Celebrate National Pet Day by adopting a feline friend!

Raystede Centre for Animal Welfare has long advocated the benefits that pet ownership can bring and to mark National Pet Day is highlighting some of their fantastic felines that are still looking to find their forever homes.

The charity has seen an increase in the number of cats that are spending longer than 30 days in its care. Before the cost of living crisis, Raystede’s long stay figure for cats was around 10 but now the figure is consistently between 20-30 cats with some months reaching as high as 40.

Long stay cats currently include Monty, a confident 9 year old chap who has been at Raystede since the end of January 2024. Since his arrival, Monty hasn’t received a single enquiry from a potential adopter and continues to hope for a home to call his own.

Monty is looking for a rural retreat where he can wander and explore but does enjoy a fuss and a head scratch on his return!

Another cat who has been overlooked is Biscuit. This handsome senior gentleman is 19 years old and is searching for a quiet home where he can spend his golden years.

He is slightly hard of hearing and was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism in late 2023 but he loves to be the centre of attention and lavishes love and affection onto anyone who gives him a cuddle.

Finally, Ziggy is eager to find someone who’d like to adopt him. Aged 14, Ziggy has stolen the hearts of the Cattery team with his inquisitive character.

He arrived at Raystede with a ruptured abscess on the base of his tail which required urgent veterinary treatment. He’s now back to full health and looking for a home with a safe and secure garden that he can call his own.

Megan Shortiss, Cattery Manager at Raystede said: “We know that cats remain one of the country’s most popular pets with research indicating that 24% of UK adults owning one. However, at Raystede we have noticed that the cost-of-living crisis continues to have a direct impact on the numbers of cats being surrendered to us, with many owners citing financial reasons for having to part with their pet.

“We currently have over 80 cats on our waiting list who are looking to be admitted to Raystede, however as our list of cats that are staying longer in the Cattery grows it places pressure on us as we can’t take in as many cats as we would like.

“Cats like Monty, Biscuit and Ziggy are just a few of those who are looking for homes and that we know would make wonderful, loving pets. We just need the right adopter to come forward.”

Adopting an animal is a big decision and Raystede always encourages people to think carefully about what’s involved, both with the application process and then with animal ownership.

Miriam Dowding, Operations Manager at Raystede says: “Before you start the adoption process, we suggest researching the type of animal you want to adopt, you can find care guides for each animal type on our website, these will help you prepare for the commitment of owning an animal.

“Once you are ready, complete our online application form, telling us as much as possible about your lifestyle, experience and the type of animal you want to adopt. We’re always updating our website with new animals, photos and videos so it’s a good idea to check it regularly.”

Full information about Raystede’s adoption process and all the animals currently looking for new homes including Monty and Biscuit can be found here - https://www.raystede.org/adopt

(Please note that booking a visitor ticket to Raystede does not enable you to meet an animal you are interested in adopting.)