Helping Feral Cats in Maesteg: Rachel’s TNVR Journey

My name is Rachel, and I’m a Senior Rehoming & Welfare Assistant at the Cats Protection Wales Cat Centre. Alongside my work at the centre, I’ve proudly volunteered as part of the TNVR (Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate & Return) team for over 10 years.

My journey with Cats Protection began through the lost and found cat community on social media. I’d been following the incredible work carried out by a local branch and quickly realised that this kind of support was desperately needed in my own area. It sparked something in me. I knew I wanted to help, and I knew I could make a real difference to the lives of cats and kittens who had no one looking out for them.

Rachel -Senior Rehoming and Welfare Assistant

A decade on, and with the support of an amazing team, we’ve helped hundreds of feral and stray cats, giving them healthier, happier lives and preventing potentially thousands of kittens from being born outdoors into difficult and often dangerous conditions.

The Reality of TNVR Work

Being part of the TNVR team isn’t always easy. It can be physically and emotionally demanding, and it requires patience, flexibility and most importantly compassion. But the rewards far outweigh the challenges.

Nothing beats returning to a feral colony months or even years after we’ve completed a TNVR project and seeing the cats healthy, relaxed and thriving. Knowing that our work changed the course of their lives is the best feeling in the world.

TNVR'd feral cats at feeding time

 A Call for Help in Maesteg

In October 2025, we received a call from a lady in the Maesteg area of South Wales. She and her daughter had been regularly seeing at least five adult cats on their land. Then the kittens started to appear, six of them, often spotted dashing dangerously near the road. Understandably, this was incredibly distressing for the family.

These cats were feral, meaning they’d had little to no socialisation with humans and were very fearful of people. Trapping them safely required the use of humane cat traps and careful planning.

Laying the Groundwork

Before setting any traps, we carried out a full risk assessment to ensure the safety of both the cats and our volunteers. We also spent time in the community, knocking on doors, speaking with residents, identifying owned cats and ensuring everyone understood our plans and the benefits TNVR brings.

Behind the scenes, we worked to secure vet appointments, prepare for potential kittens needing space at the centre and ensure that the feeders had enough food and shelter for the cats in the meantime. Thanks to generous donations, we were able to provide outdoor cat shelters and support with feeding while the TNVR got underway.

Shelter was provided whilst TNVR plans were made

 Two Weeks, Eleven Cats Helped

Over the course of two weeks, we successfully trapped:

• 4 female feral cats
• 1 male feral cat
• 6 kittens (4 females, 2 males)

The adult cats were taken to our vets where they were:

• Health checked
• Neutered
• Vaccinated
• Treated for parasites
• Ear-tipped (a painless procedure done while under anaesthetic that marks a cat as neutered and part of a TNVR programme)

Once they recovered, all adult cats were returned to their familiar area where they can now live healthier, safer lives under the care of the family whose land they are on.

 Six Little Lives Transformed

The kittens who were young enough so socialise, arrived at our adoption centre just as the snow began to fall. After vet checks, flea and worm treatments, neutering, microchipping and lots of gentle socialisation by our experienced team, they were ready to start new lives.

All six kittens were quickly adopted into loving homes.

 A Brighter Future for a Feral Colony

Had we not intervened, there could have been eight females capable of having litters on the property this year alone leading to dozens more kittens being born outdoors.

Instead, the family now has peace of mind knowing the cats living on their land are healthy, happy and safe. Today, the returned cats can often be found sunbathing on the decking, enjoying their meals and living their best lives.

 

Week 8: Ready for their next chapter

 

Kitten Watch 2024: Caramel and her sweet kittens

It's Week 8! The kittens have spent their very important first 8 weeks of life together with their mum in the safe care of Wales Cat Centre, and they are now ready to be rehomed.

The kittens have grown again this week and they are starting to look like young cats. Their eyes are more green than blue; this will likely be their adult eye colour now. They are fully weaned and are far more active - ready to bring endless fun into their new homes as the little bundles of joy they are!

Costa showing off his beautiful long whiskers!

The kittens can use the cat flap and run up and down the ramp with ease. They are confident jumping on to boxes and on and off the shelf, and they are very happy playing together with their toys.

Chai and Coban up the ramp by the cat flap

Sweet Cinnamon giving it a go too!

The kittens will now be vaccinated to make sure they and any other cats they come into contact with are protected from nasty diseases. Two vaccines are usually needed – three to four weeks apart – to make sure kittens are well protected. A booster vaccine should also be given one year later, and again every year then to keep immunity levels high.

All of our cats leave our care either spayed/neutered and microchipped if they are old enough. If they are too young at the time of adoption, we will discuss with the new owner putting these important plans in place for their new family member. You can find out more about why spaying and neutering is so important on our website here: https://www.cats.org.uk/help-and-advice/neutering-and-vaccinations/neutering-your-cat

Caramel has also been spayed, so while she has been an amazing mum to her four sweet kittens, she will never have to experience the risks of pregnancy again. At the time of writing, Caramel has now been adopted, and she can look forward to a life of happiness and 'me time' with her new family. Here she is on her way home!

Caramel on her way to her new home!

The kittens have also all found new loving homes, and we are so happy for them all. Well done Caramel, Costa, Chai, Cinnamon and Coban, for this much deserved happy ending. Goodbye to you all, we will miss you so much!

From this...

To this!

Please note, these blog posts are not in real time, the kittens are a little bit older at the time of writing. However, we hope you enjoyed following along with their weekly development from day one. Thank you so much for being with them as they grew, changed and blossomed into lovely young cats with the support of their amazing mum, Caramel, and our dedicated team of cat care staff and volunteers here at Wales Cat Centre.

A special thanks to Trudy Hughes for taking the beautiful photos of Caramel and kittens throughout their time at Wales Cat Centre. Her photography has captured all cats' personalities so well and it's thanks to her that we have been able to share such cute and lovely insights into the little family. Thank you Trudy!

 

If you would like to donate towards the care for our cats, including those like Caramel and her kittens, you can do so on our website here. Anything you can give, big or small, can really make a difference. Thank you for being here for cats 💜

 

Thank you again for being part of Kitten Watch 2024 for Caramel and her sweet kittens 🐾

Week 7: Nearly ready to go!

     

Kitten Watch 2024: Caramel and her sweet kittens

At 7 weeks of age, the kittens are enjoying their last week or so with their siblings and mum, before they are ready to find their new homes in the big wide world at 8 weeks old!

All kittens together in their pen

This week we noticed the kittens have grown in height and length and are looking sleeker. Their eyes are becoming more bluish/green in colour - getting closer to their adult eye colours! They are eating and drinking on their own and are a bit more vocal. At this age, kittens are no longer dependent on their mum for milk although they still might want to suckle from her sometimes.

 

Costa and Cinnamon showing us their bluey-green eyes

Costa and Cinnamon love playing together and Chai is still having great fun chasing everyone's tails! The kittens now also have access to the back part of the pen through the cat flap to play in, and Costa is showing everyone how to get through there.

Cheeky Chai yawning after all that chasing!

Cuddly Coban having a little rest

Thank you for joining us for Week 7 of Kitten Watch! Next week will be an exciting week as the kittens will be 8 weeks old and ready for rehoming! Caramel will also be ready to go to her new home after doing such an amazing job as their mum!

Caramel resting in her bed after all that hard work - well done Caramel!

 

Please note, these blog posts are not in real time, the kittens are a little bit older at the time of writing. However, we hope you enjoy following along with their weekly development from day one. You will get to see how they grow, change and blossom into lovely young cats with the support of their amazing mum, Caramel, and our dedicated team of cat care staff and volunteers here at Wales Cat Centre.

 

If you would like to donate towards the care for our cats, including those like Caramel and her kittens, you can do so on our website here. Anything you can give, big or small, can really make a difference. Thank you for being here for cats 💜

 

See you next week for Kitten Watch: Week 8! 🐾

Week 6: Fun and games

    

Kitten Watch 2024: Caramel and her sweet kittens

This week Caramel is spending slightly longer intervals away from the kittens and seems to be enjoying some more time to herself, although she is always listening out for the kittens in the pen below. She has done such a good job looking after them as they were newborn and then weaning, we are so proud of her!

Caramel resting with her lovely knitted blanket

The kittens are a lot more active and lively this week. Their co-ordination has improved and they are able to catch and chase their toys a lot better. They love chasing and play fighting over their pink mouse toy!

Look at those little claws!

Play is very important for cats, particularly kittens, as it teaches them the skills needed for life and lessons about the world around them. Play is a great way for a cat to use up some of their energy, keep fit and healthy and keep their brain alert and active. The best games encourage cats to stalk, pounce, chase and bat objects with a paw in a safe way. This simulates hunting and releases feel-good hormones called endorphins in their brains.

Caramel's kittens are having great fun chasing after each other, climbing on the cat flap ledge and play fighting. However, once they have tired themselves out, they all cuddle up together for a cwtch and a snooze.

Chai and Coban playing on the ledge

Costa and Cinnamon snuggling together

Thank you for joining us for Week 6 of Kitten Watch! We will continue to follow the kittens' progress week by week on this blog, right up until they and their mum are ready to go to their forever homes.

 

Please note, these blog posts are not in real time, the kittens are a little bit older at the time of writing. However, we hope you enjoy following along with their weekly development from day one. You will get to see how they grow, change and blossom into lovely young cats with the support of their amazing mum, Caramel, and our dedicated team of cat care staff and volunteers here at Wales Cat Centre.

 

If you would like to donate towards the care for our cats, including those like Caramel and her kittens, you can do so on our website here. Anything you can give, big or small, can really make a difference. Thank you for being here for cats 💜

 

See you next week for Kitten Watch: Week 7! 🐾

Week 5: Getting more independent

   

Kitten Watch 2024: Caramel and her sweet kittens

At Week 5, the kittens are continuing their weaning process moving towards a diet of only solid food now, and they are making excellent progress! The kittens are monitored and weighed to ensure they are receiving enough nutrition and gaining weight.

All four kittens hanging out together

Caramel is spending short periods of time each day apart from the kittens to start the weaning process. This also gives her time to rest and the kittens to start gaining more independence.

Beautiful mum Caramel enjoying some peace and quiet

On one of the days we saw her resting in the top pen for an hour and the kittens were all playing in the pen below. They have all become more active and even shy little cuddly Coban was joining in!

Cuddly Coban and sweet Cinnamon enjoying playtime

They are all more interested in the toys this week. They are also exploring the cat flap from the inside of their pen and starting to look at what is happening in the corridor. True to her nature, cheeky Chai was more interested in chasing the other kittens' tails and jumping on them than in the toys.

It wasn't me: cheeky Chai

Cinnamon and Chai noticing the world outside the pen

Here's another special video for you, showing the kittens' playtime!

Thank you for joining us for Week 5 of Kitten Watch! We will continue to follow the kittens' progress week by week on this blog, right up until they and their mum are ready to go to their forever homes.

 

Please note, these blog posts are not in real time, the kittens are a little bit older at the time of writing. However, we hope you enjoy following along with their weekly development from day one. You will get to see how they grow, change and blossom into lovely young cats with the support of their amazing mum, Caramel, and our dedicated team of cat care staff and volunteers here at Wales Cat Centre.

 

If you would like to donate towards the care for our cats, including those like Caramel and her kittens, you can do so on our website here. Anything you can give, big or small, can really make a difference. Thank you for being here for cats 💜

 

See you next week for Kitten Watch: Week 6! 🐾

Week 4: More new experiences!

  

Kitten Watch 2024: Caramel and her sweet kittens

By Week 4, the kittens are ready to be introduced to wet food alongside continuing drinking their mother's milk. They also do a lot more walking, playing and even running! Kittens may start to show interest in the litter tray too. This is an exciting age for the kittens as they are getting used to their surroundings and developing strength in their bodies.

Chai testing out the litter tray.

But first, an appreciation of the amazing job that Caramel is doing as a mother for her kittens. After her risky experience during pregnancy where if she had gone unfound, could have resulted in her giving birth on an industrial estate near a very busy road, she is flourishing in the safety of the maternity corridor here at Wales Cat Centre. It is thanks to our dedicated supporters, staff and volunteers that we are able to rescue cats like Caramel from sometimes dangerous situations.

Beautiful Caramel, safe and sound now.

Did you know? A mother cat needs a lot of the right nutrients while she is nursing her kittens, to help keep both her and her kittens strong. It is best to feed the mother a good quality kitten food while she is nursing, as it is more nutrient and energy dense.

Around four weeks of age, the kittens will be ready to start trying wet kitten food too! This usually involves introducing the kittens to kitten milk in a bowl, and slowly mixing in wet kitten food over time. Gradually over the next few weeks, the ratio of food to milk in the bowl will be increased, all while the kittens are continuing to suckle from their mother.

Sweet Cinnamon showing us her lovely blue eyes.

Whoops! Costa doing a roly-poly.

Cuddly Coban - look at his little milk teeth coming through!

Thank you for joining us for Week 4 of Kitten Watch! We will continue to follow the kittens' progress week by week on this blog, right up until they and their mum are ready to go to their forever homes.

 

Please note, these blog posts are not in real time, the kittens are a little bit older at the time of writing. However, we hope you enjoy following along with their weekly development from day one. You will get to see how they grow, change and blossom into lovely young cats with the support of their amazing mum, Caramel, and our dedicated team of cat care staff and volunteers here at Wales Cat Centre.

 

If you would like to donate towards the care for our cats, including those like Caramel and her kittens, you can do so on our website here. Anything you can give, big or small, can really make a difference. Thank you for being here for cats 💜

 

See you next week for Kitten Watch: Week 5! 🐾

Week 3: Introducing the kittens!

 

Kitten Watch 2024: Caramel and her sweet kittens

It's Week 3 of the kittens' lives and while they are still a bit wobbly on their feet, they have started to walk around, play and show their personalities! The kittens are in the important socialisation period at the moment, which takes place from two to seven weeks of age. At this stage the kitten's brain and sensory system are still developing, so the experiences they have during this time will teach them what is threatening and non-threatening. Positive experiences with different people and different things will teach them that these experiences are non-threatening. However, any negative experiences, or no experiences at all, can cause a kitten to become fearful – a feeling that is likely to last into adulthood.

Caramel and all four kittens and a little toy mouse!

Now that the kittens are starting to become more active, this is a great time to introduce you to each kitten and find out a bit more about their personalities.

First up, we've got Chai! She is a tabby female and is slightly greyer in colour. She has white tips to her feet and more of a V-shaped marking on her forehead. She is the most confident of the kittens and loves to play and fight with her brother Costa. She also enjoys climbing on Caramel and biting her ears!

Cheeky Chai, a confident tabby female.

Next, we have Coban, a tabby and white male with a coloured patch on the side of his nose. Coban is the shyest and sleepiest of the kittens. He loves cuddling up to Caramel or sweet Cinnamon, who is the gentlest of his siblings.

Cuddly Coban, a tabby and white male

The other male is Costa, who is a slightly browner coloured tabby with more of a W-shaped marking on his head. He is quite a confident chap and loves playing with Chai. They are very happy rolling around together and like to follow each other around the pen.

Mother and son: Caramel and little Costa 

Last but not least, we have Cinnamon (rightmost kitten below). She is a very sweet tabby and white female just like her mum! Sweet Cinnamon is just starting to play, but is not as boisterous as Chai and Costa.

Caramel with Costa, Coban and Cinnamon (looks like Chai is behind her too!)

We hope you enjoyed meeting each kitten and learning a bit more about their personalities! We will continue to follow the kittens' progress week by week on this blog, right up until they and their mum are ready to go to their forever homes.

 

Please note, these blog posts are not in real time, the kittens are a little bit older at the time of writing. However, we hope you enjoy following along with their weekly development from day one. You will get to see how they grow, change and blossom into lovely young cats with the support of their amazing mum, Caramel, and our dedicated team of cat care staff and volunteers here at Wales Cat Centre.

 

If you would like to donate towards the care for our cats, including those like Caramel and her kittens, you can do so on our website here. Anything you can give, big or small, can really make a difference. Thank you for being here for cats 💜

 

See you next week for Kitten Watch: Week 4! 🐾