At CLAWS we are very lucky as we have our own isolation unit (purchased with money raised by a specially organised fund raising event).

In the summer of 2020 we received a call from a local cat rescue group that had an injured cat needing to be isolated and were unable to take him in.

That was when GREGORY, as we named him, a beautiful big ginger boy, came to CLAWS.  Sadly he had deep puncture wounds in his back and thighs, inflicted by a dog.

We put him in the isolation unit with an igloo, food and water and left him to get used to his new surroundings.    During the following days he settled in quite well – eating, drinking and sleeping.   Slowly but surely the hissing and spitting stopped and his pupils did not dilate when he was spoken to.

 After four weeks he was transferred to a pen in the run of six. He came on in leaps and bounds allowing his carer to stroke his chin and head and then one day he put his head in her hand and purred.  We were elated !

In September 2021 we noticed his left eye was weeping so we took him to the vet.  The eye was cloudy and had a slight cataract but a course of cream applied twice a day soon brought the infection under control and he has been fine ever since.   The left eye remains cloudy but the right one is fine.

About this time we had a phone call from one of our supporters.   Not long ago her mother had lost her beloved cat to cancer.   She was feeling lonely and was looking for a feline companion to keep her company.   Had we a suitable candidate ?

We thought of GREGORY,   He is a gentle boy, and although shy, we felt with time and patience, he would settle in and become a loving feline companion.

So we took him over and introduced them.   He had a quick look round and then went behind the sofa and that is where we left him.

A few days later the lady rang to say that he was doing OK although he did spend a lot of time behind the door.  

The next update was very encouraging – if he was lifted on to his "mum’s” lap he was content to stay there.   She feels sure it won’t be long before he jumps up of his own accord.

A TNR (trapping, neuter and return to site) exercise was in progress in Slough.

Three cats had been trapped.   A helper realised that one was not feral but yet another abandoned domestic.   None of the people involved in the trapping had room for her so they rang CLAWS and we were able to take the cat in.

We took it to the vet for a check-up.   It was a female about a year old and in good health.  We arranged to have her neutered and vaccinated,

We called her "LITTLE ROSIE” to differentiate her from resident cat Rosie.

What a little spitfire !   She marched up and down the run of six pens spitting at all the other cats when all they wanted was to be friendly.   She likes humans and enjoys her cuddles and playing with her toys.

We hadn't considered re-homing her until one of our volunteers tòok a fancy to her and asked if he and his family might adopt her   Because we weren't  certain how she would react to a normal domestic environment it was agreed that she would be fostered first of all.

All went well so she was adopted 

Her new dad takes up the tale :-

"Once she'd been micro-chipped she began to explore the garden.

She is so happy in herself - the change over the last few weeks has been lovely to see.   She has taken over the radiator bed and now sits on our knees.  

She and Athena take turns to creep up on each other  -  it is funny to watch and helps to burn off their excess energy.”

What a transformation !  We are delighted.  It just shows what can be achieved given time, patience and lots of TLC!

Kyra is about 12 years old and has had a very sad life, 8 years of which were spent living in a shed.   Her owner fed her but did not allow her in the house.

When the owner died a gentleman who lived in a nearby property offered her a home but she does not like other cats and therefore did not get on with the resident cat.   So once again she was "out in the cold”.

She was trapped and C.L.A.W.S. was asked to take her in.   What could we do but say "Yes” 

She had been deeply traumatised by her treatment and sat behind her bed in her cat cabin refusing any human contact.    Then she started to peer through the cat flap and eventually ventured out into the pen itself.

It still took a while but gradually she became more confident and relaxed.  

We started to look for a home for her.  It would have to be with an experienced person who would give her time and space and allow her to settle in her own way.  Eighteen months had passed and the right person had not come along.

A supporter who had taken cats needing a special home in the past had recently had to have her beloved companion put to sleep.  She was devastated but said she best way to remember her was to offer another cat a loving home.

Had we such a cat ?    We immediately thought of KYRIA.

A few days later we took her to her new home.  We let her out of her carrier and she immediately disappeared upstairs.   Only a few hours later she came down to have a look round and within 24 hours it was as if she had always been there.

Helen, the lady who looked after Nancy when she was at Cliveden, rang. She was very concerned as she had learned that a couple were leaving shortly and had made no arrangements for the cat they had been keeping an eye on for the last 5 years or so.

Was CLAWS able to help ? What could we say but "Yes ? Beverley went to collect her the day before the couple were due to move.

Chrissie (so called because of the Cliveden connection !) is a beautiful tabby tortie. We think she is about 10 years old.

She soon settled in and made friends with her carer and the other cats.

We took her to Alma for a thorough MOT. Her general health was good but a blood test showed that her blood sugar levels were high, a possible sign of diabetes. We were relieved that when she was re-tested two weeks later it was within normal parameters.

We were delighted when Chrissie found a new home. We had scanned her – there was no chip so we took her to the vet to get her chipped.

When the vet scanned her prior to inserting the microchip, he found that she was already chipped, it was behind her left front elbow.

It had never been registered so we were able to use it to transfer her to her new owner.

She soon settled into her new home, getting to know the other cats and exploring the garden. She spends a lot of time sitting on her mum’s knee which gives them both a great deal of pleasure

In  the spring of 2020 a TRN (trap neuter and return to site)  campaign was launched in Slough. One of the cats that had been trapped and taken in for neutering had cat flue so needed t be confined for two weeks so a course of antibiotics could be administered.  After that he would be transferred to another rescue. 

One of he helpers suggested CLAWS should be contacted as they had an isolation unit.  They rang Beverley, she sad "Yes”and he arrived the same evening. 

We put him in the isolation unit with food, water, a cosy  igloo and litter tray and left him to settle in. When we went to see him next morning he was sheltering behind his igloo, scared but not feral.  His eyes were bright and there was no mucus - we didn’t think he had cat flu but continued to give him his medication.  After a few days we transferred him to a pen in the run of six.

He is a lively lad, but a bit of a rascal as initially he had a tendency to "square up” to the other cats but he soon settled down and began to enjoy life.   

We took him to the vet for a check up,  He was about 3years old and in good health  We called him BRAD.

Earlier this year Sally and Don came to see us.  Recently one of their cats had been put to sleep - that meant they only had six  (at one time they had had 10!) "So we thought we’d  pop in to see if you had any that might suit us”  We took them out to introduce them to the residents.    Sally liked Brad and Don liked Panda.”That’s alright isn’t it Don ?   We can take both of them”  can’t we”  As they had done when they adopted Jet and Darcy and  Cooper and Sasha.

Due to previous commitments they were unable to take them until June.   So just the other day them came to collect them.  We watched  BRAD (now called MISHCA - which means Little Bear in Russian) and PANDA set off to their home with mixed feelings.  We were delighted they had such a wonderful home but we would miss them.

STOP PRESS   Mischa and Boots were taken to their own room which had been prepared for them.   Sandra kept a watchful eye on them and a good job she did as they disappeared up the chimney !  She persuaded them to come down and Don blocked it off.

They are settling down and beginning to explore the house and meet the members of their new family.

In July 2020  VALERIE., a long time supporter of CLAWS got in touch.  Over the years she had rescued many strays that had made their way into her garden. She would have been happy to offer a home to the latest one but unfortunately  the elderly resident cat (a feisty  tortoiseshell diva) had other ideas.  The new arrival was not welcome.

She took him to the vet for a check up and had him neutered and then , reluctantly, because she had grown very fond of him, rang CLAWS and we agreed to take him in.

She had called him PANDA a beautiful big black boy about  6 years old and very, very friendly - so friendly that when our photographer tried to take his photo all she got was his nose on the lens !

He soon made friends with Brad and they became best mates, even curling up in the same bed.

Earlier in the year Sally and Don had come to see us.  Recently one of their cats had been put to sleep - that meant they only had six  (at one time they had had 10!) "So we thought we’d  pop in to see if you had any that might suit us”  We took them out to introduce them to the residents.    Sally liked Brad and Don liked Panda.”That’s alright isn’t it Don ?   We can take both of them”    As they had done when they adopted Jet and Darcy and  Cooper and Sasha.

Due to previous commitments they were unable to take them until June.   So just the other day them came to collect them.  We watched  BRAD (now called MISHCA  which means Little Bear in Russian) and PANDA (now called BOOTS) set off to their new home with mixed feelings.  We are delighted they have such  wonderful home but we will miss them.

STOP PRESS   Mischa and Boots were taken to their own room which had been prepared for them.   Sandra kept a watchful eye on them and a good job she did as they disappeared up the chimney !  She persuaded them to come down and Don blocked it off.

They are settling down and beginning to explore the house and meet the members of their new family.

Do you remember Bruce ?

He was one of the "feral” cats C.LA.W.S. had helped trap with the idea of relocating them to a local farm.   When we went to collect them one was in a cage, wild as can be, whilst one of the nurses was carrying the other one around in her arms – he was on his back with his legs in the air !   "You won’t put this one on the farm will you ? " There was only one answer to that wasn’t there ?   "Of course not”   So where did he go ?  Bear  Cottage.

We called him BRUCE and think he is about 10 years old,   His general health is good – he weighed in at a healthy 5 kilos   - but is blind in one eye.

As time went by we became increasingly concerned about it.  It looked "angry” so we took him to the vet for a check up.  And just as well we did as, when examined under sedation, it was found to be badly infected and full of puss.   He was put on a course of antibiotics and surgery delayed until the infection was under control.

Rather than "waste” the anaesthetic the vet carried out a dental as Bruce had a number of teeth which needed attention.
He had his rescheduled operation at the beginning of January.   It went well and he made a good recovery.   When he went for his check up the vet, who had not met him before, was very smitten as he purred loudly throughout the consultation.

The phone rang   It was Peter who has been a friend of C.L.A.W.S. for many years.  You may remember that he lost his beloved Ginny last year.   She was in her 21st year and they had been together for 12 years.   At that time he felt couldn’t bear to go through such an awful experience again.

We kept in touch and sent him copies of our newsletter.   It was in the December 2019 edition that he spotted Bruce and he felt attracted to this dear boy.

Not wishing to rush into anything he waited until early February to get in touch.
We invited him to come round and meet Bruce.   He arrived carrying a cat basket !   We told him as much as we knew about Bruce and then took him to meet him.   They got on well and Peter was all set to take him home there and then.    However, it was agreed that we would deliver to him to his new home in a few days time once he had been flead and wormed.

The day came and we put Bruce and all his paraphernalia into the van and set off on the short journey to his new home.   Peter was there to meet him.

We took him into the lounge and opened his carrier.   He made no attempt to get out but sat there surveying his new surroundings with interest.   Beverley lifted him out gently and he made his way behind the sofa in a leisurely manner and stretched out for a rest.
So we left them to get to know each other and are hopefully that Peter will be in touch with good news soon.

STOP PRESS !
Peter rang "Bruce is settling in nicely – far quicker than Ginny did.  He sat on my knee the first evening he was here.”

He then added "He’s being having a go at the back of the large sofa but I am sure that the scratching post that Beverley dropped off will sort that out”   We do hope so !