December 1st, 2011
The town of Moelfre, Wales was the scene of a dramatic 12 hour operation to save a ‘cat’ trapped in a clothing recycling bin.
A passer-by heard meowing from inside the container and fearing that it was a missing cat she had heard of named Puss Puss, she rang the local fire brigade and the RSPCA. Fire fighters were unable to prise open the lock of the bin, so it was carried to an engineering firm 28km away.
Once several workers had carefully sliced through the bin and tirelessly searched through the plastic bags inside, they came across a battery operated stuffed toy cat (pictured right).
Kelvin Owen, the owner of the engineering company who were enlisted to help with the rescue said, “Once we got into the bin we heard the meow again. It sounded just like a cat and we all started to carefully search the bags. Then I found a bag of toys and picked out a toy cat. I said, ‘It couldn’t be this could it?’ It wasn’t making any noise and I asked if I could cut it open to investigate. As I held it, it went off meow, meow – mystery solved. The lads were in stitches, it was such a laugh.”
Local woman Jasmine Hazelhurst, who initiated the rescue, said of the debacle: “I did feel embarrassed when they pulled out the stuffed cat. But I am also proud at the way everyone rallied round to try to save the cat. Local people did so much to save the cat and it shows what community spirit there is. We feared finding a dead cat in the clothes bank, so to find a stuffed toy was a relief.”
By Sinéad. Posted in Cats, Lost & Found, News
November 10th, 2011
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The RSPCA are urging the British public to come forward with information on the identity of a man caught abusing a cat on CCTV.
Shocking footage shows a seemingly unhinged attacker strutting down a road in Ramsgate, Kent, swinging a cat by its tail. The horrific video was captured on the 29th of October outside the Camden Arms pub.
“This was a very violent, nasty attack on a cat. Anyone who witnessed this outside the pub must have been as shocked and appalled as we were. We are hoping that someone will recognise this man and come forward so we can investigate this fully,” says RSPCA inspector Caroline Doe.
Luckily, Mowgli the cat escaped the incident without serious physical injury. Owner Michelle Buchanan says that her pet has not been left unaffected by the attack: “When I got home he was in my bed so that he would feel secure…Mowgli is emotional. He’s just distraught. He won’t go out the door.”
The IT teacher, who owns two other cats named Milly and Missy thinks that all three are disturbed by the mistreatment. “Before this happened my cats used to sit outside the house on the steps and everybody knew them. Since then none of them do that.”
This act of animal cruelty reflects the infamous episode when Mary Bale was caught on CCTV throwing a cat in a wheelie bin. Bank worker Bale was fined £250 and ordered to pay the cat’s owners compensation and costs of £1,400.
The video below shows footage which some of our readers might find disturbing:
By Sinéad. Posted in Animal Welfare, Cats, News
October 12th, 2011
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Reports this week say that the Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals are facing a funding crisis, forcing them to reject unwanted pets and to let 17 of its 41-strong staff go. They say that they will now focus on caring for suffering and lost animals rather than taking in pets that owners are unable to cope with, or have simply become tired of.
It takes almost €2 million a year to keep Ireland’s oldest animal welfare organisation afloat. The society receives only 3% of its funding from the government, with the rest kindly provided by their supporters. You can do your bit to help the DSPCA and the many animals that are surrendered every day by making a donation, fundraising, volunteering or even by buying your Christmas cards early this year.
If you are thinking of getting a pet, please consider adopting from the DSPCA. Visits to their animal rescue and rehoming centre in Rathfarnham are encouraged – they are open to the public 7 days a week, house all kinds of animals and entry to the centre is free.
By Sinéad. Posted in Animal Welfare, Cats, Dogs, Horses, Lost & Found, News
October 3rd, 2011
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A cat with two faces, or Janus Cat, has made it into the Guinness Book of Records. Named Frank and Louie, the cat has three eyes, two noses and two mouths – but just one brain. At 12 years of age, he is the oldest Janus Cat on record. Those born with the congenital defect will usually only live between 1 and 4 days.
His owner, Marty Stevens from Massachusetts, adopted him after his previous owner wanted to have him put down. She says that every day with the resilient cat is ‘a kind of blessing’ and told of the public’s usual reaction to him: “It’s funny because people walk up to him thinking it’s a nice, fluffy white cat and they’re walking up with a big smile on their face to pat him, like, ‘Oh, what a beautiful cat’ and I see a look of horror when they actually see his face.”
By Sinéad. Posted in Cats, News
August 26th, 2011
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This bobcat went from one prickly situation to another while on the run from an angry mountain lion in the Arizona desert. It descended after a 6 hour stint atop the 50ft cactus, amazingly without a scratch.
By Sinéad. Posted in Cats
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