A Thanet animal charity says it is caring for such a huge number of cats that costs for treating and caring for them can no longer be met,
Cats in Crisis is completely manned by volunteers who rescue and rehome cats in the Thanet, with particular concern for elderly cats and ferals.
The charity, which has been running some two decades, has more than 100 cats in its care being looked after in the homes of volunteers as there is no rescue centre.
Vet bills in September and October came to a staggering £10,000 with another £600 spent on food.
Charity boss Mary Knott said: “This year, like many other animal rescues, we have experienced massive problems with families being evicted, pets being abandoned and pet owners unable to pay for their own food with no funds for meeting bails for pet food and vets.
“As a consequence many sick and injured cats are being left to suffer as strays, often being picked up by kind members of the public who take them to a local vets.
“We then get asked if we can help. As some have serious injuries the resultants vet bills are extremely high and finding space for these cats to recuperate until sufficiently well to be considered for rehoming is getting more and more difficult.
“As fewer people come forward to give a cat a home, we are not freeing up sufficient space to take in all those waiting.
“With the colder weather now upon us, it is heartbreaking to know we are leaving cats to suffer.
“Sadly, we are now no longer able to meet the huge costs involved in treating and caring for such large numbers of cats.”
Cats in Crisis volunteers use their own homes, often building pens, to care for the cats and money is also raised through charity events and donations from the public. The organisation’s main income is from its charity shop at 55 Queen Street in Ramsgate.
Mary said: “We would ask people to come and support us [at the shop] to enable us to continue with our work.
“We have always said we try not to say ‘no’ when a cat is in trouble. Now it is difficult to say ‘yes’.”
Find out how to donate via https://catsincrisisthanet.wordpress.com/donate/
Please support mary as much as you can, a wonderful person
This is probably the only thing you have ever said that is correct whilst being a county councillor and I fully agree with you on your comment about Mary
I have donated, I love Cats.
Having donated food/toys/cat litter & been involved in a shoebox challenge in the past for Cats in Crisis, I can only say we CANNOT let this charity fold. Cats in crisis, Mary & all her cat fosterers go above & beyond for kitties, we must support them in any way we can.
i have just got another cat from a foster home it is the best thing you can they will be your best friend for ever
Please donate as much as you can, they do a huge amount of good work.
Sadly, less intelligent people do not spay/neuter their cats (or dogs) . They then sell the kittens to people who just want a kitten without any further care or
thought and they go on to breed. So, even more unwanted kittens. The rescues – countrywide – are full of kittens that were wanted when they were babies but no longer wanted as adults. Where will the kittens be in a years or two’s time – do you know? do you care?????????????
Breeders neither know nor care where animals end up. Some people HAVE to buy as they would not be seen
as suitable by any decent rescue to adopt a dead animal let alone a live one……..and sellers will sell to anyone who has the money to pay for the animal. Anyone can go into a pet shop or a breeder on the Internet and buy any animals and the seller will neither know nor care where that animal ends up. Where will these animals be in a year or two’s time????????????? There is no excuse for your cat to have kittens and to add to a massive problem we already have. Rescues are overflowing with cats that all had “good homes” when sold as kittens.
I have to say that Mary has done a great job, but has made the classic mistake of not expanding capacitor to meet demand. I don’t know where they get there volunteer’s, but I have never seen an advert. This charity has reached a critical turning point where it can’t be allowed to fold, but also it can’t continue in the way that is has which has become unstainable. Fund raising has gone by the wayside, I wonder if they know they have a PayPal donation page or even gone and looked at it? Embrace technology donate by sending a text on your phone for example. Advertise on the TV, social media etc. Lacey is just as concerned.