Happy Endings! - Celia Hammond Animal Trust UK Rescue Shelters

ChaCha and Bonnie

Dear Celia and colleagues,

I just wanted to drop you a quick e-mail to say thank you so much for letting us have ChaCha and Bonnie. They're great fun and there's not been a dull moment since their arrival. We're having our work cut out teaching ChaCha the ground rules, but they're both lovely dogs with a lot of potential and very affectionate. As you can see from the attached photo, we've already formed a bond. We're planning to take them to training classes in the New Year so that they can learn how to play nicely with other dogs (not every dog is keen on a staffie play fight) and be socialised with a variety of dogs.

They're our best Christmas gift ever and we're looking forward to many, many years with them.

Best wishes, Antje & Miguel

Bonnie and Cha Cha - 2nd Update!

Hi Celia,

Just thought I'd give you an update on how our two dogs are getting on. Six weeks have passed and both have calmed down a lot compared to the first few days and are enjoying their new life, with three daily walks and lots of cuddles assured.

Cha Cha is turning into a well adjusted little dog - as you can see from the attached picture he's grown already and we had to change his collar the other day as it was getting too small. Bonnie, like all adult rescue dogs, has revealed a few quirks that we'll need to address, such as starting to cry when one of us goes out, or being fixated on people playing ball games in the park. But mostly they are lovely dogs and very, very loving, which is really a miracle when you think how much mistreatment Bonnie must have experienced.

We've found a group of dog owners in the local park with whom we meet up every weekend and our two fit right in and play with the other 8 dogs as if they'd known them all their life. Cha Cha is always the fastest, running off with a stick and apart from Bonnie no dog can even come close to taking the stick off him. They are still very sweet together, although now that he's getting bigger, Bonnie likes to show him who's the boss.

Dog training will start on 25 Feb, but Miguel has taught them a lot of commands already.

So, everything is going well, and we are very very happy with our new arrivals.

Best wishes,

Antje

A family of feral cats

Hi there my name is karen from billericay in essex,

I had 4 of your ferral cats on the 20th march this year and I just wanted to drop you a line to let you know how they where doing.

I had 3 black young ones and their mum, a tortoishell one. All are doing really well and one even loves a cuddle and a kiss each morning - so much for all being feral!

I will attach this photo so you can see them, they are all fine and really loved.

Thanks

karen

Serenity & Firefly

Dear all the wonderful staff at C.H.A.T.,

We have had Shilpa and Ravina (renamed Firefly and Serenity) for nearly five months and just thought we'd drop you a note to let you know how happy we all are.
Serenity is currently on my lap receiving rubs under the chin and Firefly has been enjoying a lazy weekend of sleeping on the sofa, bed, desk, etc.
They have settled in so well, are friendly with all our visitors and still like to curl up together for grooming at the end of the day.

Firefly's favourite things are being stroked and Applaws cat food while Serenity loves lying in the sun in the garden and chasing after anything that dangles, especially my hair!

Thank you for all your hard work and dedication, it is much appreciated by humans and felines alike!

Lucinda, Mark Firefly and Serenity x

Buddy

Hi there,

We did email around a year ago to let you know how we was getting on and how well little Buddy was getting on. We adopted Buddy (simba) from your Hastings area kennels around 20 months ago. He was a street cat who had been miss treated by previous owners. Although he started off shy over a year has now passed and he is bright as a button. Full of mischief and fun he always makes us laugh.

He loves to be outside wih the neighbours cats but always returns to the back of the sofa for a kip!!We couldnt have wished for a better cat.

Many thanks for the great work you do and for making the adoption of a cat so easy and stressless.

Dave, Neen, Evie and Buddy

Willow

Dear CHAT Hastings,

Willow (previously Pepper) has been with us for a month now, but it feels as if she has always been a part of our family. She is so good, loving, playful and adorable that we feel richly blessed each day by her company.

Because our home is so large, and it was thought that she would feel fazed by its size, we had planned to introduce her to one room at a time. Willow had other ideas though! By the time that first evening was finished she had explored most of the flat, inquisitive has become her middle name.

Last week we took her to the vet’s for a first visit, so that they could get to know each other, and to have her nails clipped. The vet gave her a checkand said she was in lovely condition, we felt so proud. But you must take credit for that, everyone at CHAT looks after all the animals so lovingly,thank you.

At the moment Willow is fast asleep in the sun, she has several favouritespots, the armchair in our sitting room is being favoured today. In theevening she loves to curl up on one of our laps to watch some TV,contentedly purring the whole time. The drawer of the DVD player has herstumped though; she hasn’t quite worked that one out yet! Her antics bringus many hours of delight every single day and we wouldn’t be without her.

Our heartfelt thanks to everyone at Greenacres, and CHAT, you all do marvellous work. With little Willow our family is, at last, complete.

With warmest regards,
Sue, John and Willow.

Curly and Crumble

Hi

I adopted Curley and crumble (now renamed Fossil and Sherpa) from the Tabby family back in October .

I wanted to let you know they are slowly settling in and are bringing me much joy. After 2 months I can now stroke them both, they are purring and now come to find me with their tails in the air. Both cats are incredibly good natured, not once has there been any aggression, no biting, hissing or clawing. I think they’ve pretty quickly sussed out I’m a soft touch!! They are endlessly inquisitive and have discovered the value of sleeping by a radiator or in front of the fire. They are fully house trained, there has never been any problem with litter tray etc . Sherpa (full tabby) adores chasing ping pong balls around whilst Fossil loves chasing bits of string. Its all brilliant.

It has been a slow process and it will take quite a bit longer for them to stop being nervous and truly settle but I was hoping that by my sending this it may help in encouraging others to adopt others from the tabby family. Patience is required but the rewards are huge.

Kind regards

Jenny

Jinx

Dear lewisham branch,

I thought you may like to see how our re-homed cat Jinks, formally Brownie, is now getting on in her new home.

It took her a few weeks but she's no longer acting shy and she is full of mischief now a days and loves water as you can see. The second picture (not shown here) was her first look at the outside world after having to wait 3 weeks for jabs.

Her scab did heal up on her head so it must have been from rubbing it on the cage to get out. We're glad we could rehome her.

Regards,

Vicki and sam.

Flora

Hi

Thought you might like an update on Flora's progress....

I can see why she was difficult to assess, as she does behave quite strangely around people: she's either very relaxed (as you can see from the photo of her sunbathing on my bed), or she's hiding under the furniture - there's no inbetween stage at all. She doesn't really like to be touched, or even spoken to, so we're mainly ignoring her at the moment, and she seems quite happy with that arrangement.

She is making progress though, and now often behaves like a 'normal' cat when I'm in the kitchen - last night she spent five minutes winding herself around my legs when I was preparing my dinner, and she likes to stand on my feet when I'm serving up her meals. She also seems to enjoy rolling around on my partner's (smelly) slippers - there's no accounting for taste, I suppose!

Flora does enjoy the company of other cats, and gets on particularly well with Nellie, my old cat. As both Nellie and Inga are very affectionate towards people, I'm hopeful that Flora will be influenced by them, and one day come to the conclusion that I'm quite nice really!

Anyway, I'd say Flora's certainly not feral, so it was definitely worth taking her out of the cat colony for rehoming.

Thanks very much for both my lovely new cats - I've now had to ban myself from looking at your website incase I'm tempted by any more waifs and strays!

Cheers

Kathy

Woody

To all the staff at Celia Hammond, Lewisham,

Sorry, this is very belated, but I just wanted to send a little note about Woody and how he is getting on. And to thank you for all your work in looking after him when he needed a home.

I adopted him (formerly known as Dora - there was some confusion, but it turns out he's just not a very macho male!) back in May 2007 and he has been a brilliant pet ever since. His main passion is definitely sleeping, but when he's awake he's so loving and affectionate it's hard to believe anyone would have abandoned him before. He's also a big fan of the hairbrush. And feet.

We have recently moved in with my boyfriend. Who claims he is not a cat person. But, whenever I leave the room I return to find them snuggled up together. Last night I was out and they enjoyed some "man time". This is either a worrying development, or a very happy ending for all concerned. (It's a very happy ending).

Thanks again and Happy Christmas to you all.

Harriet x

Whizz and Tibbs

Hi,

I thought I'd send you a few photos of Whizz and Tibbs so you can see how they're getting on at my house.
They've been with me for about a month and a half now and seem to have settled in well. The first few weeks they were quite shy but I guess they were trying to adjust to all the changes in their lives.

Tibbs is very friendly - often jumps up onto my lap for a cuddle, and sleeps on my bed almost every night. Whizz is a bit more reserved but quite friendly when she wants to be. She's quite tubby so I am going to try to get a bit of weight off her! Her skin problem (sore patches on her feet and chin) is clearing up with the treatment the vet prescribed and it's not too much of a fight to get her to take her pills(!). They're both quite playful for older cats (and are complete catnip fiends!!) and are a sweet pair of girls, and I'm really enjoying having them.

Clare

Olympic cats

A group of six feral cats rescued from the 2012 Olympic demolition site found a new home at a stables near Dartford.

One of our rehoming team visited to collect the cats relocation pen and was happy to report how well the cats have settled in.

Although a little camera shy, 2 female cats rescued from Formans Salmon Processing factory turned up for breakfast.
This black/white female was the most confident and clearly very content in the large haybarn.
2 other cats popped their heads out of the hay and also looked very well.
Their new owners inform us that all 6 cats turn up regularly every evening for feeding.

When we consider the awful future the cats on the olympic site faced, it is so rewarding to see them in their new homes.

See Latest news for more information about the current situation at the olympic demolition site.

Boycie and James

Thought you might like an update on Boycie (now called Oz) and James's progress.

You can see for yourselves the difference between the scared cats we collected from Lewisham and how they are now, four months later in the
attached pictures.

James settled in quickly. He loves attention and is so affectionate. He
spends his days chasing toys up and down the stairs, throwing the cushions
off the sofa and burying himself under the blankets.
Every morning he jumps on the bed for a cuddle and then follows you to the bathroom for more.

Oz has taken a lot longer to trust us but we are getting there now. It was a major breakthrough when he let us stroke him for the first time about six weeks ago. He used to spend his time under the bed but now he's decided that we are ok, he loves nothing more than taking it easy either in the armchair or on our bed. He also loves to play with ping pong balls.

Thank you so much for our lovely boys - they are such a pleasure and as
you can see they now rule the roost, we couldn't make the bed until 4pm because they'd decided they didn't want to get up!

Claire and Stuart

Bella

Hi Just to update you on Beautiful Bella who came to us in October 2009, after living at the Sanctuary for some time.

She'd not had a very good start to life and had been mistreated by her previous owner. We subscribe to YOUR DOG magazine every month and that is where we saw Bella. I told my husband about Bella one evening not thinking we would ever go and get her. He didn't say much but I could tell he was quite upset. A couple of months went by and one night when I came home from work Steve was very quiet and asked me how long Bella had been in the magazine. Then out of the blue he said to call the Sanctuary and make an appointment to go and see her.
We have two other Rotweillers , they are brothers aged 4 1/2. But they are so laid back and gentle that we thought they would accept and look after Bell.

We all met and everyone got on. When we finally brought Bell home, it was a little strange at first for the boys and we had to make sure she was only ever left on her own with one of them and our supervision until they were all settled. This lasted about 10 days until one day when I came home at lunch time and found Baloo and Bella together in the kitchen. Baloo had decided he didn't want to be seperated from Bella anymore so he broke the spindle in the deck rails and joined her. Ever since they have never been seperated.

She has put on about 8kgs and is now a healthy 42 kgs. Probably a bit more since Christmas!!

Rescuing Bella was the best thing we ever did. She is a beautiful, loving dog who only wants cuddles and lots of love. The more you give her the more she gives back. She is very protective of her new family.

Morgan and Baloo would like to say a very big thank you to Carolyn and everyone at the Sanctuary in East Sussex for letting us adopt Bella and we promise to look after her forever. x

Love Steve, Helen, Morgan, Baloo and Bella

Simba and Flint

We adopted Simba and Flint (now James) from your Lewisham branch back in June.
Thought it was time we let you know how they are getting on.

Having been with you for over a year they were initially extremely nervous and did not like to be touched, they would run away whenever you came close.
Within a month or so Simba realised that we were not so bad and would purr when you stoked her and would even walk up to you to be made a fuss of.
James however took a few more months to realise that he didn't need to run away every time we tried to stroke him.
All of a sudden one day he just turned into a different cat; one who would roll on his back so you could rub his belly and purr his head off the change was remarkable!
They love being outside and exploring the neighbour's gardens; they have made friends with the cat next door too.

Whilst neither of them enjoy being picked up and they don't come and sit with us, I just think it is a matter of time. They now follow us round the house and will approach us for attention all the time!

We would like to say thank you, it has been so rewarding to see the difference in their temperaments and the progress they have made so far.

Sam & Andrew

Richard

Dear all

Thought you might like to see this pic of Richard, in his natural state!

He's really starting to settle now, and his favourite thing is a cuddle in bed first thing in the morning and last thing at night.

Otherwise he just hangs out on the sofa, or in the kitchen if he thinks there might be more food in the offing.

He knows outside still exists, because he sometimes looks at it through the cat flap, but he doesn't think he wants to go there any more.

Julia x

Note from CHAT:
It is so rewarding to see Richard happily lounging on a sofa.
Richard was living as part of a feral colony in East London. He was trapped, neutered and returned.
A year later, Richard was unwell and the colony's feeder contacted us.
Richard had cat flu and kidney problems.
He recovered, became very friendly, and now has a wonderful new life (and sofa and owners).

Rolex & Totty

Dear CHAT Lewisham

We rehomed Rolex and Totty (formally Mojo and Mystic) from you back in
January.

As you will remember, Rolex was extremely shy when we came to collect him to the point that he couldn't be touched or handled.
With a lot of patience and love, Rolex is now a very contented and more confident cat.
He enjoys being stroked and has even allowed us to pick him up a few times!
Every day he becomes a little bit more affectionate and we are so pleased that we took on the challenge and persevered. There is something incredibly rewarding about seeing him change and develop so positively.

Totty is an absolute delight.
She has the quirkiest personality and amuses us constantly by playing in the bath or sitting in the sink, rustling around in carrier bags and even a pair of underpants and has already got stuck up a tree twice! Rolex is a doddle to care for compared to her!

They have both enriched our lives greatly and our advice to anyone considering a rescue cat would be to go for it.
Don't be deterred by one that appears to be very shy - they are perhaps the most rewarding to rehome because you'll see just how much difference your love and time can make to their lives.

Attached is a picture of Rolex, who is always admired for being so gorgeous. We'll send one of Totty shortly.

Many thanks to CHAT for giving us these fabulous friends xx

Amy

Royce and Winkle

Hi,

We adopted Royce and Winkle a.k.a Fatty and Humphrey about a year ago, and were warned from the outset that Humphrey (the white one) was going to take some hard work, major patience and a lot of love and affection.

The pair grew up wild in Camberwell, and had been with Celia Hammond for around 4 months nobody willing to take on such a nervously aggressive cat as Humphrey! Fatty, on the other hand, was very affectionate, playful and keen to develop a relationship with humans. At first, we made them comfortable in Hither Green, where we managed to make, what felt like, massive progress and almost stroke Humphrey without getting scratched or bitten.

After 8 months, we wondered if we would ever be able to get close to Humphrey, and now, 6 more months on, living in Kent, we wish he would give us just a little bit more space!! Hehe. Fatty and Humphrey are possibly the most reliable alarm clock ever Fatty with his Barry White style purr in your ear and Humphrey with his constant pawing of your head at 6AM! Both cats are loving, gentle and extremely content especially when they know we are nearby - like all loyal companions, they enjoy following us from room to room telling us they need our company in the garden for more playtime!

Fatty and Humphrey send their love to all cats still awaiting new homes at Celia Hammond and want to say thankyou to all staff at Celia Hammond in Lewisham for helping them find such a happy new home and new start!

Andrew and Richard

Arlo and Milo

Dear all at Celia Hammond, Lewisham,

We just wanted to send a quick note to let you know how Arlo and Milo who we adopted in July this year are getting on in their new home.

Arlo and Milo are older cats who'd been with you for about six months after their owner was no longer able to care for them. Having won us over on our first visit, we brought them home with us. That first evening, they both joined us on the sofa - Arlo after a good play and Milo after a good sniff. But this we soon discovered is most unusual as Arlo likes to hog any attention on offer (his favourite pastime now is to follow us wherever we may go, heading for our laps the moment we sit down - Milo has a much more laid back approach to life) and they seem to have an unspoken agreement that only one cat will join us on the sofa at any one time - no such rules seem to apply to our bed or their favourite spot by the window looking over the garden.

Both cats are extremely affectionate and were obviously well cared for by their original owner and while at CHAT. We adopted Arlo on long-term foster care, but I am pleased to say he's only needed one visit to the vet so far (seems he was allergic to his cat dish!) and the dribbling stopped the minute we brought him home. To echo what was written by someone else on the happy endings page, it's been extremely rewarding to adopt older cats and I swear they're looking younger by the day.

Hope you like the photo of them enjoying the great outdoors once more, albeit from their new enclosure (which I hasten to add didn't yet have its roof when this was taken)

Continue the good work! John & Marije

Lawrence

Dear Celia & friends

We rehomed Lawrence at Easter and I've attached some pictures of him in his new home.

I understand that he was a stray for a long, long time but these days he seldom leaves the flat! His favourite pastime is sitting on a silk cushioned chair in the living room, surrounded by catnip toys.

He's a bit rough around the edges but we wouldn't have him any other way.

He often waits until we're all in bed (including the other two cats) and then hurtles up and down the stairs like a kitten.

He has gained a human fanbase, who come over and see him in the evenings and give him cuddles.

Claire

Joseph

Dear all at Lewisham,
We adopted Joseph from you many months ago now, and when we adopted him he wasnt able to walk; his back legs were almost completly paralysed.
Well, I thought Id update you with his news and some photos for your happy endings pages.

After months of physio therapy, lots of exercise and even more love and cuddles, Joseoph is now walking!
He walks everywhere, even runs when he's hungry and his dinner is ready, and over the last 2 weeks, he has started to jump onto the sofa and the bed using his back legs, just like a normal cat!

When we got him, his back legs were so weak he couldnt even support his own weight , but with all the exercises we have been doing ever day, he now gets around almost exactly like any normal cat.

We took him to a cat neurologist and she said it would be very unlikely he would ever walk again, and that he would certainly not jump, but here he is! Doing both those things!
We moved to the seaside last month, and although Joseph will always be a house cat, in the new house we have 2 very big balcanies that look right onto the sea, which he goes out onto (supervised!) every day.

His favourite spot to sit is looking out of the window onto the ocean, and he gets around the house perfectly normally. When we first got him, Joseph had to have almost 24 hour care; he couldnt use the toilet properly and everytime he did he needed to be cleaned as he couldnt support his weight on his back legs to squat downto do his business.
Now however, he is completly self sufficient when it comes to his toilet and I never have to watch him; his back legs have built up so well that he goes to the loo perfectly.
We are so proud of him and love him dearly. Here are some photos of him sleeping on the sofa, as well as about to pounce on the Christmas tree; something that since he has found the strength in his back legs recently, he loves to do more than anything.
Thank you all so much for taking such good care of him when he arrived at your doorstep,
with lots of love, Kate, Ash and Joseph x

Dora and Dylan

To all at CHAT - especially Alison,

Thank you so very much for helping us find 2 very ideal new family members. I'm not sure that we had a choice - I think we were chosen.

Dora and Dylan have settled into their new home very well, in fact almost too well - we feel like visitors!

They are two amazing characters and we are looking forward to spending many treasured moments together.

We have attached a picture of them after spending just one day in our family home. Do you think that they look happy?

With our utmost gratitude and our very best wishes,

Ricky, Clive, Dora & Dylan

Bee and Boo

Dear CHAT Lewisham

Just thought you might like an update on the two kittens we adopted from you in September 2008.
They were called Bee and Boo when we adopted them but they have since been renamed with suitably silly names. The girl is called 'She-Ra' and the boy is 'Baron Von Super Collider' (Super for short!)
They are brother and sister and when we adopted them we were told that they had been found abandoned in a garden.
When they came in they had cat flu and had been quarantined at the rescue centre so when we saw them they had the look of some kittens that really needed a new home!!
They have completely settled in and are the friendliest, cuddliest and silliest cats! They absolutely love getting into boxes and being pushed around the kitchen and their favourite game involves a piece of string and lots of chasing! They love snuggling up next to us when we're watching the telly and are always at the door waiting for us when we get home from work.
Here are some photos of them looking very much like they have their feet under the table...they definitely rule the roost in our house!

Thanks again for all your help with finding us these little beasties. They are excellent!

Best

Morgan, Steve, She-Ra and Super xxxx

SIMBA AND ZENA

To all at Lewisham CHAT

We just wanted to give you an update on Simba and Zena, (now known as McNulty and Kima), who we took home with us at the beginning of the year.

When we collected them, they were both really nervous around people and mainly stayed hidden away together. However, over the 7 weeks they have really grown in confidence and affection. Kima (the girl) is now a regular lap cat and while things are a bit slower with McNulty, we were incredibly excited this week when he came up onto the sofa with us for some quality stroking time! They are loving having a garden to play in and are now very skilled at catching worms (not sure we enjoy that development quite so much though!)

We've attached a few photos for you all to see how they've come along. We're completely in love with them, and so pleased we took a risk on the frightened little towel cats we saw at the Lewisham branch in January. We couldn't imagine our home without them now!

Many thanks for all your help

Sophie & Russell

Paco and Pepe

Dear Celia and all the wonderful staff.....

I had the great pleasure of adopting Prince (now Paco) and Leo (now Pepe) from your shelter on 14 February. Since they have been home they have come on leaps and bounds.....although from the very start Paco was very confident and made himself at home straight away. Pepe on the other hand was a little shy to begin with but after a week or so was as confident as Paco. They are both an absolute delight to have around and they bring great joy and plenty of smiles watching them playing together.
They both love their food, sleeping on the bed and the occasional treat.

Thank you all very much for the love and affection that you all gave them.....this of course will continue for many years to come.

Regards

Vale
Catford

Daisy

Hi Trudy,

Just to let you know Daisy is settling in really well. My other cat and her seem to have sorted things out fine now and I have them both on my lap and both asleep on my bed at nights without any griping at all. They have even started playing a bit together, although Daisy runs rings round Bennie!

I've attached a couple of pics of Daisy but as she's black it's really hard to get a pic where you can see her! Once I let her outside, I'll send some more of her in the garden.

She's lovely natured, very affectionate and feels like I've had her for ages!

Best wishes,

Vicky

Violet, Monty and Tabitha

Hi Celia,

Just thought I would write to let you know that mum and 2 kittens are
absolutely wonderful! They have all settled in really well and I cant
believe that they have only been here a week. Mum who we have called
Violet is so friendly and now looks forward to a cuddle every evening
when we settle down to watch the TV. Kittens who we have named Monty
and Tabitha, are everywhere,! Despite several comfortable beds I had
prepared for them they decided that they preferred the chair - see
attached photo!

When Sarah passed them over to me she said that they had been picked up from Upton Park Bus Station. I don't think that Violet was mistreated as she seems very friendly and confident with people, although I cannot
understand why someone would have not wanted such a lovely friendly
and affectionate cat. Still their loss is most definitely my gain! I
love them all so much, and thank you so much for matching us up
together.

Best regards.

SUE

Hamish aka Ginger

Hello there,

I wanted to keep my promise and send you an update on Ginger (we have renamed him Hamish) who we homed on Saturday.

We took him home, and within half an hour he was sitting (actually reclining as you will see from the photo) on the sofa next to Gerrad enjoying cuddles.

He has settled in really really well and is becoming more confident every day. He cant get enough of us, and loves to play/roll around the living room. He has also taken to his new bed (as well as ours!) as you will see from the attached photograph.

We cant get enough of him - he is adorable.

Thanks so much,
Rachel

Mia and Louis

Dear All,

We rescued beautiful Coco in 2005 (black and white female cat - unfortunately Coco had to be put to sleep at the end of last year as she had a tumour). The time we spent with Coco was so special and we loved her so much and every single day with her was precious.

At the end of December last year we rescued 2 beautiful young black cats from you (brother and sister) who had been dumped in a cardboard box outside the pet shop.

Mia and Louis have come so far from being scared and afraid of people to being two of the most friendly and loving cats. They are incredibly beautiful with black coats and large amber coloured eyes. Mia and Louis love to play in their crackle tunnel, chasing each other around and they never end of catching toy mice and batting balls! Mia's favourite game is catch the biscuit and Louis loves to chase reflections on the floor! Thank you Canning Town for saving Mia and Louis (and previously Coco) who were desperately in need of a home and love. You have helped to provide them with the life that they deserve.

The work you do is so appreciated by all who care about animals and of course the animals themselves.

Lydia and Martin (Mia and Louis)

Poppy

Dear Celia Hammond Canning Town,

In October 2007, we fostered Poppy, a Celia Hammond cat who had hadher front left leg amputated due to a previous accident. She was well-known around the Canning Town shelter and was a staff favourite. Originally we were only going to look after her for two weeks, but by the end of that period would could not give her back (she wouldn't let us)!
Poppy lived with us in our flat in London for just over a year, before we all moved together to Vancouver, Canada. Since moving here, Poppy has adjusted to an outdoor life very well. Her new past times include chasing birds, exploring undergrowth, and avoiding local wildlife (i.e. raccoons and bears). Poppy loves to roll around in the grass and sunbathe. She is very agile and adventurous for a three-legged cat and she is very happy in her new home!

Thanks,Jeremy, Stacy,and Poppy.

Binks and Sweetpea now known as Indie and Elektra

Dear Natalie and all at Lewisham,

After giving our new owner's the cold shoulder for three weeks and
with every intention of refusing to be friendly, we have succumbed to
the blackmail - the delicious Felix 'As good as it looks', the
multitude of toys, a very nice scratchpost and cat station by the
window in the living room, and finally, a beautiful garden.

Don't think we'll do the lap thing, but I , Indie (formally Binks) on
the right, love to be fussed over and petted and like to throw myself
on the floor or chase my owners around for strokes. As for me on the
left (ELEKTRA formerly Sweetpea), I'm no Greek tragedy but I'm very
independent and nosey (and my owners sometimes call me Nosey-Parker),
and I like to lead my sister into all sorts of mischief. I'm still not
always sure about petting, but do like to lie near my owners and
sometimes, when I feel like it, follow them around.

Thank you for rescuing us and finding us a home we can charge up and
down all day or bask in the sun.

Love

Indie & Elektra

Bronco (now named Jacko)

Hi everyone at Lewisham CHAT

I'm feeling quite guilty as I couldn't get on with calling my lovely new cat "Bronco" - I've always kept the names which cats had been given when they came to me and a couple of times used the name of a former furry companion who I missed very much and didn't have with me for long - I've had 2 Smokeys and 2 Morgans for just that reason.

But I kept looking at the little black cat with his 2 white whiskers and little patch of white fur at his throat and the name "Bronco" just didn't flow for some reason. I rehomed him after Michael Jackson had died and before the memorial service took place. The name "Jacko" just seemed to suit him so much more.
So, little Jacko has been with me over 3 weeks and has settled in well - he loves lounging belly up across the top of the settee.

He's been out in the garden and been chasing flies, bees and wasps! LOL

My other cats - Max (ginger tom), Elf (tabby/white half blind tom) and Freddy (black DLH female) - all rehomed cats - are tolerating Jacko well and have even let him sleep on my bed at the same time as them and eaten alongside him at meal times.

Jacko is very friendly and loving towards me but is very much a scaredy cat when my neighbours are trying to say hello and make friends with him.

Love Rose X

Kiwi

Dear all at CHAT Lewisham,

I thought I'd drop you a quick note to let you know how Kiwi, who I adopted from you in Jan '09, is getting on and to send you a few photos of him. You may remember that the then 4-month old Kiwi had been rescued by a passer-by who had seen a group of youths kicking him around the street, and that due to this attack he was a nervous little thing, with possible brain-damage and suspected partial blindness (although an immediately distinct personality!). Well, what a difference 7 months make! Kiwi (affectionately known by his friends and family as 'the monster') is doing wonderfully - a highly opinionated, loving, confident and funny little cat, with very little evidence of any of the ailments that it was feared he would suffer from. His eyesight seems pretty much fine - he can catch flies and chase his toys around quite happily. The only signs of his brain damage seem to be his rather comical habit of sometimes just flopping over sideways to lie down and his frequent inability to land on his feet, which can give him a somewhat ungainly appearance...! Within a day or two of my having taken him home, he had decided that his favourite place to sleep at night was curled-up on my pillow, snuggled in to me and with his legs firmly across my neck - he still gets as close to this position as he can now he's bigger and deigns to let me share the pillow...

Kiwi is such an affectionate cat (although he does have his tantrums, it must be said!) and it has become a routine that when I get home he rushes over for a cuddle, then returns to whatever he was previously doing (lying upside down in the sofa is a favourite activity). He has no worries whatsoever with other people (in fact, he sits on their feet to greet them) and I even found him conversing quite happily with my neighbour's cat through the window. He is full of mischief - climbing the curtains, stealing pencils, ripping newspapers to shreds, climbing up the back of the bookcase to push books out and say 'hello,' - and is perfectly aware when he's done something he shouldn't have...
I would say to anyone who is thinking of adopting a cat from CHAT, especially those cats and kittens who are 'difficult,' that it is such a positive thing to do - to see a frightened or damaged animal grow in confidence and show such affection in return for your love is a truly wonederful experience. All of you at CHAT do a fantastic job and thank you so much for introducing me to the much-adored Kiwi!

All the best,

Cecilia and Kiwi xx

MR TABS

Dear CHAT Lewisham,

We just wanted to write to say another big thank you for giving us the opportunity to re-home one of your cats. It only took Mr Tabs 2 minutes to claim our home as his and he has made a wonderful addition to our family. Being an older cat at the age of 11 Mr Tabs spends most of his time relaxing and particularly enjoys having his tummy rubbed. He also enjoys his new monkey toy which brings the feisty kitten out of him.

As you will know Mr Tabs when arriving at CHAT had some nasty sores from an allergy to flea bites which he had not been treated for. We are happy to say that his sores are healing exceptionally well and there is even signs of some hair growing back. Mr Tabs is a pro at taking his tablets and especially enjoys his small reward of a piece of ham to take the taste away.

Having decided to re-home an older cat we couldn't recommend it more highly and we couldn't imagine our home without him.

Thank you once again so much
Cat, Charlie and of course Mr Tabs
xx

Vernon and new friend - Gremlin

Hello,

Just wanted to drop you a quick line with an update on the lovely boy we adopted from you in Canning town almost 4 weeks ago. His name is Vernon (as named by yourselves) and I understand he was picked up as a stray by you, after being involved in a road accident. He was quite nervous for the first few days and so we made him a little den under a reclining chair which he used whenever he wanted to hide. However he has become bolder and bolder over the weeks and actively plays with our younger cat, Gremlin instigating games with him and also loves playing string games with us.

At first everything in the house made him jump, i.e. the washing machine, the kettle going on etc. but he has soon become used to things. All our cats (4) sleep on our bed with us, and after a couple of weeks, that is where Vernon has begun to sleep too (we fit in around them). I've attached a couple of pictures of him on the bed with Gremlin, our other young cat - Vernon is the ginger & white.

We took him for his first walk around the garden this morning, which delighted him, although he was also a bit fearful, and was happy to be brought back inside after a short time. We'll introduce him outside very slowly and at his own pace.

Anyway, as I say just a quick update to say he is getting on great and is an absolute delight for us.

Please pass on my thanks and update to Alison who very kindly drove over to us in Chelsfield to do the home-check and also to Celia, who spent a good few hours with us when we came to choose Vernon over in your clinic a few weeks ago.

Will keep in touch.
Best Wishes

Suzy & Adrian

JASPER

Hi Celia, Alison etc

I’m sorry for the delay in letting you know that all is well with Jasper.

He has settled in nicely and is hardly recognisable from the quite wretched (and smelly) little thing that came to us in April this year.

He is the most content and grateful cat we’ve ever had the pleasure of sharing our house with. He sleeps in the front room (and is always still asleep when we go in in the morning), he enjoys his food and spends hours and hours trying to catch his tail – every time he sees it, it is as if he cannot believe what he has just set eyes on!

Lots of love

Susy x

ASHER, BEETROOT AND GILLY - now Homily, Arrietty and Spiller

Hello lovely people,

I just thought you might like to see what a comfy and marvellous sleep
the kittens you entrusted to me 2 weeks ago are enjoying on the bottom
of my curtains!

All 3 ladies (formerly Asha, Beetroot and Gilly) are doing well. The
kittens (now known as Arietty and Spiller) are 2 little bundles of
energy, constantly thundering around and play fighting together, they
very much enjoy stalking anyone who tries to use the stairs. And Mum
(now known as Homily) is just great. She's very placid, but likes
having a leap around when she thinks no-one is looking. I will send
you a photo of her.

They are such a lovely little family, so friendly and affectionate,
thank you so much for letting me give them a home!

All the best

Zoe

Hero, Joe, Bill, Sassy and Daisy

The following five yorkies were rescued at Easter 2006 after their breeder owner died. In all over 200 Yorkshire Terriers were found living in a 60ft shed in total darkness in complete squalor. It is great to receive the following update over three years later from Sue who adopted five of the Yorkies.

"Ollie (Hero) still looks after Bill and gives him a wash in the morning and is always checking he is okay.

He is very affectionate and very vocal and always on guard duty at the gate with Joe.

Picture of Bill who as you can see has very limited sight now. He is adorable and so different from when I first had him and joins in the mad half hour they have about 5pm every day.

Loves a cuddle and as he likes being outside he has a lovely house up the garden to sleep in during the day complete with carpet and just wanders in and out.

He comes back in usually every couple of hours to have his Visco Tears put in his eyes. He is very spoilt and likes me to hand feed him.

Blackjack

(Blackjack - the last cat to be rescued from the 2012 Olympic demolition site)

Hi
We thought it was way past time that we gave you an update on Blackjack. Sorry about the delay!

He’s a wonderful personality and lots of fun to have around. He plays a lot and we very much enjoy this as we have laminate flooring so every now and then we see a big black blur sliding past us, brilliant! He also likes company and follows us around the house interacting with sound and occasionally jumping on us to remind us he’s there. We now know this means it’s playtime, but the sound of a rather large and surprisingly heavy footed mini panther running up behind you still makes us shriek (although now with hilarity rather than terror).

He loves finding the highest point in the room to climb up to and sleep, currently our new 6ft fridge! He’s very affectionate, when he wants to be, and is such a big cat that he doesn’t tend to fall asleep on us for long as he slips off our laps!

He’s also rather contrary/difficult – we have the cat flap in the front door (leading onto a pedestrian area) but he always insists on being let out the back door then walking round.

Some people have suggested that Blackjack should be an Olympic mascot for London 2012 - that was until it was pointed out that a black cat is generally seen as bad luck!

Thanks to all of you for dealing with him and persevering even when he was terrorising your staff, he was definitely worth the effort and is a pleasure to be around.

All our best
Sarah & Andy (& Blackjack)

Photo to follow shortly...

Snoopy

Hi everyone at Celia Hammond,

I just wanted to drop you a note to tell you how well Snoopy is doing. I adopted him back in 2004 and he had been at the shelter for 6 months after his owner had died. Being an older cat, he had been overlooked by a lot of people before I brought him home. I am so happy that I chose him, he is a really lovely cat, full of character and is very loving. He comes when I call him and follows me around the house, trying to sit on my lap at every available opportunity and purring as soon as anyone strokes him.

He is very healthy and happy and hopefully will be going strong for many years to come.

Thanks for all your hard work

Jenny & Snoopy

Merlin

Dear all at Lewisham CHAT,

We just wanted to drop you a quick note to let you know how Merlin has been getting on over the last couple of weeks. After a bit of hiding behind the sofa and under the bed I’m happy to report that he has well and truly settled himself into his new home. He has become incredibly affectionate and often falls asleep in your arms or on the lap (via lots of stroking)!

Next big step is for him to go outside into the garden once his jabs are completed next week.

Thank you so much for our lovely new boy

Sara and Andrew

Kylie

Dear Celia and staff,

We thought we would let you know how the cat we adopted from you at the end of September 2008 is getting on with us.
We named her Kylie, and she is now coming up for two years old. She is a lovely natured cat and is quite a feisty character. Kylie has a good appetite and loves a game with a paper ball. We had a cat flat installed earlier this year which gives her freedom to come and go in her garden as she wishes.

Please see the attached photograph of Kylie relaxing in the lounge.

Best Wishes,

Melanie and Russell,

Bexleyheath

Marvin and Flossie

Dear Carol

We just wanted to let you know that the two kittens (now Marvin and Flossie) have settled in very quickley. Flossie is still a little nervous of being picked up but Marvin is lapping up the attention that he is getting.

I've attached a picture. They both decided that it was a good idea to sleep on the clean washing when I brought it in from the washing line.

I do hope that their little brothers find a home soon.

All the best

Christine

George

Hi

Just a quick email to let you know how George is getting on ( or
should i say Georgie Porgy!!!).
He has found his own spot in the garden! or should I say 2 spots in the garden! it depends where he lays on the time of day and position of the sun!
He was a bit wobbly on his back legs at first but now he actually
runs about, especially when he hears the fridge door opening or anyone
getting food in the kitchen. He also managed to climb on one of our
garden ornaments, a big plastic donkey that holds pot plants, because
he discovered it had a catnip plant growing in it!!!
We have to sit on the floor as he commandeers the sofa on most
evenings.
He has certainly put on weight and his coat is a lot fluffier. He has
a very healthy appetite. He is very keen to make friends with our
other cat, Cleo but she is still a bit hissy with him but definitely a lot better than a month ago!!
Overall he is very happy and totally settled in now, he is a real
part of the family now!! (hope u like the fotos attached)

Sue, Kevin, Corrie and Ryan, & Cleo x

Boo

Dear all,

This is to let you know since July 09 Boo is settling in very well. She is a bit podgier now and loves fresh fish and chicken cooked especially for her by her personal chef Richard (have to ration her soon, her bum can just about fit through the cat flap!). She spent a lovely summer chasing butterflies and rolling about in the garden and is much friendlier than when she first met us; we can stroke her now and brush her fur which she lets us do strictly on her terms only! Picking her up for a cuddle is a no no, but she has no problem sitting on your chest whilst you are lying in bed with her whiskers tickling your face! Queen Boo loves our sofa and snugly blanket on our bed (pic) and has totally abandoned the Boo bed we bought her in favour of them!

Oh to be a Boo!

Thanks for looking after Boo whilst she was with you, we love her loads.

Sheron, Richard & Boo x

BETTY, NIBBLER, SMUDGE, PANTHER AND LOFTY

Hi Celia and associates

This is to let you know that the three tabby and white kittens we gave a home to, at the end of October, (the kittens who were left under a tree in West Ham park) are doing really well. They had dodgy tummies for a while, but minced lamb sorted them out - almost instantly! They liked the minced beef you suggested too!

The children are really helping to look after them. One of my son's has built them a playhouse out of boxes with doors and stairs and windows - they love it. Our other cats, Lofty and Panther, are slowly accepting them.

HURSTY BOY

Hello everyone

This is "Hursty Boy", (picture attached) he is a feral cat rehomed to the Essex countryside in December 2008 having been rescued by the Canning Town Rescue Centre.

As you can see he is doing very well indeed. All of a sudden this summer he decided that he was no longer "feral" and he insists that everyone he meets should show him plenty of affection!

He eats a whole tin of cat food a day plus dry food and the occasional fresh chicken and fish. This winter he sleeps on a heated cat bed in his private outside accommodation beside our garage.

We have introduced to him two chums (also rescued by you this summer), namley "Zila" and "Little Ralphy" (pictures to follow), who are also doing fine. Little Ralphy still hisses and runs but Zila is deaf but spends a lot of her time just resting. Hursty Boy however prefers the company of people to his new pals and looks forward to strokes from whoever passes by.

Merry Christmas and thank you for Hursty Boy, Zila and Little Ralphy

Regards

Russell,

Roxwell,
Essex

PIXIE AND AVRIL

To all the workers at Celia Hammond, Lewisham,

One year ago as a family we decided to buy a cat. We ended up with two, Pixie & Avril. At first they were scared and hid away in corners some times, we never would have got them sitting on our laps a year ago.
Now however Pixie can't get enough cuddles and will lick your feet and legs to her hearts content (she has a thing for feet and legs).
Avril is quite a character and cleans up after eating, scraping the floor, then the washing machine, then the door and finally the cat flap. She also nibbles, not hard, but as a sign of affection.

All in all we think that the cats have settled in well. They have found their element and will strut around like they own the place! A huge thank you to all the workers for rescuing abandoned animals but a special thank you for saving our cats (although mice might disagree!)

Love from

Katy (me, age 12) Jane and Emily (my sisters) Julie and Adam (my parents)

xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx

Mac

To Carol and everyone at Lewisham CHAT,

Thanks so much for letting us adopt Mac (formerly Big Mac) from your Lewisham shelter two weeks ago. He has settled in really well and we love him to pieces already.

Please find attached a picture of him relaxing in "Mac's room" (previously known as the spare room). Most surfaces are a bit orange and hairy now no matter how much we vacuum but it's worth it to have Mac in our lives!

Thank you for all the wonderful work you do and have a very Happy Christmas.

Best wishes,

Jess & Scott

Sweetie and Widget

Dear All,

I thought you might like to see a couple of pictures of Sweetie and Widget in their new home. They are now called Florence (Sweetie) and Violet (Widget) and settling in really well. Although they were both quite shy at first they are coming along leaps and bounds every day. Violet will have a fuss....but on her own terms and Florence, although slightly more nervous, is still very affectionate and up for some fussing most of the time. They made our Christmas (and were fascinated with the tree) and we feel really lucky that we could give two cats with a bit of a rough start in life a loving home.

Thanks for letting us have them!

Best wishes,

Vicky and Tom.

Basil

Dear C.H.A.T Canning Town,

Here are some pictures I’ve taken of Basil who I adopted earlier this year. Basil has settled well in to his new home and gets treated like a prince. He loves the attention and I certainly make a fuss over him but I can’t help it, he’s too adorable! He snuggles up with me at night and purrs loudly which always sends me to sleep. He loves his cuddles and we’ve developed a close bond. He’ll happily stroll over to sit on my lap where he’ll fall asleep purring and he’s very communicative! He’ll meow and make chirpy noises as if he’s talking to me. Of course, I always talk back. He can’t hear me but he understands my facial expressions and gestures. I love him so much and he’s my baby. I can’t imagine my life without him. Thank you to everyone at C.H.A.T. The work you do is amazing!

Have a Happy New Year everyone! Love from me and Basil (aka Fatty Catty and Fluff Puff) xXx

Honey and Bella

Hi,

I wanted to send you an update of how the kittens are coming along. I've named the blue Honey, and the siamese Bella and they've just had their shots at the vet which they took perfectly in their stride so I'm very proud of them. They're all settled in and creating hilarious havoc as only kittens can - eyes in the back of my head would be extremely useful!

I've attached a couple of photos so you can see how much they've grown - they've almost doubled their size in the last couple of months.

The photos are of them lying down as it's difficult to catch a picture of them when they're playing!

Thank you again for finding these beauties for me.

Daniella

Spike, Milly and Maisie

Dear Celia,

Back in March 2006 we adopted three black kittens from your Lewisham rescue centre, named Masie, Milly and Spike. Much time has passed since we became adopted by Masie, Milly and Spike.

Please find enclosed some photo's of Masie, Milly and Spike. The Munch Bunch are very happy and content in our child-free and peaceful home, as I hope you can see. Masie is very affectionate, needs constant attention is generally very demanding. Milly is a bit more coy although very loving and playful. Spike is a very handsome, loving and playful cat, who has a penchant for sleeping in odd places ( flower pots that are too small for him and the laundry basket). We often wake up with all of them on our bed in the morning. During the winter months only Masie really ventures out into the garden for more than an hour or two. Milly and Spike are more "indoor variety" cats and are happy to use a litter tray rather than go outside if it is cold or wet.

As you can see Josh and myself are now pretty much "under the paw" and the Munch Bunch have trained us well in the art of happy cat-keeping. We have several friends who offer to come and cat sit, should we need to go on holiday. You have our assurance we would never put them into a cattery - and to be fair Josh and I are reluctant to go away for more a few days as we miss the little monsters so much.

Once again "thank you" for your amazing work and your personal phone-call to us to say "thank you" after we adopted the Munch-Bunch, especially when you are so very, very busy. We had no idea that black cats are harder to place than other colour cats and how wise the decision was to keep these three little black kittens together, while endeavouring to find a home that would take all three.

Please keep up your amazing work and we hope our small but steady donation towards your charity will help more animals find loving and rewarding homes, as in the case of the Munch Bunch.

As you can see from the pictures, Spike just loves having his photo taken - Masie & Milly are not quite so easy to sneak up on!

Happy New Year. Please get in touch if you would like to come and visit the Munch Bunch.

Take care,

Fiona and Josh

Dexter and Lyra

Hi,

I adopted 2 kittens from you in July and I wanted to let you know how well they are doing and say thank you so much to all the Celia Hammond staff.

Dexter and Lyra and now almost full grown and the picture of health and happiness after a bad start with cat flu.

They are absolutely adorable, very affectionate and mischievous and I now can’t imagine my life without them! They love to sleep on my bed with me and often wake me up in the night to have their tummies tickled!

Here's a picture so you can see how gorgeous they are!

Many thanks,

Justine

Crumble and Joel now Tiger and Sophie

Hi Guys,

Thought that we would send you some photo's as an update to the two kittens we took off your hands last month. Both cat's have settled into their new surroundings.

Joel, now (Tiger) adapted almost immediately, and Crumble now(Sophie) is still a bit shy, but growing with confidence by the day. They play together, and this is helping Sophie greatly.

Hope the remaining cat's find good homes.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.

Elaine & Derek

Channi

Dear Celia and all the staff at Canning Town

Just thought I would drop you a line and let you know how Channi is getting on since we adopted him in September.
We wanted to rehome a cat that had been difficult to place and Channi was a perfect choice, being middle aged and not the most beautiful cat he had been in his cage for a few months when we were introduced. He had already had a tough life, rejected by his original owners and living in underground car park where the security man was doing his best to look after him, he really need a nice comfy place to stay.
We are so thilled we brought him home as he has a personality all of his own! I have christened him 'The Zen Cat' as he is inclined to sit up in the middle of the room with his eyes closed like he is meditating! He is very vocal when he wants food and loves to be fussed but only when it suits him, he enjoys sleeping on the bed or his other favorite place which is the blanket on the end of the sofa.
Channi gets on well our other 2 cats and has even taken to curling up on the bed with Storm our little black cat. He is still not a fan of the cat flap, which he uses but under duress, he would rather cry until we open the door for him!
We are thrilled we brought Channi home with us, we even loved his name and he is now completely settled and its hard to imagine life without him.

Thank you all for your continued hard work, I just with I had more space to take more cats in!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
with love from Glynis, Gjovalin, Pip, Storm and Channi

Bosch and Fidget

Hi ,

Our names are Bosch (Black and White) and Fidget (Tabby). We were adopted from Canning Town on October 29th 2009 and have been living in Chingford since.
We were originally dumped in a KFC bargain bucket in East Ham Park so our new surroundings are a lot nicer. We have the full run of the house and we play very happily together. We have just started going outside and it has been weird in the snow. Our paws get cold, but there are plenty of cuddles and hugs for us when we go back inside.
There is only one rule , don't climb the curtains , but we have to admit to doing so every now and again when we are playing chasing and need to make a quick escape from one another.

Thank you so much for rescuing us and rehoming us... We will write again soon
Love Bosch and Fidget !

Bagpuss and Noodles (now Wellington and Albie)

Hi,

We adopted Bagpuss and Noodles (now know as Wellington and Albie) from your Canning Town branch mid November 2009, and thought we would let you know how they are both doing.

Wellington spent his first few days living in the wardrobe but with a bit of persuasion (packet of chicken), we managed to coax him out and get him exploring the flat. He now spends most of his time curled up on the sofa. He loves a fuss, and every morning jumps on the bed for a cuddle: He happily wriggles under the covers and rests his head on either of our shoulders. After dinner, he curls up on either of our laps. An hour later, he moves onto the other lap. He has a beautiful shinny coat now and looks like a very proud tomcat (as you can see from the pictures).

He now loves to play and will stalk anything that dangles. He is also a little clumsy: he has fallen off of a windowsill and bed and has even managed to knock over a 42 inch tv (which needed to be replaced). Fortunately, he wasn't harmed; just a little shaken.

While he has settled in brilliantly, he is rather nervous of strangers (which surprised us given how friendly he was when we first met him) and doesn't venture out of our flat very often. If he does, its for a matter of minutes. However, he does love it if we open a window or a back door; he will sit by them, close his eyes and breath in the fresh air. We're hoping, with a bit more confidence, and a bit of warmer weather, he will start to explore the outside world. For now, he's happy to stay closer to home.

Albie, is a completely different cat: She is very spirited and a little bit naughty. When we first met her she seems very shy and timid and we thought she would take a bit of time to settle in. Within 20 minutes of getting her home she was out of her cat box and exploring every part of her new home. She is now a very noisy, confident and mischievous young cat with a very sweet nature. She has taken on several household responsibilities which include grooming Wellington on a daily basis, waking us up when its time for breakfast (she does this by tapping our heads with her paws) and monitoring exactly who comes and goes in our flat.
No handbag, carrier bag or shoulder bag is sacred: she'll pull anything of interest out of them or try to curl up in them. She has also developed a few little tricks which keep us on our toes: firstly, she has learned to open the draw where we keep her treats. Secondly, she can now leap up to the top of the kitchen cabinets,
where she pushes boxes of her food onto the floor and then runs off with a Whiskas pouch! She adores a fuss and fortunately, if she's out and about and it is getting dark, we can call out her name and she comes running home.

We would just like to say a BIG thank you to everyone who helped look after these two very special cats...it has really surprised us how attached to them we have become; we couldn't be without them and I don't think they would want to be without us either.

Kind Regards
Lauren and James

POPPY

Dear Celia and all of you who work so hard,

Just wanted to let you know how Brooke (now known as Poppy) is getting on who we re-homed in November 2009 from the Canning town branch. She was the first cat we saw and we knew she was 'the one'. Like everyone says..she chose us!

When we first got her home she quickly explored her new home which included turning her nose up at her new radiator hammock and opting for our bed instead which she sleeps on every night and all day too if we'd let her!

She has quickly developed a lovely personality. she likes her routine of telling us when she is ready for us to get up and give her her breakfast, then its a quick wash, a few bats of the ping pong ball and back to bed! She loves to be social but likes 'poppy time' too!

A few days ago we let her out into the garden for the first time. She was in her element and has now been out every day for the last few days exploring more, marking her home, climbing our tree and chasing leaves and things we can't even see!!!

Thank you so much for all the hard work you do. Feel rest assured that Poppy is one very happy kitty and is much loved. Best move we made

Love Karen,Steve & Poppy, South Woodford xxx

GHOBI

Hello to all the fab volunteers at Celian Hammond - Lewisham,

I just thought you might like to see how Ghobi has settled into our family since September 2009.
It took Ghobi all of 10 minutes to settle in, he's such a friendly and
affectionate cat we love him so much.
When we were told there is something special about him, and there truly is and we can't imagine our life without him in it.

He brings us so much happiness and joy.
Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to love and care for such a wonderful animal.

All the best

Michelle

Ollie and Eddie

Hi

You may recall that I came along to Lewisham last Saturday and took two of the cats home with me (from the group of ten you had in who had been victimised by their previous neighbours).

They did not have names when I got them and I have now called them Ollie and Eddie. They are both doing very well, even Ollie who was very shy and hid under his blankets at first. They are both very affectionate and playful. They love using the carpet to sharpen their claws even though I have bought them a scratch post!

They don't eat much (or maybe my previous cats were just greedy!) but they had some chicken the other night which they seemed to like. I haven't tried them on anything else like cat milk yet as I don't want to upset their systems until they are settled in.

Eddie is a very friendly and trusting cat but Ollie needed a bit more reassurance although he's really come out of his shell the last few days.

They are both absolutely adorable and I think they will be happy with their new home - they are coming round quite quickly. I think they will be happier when they can go out as they keep gazing out into the garden - I think he needs more stimulation, but all in good time. I have visions of him becoming very friendly with my neighbours once he's allowed out and about.

Please feel free to pass on the attached photos to their previous owner so she can see they are happy. I will send you some more photos when they are allowed out so you can see their progress.

I was very impressed with your organisation when I visited and I shall be recommending you to anyone who is thinking of getting a cat or cats.

Sharon

Ranger, Morelli and Philip

Dear All

I just wanted to update you on the progress of my adopted cats.

On the 24th November I adopted 3 cats from the Grey Cat Family - Spirit, Frodo and Fang. They have settled in beautifully and are all now fully in charge of me! They were a little nervous at first but soon came out of their shells and they are all an absolute joy to be with. They are eating well - possibly too well! - and are confidently playing with their toys and with each other.

Poppi and Smudge

Hello Everyone,

Happy New Year (it definitely is for us !!)

Just a few lines to say a big massive thank you to everyone who has been involved in this emotional journey regarding two very special cats belonging to the now infamous "Grey Cat Family".

I still can't quite believe that they have finally come home - whopee ! (Tuesday 12th January).

I just had to send the photo that Pete took yesterday of the three of us sat together in my office. Quite an achievement given they have only been settling in for just over twenty four hours !! I must admit I am not getting much work done at the moment !

As you will see from the picture even Poppi (known to you all as "Little madame" is contented to sit sharing my chair !
I am in heaven and its all thanks to you at C.H.A.T. - thank you from us all.
I have no doubts/concerns that they will soon settle and become members of our family, happy and contented in their "forever home" !

Do you know what is ironic is that a few months ago I had never heard of Celia Hammond or the wonderful work that she began and still continues to foster.

I was watching Joanna Lumley's programme about cats and she referred to Celia in one of the episodes - at this time we were looking to offer our home to another cat so I looked Celia Hammond up on the website and read about the plight of all the cats in my local area - the story of the fifty five strong Grey Cat Family caught my attention and the rest is history as they say - I fell hook line and sinker for Poppi !!

We never planned to have two but Smudge is absolutely adorable and is such a star - we fell for him from the moment we met !

What more can I say other than a MASSIVE THANK YOU TO EVERYONE !

kind regards,

Sian & Pete
Poppi X & Smudge X & Baggy X & Belle X

Doris, Ada and Phyllis

The three cats (I think they were Kelly, Heather and Linda?) left Lewisham with us on Friday and by Saturday evening were demanding to leave the cosy room we had set up and to explore the house. So they spent Saturday evening lounging around being stroked and fussed and the kittens running in and out of the room ambushing each other.

They've got new names now but don't pay attention to names anyway! Doris (the mum) and the kittens (now named Ada and Phyllis) seem to have settled into the house really well - have made themselves truly at home. I struggled to get any good pictures for you because all the cats ran about too much but I did try and caught them sleepy eventually.

Thank you very much for your patience whilst we made our decisions. We're really glad that we brought these three home.

Sophie

Betty

Dear Celia and staff,

Our dear Betty came to live with us on 24.10.2009 and has settled so well I do believe she thinks we live with her.

She is still a little nervous (especially of other cats) but ventures outside almost everyday, she doesn’t go too far and usually runs back in if she spots a squirrel or another cat. Once the weather changes for the better and I am in the garden with her I am sure she will stay out for longer periods.

For some reason she adores Jim and will cuddle up to him on the settee, she seems to prefer males and I wonder if her last owner was a man. Jim doesn’t say but I think he loves the fact she likes him over everyone. She completely ignores the cat baskets I bought her and loves a piece of string instead of other toys. I think Betty was the right choice for us and would like to thank you for letting us have her.

We will keep you updated.

Jim & Irene

Fred and Ginger

"In September of 2009 we took responsibility for two darling cats - now re-named Ginger (obviously) and Fred (inevitably).

They had been found by a skip-driver tied in sacks in a box on a skip and the good man took them straight to Celia Hammond. God Bless him - his goodness helps to balance the despicable cruelty of whoever maltreated such beautiful animals.
They were of course nervous at first, and Fred still hides behind the bed whenever he hears the doorbell. - Some indication of the trauma he
endured. Happily they love each other to bits and snuggle up after their mad 15 minutes of play fighting and general looniness every day.
They also love humans: Ginger is a lap fetishist and Fred adores to bounce upon the bed in the wee hours before settling down for a long snooze. They adore fishing rod toys and make plain when it is play time.
Such trusting beautiful creatures gladden the heart every day; and we are immensely honoured to have been allowed to offer them a home.

Thanks to all at Celia Hammond and best wishes for your continued works.

Jason and Mark.

Lucy and Penny

Dear Lewisham CHAT

It's almost two months since we took Ellie and Moyna home (now called Lucy and Penny) and both of them are settling in well and are very chatty. Lucy and Penny like to play with each other and their toys, often charging around the house just before we go to bed. When we first got them home they both ran into my room and went straight under my bed, within hours Lucy was sizing up her new home and quickly explored every room in the house. Penny spent most of the first few days under my bed, but curiosity is getting the better of her and she is slowly exploring her new home.

Lucy has settled in and is a confident and inquisitive girl. As the days go by she is spending more and more time with us, which she either spends on my lap or curled up next to one of us. Penny is still very shy, and her preferred spots are next to the radiator in my room, on one of our beds and her bolt hole under my bed. She does however love a fuss, which is very much on her terms. Her favourite toy is a wind up mouse which she attacks with great gusto.

We are sure that with a lot of TLC Penny will become more confident, but we just have to give her time to settle in. Lucy is unfortunately a little overweight, so she is on a diet and exercise regime, fortunately she is an active cat, so she is slowly losing weight.

They have both been outside, and seem to love it. Strangely Penny is the confident one outside, and has already discovered how to climb on the roof of the garden shed. Lucy likes to survey her kingdom from the doorstep.

Thank you for all that you do for unwanted and abused cats.

Best wishes

Alison, Cathy, Lucy and Penny.

Hi There,

This is another pic of Coco (formally Pepsi) who I adopted back in Dec along with her buddy Jackson (formally Max).

The photos I sent you before was of both of them sleeping so I thought I would send one of Coco’s fav pastime – other then sleeping and eating that is – which is looking at herself and the world in the mirror. I think she must be the vainest cat in the whole wide world………

Thanks again for letting me take home two of the best cats in the world. After a hard days work they know exactly how to cheer us up and are always looking for a cuddle or a lap to sit on.

Love Sasha & Tony

Sam and Lottie

Sam was rescued as a 14 week old kitten, he had been thrown down a rubbish chute at a block of flats into a communal waste skip which was emptied into a compactor lorry. When the lorry was emptied at the rubbish tip a digger driver spotted him staggering out of the rubbish. He had suffered head injuries and we were initially unsure that he would survive. He has and although his reactions are a little slow he is a happy kitten. He now has a new indoor only home with his new friend Lottie.

Hello everyone at Canning Town Celia Hammond

Thank you very much for letting us adopt Sam and friend (who we have now named Lottie). They are both settling in really well.
Here are a couple of pictures of them. Sam is still a little timid, but improving all the time. He is getting more and more confident around us and is very friendly. It is a great feeling when he purrs because he doesn't do it all the time (unlike Lottie who is very noisy).

Thank you again,

Joe and Rosie (and Sam and Lottie)

Madeleine and Charlotte

To everyone at Celia Hammond

I wanted to send news of Madeleine and her daughter Charlotte who I adopted from you back in September.
They've settled in remarkably well amongst my huge crew. Maddie (tortie mum) is a beautiful, gentle cat who's had lots of fun exploring the great outdoors.
Her only real vice is gluttony - clearly she's worried that if she doesn't eat everything in sight it will disappear. As a result she's a little porky these days but I'm hoping that a bit of spring exercise and relaxing will sort that out.

Charlotte her daughter is a real little character. She's desperate to get outside and has just started to venture out now she's seven months old.
She's experienced a bit of snow and met some of the local characters. She is one of those wonderful cats who purrs whenever she is stroked or cuddled so she's very rewarding. She's been trying to bond with Edward, my other black cat but I don't think he's ready to be her dad just yet.

Thanks so much to Carol for suggesting them to me. I enjoy them hugely and hope they think they've found a happy home.

With best wishes
Lisa

Maurice and Claude (peter and Paul)

Dear all at Lewisham Branch

We just wanted to let you know how well our lovely kittens have settled in. They took to their new family and home really well, and we have had no problems at all (except it’s taken ages to get our family of five to agree on names!). Our tabby is now Maurice and our black kitten is Claude.
They are very playful and loving with one another, one minute chasing and pouncing, the next grooming one another! Maurice still loves bags, and I'll occasionally see his ears poking out of my rucksack. Claude likes to sleep at our feet at night, and they both wake us up when it‘s breakfast time by walking over our heads, purring loudly.

Since the attached photo, they’ve got collars and name tags and we’ve started to allow them to explore our little garden. So far they’re content with the surprise rustle of a leaf and just stalking the birds overhead at ground level. We think they are sure enough of home to come back once they scale the fences, though we’re hoping they won’t wander too far...

With thanks for all you do and for letting us have these lovely cats

Sharon, Marcus, Zachary, Frieda and Inigo

Willow

Dear Celia Hammond,

In July last year I was fortunate enough to re-home one of your older cats at the Lewisham branch. Although the staff had named her Willomena I have shortened it to Willow, which suits her much better.

Despite her age (12-13 years) she has more energy than many younger cats, and has adapted very well to her new home. She has had a few health problems, some quite serious, but being a little battler she won't let anything beat her!

Please find attached a photo of Willow looking very much at home, and thank you again.

Best wishes

Ed

Ronny

Hello! We recently adopted Ronny from you and we're just emailing some pictures and giving you an update on his progress.

Ronny is nearly settled in, but still a bit nervous at times. He sometimes enjoys cuddles on the sofa but at the moment he's focused on exploring and playing. He's been up the chimney once for about 1 minute but we easily got him down and he's fine now apart from slightly grey paws. He's a born hunter and when it's time for us to let him explore our garden he's bound to bring us lots of 'presents'. We love him loads! We've attached some pictures we've taken and you can pick your favourite to upload :) We've bought him a tunnel to play in and in one of the pictures Ronny is drinking some special cat milk. Also, he climbed under our t.v. and sat there, that's also one of the pictures.

Thank you and we are looking forward to your reply!

Stephanie, Edie and Willo and Ronny

SPARTICUS

Hello

My husband Jarrod and I took home Starbucks (as he was called) on Saturday afternoon. We've renamed him Spartacus. I attach a few photos so you can see how well he's settled in already.

He immediately wanted lots of stroking as soon as he came out of the cat box, and kept head butting our hands for cuddles, and meowing. For the first few hours he got a bit worried whenever we left the room and would follow us and meow, and whenever we sat down he would come up to us for stroking, and then settle down on the floor at our feet. He'd slept on the sofa for his first night but jumped down when we saw him - perhaps he thought he wasn't allowed. He then graduated to sitting on my slippers, before taking the plunge and jumping on the sofa while we were there, and as you can see from the photos he's been a fixture on the sofa ever since. He's been eating well (he was particularly pleased with the bit of tuna I gave him) and using the litter tray and enjoys playing with his toys, and generally seems very happy and relaxed. He's great company and we're very pleased to have him in our family.

Update 13th March: He's settled down completely in the two weeks we've had him - here are a couple more photos. He seems very happy and relaxed, and is very well behaved. He loves to sleep on the sofa, and has made his food likes and dislikes perfectly clear. He's nervous about sleeping on the bed, but I'm hoping he'll be happy to do so in time, when he realises he's allowed on it. Here he is playing with his favourite toy, and sleeping in his favourite spot.

Miriam

When we got them home, they settled in pretty much immediately
and are both extremely affectionate. Louie is growing by the minute
and is probably four times bigger than when you last saw him. He
doesn't know his own strength but although Zsa-Zsa is a lot smaller
she gives as good as she gets. She adores Louie and follows him
everywhere and although he plays it cool you can tell he loves her too.

Thank you so much for the wonderful work that you do for all of the
animals that you rescue and thank you for letting us adopt our
gorgeous babies.

Love and best wishes

Toni and Greg

Phoebe

Just thought we'd drop you a line to let you know how Phoebe is doing.

She is a utter sweetie and, as evidenced in the photos, has found her way to chill out to the max in our home.

It took about 2 mins for her to be all over the head rubs and then about a day to feel comfortable enough to eat. She chose our bedroom as her safe room and is now finally happy to move about the flat without coaxing, and we're slowly moving the food and litter out towards its final destination of the kitchen. She's even playing like a normal cat with a toy on the end of a string, rather than that wonderful look of disdain that cats can give when we first presented her with it ;)

Many thanks again and we hope the photos have put a smile on your face, as she has certainly done for us.

Anne-Marie and Nick

James

Dear Alison, Celia and everyone at CHAT,

Sorry I missed your call earlier, but I was asleep.
I am very happy in my new home. I have lots of space to roam around and most importantly 2 beds: my own personal double bed for daytime naps, and the kingsize master bed at night. But there is work to be done too, and I have my own office chair to watch everyone from (with my eyes almost closed). I love going in the Yard in the sun, but I like it best if someone comes with me. Everyone here is really friendly and cuddle me all the time, but Patrik & Ian are my favourite, especially when they give me a belly scratch whilst I'm snoozing in their laps.
I have made my food preferences quite clear and am always punctual and ready for the next meal. The only downside is I would like a larger food bowl with more in it. I am learning to play "fetch" and have a few toys which I love playing with so I get plenty of exercise. My favourite toy is the feather stick. Patrik and Ian ordered this from America for me and it's really fun, just like catching a real bird. If I'm especially hungry, I give it to them as a gift in the hope of getting more food.

Have attached some pictures and will write again soon.

Lots of love,

James

Nina

Hi Celia etc,

Just a quick update on Nina (now mostly called Madam!).

She has now settled into her new home very well and has started going outside in the garden. For the first week outside she just sat about a foot from the door and starred at the sky and the birds- I get the feeling she had never been outside before as she seemed totally bewildered. She then spent a lot of time sitting on the wall and planning her escape from the garden- into the gardens behind- and finally she went off. There is no stopping her now- she absolutely loves it and has already been spotted several doors down! She learnt very quickly to climb up on the roof and now happily goes out of the ground floor door and comes in through the bedroom balcony doors! She comes in when she is called and has already mastered sitting by the door meowing to get out.

She loves living in a house and spends hours running up and down the stairs. One of her favourite things is to sit on the stairs looking into the lounge when we have guests- her curious side can see what is going on but her still slightly nervous side knows she can’t be got by strangers! That said, she is now incredibly affectionate with us and very rarely lashes out any more, she sleeps on my pillow at night and has a very sweet habit of pushing her head underneath any free hand she sees to initiate head strokes.

It has been nearly a year since we got her and she really has turned into a lovely cat- she is a fantastic example of the great work you do to give animals a second chance.

Best wishes,
Emily & Paul

Bruno, Daisy and Diego

Bruno, Daisy and Diego are semi- ferals who live very happily as garden cats. Bruno has lived with Pam for a few years now and has recently been back to us for some dental treatment and is doing well. Daisy is younger but has only three legs, she used to live on an industrial estate and was in terrible condition when she was rescued - it is lovely to see her looking so well. Diego is a very elderly feral who lost his home at a stables when the owner sold up - he is now enjoying his retirement.
We were really pleased to receive an update about them.

Hi,

Picture of Bruno, Daisy 3 legs and old Diego for your album. Bruno continues to be in fine form and still devouring wet food with relish!

Pam

Ferris aka Smokey Joe

Ferris was rescued after he had a very lucky escape. He was living stray and used to visit a house to be fed and very occasionally used to venture indoors. One day the people who lived in the house came home and lit a fire in the living room fireplace, a short while later Ferris fell down the chimney! He was covered in soot and had singed whiskers but was otherwise unharmed - he definitely lost one of his nine lives that day! His new owners have sent us the following up date:

Hi,
We thought that we ought to give you an update on Smokey Joe since we've had him over 6 weeks now.

He took a little while to settle in, but now seems to be completely at home, not a lap cat yet but he is working on that. He has now been renamed Ferris (Beuller not wheels, I explained to him about wheels and he didn't looked impressed) He is not a fussy eater, but he can be very chatty at times about not having enough attention. He snores when he sleeps upside down which is at most cat naps, and he chirrups when a stroke is unexpected. He also is very happy to have his sides, neck, head, chin legs and paws stroked now. He also turned out to have a lot more white on him that we expected, that must of been the soot. His whiskers are not crunchy any more but are taking a while to grow out. He loves playing with his ball and mouse, is a sucker for a piece of string, his multiple toes however make it absolutely no contest. He has free rein of the garden, and has turned into an agile tree climber. He is a charming cat with a great purrrrr.

Thank you for the addition to our home. I've attached a couple of recent pictures for you too.

Kind Regards
Carl and Kate

Sid and Ralph

Hello Everyone at CHAT,

Just wanted to give you an update on the 2 kittens we adopted from you in October 09. Sid and Ralph (we named them) were rescued by CHAT after their mum was strangled trying to get out of a window. She was stray and a lady kindly used to feed them but called you when she realised that their mum had passed away.

Anyway, Sid and Ralph have settled in wonderfully! They are the most loving, friendly and playful little things. Sid (Ginge) is especially loving - like a little ragdoll. He just flops in your arms. We have 2 female cats and after a long introductory period they were a little hostile towards Sid and Ralph but they seem to have accepted them kindly now, apart from the odd hiss and bat now and again they are very polite to each other. They have been neutered now and are almost 6 months!

Smokey and Bruce

Hi all,
A quick update on Smokey (Bertie) and Bruce (Ben) who we have now had
for just over a month.
The boys settled in with our 12-year cat Basil within about a week,
and all three charge around together causing mayhem. (Play is often
started by Basil... although a few minutes in you can see him thinking "Oh gawd, what have I started?").

Bertie has been a little star from the start and charms everyone. He
is a purr machine, and loves water (including drinking from the bath when someone is in it - urrrgh). He has learnt to turn the kitchen
taps on, so we've had to devise a nifty device (out of a handy Weet-a-bix carton) to stop that game.

Ben is a lot more nervous although allows us to stroke him and pick
him up if he is in his basket or on the sofa. He even let me tickle
his tummy at the end of last week. I've been leaving the back door open since Thursday, and after initial hesistation - finally plucking
up the courage to go out on Sunday - Ben discovered that he LOVES the
garden, and especially bouncing on everything. I don't think we will be able to plant many tender plants this year!

Jasmine

Hiya,

I thought I'd send you all an update on Jasmine for your website, she's
very happy in her new home and of course she already rules the roost.
She is very active considering her age, and loves nothing better than
playing with her favourite pink wrapping paper or jumping on my feet and
running away. She's decided to acquire a taste for roast guinea fowl,
which I don't indulge very often, but when I do she becomes the most
grateful cat in the world. I've attached a picture of her, she loves the
shiny paper and often wraps herself up in it or hides underneath.

Thanks so much for bringing Jasmine and I together!

Kind regards, Tracy

Crystal

Dear Celia Hammond,

I thought I would write rather belatedly and let you know about Crystal (renamed Mephisto) who I adopted in September 2001 from Lewisham CHAT.
She had been with you for about 8 months having originally been thought of as feral but it seemed she was a domestic who had been badly treated. I was told not to expect much from her and that she would probably never do much more than co-exist with me. However against all expectations she has been a warm and affectionate companion over the last 8 or 9 years - well to me, she is still not convinced about much of humanity. She has also coped admirably
with changes to my life and settled into being part of a family.

She has come so far and given so much over the last 9 years that I think she vindicates CHAT's policy to never put a cat down. It is really distressing to think that had she been rescued by another charity and identified as feral she may not have had the opportunity to spend a happy decade with us.

Kind regards
Cath

Big hid for the first 24 hours, we think Big is short for 'Big Girls Blouse' as he is a bit skittish, but last night he realised just what he was missing and came out from under the bed for lots of cuddles.

Attached are some pictures. Thanks so much for letting them come home with us, they are such characters and we love having them a home with us.
Will send more pictures in a few weeks, and if you guys want to come visit you are more than welcome

Emma & Spencer

Heathcliffe and Sylvester

Hi CHAT,

I adopted two brothers from Lewisham in April, and just wanted to give you an update about how they were getting on. They were known as Bobby and Tigger when I adopted them but I thought Heathcliff and Sylvester where much more appropriate names.

They're so friendly and sweet natured, they settled in really quickly. When they're not lounging around like in the attached photo they're out making friends with my neighbours, everyone always tells me how cute they are and I totally agree!

Thanks,
Trish

Petra - now Tina Turner

Tina Turner (originally Petra) has settled in superbly and is now definitely very much at home! She settled in immediately on her very first night and hasn't looked back since. She loves lounging around in a sunny spot or playing furiously with her toys. She sleeps on my bed every night and sits on my lap every evening.

She is incredibly chatty and always making funny little squeaks - especially when she spots a dozy bluebottle!

Am really looking forward to many more years with her! I am totally besotted with her!

Flora and Tina Turner

Mo and Mischief

Hello Lewisham branch.

Managed to work out how to send photos on my broken computer, so here is a photo update on Mo and Mischief.

They have relaxed and settled in a bit now, they enjoy playing, doing circuits of the room at high speed and are eating well.
Mischief will accept cuddles on demand any time and even purrs whilst you tickle him. Mo is a bit more shy and likes playing but is not keen on you getting too close unless she is happy. When she is relaxed she will accept strokes though and loves catnip, treats and chasing the feather stick.
They are still confined to our room at the moment, until Mo learns to be less skittish around people. But we're hoping that they will be able to explore the house and eventually our garden in the next couple of months.
Oh, and they think carpet is the best invention ever and spend most of the day when we are at work rolling around and rubbing themselves along the floor.

Helena.

Tom and Skipper

Update on Tom and (S)kipper: (adopted August 09)

Tom has settled in really well and twice the cat he used to be. He's
very clever, is his own man and definitely has cattitude!! He seems to
tolerates us well enough, he certain has us well trained and on occasion
he came even come up for a purr and cuddle but not for long as it might
rumble his cool.
His eye socket has completely healed now and no longer seems to cause
him any pain which is great. Whilst he might be seeing with only one
eye, I can assure you it does not affect him in anyway and with his
giant paws he holds no fear for anything. A few weeks ago, our
neighbours came to tell us they'd seen him standing on his back legs
'batting' a fox and giving him some. Of course we ran into the garden
only to find him sunbathing looking up at us, no sign of the fox and his
expression said it all: 'What, what....please, you're ruining my
cool'. Tom has his own bed now, his own red chair, a red cushion next
to our bed which he sleeps on at night as it would be far too demeaning
to share a bed with humans.

Kipper is adorable... we nicknamed him Skipper, he plays a lot, loves sleeping on the bed, on the sofa.. and is a really happy cat.

He's a bit ditzy ... but hey with a purr like his, who wouldn't be. He has the most wonderful habit of just 'flumphing' on us, climbs on our laps or chests and then lies down no matter what the angle is and starts to purr with all his heart!

When he first arrived, he would eat and eat and eat as if food was going out of fashion, but now he seems to know he will have fresh food so he is more relaxed about when the next meal is coming.

Tom and Skipper tolerate each other well, they play fight a lot .... running around the house and up and down the corridor .... it's hilarious to watch as one of them hides and then springs a surprise on the other and then off they go again.... play fighting.

All the best
Caroline

Gertie

Hi there,

My name is Chloe and I took home little Gertie way back in Feb, and I have been meaning to let you know how she is getting on...

It took a while for her to settle in, but that’s mainly because my 5 month old kitten Mousel wasn’t very happy having to share her home and was a bit of a bully. Gertie showed a lot of submission and behaved just as she should have but Mousel was still very mean to her. A few weeks later, things got easier, Gertie relaxed and stood up for herself and they have now become friends.

They’ve both just been spayed so are sporting little shaved squares on their flanks. They are still indoor cats and will venture out once we’ve moved to Winchester at the end of the month, where we’ll have a garden.

Gertie is very sweet and still very shy. She’s always running away from my boyfriend Scott, but they are slowly but surely getting to know each other – I work from home so she’s used to seeing my face. She hates being picked up, has a healthy appetite, is much neater in the litter tray than Mousel, head butts me for strokes and cuddles when she’s in the mood, and has the worst balance I’ve seen in a cat – she’s always stretching on chairs and falling off. She makes us laugh and we are both very happy with her, and I think she’s happy with us too.

I’ve attached a few pictures of her.

I hope things are going well at Celia Hammond.

Regards
Chloe
--

Millie

Hi all,

Just sending an update about Millie. She is settling in very well and is even running around the house! She has started to sleep at the foot of the bed because I think she likes a lot of space but still wants the company. She's got her dark corners where she naps during the day.
She talks to me when it's time to eat and is very expressive. She also "chatters" at the squirrels and birds outside.
My friend is going to build a shelf so she can sit in the window and look out of it in the next few weeks.
I've attached some pictures of her when she was here the first week. I haven't been able to get some good ones of her since then (not to my liking, at least!)
She eats a lot and I've got her on some natural, grain-free food along with the cooked chicken and it seems to be agreeing with her. She likes "tuna and trout" best which smells gross but she loves it.

Kind regards,

Kim

Millie and Denny

Hi,

Just a short note and a few photos of Milly & Denny the Millwall cats (We got them from you in January 2010)
They are both doing really well and have settled down in our home, where they rule the roost, they get us up at 03:00 every morning for food!
Denny especially has turned from the timid semi feral kitten being kept in a cage to a friendly young cat who now enjoys strokes and lots of human company.

Thanks for all the help with them in the fist few weeks, and all the good work you do.

John & Janet

Bertie and Ben

Dear all,

We thought we'd send you a further update on Bertie and Ben (the kittens we adopted from you at the end of March - they were called Smokey and Bruce at the shelter - we got them as companions for our 12 year old cat Basil who was distraught after the death of his brother).

We have attached some photos so that you can see what lovely young
adult cats they have become (Bertie is black, and Ben black and white).

All three cats are getting on well - and Basil and Ben in particular enjoy going for a mooch together. In fact Ben gets positively spring -lamb like when Basil joins him in the garden! We had hoped that Basil would teach the other boys how to behave... but actually they've taught him how to be naughty, and all three are forever getting into mischief.

Bertie is a complete charmer and everything you'd want from a cat (well apart from the fact that he likes to drink from the bath whilst you are in it).

However, Ben is the complete revelation. He had spent a long time with you before we adopted him - I think from July the previous year - and had a very sad story. He was found with his mother and siblings in a back garden, and sadly all his siblings had died as they were in a very poor condition from cat flu (I believe they had maggots in their eyes).

Consequently he is very shy - and I think at one point you thought he might have to go to a semi-feral home (he subsequently went off his food, and you discovered that he was just very very shy). Ben would like to report that he is quite pleased that he didn't go to a semi-feral home - as he likes his sofa/the bed far too much. He can usually be found fast asleep on one or the other of them on his back with all four paws in the air!

He is also slowly getting used to us, and has finally started coming to my husband for tickles (we suspect he had a bad experience with men sometimes in his past, as he would always cower when he heard a man's voice). He LOVES tummy tickles and will sometimes sit on your lap for a few minutes if you sit next to him.

We are hoping he will start to join us regularly on the sofa in the evening sometime in the future. (He's shown interest when one of the other boys are on there, but not quite plucked up the courage yet).

Enjoy the photos!

Julie, Richard, Basil, Ben and Bertie x

George and Olivia

Hi,

We homed George and Olivia on 26 of March 2010.

I wanted to tell you how well they are getting on. They are both well and fully integrated and are lovely cats.
Olivia is a bossy and soppy pussy who demands lot of attention and is a little clumsy but is now definitely the boss, George is a more independent cat but also likes a little attention, both like to be near us.. They have been going outside few months and they enjoy to explore the surroundings but come back when you call them.
They both roll on the floor and loved to be stroked and brushed, in their eyes it is love, and are not at all scared now.
It has taken a lot of patience, but we have managed to gain their trust.

Were are very pleased to rescue these two adorable cats and we hope you will find happy homes for lots of your cats.

Warm regards.

Robert and Michto.

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