Joint effort supports 30 cats in one house
When a call came in from the RSPCA to support them with a home that had more than 30 Bengal cats and two dogs, we knew this had to be a joint effort.
We love collaborating with other charities as it means we can support pet owners as quickly and efficiently as possible. So, when a call came in from the RSPCA to support them with a home that had more than 30 Bengal cats and two dogs, we knew this had to be a joint effort.
The pet owner loved her cats and had previously cared for them all very well. But sadly, she had an unexpected accident and became ill, and the care of the cats quickly slipped as a result. When our Outreach team paid a visit, we discovered there was an outbreak of cat flu and ear mites (tiny parasites that cause extreme itching and can lead to long-term issues if left untreated). Many of the pets weren’t neutered, either. Woodgreen and the RSPCA, with additional aid from Cats Protection, joined forces to support the owner and help get the situation under control. We reached out to our contacts at Cambridge Vet School and a nearby veterinary practice, who offered us a lower cost to neuter all 30 cats. Thankfully, this meant we were able to get them done swiftly to prevent any further kittens.
Many of the cats had sore ears with secondary infections caused by the ear mites and cat flu. Mites are very contagious, so all the pets living in the house had to be treated. Luckily, we could help pay to quickly treat all the animals for mites at the same time, thanks to a generous donation to Woodgreen from a corporate partner. The grateful owner then used her savings towards treating any secondary infections. Because we acted fast, the cats were much more comfortable and not at risk of developing further issues while they waited for a rescue space to become available.
Six of the cats come to Woodgreen
Between us, we then worked with the owner to gradually take in a significant number of cats for rehoming so that she was left with a more manageable number. Bengal beauties Ruby, Pixie, Stan, Kush, Alang and Baby came to Woodgreen, and the cats with the most severe flu symptoms spent time in isolation while they got over the worst of it. It wasn’t long before we found loving new homes for them. We also used our cat behaviour knowledge to give the owner advice and provided vital items to keep the animals still in the home as content as possible.
When we paid a follow-up visit to give the remaining cats in the house a check over, we were delighted to find them visibly less stressed. We were able to give the owner her home back and make sure she had the tools to keep them healthy and happy. Read more about the incredible work our Outreach team do.