UPSET AGAIN, WHATS NEW.

[Desley (booktigger)]

I know we do Kelly, but we have fared better since you joined.

[Ela]

Unfortunately Ela this was a 'one man band' so to speak so there wasn't really anyone else to speak to!!!

Unbelievable isn't it? You would have thought they would have been happy for more help.

[Kelly]

Unfortunately Ela this was a 'one man band' so to speak so there wasn't really anyone else to speak to!!!

Thanks Desley - I don't do compliments very well!!! We all work hard to make things work!

[Ela]

had a lovely long chat with the person then never heard anything else

As posted previously I had exactly the same problem about 17 yrs ago, I now know they thought 'we can manage' (of course they couldn't but it was a closed shop)  but did not have the courtesy to say so. I persevered and one day I spoke to the right person who took up my offer within a very short time. Unfortunately in many rescues there are little Hitlers, not realising or quite simply couldn't care less that without more help, animals will suffer.

[Desley (booktigger)]

Their loss was our gain Kelly!!! I think we are incredibly grateful to the person who turned you down, some of our achievements this year wouldn't have happened without you.

[Kelly]

I've offered my sevices as a fosterer before - had a lovely long chat with the person then never heard anything else - it would be nice to know why I was deemed unsuitable as I now foster for CAT77 with no problems - and enjoy helping when I can. It seems some people/rescues are quite a closed shop (not everyone obviously) and infiltrating that is flippin hard. I just wish more of the people who want to help on here lived nearer to us!!!!!!

[Ela]

on numbers just the CP.

I really am sorry about this, I think that they are looking at in in black and white when in reality there are plenty of grey areas, and especially where ferals in an ideal location are concerned. If you are still interested in helping your local CP Could you not contact the 'Bossman'  Chief Executive Peter Hepburn, at CP HQ and advise of your wonderful offer and circumstances.

[Liz]

Just a quick thing re the charity status - I called our new coucil to ask for a big double bin etc due to the amount of cat litter we use and was advised as all the cats were ours that we were not a charity and as such could not have a bin and could recyclle the litter at the tip - this is what we do every Saturday we go to the tip.

can't flush litter as we have a septic tank.  Also on buying this house we also researched the chicken farm about a mile up the hill - farmer had no issues as his place in inside chickens and secure so its no bother to the council or our neighbours on numbers just the CP.

 

[Ela]

Actually my reasoning was space Ela

That is a shame, most of my fosterers have the space but not the time. Although we live near the  town, most of the fosterers live on the outskirts or have large gardens. So I suppose I  or rather the cats are extremely lucky.

[Desley (booktigger)]

Actually my reasoning was space Ela - we dont always have the extra space to put pens etc (I personally dont have a back door, never mind a garden), so having someone with an extra room is a bonus, even if it means we do have to do that bit more, as that to me is better than trying to take on too many cats as there is no one else to help.

[Ela]

I would rather have an extra fosterer and a bit of a strain making sure they have food and litter (we do have another fosterer with no transport) than turn cats down as we are all full.

 

Unfortunately with us it is not possible as we are all working flat out with the commitments we have. If we had spare time to help another fosterer, we would be able to have another pen in our own gardens and use any spare time for that.  As previously advised it is not just vets, food and litter it is taking cats to the new home, picking up cats to come in, also nowadays the fosterers apart from Virginia who is a working farmer, has her own  small animal rescue and gives riding lessons, are the home visitors as they like to ensure all is well before  someone views their cats. I don't have a problem with that as they have put in all the hard work to ensure the cats are fit and well and would know any cat’s needs. Initially we had a team of home visitors but the fosterers one by one said they wanted to do their own.  I know how they feel over 16 years ago my first foster cat was I had a Persian who arrived in a terrible condition the then Co-ordinator rang and said someone is coming round to collect the cat, when the girl arrives as I opened the door I knew it was wrong, gut feeling I expect, I phoned the Co-ordinator and said I was not happy she said it is fine she has had cats from us before and is a friend of my daughters. Reluctantly I handed the cat over. After a couple of weeks I went to visit and although the cat seemed OK  gut feeling told me something was not right. A couple of weeks later the cat went missing, never to be seen again. I know that happens but I also know that the home was far from perfect. Much later I learnt that the girl had lost many cats. Even to this day I remember her name, Tabitha it wouldn't be right to post the surname. Even if a fosterer asks a home checker  to do an odd home visit for them and the home visitor say all is well, the fosterer has the final say when they meet the family. I would not dream of over ruling gut feeling.

[Desley (booktigger)]

Actually, I have fostered for 2 cat charities without a car - it was easier with CP than CAT77, as their vet is the same one I use, and I can walk to it in less than 10 mins (as long as it ain't one of the heavy cats of course!!), and the lady who I dealt with was half way between my house and the vets, so food and litter wasn't an issue, her husband used to drop it off on a Sun for me. The one time I had to go to the main branch my neighbours took me. It is a lot easier with a car, but it is doable without. I would rather have an extra fosterer and a bit of a strain making sure they have food and litter (we do have another fosterer with no transport) than turn cats down as we are all full.

[Ela]

Not being able to drive should not be an issue as vets do home visits and there are other ways of being at the vets at the required time afterall and what about all the other owners of animals who don't drive just a pedantic issue me thinks.

Unfortunately in rescue we would not necessarily to be able to afford for a vet to do home visits for all,   although if a fosterer  has a cat and thinks a home visit would be in there interest then that is fine with me. Some days we can have at least   6  cats with different fosterers needing to see a vet, the cost would be at least another £300 and the vets time would be stretched. Also some of the fosterers work so a convenient time for the fosterer may not be for the vet.

Regarding owners who have no transport, that is a separate issue as we are not responsible for their cats. also as I say fosterers need to be able to deliver cats and pick them up, collect food and also those who cannot accommodate £150 worth of litter  (min delivery) need to pick that up too.

Ela the 12 cat rule is interseting but I have facilities for isolation

I was really sticking up for your cause after that comment. However, in many areas it would apply due to local by laws and the need to re-class a property as a sanctuary. I know one rescue about a mile from me has had to do this.

[Liz]

Lynn in this area the CP is not good for us incommers!

On the number of cats well we bought our colony with us as there was no one to care for them and all have adapted to being house cats are have come on in leaps and bounds and are a social happy mob who love all our other cats and our remaining dog and are learning that humans aren't so bad to.

Elaine was here for a visit and got to stroke my 17 feral Miss gracie - who now has her own chair in our bedroom (was supposed to be for my dressing table but she fell in love with it and I now have a wooden stool!) and she sleeps with us in the room every night, loves to give head rubs but is a bit skittish with feet and hates being brushed but this from a cat who was trapped, neutered, had all bar 4 teeth removed and was not really homeable due to her issues but I kept her for the winter haha and then she started to seek us out and hay I now have a tortie dribble chops!

Not being able to drive should not be an issue as vets do home visits and there are other ways of being at the vets at the required time afterall and what about all the other owners of animals who don't drive just a pedantic issue me thinks.

At our last house we were 25 miles from the 24 hour vet and come hell or high water would have had an injured animal at the vet by taxi or phoning a friend!

Our mob are all injected, id chipped, ghave program at the vets twice yearly and eat the best of food and are wormed every 3 months this also includes my 2 feral strays who have sort of moved in since we came here and today Tyson did rollies on the drive and had chicken al fresco with the others so I suppose CP loss is the  strays gain and it means that we can do a bit of cat work but they will end up being independant members of our family and once trapped will be chopped, chipped and injected and anything else done to so they can be safe and happy and if they choose to live in the garage then so be it.

Ela the 12 cat rule is interseting but I have facilities for isolation and sorry to say I will not put my own cats at risk at any cost and will not mix any fosters with mine.  My own lot have illness's and health issues as well as some normal ones but at the end of the day they are mine and not just passing through so for me mixing was never a problem but when noone deigns to visit they do it by pm really p******* me off afterall some charities would bite my hand off but here they don't like incommers who may just have new ideas or differing ways of dealing with things so perhaps thats why they don't have a big band of helpers afterall!

[Ela]

local cp but they said they wouldn't consider me as I don't drive

Although I have passed my test more years ago than I care to remember I don't drive now and haven't for years.

I have to admit to foster for us we do like you to be able to drive or as indeed you have, a partner who  can drive.
Not only is it to be able to get a cat to the vet as quickly as possible if needed, there is the food and odd bits that need picking up. We  like foster cats to be taken to their new home, also very often cats that need to come in have to be picked up, the fact that there may be two cars on the drive when you get there has to be overlooked for the sake of the cat. Obviously if one has no  transport this out a strain on other volunteers.

[kelly-joy]

I foster for The ukrcc which is a ragdoll rehoming group,Oxfordshire animal sac and west oxford animal rescue. I tried to foster for my local cp but they said they wouldn't consider me as I don't drive even though its not a problem with any of the others and my partner does driving if we need to collect or take to home or vets etc.I have only been doing fostering for nearly 2 years now but I love it and like it even more if I get a cat in that is really badly treated and wild and I turn them into real cuddle bunnies it is just so so rewarding. I have a liver diease and will need a transplant at some point so I can't work but doing fostering makes me feel good in myself and makes me feel useful and as if I am doing something good. Alot of people I know don't like me doing it but I don't care as long as I can I will carry on fostering as so so many cats need me. I am sure that is what every foster thinks as well. I wish there was more fosters to help needed cats too.

[Ela]

Ela - I ended up stopping fostering for my local CP branch, I am a lot happier fostering for CAT77, I am allowed to do more and they are more interested in listening to the ideas I brought, whereas CP didn't like them.

I know exactly what you mean as our branch was like that before I took over, it was the Co-ordinators way (and her daughters) or no way. I think that if you give people a little leeway they usually do a better job.  One person does not make a group and one needs to listen to fresh ideas and implement them if feasible. Sadly with some people they just pooh pooh an idea if they did not think of it.

[Desley (booktigger)]

Ela - I ended up stopping fostering for my local CP branch, I am a lot happier fostering for CAT77, I am allowed to do more and they are more interested in listening to the ideas I brought, whereas CP didn't like them.

[CurlyCatz]

Liz how do you find our local cpl ??

i always thought they were pretty pants (altho i talk of what it was like a few years back) not sure if its better now ?

[Ela]

we would love to help but ours just keep saying no

Our previous Co-ordinator was like that, I kept saying we need fresh blood and she kept saying we can manage.  Manage yes but not moving on. Nowadays, we consider no cat un-homeable before the old Co-ordinator hoarded the cats. We now chip all cats,  inject all cats, have a  FIV unit and home far more cats than we ever did before.

I am wondering if the Co-ordinatoe is thinking about the 12 cats per household including your own. Of course this is only a guideline and dependant on where you live and what type of cats you have. I think you have many ferals, don't you? So really that should not count and I am sure you live where it would be acceptable to have more the the norm.

Virginia one of our fosterers has far more that 12 cats as she has all the ferals on her farm. The FIV unit that can take up to 6 at at time, she  also has 5  pens and runs each is large enough for up to 3 adilts (from the same situation) or a mum and babies, plus her own cats. Her location is purrfect for our needs and I am happy she is a fosterer.

[Liz]

Ela do you want to move up here = we would love to help but ours just keep saying no her so I drive 150 miles to support my old branch as often as we can and give them funds so it depends on the branches I think and the people who hold the big positions.

I have time, space, all the gear, money and a great vets discount and raise funds by fostering - we get that through Robins work and it works out about £1000 annually and also we do matching by doing a sponsered walk and get what we raise matched to.

On a good year £3000 free and clear for the branch as we pay for all litter, food and vets bills whilst cats/kittens are in our care and still no-one has visited us they just said no by pm and it really galls me but the old branch still get the matching donation but its nice to know that some area's don't need the cash despite what their websites say!

Still now doing home checks for a Border Collie rescue so they will get the remainder of the cash by us fostering dogs - not what Robin really wants as he a cat person but he is letting me do it as fostering has always been a big part of our lives and if it can't be feline then doggies will do.

[Ela]

wish my CP branch were like that!!

It could be if you harris the Co-ordinator enough and she/he bogs off, then you could apply. They only thing is is didn't apply, I was somehow it.

[Desley (booktigger)]

i wish my CP branch were like that!!

[Ela]

I have said before  just wish you had been our(ron and I) co-ordinator while we were with the Brighton branch of CP

Unfortunately I think some branch Co-ordinators are like some cats 'they who must be obeyed'. It is such a shame as when you are like that you lose valued volunteers. I allow our fosters almost a free reign. Obviously they cannot take cats in without consultation as we always have a list and they cannot re-home without me knowing as I am the person who vets before arranging a home visit. I also think that if it is someone they know it distances them away from the situation if they are not suitable. However, most other things  they don't have to ask. They can take any cat to the vet and authorise any amount of treatment (asking me could waste valuable time) and if a cat can have a quality life after then no matter how much it costs that is OK with me. Only very occasionally do I overrule a fosterer's decision e.g recently a fosterer who is one of the nicest people in the world took a sick cat to the vets but refused bloods. The cat was puta drip. I found out and rang the vet to say they needed to do everything they think they should do.  It is a long story, but it was necessary for the cat to be PTS, in the fosterer's heart of hearts she knew that but wanted the cat to go home and die there. Sadly again I overruled her but did ring her and ask if she would like to go to the vets to be with the little one. Of course she went but was not to happy with me for a time. The fosterer's order their own litter £150 at a time, and food is freely available, a few of us collect from Supermarkets etc and our HQ provide us with 2 or 3 Pallets a year. Also they can just buy without asking and special food, chicken, fish etc and we will refund them immediately. I like to think we work as a team.

[Ela]

the cat is the most important thing going on,thats not to say that others on here are not the same but they do not work with CP. 

They don't but all the rescues together make a whole if you know what I mean. No one rescue can do it all. All are equally valued to the cats I am sure.

[Desley (booktigger)]

Ela, we are all proud of everyone in rescue, but at least you save as many as you can, we can't all save them all, but between us we do a good job of saving many, and that is the important thing.

[fuzziesdad]

Ela sometimes whatever you do will never be enough to save some of these little ones,I have been in your position several times ans I know ron has the same problem you always think you could have done more .but I'm afraid in the cold light of day you could'nt and you end up beating yourself up about it you are one of those rare people who after a while in remorse pick yourself up and move on to help save another little one who needs help.
I think I have said before I just wish you had been our(ron and I) co-ordinator while we were with the Brighton branch of CP because from your posts it is obvious that the cat is the most important thing going on,thats not to say that others on here are not the same but they do not work with CP. 

[Ela]

Which is why we're all so proud of you, Ela.

To be fair there are many people who post on here in rescue and I am sure they would all move Heaven and Earth if possible to save a little one.

[Fluffy]

Which is why we're all so proud of you, Ela. 

[Ela]

You cant save them all Ela especially when you arnt given the right imformation.

If only we could. We do have a bloomin good try though.

[kelly-joy]

Its very sad when this happens but I think we just have to carry on and try to help others as best we can

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

Dont be so hard on yourself -
You cant save them all Ela especially when you arnt given the right imformation.

Big Hugs xxx

[Ela]

She had no transport,

Oh yes, that is always the same too, yet when you get to the house there will be usually two cars on the drive.

It get worse, someone phoned me about their sick cat  a couple of hours ago and said they could not afford to take it to the vet. Of course soft touch (me) says we will pay as I cannot bear to think a cat is suffering. The vet has just rung me to say that too has needed to be PTS.

[Dawn (DiddyDawn)]

It's always the way Ela    I met a lady in the vets a couple of years ago and she was telling me about a feral cat she was feeding in her garden.  I gave her my number so we could get the cat checked over and neutered, I also told her if she lost it, the vets had it so not to worry.  I didn't hear from her again until months later, I was in work, she was in a panic as she'd noticed the cat hadn't been well for a few days and was now lying in her garden      She had no transport, it was on a Saturday so I had to call my other friend to go and pick him up and take him to the surgery.........sadly it was too late for him and he had to be euthanised........I was so annoyed about it, if she'd have done what I asked, he may have been alright.  You can only help people so much and it's up to them whether they accept that help but I have found most leave it too late.

[Ela]

A lady phoned me a couple of days ago to say she had been feeding a cat for months but was getting in a bit of a state now. She was sure it had no owner. If it had been described as well I would have asked her to try to find the owner first. Anyway I asked Donna our foster with our van and who lived near  to get the little one, well not so little, it was a very old unneutered tom in an horrendous condition & one eye almost out. She took it to the vets just before closing time, the vet took bloods and made it comfortable for the night.  This morning the vet rang to say that really the Kindest thing was PTS it was old, although that in itself is not a problem, FIV+ needed an eye out, its other eye was a cause for concern and other problems were shown up in the bloods. How sad, if only the person who was feeding the cat had contacted us months ago the outcome may  have been so different, or at least it would not have suffered as so obviously it has. If we thought for one minute that little cat could have had a quality life and a new home then no matter how much it would have cost we would have given it a chance.