What's News?

News of the week

A DESPERATE PLEA - still no-one has offered a home! Soon it could be too late!

Is there someone really special reading this? Dub Dub is only around 8yrs old and was abandoned by her owners when they moved, leaving her to fend for herself. She has sadly been diagnosed with a liver tumour although at present she is fine and is a friendly, talkative little soul. .We would dearly love her to spend what time she has left in a loving home but we realise we are asking a lot. Could you cope with the heartache of providing her with hospice care? If you think you could help her then please contact Deb for a chat.

DON'T BE ACCUSED OF BEING AGEIST! - It works both ways!

I have recently been pleading for people to consider taking in an older cat - there are so many in our care or, even worse, waiting to come in. This is still the case but strangely enough we also have a surplus of kittens at this time! Normally there is a waiting list for the babies but we currently have about 12 between 6-12 weeks that have spent all their lives confined in our Isollation black! This is not good for them, they should be experiencing all the sights and sounds of home life to ensure they are well balanced and stress free adults. If you are around for at least part of the day and there are no children under 4yrs in the family, please come and have a look. Most are normal playful youngsters but if you are an experienced cat owner you may be willing to take on Mina & Molly (black & white) who have not been sufficiently socialised during their 12 week life! We have both sexes, an assortment of colours both long and short hair - there must be at least one to suit your tastes!

Needless to say, we still have the oldies!

It is always sad when any cat loses its home but when this happens in their twilight years it is heartbreaking. Instead of taking it easy they are forced to undergo all the stress of moving away from familiar surroundings into a rescue centre where they may have to waits months until someone takes pity on them and offers them a new life. Fortunately, many of the older cats that come to us are fit and well but, understandably, are that much harder to rehome. so please consider taking in a senior citizen, you will find it very rewarding. There are always more oldies patiently waiting, don't wait until it is too late!

Have a look at our 'oldies' and see if you can find room in your home - and your heart - for one. Here are Honey, Danny & Snowy

We have just released Honey to be a new farm cat, as she was considered too unpredictable to be rehomed. Ironically, being given their freedom often results in a complete change of behaviour and she has been very friendly so far - but you have been warned! She is now available for sponsorship so if you would like to help support her, or any of or other resident animals then visit our Sponsorship pages. If you visit Foal Farm, especially with young children, please remember that many of the cats roaming around have been released due to aggression problems so don't be tempted to make a fuss of them!! If in doubt ask a member of the cat team which ones would appreciate a cuddle!

And the animals went in two by two!

Many of you will have noticed that Foal Farm has undergone a change of image with a brand new logo. This features an Ark - a symbol of their objective, which is to save as many unwanted animals as possible! They have managed to obtain a boat that is rather lacking in sea worthiness which has been moored in the field adjacent to the Bluebell Wood! Over the next few weeks this will be restored and become a life size model. Hopefully, we will not get the flood rains over the summer but we will be prepared just in case! Jim, our stalwart handyman, is digging the 'moorings' - maybe the hole will fill up with water?!! The 'ark' is now being 'sunk' into it's permanent 'mooring' so things are progressing well!

SADNESS IN THE SUNSHINE

We often get upset by the stories we hear - about the way animals are treated by some people. However, after visiting Alghero, on the idyllic island of Sardinia, I realize our cats are very lucky in comparison! A combination of not neutering and only euthanasing in exceptional cases, has led to the creation of numerous feral colonies around any potential food source - the Port, the restaurant rubbish bins, even the crematorium! The resulting population explosion has caused many problems, not least for the cats themselves - many of them being victims of poisoning, beatings and other such attacks. A band of volunteers is working tirelessly to trap and neuter but, in the absence of a Foal Farm on the island, it is an uphill struggle. Many people seem to use these colonies as a dumping ground for their own unwanted pets. subjecting them to untold dangers as they are trusting of humans - until they learn otherwise, the hard way! On one trip to the Port area I was handed a shoe box - inside was a tiny kitten, no more than 2 days old! I called him Angelino - little angel - and fortunately, found him a foster mum so he is doing well - but as he grows older what will become of him? Efforts are being made to find permanent homes for such orphans and ensuring that they are neutered but all this costs money which is very hard to come by! If you would like to help in some way - financially or practically - with this work, please contact me. As you see from this picture, he is reaching out to us for help!

If you have a cat that needs to be rehomed and are having difficulty in finding anywhere, email us the details - together with a photograph - and we may be able to feature it on our off site cats or special needs page. Space is limited and all entries will be at the discretion of the webmaster.

Don't forget, emails concerning normal cat enquiries will go direct to Foal Farm, If you wish to contact me directly on any subject then please continue to use jan@foalcats.org.uk

We are always delighted to hear news of the cats that have left us for new homes. Visit the newly updated 'Happy Endings' page to read their stories. Previous features can still be accessed via the 'Happy Endings archive'.

Please consider sponsoring a farm animal, the upkeep of our residents puts a tremendous financial strain on the Farm and we appreciate any contribution to these expenses. We have lots of different animals that are available to sponsor - take a look!

In Memory page! Please visit it and let us know what you think. Here you can share the memories of your special pet. If you wish to send photos and words to express your feelings then either post them to Jan c/o Foal Farm or email them to: inmemory@foalcats.org.uk and they will be included on the 'not forgotten' page.

Where there is a WILL.........!

Please consider leaving a legacy to FOAL in your will. Our establishment costs over £1,000 per day to run and relies heavily on bequests from people like you and me! You will have the satisfaction of knowing that you will be helping unwanted animals long after you are gone and that people who have never met you will bless your name as they go about their daily tasks of feeding and cleaning out our residents. It is advisable to seek professional assistance from a solicitor to ensure that your exact wishes are expressed.