12 Strays of Christmas highlights plight of Mansfield's homeless cats
Thousands of cats left behind by life will spend Christmas in pens and foster homes, including many in Mansfield, hoping the new year heralds a brighter future.
Cats Protection has adopted a 12 Strays of Christmas theme to highlight the plight of so many cats who, through no fault of their own, have been given up or abandoned this year.
They include cats like Ozzy who arrived at the Mansfield Cat Centre in Warsop after being found as a stray kitten in a garden. The finder initially took in Ozzy, who was underweight and missing fur, but when he began fighting with their own cats they knew the best thing was to get him rehomed.
While he was initially very shy, the two-year-old has come out of his shell and is now looking for a home without other cats where he will be able thrive knowing he is safe and loved.
Daniel Warren-Cummings, Cats Protection Central Behaviour Officer, said: “Christmas is a time to reflect on the past year as well as celebrate the joy in our own families.
“In a year, our teams have taken in more than 26,000 who have been left behind by life. So we’re asking people to think about what they can do to make life better for cats like these. Because life is better with cats.”
The number of strays taken in by Cats Protection makes for grim reading, with nearly 5,100 admitted over a 12-month period, and the Mansfield Cat Centre alone taking in 113. But these are the lucky ones; they have been given a second chance at life.
Daniel added: “These cats can't know why they've been discarded by families they thought cared, can’t tell us how they feel about being abandoned. And they can’t feel hope for a better life to come.
“But we can be there for them. We can listen and show we care until the tough times pass, and we can be there to speak up for them.”
This winter, Cats Protection has launched a campaign ( cats.org.uk/alfie) to raise funds and awareness for the stray and abandoned cats in need of urgent help.
Of course, a cat isn’t just for Christmas, and the charity advises anyone interested in adopting to consider the commitment and costs involved – food, cat litter, vet checks, house sitters - before deciding to home a cat at any time of the year.
To enquire about adopting Ozzy or to view the cats available at Cats Protection Mansfield Cat Centre visit www.cats.org.uk/mansfield or call 01623 845 846