Bridgend Adoption Centre.

What do we fundraisers get up to, I hear you ask? Well, our small band of dedicated volunteers all contribute to getting out and about, spreading the word about the work done at the Centre and try to raise some cold hard cash while we're at it.
 

 

I
n the colder months we try to stick indoors in warm spots (we are each of us cat trained after all!) and arrange bucket collections in supermarkets, shopping centres and other shops that are kind enough to let us fundraise with them. We go to places as varied as Asda, IKEA and Pyle Garden Centre, and always enjoy meeting members of the public who stop to chat to us, pick up information leaflets about aspects of cat care etc.

One of the best if not THE best thing about meeting people at these collections is hearing people talk about their beloved cats. There is nothing more emotional than hearing somebody talk of an old cat that has passed away recently, a childhood cat they've never forgotten or their newest addition that they have 5 million pictures of on their smartphones!

 

Summer soon arrives, however, and this is when the outdoor events are booked by our events volunteer Janet. We attend family fun days, fêtes, festivals and other events. Some are on quite a small scale, such as the Penyfai and Brackla Fun Days; some are larger, such as the South Wales Dog and Family Fun Day; and the largest we have taken part in, the Vale of Glamorgan Show, is huge! These events require more time and preparation on our part. We usually take a soft toy tombola, lucky dip and merchandise, and also hand out goody bags, so putting together all this and working out which of our volunteers are available takes extra planning.

We always find a bit of time to wander around the other stalls and so we enjoy the events ourselves as well. Oh, and of course there’s always time to have a picnic and sit and people-watch if the weather is fine. After the events, we always assess how successful they’ve been and modify our plans for the next year. We’re never short of events to attend! And after all the fundraising is over for the year, we go out for a nice meal and recall the highlights and amusing stories of the year. Last year, some of us even went on a visit to the Supreme Cat Show at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham and returned with all sorts of goodies for our own beloved cats!

If you can spare just 2-4 hours a year then please get in touch. Or if you would like to know more about fundraising with us then please let the Adoption Centre know. We are always looking for more people to help with collections and events. You will make new friends, learn new skills and have a lot of fun along the way.

Fostering Bottle Feeding Kittens.

I'm Sue Emlyn-Jones, a volunteer kitten foster for Cats Protection, Bridgend Adoption Centre. I hand rear tiny kittens from several days, up to 7 weeks old.

It all starts with a call to say a little kitten needs my help. It may be a litter of kittens found on their own, or perhaps a litter whose mum has become ill and cannot cope with them. A quick run to the Centre to meet and collect my new charge and then back home to settle her in. 

Little Megan is only 4 /5 days old, her eyes aren't open yet, and she was found alone with no sign of her mum.

She will be on two hourly feeds for the first week while she becomes acclimatised to the bottle, because at this age, their little tummies can only take a tiny amount, so frequent feeds are the order of the day. Over the next couple of weeks, that will stretch to 3 and then 4 hourly as she can increase the amount of milk.

No doubt, I'll be on the caffeine for the next couple of weeks!


Sitting with your kittens after a feed, cuddling them close and hearing their little purrs of contentment, is one of the most wonderful feelings in the world!

A foster mum does everything a mother cat does, and yes, that includes winding and stimulating her to wee and poo! After her feed a gentle clean with damp cotton wool does the trick. Then, a cwtch up on your chest for any wind. Sound familiar? Yes, Megan is like a human baby, she likes to be snuggled in her blanket, complete with her little toy, and cuddled to sleep on her back!! 

Within a couple of weeks she will be on 4 hourly feeds, exploring her bed and pen, sleeping through the night, and be ready to start the messy process of weaning! She really enjoys walking through the bowl and trekking it all over the floor, though some does actually make her mouth, as evidenced with a very dirty face! Funnily enough, like children, they are not too keen on having their faces washed!!

It’s a really fun time, watching their antics as they find their feet.

Just a week later, she is running around the kitten room, climbing and darting into everything. She is eating kitten food 3-4 times a day and at this point I reduce her bottle feeds, much though she would like to carry on! It’s mainly comfort at this stage.

This is where socialization is so important. Plenty of play, introducing more people to the kittens, never a shortage of willing volunteers to play with them! Lots of cuddles, cwtches and snuggles!

At about seven weeks she will be ready to return to the Centre, have her final vet check, and her first vaccination. She will then be ready to move up to the Homing section and wait to meet her new human family and depart for her ever after home

Fostering is not always an easy occupation. It can be a roller coaster journey of emotions if one of your kittens becomes unwell. They are so small, with often very little immunity from mum, everything must be sterile as you would with a newborn baby.

If this does happen, there is always someone to turn to, and get advice. The Centre is always the first port of call, but it also helps if your partner is supportive! My long suffering husband, Stephen, is there to help move pens, help socialize, and listen to me wax lyrical about their antics.

 

If the worst happens, and occasionally it does, I know that I have done all I could, my kitten was loved for the time it was with me, was cuddled, warm, and grieved for. Sometimes it is just not meant to be. Its not easy, but one that all pet owners accept when we look after animals.
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Knowing that you are the only chance they have, spurs you on, and the joy of seeing them grow, develop, and become all they should, is nothing less than wonderful to me.

I have had nearly 300 foster kittens over my 8+ years with Bridgend Adoption Centre and every one is special. I could never imagine life without cats and dogs by my side.

Would you be able to help a litter of abandoned or rejected kittens by becoming a bottle feeder?

It's time consuming, but oh so worthwhile.

If you have a spare room, time, and would love to join me, please get in touch:

Cats Protection Bridgend Adoption Centre –

01656 724396. 

 

 

 

 

 

           

National Black Cat Day 2016

October has always been a spooky season what with the huge build up to the 31st when everybody celebrates the creepiest day of the year - Halloween! Black cats have always been tied into Halloween, most commonly known as Witches pets or 'bad omens' should one appear before you but Cats Protection want to dispel those myths and host a whole day dedicated to our beautiful, black, furry friends - October 27th is National Black Cat Day!



McKenzie - currently up for adoption.

Black and black & white cats are generally over-looked in favour of all other colour cats and it often takes them a lot longer to get homed than say a tabby or ginger cat. There are many myths and legends about black cats which could be one of the many reasons they seem to be left until last to find their forever homes.

Here are a few of the myths as to why black cats seem to find it hard getting a home:

• They are associated with witches (even that they ARE witches transformed)
• A black cat crossing your path means misfortune
• They are hard to tell apart from neighbouring cats
• They don't take good photographs (especially selfies)
• They are unlucky.

Bane - currently up for adoption.

However in many other cultures and folklores black cats are considered to be very lucky symbols:

• In Japan black cats are seen as very good luck - especially to single women!
• In Scotland a black cat sat on your doorstep is a sign of future prosperity
• In Ancient Egypt the Goddess Bast/Bastet took the form of a black cat and bought good fortune.

Here at Bridgend Cats Protection adoption centre we are hosting our special Black Cat Awareness Day on Saturday 22nd October (11am - 3pm) where we focus all the attention on our gorgeous black cats who are often overlooked. We will be hosting a fete day at the centre that will include a raffle, Harry Potter themed stalls, competitions and much more. Lots of fun for all ages - so come down and meet all of our black beauties and take a look around our centre :)

Hope to see you there!