compassionforcats.co.uk

Compassion for cats

“finding loving homes for cats and kittens in need”

Welcome

PLEASE NOTE THIS WEBSITE IS BEING UPDATED

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN FOSTERING OR ADOPTING, PLEASE CONTACT JUDY KNOWLES ON MESSENGER OR RING OR TEXT 07786 238942. YOU CAN ALSO SEE DETAILS OF CATS LOOKING FOR NEW HOMES BY VISITING OUR FACEBOOK PAGE COMPASSION FOR CATS.

IMPORTANT POLICY NOTICE BELOW. PLEASE READ:

For Adult Domestic Cat Owners

Important Notice: An important change to the Compassion for Cats intake policy, relating to all domestic adult cats that any cat owner wishes to rehome with Compassion for Cats. From the 1^st of March 2024, Compassion for Cats will require proof of the following in advance of accepting a cat into our facilities:

– Spay or neuter treatment (unless pregnant).

– Microchip number.

– Inoculations, annual boosters.

– Flea and worm treatment.

The necessary proof can be obtained via your veterinary surgery prior to scheduling an appointment with Compassion for Cats. We do hope cat owners understand this change of policy and we look forward to seeing you soon.

For Adult Cats (non domestic)

– Spay or neuter treatment (unless pregnant).

– Microchip number.

– First Inoculations.

– FIV & FeLV blood test

– Flea and worm treatment.

Hello, we are Compassion for Cats, a small and perfectly formed cat rescue centre.

We rescue, rehabilitate and re-home domestic, stray and feral cats/kittens. As all the cats are different, not all cats are ready for rehoming in a set time frame, and all this is taken into account when our cats and kittens are fostered or adopted.

With an abundance of animals needing re-homing, we provide them with a safe environment to recuperate from often stressful circumstances. As responsible carers, we ensure that females, some of whom are kittens themselves, are spayed to prevent the reproductive cycle. We neuter the males to prevent them from being part of this cycle and to help reduce aggressive behaviour. We aim to provide all those in our cats with the medical attention they need, and we work closely with local vets to do this.

We adore all the cats in our care, from the work/flea-infested strays and the timid ferals, to the lap cats; we treat them all with the respect, love and patience they need.

Please have a look at the website to see what we, and importantly, the cats get up to!

Judy Knowles

founder / owner

About Us

We have, until recently, been part of a wider charity based in the South West, and we have been running for nearly two years. Based in a beautiful part of Somerset, on wonderful grounds, Judy Knowles (founder and farm owner) has lovingly created a cat rescue centre fit for royalty!

We take in cats with many different back grounds. Some of our cats come to us through local charities i.e. Cat’s Protection or Search and Scan. Others come from members of the public who have located stray or street cats, and some come to us from owners who have made the difficult decision to relinquish their pet.

We never judge, as we have the cat’s best interests at heart.

We are in the midst of organising charity status, which will help us access some funding. However, until this is all organised, we need to raise funds to vaccinate, worm, de-flea and spay/neuter the cats and kittens in our care, as well as treating any other medical needs they may have before they go to foster homes or their forever homes.

As with people, we need to make sure that the mental health of the cats in our care is looked after. You can imagine that some cats come to us with a dislike for human contact, or they are frightened and feel alone as they have been abandoned, it is our job to help these cats. We give them time, patience, and a warm cosy home. We sit with them and talk to them to being with and gauge our next steps. Ultimately the cat is in control, and we strive never to push a cat and stress them out.

Our main goal is to provide a suitable home for a healthy and rehabilitated cat, whether that be in a home or on a farm/stable etc. We try and match our cats with suitable owners, so if you see a cat you adore, yet the cat doesn’t mix with small children, if you have small children, then we will encourage you to consider a more suitable cat.

“I have felt cats rubbing their faces against mine and touching my cheek with claws carefully sheathed. These things, to me, are expressions of love.”

Our facilities

We have a large enclosed outdoor pen, with a heated cabin and lots of little cubby holes for our cats that prefer the outdoor life. We have several hedgehog houses and wendy houses that the cats love to make their own and nestle down in during colder weather. There are also high areas for them to bask in the sun during the spring and summer. This height also allows them to look down and observe us when we go in to feed, water and clean the area. Many of the cats in here get re-homed to farms or stables, or homes with out buildings.

We have a purpose built cattery with a functioning kitchen, storage area and 9 pens, plus a small desk area. There are two large family pens, one of which can be split, so we can have a quiet area for pregnant queens to give birth. There are 2 “isolation” pens, that can be used for cats that have medical issues, or those that require a quiet area, these are quite adaptable. There are also four other smaller, yet comfortable pens. These can house a queen and her young family, or a couple of cats from the same family. These pens are all cosy, with plenty of hiding places for those cats who need them. We are planning to make outdoor window boxes aka “catios” for each indoor pen, so when the sun is shining, the cats can bask in the warmth outside.

The pens are all heated, they have toys, different platforms so the cats can explore, they have towels, blankets and bedding, plus areas for litter trays and feeding. They are very well looked after.