ACTION: £400 Angel Grant sent to Filey Cat Rescue in Yorkshire for a much-needed upgrade to Koala's quarters.
REQUEST FOR HELP EARLIER THIS YEAR: "...while all our accommodations meet a minimum standard, a lot were constructed in a hurry and lack that extra layer of comfort we strive for. One of my priorities, this year, is to go beyond the “bare necessities” and majorly increase enrichment, space and comfort for our fabulous cats and kittens. But with £6,000 and £2,000 monthly bills for veterinary work and food, respectively, it’s difficult for us to justify these kinds of upgrades when funding is so scarcely available. Our only hope is to convince local businesses to sponsor the upgrade of a unit and slowly work our way around all 46. I’ve scheduled a Local Businesses Open Day but in order to help visualise the kind of transformations we’re looking to implement, we think it would be really beneficial to have at least one unit set up to reflect our new standards. That said, I thought I’d tell you a little bit about the lovely Koala (PICTURED).
"Koala checked himself into our Little Heroes Sanctuary nearly 2 years ago, before we were an official charity, but he wasn’t always a welcome guest. He’d arrive most days to fight with our cats, but after many unsuccessful attempts to catch him, we finally managed to trap him in one of our units, and immediately realised that he wasn’t anywhere near as aggressive as he’d seemed. He was scared, hungry, and badly injured, with significant damage to his ears and a huge open wound across his head. Sadly, after visiting the vets, he tested positive for FIV, so it was agreed that he become one of our Sanctuary Residents, and he moved into one of our larger units, with an indoor shed section and outdoor tiled area. Now, 2 years later, his injuries are healed and he’s enjoying a relaxed retirement, with his new on-and-off roommates in the adjoining run, Tabitha and Bagpuss. Together, the trio go on supervised walks around the acre-wide site every day, and on a night, he loves nothing more than hopping up on my knee for a cuddle! The trouble is, his indoor accommodation is very dark, and aside from a few small bits of enrichment, is relatively bare, with only a small electric heater to keep him warm during the winter months.
"Our plans involve installing a skylight to let in some natural light, as well as a more robust scheduled lighting and heating system to keep him nice and warm when the weather turns. I’d also like to increase his enrichment potential by building a climbing structure across the back wall, and a balcony for him sunbathe in the summer. Finally, from a volunteer’s perspective, it’d be great to have an in-unit cleaning cupboard to help keep things spotless; and some improved seating might make the environment a more appealing place to spend time, to make sure Koala gets the attention he deserves."