Gayle visits the newly upgraded Cats Protection centre in Arbroath and meets some cute kitties and magnificent moggies.
The tiny ball of fluff squints its baby blue eyes into the light and emits an adorable ‘meow’.
I’m at the newly revamped Cats Protection centre on the outskirts of Arbroath where volunteers have been kind enough to let me hold this gorgeous wee creature. She’s about three weeks old, and already boasts an extremely powerful set of lungs.
The kitten is among 25 feline friends housed here (12 cats and 13 kittens), and it’s a wonderfully modern, cosy environment, with the site recently gaining a state-of-the-art upgrade and extension, thanks to three generous legacies.
There are maternity pens for pregnant mums, family pens for mums and kittens, and there’s no shortage of cat “furniture”, ranging from cat “trees” and “towers” to scratching posts.
Some brought in are strays, some are rescue cases, and others have been handed over by owners who can no longer afford to look after them.
Financial reasons
The cost-of-living crisis has been a major factor in the increasing number of cats coming in, says centre co-ordinator Sharyn Wood.
“Financial reasons are often cited by owners,” she tells me.
“Vet costs can be enormous. We spend about £80,000 a year here on vet bills.
“Last year it cost us £159,000 to run the shelter and 50% of that was vet charges. It’s tough and we need to raise the money because we’re a charity.
“We have a shop in Arbroath where people can support us by buying things, plus we get donations – thank goodness.”
Waifs and strays
One of the cats I meet is Maggie, a stray who was spotted in Dundee, between the Scott Fyffe and Claypotts roundabouts.
“She had three litters of kittens before we could catch her!” says welfare team leader Laura Robertson.
“She kept having them in gardens and sheds and managed to evade traps. She’s a wee bit frightened – she needs a loving home. She’s been living rough for three years.”
I also meet mum Lily and her gorgeous newborn babies. Their eyes have barely opened!
“She was named after Lily Savage – she came in on the day Paul O’Grady died,” Laura tells me.
The new large pens are handy when the centre has to accommodate what Sharyn describes as “multi-cat” households.
“We recently helped out when 45 cats were found in one house!” she says.
“That was a welfare case – from another part of the country. We took in 10 pregnant cats.”
Could you adopt?
Of course, it’s tempting, when surrounded by so many beautiful animals, to dream of adopting one.
The reality is, I wouldn’t be able to offer the best home at the moment.
I’m away a lot, and I can’t quite imagine bundling a poor cat into a crate to travel round half of Scotland with me! Some people do, though, and you do get those funky cat backpacks…
Anyone who pops along to the centre, realistic about acquiring a cat, may not realise it but they’re being “interviewed” as they walk round, grins Sharyn.
“It’s vital we get the right home for the cats, and the right person,” she says.
“We’ll do a wee Google of your address to check it’s suitable, and whether you have a dog, what breed it is, and so on. Some cats have never been outside.
“Some are good with children, some have lived with dogs, and some don’t like them. They all have different needs.”
Health checks
Before going to a new home, every cat and kitten in the centre’s care is neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, health-checked, flea and worm-treated and insured free of charge for four weeks.
The centre is open seven days a week from 2pm to 4pm or outwith those hours by appointment.
That it can run at all is down to a 65-strong group of volunteers – and it’s always looking for more, even if only for a few hours a week.
“Volunteers feed cats, clean pens and sometimes medicate, and we offer all training,” says Sharyn.
“We also need volunteer drivers to collect cats and do vet runs. We’ve had a few Duke of Edinburgh students complete their programmes here, too.
“And we’re linked with Dundee & Angus College. Students come here as part of their Animal Care courses.”
Since the Dundee Cats Protection centre closed permanently in December, the Arbroath centre has taken up the slack. The Montrose and Brechin branch also recently closed.
It means the Arbroath and Central Angus Cats Protection centre has become the “go-to” hub, locally.
Volunteers needed
“It’s really busy and we rely hugely on our hard-working, unpaid volunteers who care for cats in their spare time,” says Sharyn.
“We rehomed 669 cats in 2022, and so far in 2023, we’ve rehomed 140. We take them from all over Scotland.”
Cats of all shapes, sizes and breeds end up here, from moggies to Persians and Ragdolls.
The centre charges £100 per cat, or £120 a kitten. It also offers a policy whereby if someone can’t afford to neuter their own cat, they’ll do it for £10, including microchipping, regarding this as a positive prevention measure.
Other cats under the centre’s care include those in foster homes, of which there are around 14 at the moment.
It cost more than £100,000 to upgrade the shelter. This included new pens (which were £56,000 alone), new electrics, flooring, signage, the creation of a new car park, monoblocking and equipment.
- For more information, see cats.org.uk/arbroath
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