BBC - Why do some women devote their lives to saving cats?

[Teresa Pawcats]

Re: BBC - Why do some women devote their lives to saving cats?

I really dont know because for every caring rescue person there are at least a hundred idiots who think cruelty is the norm.

[beckamsimmons]

I have taped this (well sky plussed but i still say tape..) but I can't watch it right now with Thimble missing. Especially as it's obviously upsetting in parts, Hopefully I'll be a position to watch it soon. I'd really like to.

B
xx

[Leanne]

I watched this yesterday and I found it really upsetting and cried most of my way though it. I'm not naive to what goes on in rescue but I just found it sad, I've never seen a cat PTS before and that really got me.

I take my hat off to those woman (and men) who work in cat rescue as its really not an easy job when you care as much as they do.

[JackSpratt]

Tess, I think that was more aimed at people who take in their cats and then stand taking up her time when she's got a million other cats needing sorting. I got the impression she felt if that lady cared so much she'd find a way to get someone to care for her cats until she got back from India.

[TESS]

I cried from beginning to the end of this programme and then felt extremely selfish as Celia Hammond said she hates people "blubbering", what does crying achieve....absolutely nothing!

[LilyandGary]

Having once lived in London, (where I was a fosterer for a local, very well orgainised charity) I take my hat off to Celia Hammond for agreeing to being filmed. I thought she came across as a remarkable lady, who was trying very hard to address a huge problem in the local area.

I just hope that joe-public takes note of the reality of the sharp end of rescue. It is like trying to swim in treacle at the mo, with so many rescues facing the same issues, perhaps on a smaller scale, but just as real in their neighbourhoods.

I`m glad they showed rescue in the raw, warts and all. It`s not all the fluffy nice rehoming stories which should be aired. Pricking the concsience is also valid, and necessary at times! I defy anyone not to feel upset and affected by some of the scenes.

If you cease to be affected, you shouldnt be involved.

[Liz]

Sam there is a tad more

And you need good tennis skills for the Clan doggies Sky and Sunny who need entertained after all the cat stuff

[Sam (Fussy_Furball)]

Sam you would be welcome and am sure folks would think I was completely mad

On the downside you would have to do chores between filming cause of my back and if you didn't folks might se thee rolling cat hair 

Oh I can do chores .... 34 cats can't be much harder to look after than 4 after all 1 of mine is a VERY demanding "foreign boy" lol

[Frances]

. . .so it would be interesting to see what none rescue peeps made of the program.

I'm a non rescue peep, though probably not typical as I'm a member here and have read about the difficulties and frustrations rescues have had, particularly this year.  Also, James and Christopher came from Paws Inn so I have seen what a well-run independent rescue looks like at first hand.

As far as the programme is concerned, I think the point being made with Pat was that as a “one woman band” she coped when she had about 20 cats, found mainly by herself.  However the pressure increased as her name got out and more (and more) people asked/demanded that she rescue/rehome her cats.  As I recall, the two she handed on to Celia Hammond were the first time she’d done this and illustrated how she recognised she wasn’t coping.

I already knew about Celia Hammond from her work rescuing cats from the Olympic site (I used to live in London).  The problems Celia has are the same; her charity is a bigger and more organised set-up but because this makes it more well-known, more people approach her.

I think the programme showed the huge pressure both women are under both from an increase in the need to rescue dumped/stray cats (with or without feckless owners) and the difficulty in rehoming loved and happy cats for owners who do want to do the right thing when their circumstances have changed. 

The content didn’t really surprise or shock me; if the programme had been better titled (Mad Cats and Englishwomen doesn’t exactly invite interest from dog owners and/or men) it would probably had got a wider audience who would have been made more aware of the realities of animal rescue.

[Lil_Scruff]

I agree with Dizziblonde (takes one to know one!) in that the BBC quite happily went down the predictable stereotype route and made the show look like a modern day 'freak show' sneakily dressed up to make the Beeb look socially responsible when showing clips of Pat.

The 'Celia' parts were better but I'm in two minds about the kitten's death scene. On the one hand if it shocks people into taking better care of their pets then it's a good thing but it did also smack of being the token (and again predictable) death chucked in for the weepy value.

At least Celia's charity work was defined in the show but Pat's was more of a puzzle. She was described as being a 'rescuer', and in some ways she was, but people tend to associate cat rescue with rehoming rather than a local eccentric collecting cats. For that reason I fear the show may harm the public's perceptions of 'real' rescue.

One things for sure and that's I don't think I fancy Dagenham for next year's holidays!

[Liz]

Sam you would be welcome and am sure folks would think I was completely mad

On the downside you would have to do chores between filming cause of my back and if you didn't folks might se thee rolling cat hair 

[Sam (Fussy_Furball)]

Some folks are shocked at my cat numbers but all are hale and hearty and I don't live in squalor and have a nice house and only have the odd eau de niff when they all use litter trays at once

Sadly they should show some good stories about multi households we do exist and it might show the other side of rescue - mine are all rejects or have things wrong - heart conditions, missing legs, tails, damamged by the humans they trusted, others folks would PTS due to their attitude and the ferals that noone would give house room to - here they are safe, happy, healthy and neutered and speyed apart from Charlie and Echo!

Also folks never see all mine at once as our ferals find visitors scarey unless M ummy has treats or the little red dot!!!!

Tell ya what Liz .... if I get made redundant I'll by myself a good quality video camera out of the money ... come and live with you and Robin for a few weeks (I'm only small, you'llhardly notice me) and film the goings on of a "multi cat household"

Then I can sell the story to ITV or Channel 4.  Does that sound like a plan 

[Bren22]

I watched it and found it on the whole quite depressing.  I bawled out loud at the poorly cat being pts(even though it was necessary) and again at the kittens riddled with fleas.  In one way it was good they didn't show a fantastic clean well run rescue as that would persuade people to hand more cats in!  Celia Hammond seemed at the end of her tether, I felt so sorry for her as she's dedicated her life to the cats for such a long time.  One can only hope better times will come.

[LesleyW]

I have just watched this on I Player and, although I don't think Pat was stereotypical of one "woman" rescues, of which I class myself, the problems she faced and the dilemmas that she expressed are the same as those that I face.  I certainly would not have taken that kitten from one home and immediately placed it in another and I can't ever see myself taking in a cat and then passing it on to another rescue because I couldn't cope.  If I can't take one, I have to be realistic and say I cannot take it.


On the whole I think the problem really bought home how bad the situation is and it was interesting that Celia Hammond says this seems to be the worst year, because that is how I feel.


In some respects I hope that the programme did shock and upset some people because that is the harsh reality of cat rescue, it is not all cute and cuddly, it is frustration, a feeling of helplessness and sometimes death.


All in all, I thought it was very good and should be compulsive viewing.


It definitely made me feel that I am not as freaky as some people make out and, in a peculiar way, visually made me feel I am certainly not alone.  (What I mean is I know I am not alone because of all the rescues on here in the same boat as me - we can put in words on here our feelings etc, but it was good to SEE the same situation being encountered by others.

[dizziblonde]

I actually thought the kitten bit at the end (obviously I a) have a brain and some experience of cats and b) I'd seen mention of it online before watching it so knew how it was going to end) was very well shot - the poor lil one at least got to die with some comforting content, and then the remaining kitten finishing off in a cuddle. Celia and all the girls there seem really fantastic at what they do (wish to god I looked that good at 30, let alone 70!).

The other woman - I still don't know - her friends seemed much more representative of the cat rescue people I've come across (I'm not a rescue bod myself), but she seemed to have been chosen specifically to fill a stereotypical view they wanted to put across. Got a bit of an impression from the conversation when she handed the cat over the the Celia Hammond people that her passing animals on to them might have been somewhat of a regular occurrence too - might be wrong on that front and she definitely meant well, but she didn't give the best impression to be honest.

Also nice to see Celia can't pass by a cat without having a quick conversation - means I'm not quite as nuts as I thought I was for doing that one! (Get a better quality of chat from the neighbourhood moggies than from some of the neighbourhood humans!)

Also nice to see the BBC come to the shocking realization that there are places other than the RSPCA!

[Dawn F]

I didn't see it all but would have preferred to see more of Celia Hammond I think, the other lady was just reinforcing what people think - shame only cat people probably watched it

[Angiew]

I though it was a good balance between a larger rescue and a small one-man band type both of which are typical and I#m sure they could have gone more xtreme with the RSPCA and a really dingy one man rescue.

Having seen both ends at work I was not surprised/shocked/upset by either so it would be interesting to see what none rescue peeps made of the program.

[dizziblonde]

Watching this on iPlayer now... nice to see the BBC going down the stereotypical loony woman living in squallor line, thank God they got Celia on as a slightly more coherrent public face for it. The way she talks to the cats she genuinely does care about them - really unsure about the lone-woman operation at all - she makes me feel very uncomfortable.

[Mark]

I know what you mean Ellen. Some people have the attitude "It's a cat so it's your job" 

We joke about people saying "we have a stray in the garden - I will be at home until around 1pm so if you can pop round and pick it up by then"  - but a few really do think we are sitting around with a white van parked outside ready to sort their problems out immediately, if not sooner 

PS - the title of the programme is sexist - What about people like our Ron?    (I know it is mainly women though)

[Ellen2010]

I was very impressed by Celia Hammond, I never realised she is an ex-model, although I think you can tell. I wasn't as impressed with the other person though, her attitude with people wasn't great, and did I see it wrong, or did she take a cat from someone, get approached on the street and then drive to the other persons house and 'rehome' the kitten? I found the kitten very sad, but it was sadly obvious it couldnt survive.

Celia Hammond at times was so frustrated in the bits that were shown and at times was even close to tears herself.

I agree it was obvious that the little kitten at the end would not survive but it was so unnecessary, if they had got it treated or taken it to somewhere like Celia Hammond's center sooner it may have survived and that was the heartbreaking bit for me.  Initially it was the fact that someone had just dumped it under a tree rather than get it treated or handed it into a rescue and just maybe both of those kittens would have survived.  The loss of that little kitten was so unnecessary and so sad.

You did not see it wrong where I think she was called "Pat" rescued a kitten and then was approached on the street and went round to the house and homed it there.  She did eventually go back and remove the kitten from there.

Celia Hammond is very compassionate about what she does and think where she was holding the surviving kitten and cuddling it just after the death of its sibling and said "Who has your mummy?" proves that she is concerned that mom cat could be going through the same thing as the kittens with fleas.

I once got accused like Celia Hammond "You call yourself and animal lover" all because the person had to phone back as I was not in when they phoned to report their cat missing, well think the person felt a right idiot when I explained I had literally walked in from the vets as had to take one of my animals to the vets and that was where I had been.  I was barely keeping it together to take the details from them as had just got back from the vets as my old dog had collapsed and had been told there was nothing the vets could do for her except to stop her suffering (PTS).  The person seemed to eat their words rather quickly and apologised profusely then went on to say "But mine is alive out there and now you have that sorted you can get out looking for my cat".

[jezebel]

At least they didn't have the usual patronising voiceover and viewers were left to make their own mind up about what they saw.

I found it very depressing. Both Celia Hammond and the other woman (was she ever named?) looked worn out and almost at breaking point. Some of the stories behind some of the rescues, not to mention some of the  morons who were filmed, made me so angry. And those poor flea-infested kittens - that was just tragic.

Sadly they should show some good stories about multi households we do exist and it might show the other side of rescue -

Liz, that's a great idea - you should contact some TV production companies about it! I'd love to watch a more positive programme about rescues, and if I want to then chances are other people will.

[Desley (booktigger)]

I was very impressed by Celia Hammond, I never realised she is an ex-model, although I think you can tell. I wasn't as impressed with the other person though, her attitude with people wasn't great, and did I see it wrong, or did she take a cat from someone, get approached on the street and then drive to the other persons house and 'rehome' the kitten? I found the kitten very sad, but it was sadly obvious it couldnt survive.

[Janeyk]

I'm glad I didn't see it from what people say. We were recording The Apprentice & Poirot.

Same here I didn't see it, and we recorded Poirot.

[lauriex]

I missed the programme cos Im at work......So want to see it, will watch it in iPlayer

[CatGirl]

I watched this and was upset by the sight of those poor kittens,running with fleas,they were found by a tree.The "person"who left them probably did so because of the fleas!Some humans need their heads banging together.

[Pinkbear (Julie)]

I just watched it on catch up. I thought Celia was good.  Didn't realise she is 70! 

Unless you are used to dealing with it day in, day out, I guess some people would find it very distressing and depressing. But I think most of us rescue members here would recognise what was shown.  The excuses are always the same, the ignorance is always the same and the neglect and cruelty is always the same. Doesn't matter where in the country you are based. 

The kitten dying was sad of course. I really didn't expect it to survive though. 

I thought on the whole it was a really good programme and hopefully will do some good even if it convinces just one person to neuter their cat. 

[Liz]

Some folks are shocked at my cat numbers but all are hale and hearty and I don't live in squalor and have a nice house and only have the odd eau de niff when they all use litter trays at once

Sadly they should show some good stories about multi households we do exist and it might show the other side of rescue - mine are all rejects or have things wrong - heart conditions, missing legs, tails, damamged by the humans they trusted, others folks would PTS due to their attitude and the ferals that noone would give house room to - here they are safe, happy, healthy and neutered and speyed apart from Charlie and Echo!

Also folks never see all mine at once as our ferals find visitors scarey unless M ummy has treats or the little red dot!!!!

[Angiew]

I shed quite a few tears, particularly at the end with that little flea infested kitten

Me too-one of the most upsetting things i've ever seen 

Welcome to the world of rescue 

[Angiew]

Just watched it on catch up.
I thought it was a beautiful thing. No judgements were made on anyone.
It was sad to see the poor kitten but that it the reality we all deal with on here.

Personally, I found it depressing as it echoed so many things that I and other rescuers have been saying about not coping, feeling useless, wanting to give it up and get a life but always being compelled to continue for some unknown reason. I'm glad they didn't try any pyschobable on why it was being done.

But the numbers - a million cats in London and half living on the streets - oh my goodness.

[Mark]

I'm glad I didn't see it from what people say. We were recording The Apprentice & Poirot.

[snarf]

although the lady had alot of cats, i think her inclusion made the point quite well that people can easily end up with more than they can cope with. she also illustrated the rudeness and callousness of some of the people rescues have to deal with (although she wasnt a rescue).

I watched this live online as it's not being shown up here tonight.

I have to say, ignoring the stereotypes they reinforced, they showed the harsh realities of what is happening at the moment really well. Just the shots of the Celia Hammond waiting room was scary (I know a lot were there for treatment but it was rammed!).

I shed quite a few tears, particularly at the end with that little flea infested kitten

it was very sad and i think it will be shocking to the general public that things are this bad and the consequences of not neutering. was good to see them include a charity like Celia Hammond

[Ellen2010]

I have just stopped crying over that little kitten as was doing from the moment they first showed the two kittens and it looked so weak as you just knew it was not going to make it by what was said by Celia Hammond.

[Shirley]

I shed quite a few tears, particularly at the end with that little flea infested kitten

Me too-one of the most upsetting things i've ever seen 

[Feline Costumier]

I watched this live online as it's not being shown up here tonight.

I have to say, ignoring the stereotypes they reinforced, they showed the harsh realities of what is happening at the moment really well. Just the shots of the Celia Hammond waiting room was scary (I know a lot were there for treatment but it was rammed!).

I shed quite a few tears, particularly at the end with that little flea infested kitten

[mervyn7451]

It really annoys me that cat rescuers are perceived as idiots with dirty houses and full of disease.

Totally agree T ... and I casn't say the programme has helped to disspell that myth 

Blame the programmes like Pet Rescue...Animal 24/7 ect for that.You only see the bad sides & not the good sides.More drama in a woman who has 8 cats in squalor than a woman who has 34 in luxury.

[Sam (Fussy_Furball)]

It really annoys me that cat rescuers are perceived as idiots with dirty houses and full of disease.

Totally agree T ... and I casn't say the programme has helped to disspell that myth 

[Tiggy's Mum]

Cheers Merv, this is on in England too so will merge it with the other thread 

[mervyn7451]

Wonderland;mad cats & englishwomen.

Remarkable cat lovers feature in tonight's Wonderland, the series which seeks out people and places that offer a glimpse of Britain usually hidden from view.

In London there are more than a million cats, half of them strays. Former model Celia Hammond (left) has been rescuing cats for the past 40 years and runs a clinic in east London to treat and neuter animals. The crisis, however, is spiralling out of control. "I've never felt so helpless, " she says.
 

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/207891/Real-life-Wonderland-Mad-Cats-And-Englishwomen

Check tv listings in your area for timings

[Fire Fox]

I think most women (and men) who devote their lives to animals are simply lovely giving human beings, nothing more complicated than that. My theory probably wouldn't fill a whole show tho!

[Ellen2010]

What has wound me up is the first comment from the idiot that said he used to have a cat and let her have one litter to calm her down  - so many stupid, ignorant people around 

Yes saw that myself Mark and thought total utter bull  and can make them actually nastier if anything.

Ok mine has a cat smell but at the moment have the problem of incontinent cat so have to find wher he has had accident, scrub area with soap powder and water to break down smell, then shampoo again and fabreeze carpet as well.  But until this problem occurred no cat smells existed some people even were shocked when 1 cat walked in let alone all 7.