Consett Cat Rescue

04/09/2026

And that’s a wrap, folks… well, sort of! 😹

I now officially begin my **TWO-WEEK HOLIDAY**! 🥳🏖️

Yes, you heard that correctly — two whole weeks!

Now, before anyone gets too excited on my behalf, we all know I can’t actually go away because… who would look after the approximately four million cats currently residing in my house? 🐈🐈‍⬛🐈🐈‍⬛

However, for the next two weeks:

🚫 I will not be trapping.
🚫 I will not be rehoming cats.
🚫 I will not be doing routine vet runs.
✅ I will still deal with adoption enquiries.
✅ I will still deal with neutering voucher enquiries, although replies may be a little slower than usual.
🚨 Genuine emergencies will, of course, still be dealt with.

Adoption enquiries will remain a priority because finding our cats their forever homes is one of the most important things we do. ❤️

I may have been slightly stupid and already agreed to vet runs on both of the next two Fridays — despite knowing I was planning to take some time off! 🤦‍♀️ I’m going to see whether I can find volunteers to transport those cats so I can at least enjoy a little break on the days I was daft enough to book work into my own holiday.

I also have some cats booked in for boosters this coming week. I can’t currently remember which day, so finding that appointment in my diary is probably the first exciting activity of my holiday. 😂

Other than that, I plan to do **nothing, nada, zilch** — or at least as close to nothing as running a home-based cat rescue allows!

I’m hoping to enjoy a few proper days out. I can’t actually go away and stay away because of the aforementioned four million cats, but even a change of scenery for a few hours will be lovely. 🚗🌳☕️

Naturally, I do have a *teeny-tiny* bit of fundraising to do. I’ll soon be starting a number draw for the chance to win a fabulous wooden wishing well planter — and when I say large, I mean **VERY LARGE**! 🪴😍 Hopefully that won’t take up too much time.

I should also be launching the raffle that will be drawn at our Halloween and Christmas fundraiser on 31st October… but surely delaying that for two weeks won’t cause the world to end. Probably. 🎃🎄🎟️

Despite supposedly winding down, it has still been a busy end to the week.

Today, I delivered gorgeous Giuseppe to his new home in the depths of Northumberland — such a beautiful area! 🏡❤️

I also transported eight kittens to their new foster home, and yesterday two cats went into long-term foster care.

Tomorrow, two stunning all-white sisters will also be going into foster care. Both have heterochromia — a perfectly safe condition that means they each have different-coloured eyes. They are bonded and will eventually be looking for a home together.

They are absolutely beautiful… and they both **HATE** other cats. Yes, that word definitely requires capital letters! 😹 They should be ready for adoption in around two or three weeks, so photographs and more information will follow nearer the time. 👀

I also took in three kittens from another rescue this week. They are all rather spicy at the moment, but hopefully they will begin to settle.

Sadly, I simply don’t have the hours available these days to spend extensively socialising feral kittens. Finding experienced fosterers who genuinely understand feral cats is incredibly difficult — they really are as rare as hen’s teeth.

Many people understandably think a very frightened cat is the same as a feral cat, but they can be worlds apart. A scared pet cat may hide, hiss or lash out through fear, whereas a genuinely feral cat has never been socialised to live closely with humans and may never become tame.

We are fortunate that many of the cats described as feral in the UK have experienced at least some human interaction during their lives, meaning some can eventually learn to trust. But that certainly isn’t true of them all, and a genuinely feral cat should never simply be expected to turn into a cuddly lap cat with a little time and patience.

Anyway, I digress… as usual! 😂

Please keep an eye on our fundraising group if you would like the chance to win the enormous wooden wishing well planter. 🪴

If you need a neutering voucher, I *will* reply, but it may take me a little longer than usual.

If you are enquiring about adopting, you will not be ignored — those messages and emails will remain a priority. 🐾❤️

Normal service will resume around **21st September**. Although I already know there is a mountain of background work that I can’t put off completely, so I will still be “around”… just hopefully a little less than usual.

So, that’s my holiday:

Cats ✅
Vet appointments ✅
Adoption enquiries ✅
Neutering vouchers ✅
Fundraising ✅
Background admin ✅
Possibly a day trip if the cats grant permission ✅

Rest and relaxation… pending approval. 😹🏖️

02/09/2026

🌟 **A LITTLE UPDATE FROM BLANCHLAND & HUNSTANWORTH SHOW** 🌟

After a very long, tiring—but thoroughly lovely—day at the Blanchland & Hunstanworth Show last Monday, I thought I had better tell you all how we got on! 🐈🎪🎟️

The day began bright and early with the small matter of feeding the approximately **four million cats** who appear to live in my house. 😹🏠🐈🐈‍⬛🐈🐈‍⬛

They were left with plenty of food, fresh water and spotlessly clean litter trays because we would be gone for around nine or ten hours—which is, apparently, more than enough time for a well-fed cat to become completely convinced it is going to **STARVE TO DEATH**. 🙀🍽️

*“Nobody has fed me since eleven minutes ago. I can already see the light…”* 😿😂

With the feline population catered for, off we set with the car packed to the roof with tombola prizes. 🚗🎁

Well…“prizes” definitely. “Goodies” might be stretching the imagination slightly—but hopefully everyone liked what they won! 🤣🤣

The showground was a mere 30–40 minutes away, although the country roads provided several potholes and three sets of temporary traffic lights along the way. 🚧🕳️🚦

I sincerely hope the temporary lights were there because someone was repairing the potholes and not simply giving motorists a chance to stop and properly admire them. 😂

Once we arrived, we had a quick chat with the lovely show secretary, Mags, found our tables and unloaded the car. The husband then disappeared to park while I carefully arranged all our fabulous prizes and set up our wonderfully noisy tombola machine. 🎪🎁🎟️

For anyone who hasn’t seen it, we use one of those enormous spinning cages containing 90 bingo balls. You get four balls for £1, and if any number ends in a **0 or 5**, you win! 🥳

And because we like to be completely different—and make life easier—we don’t put matching numbers on the prizes. Winners simply choose whichever prize they want. 🎁

After all, no excited child wants to win a ladies’ scarf or handbag…although I suppose it would make Christmas shopping much easier for them. 🤣👜🧣

The day got off to a fairly quiet start, but we had lots of busy little flurries throughout the day. The weather was actually very kind to us because whenever a rain shower appeared, everyone came rushing into the marquee and found themselves suspiciously close to our tombola. 🌧️➡️🎪➡️🎟️

Never have I been so delighted to see rain clouds! 😂☔

I was, however, deeply disappointed to discover there were **no bacon butties** available first thing. 🥓😭

Fortunately, I had taken a packed lunch—which I ate before 10am.

Obviously.

It had been sitting there for hours, looking at me. What else was I supposed to do? 🥪👀🤣

I also discovered that standing up for most of the day gives me a terrible backache, and by home time I was practically folding myself back into the car. My bones were creaking louder than the tombola machine! 👵🏻🦴😂

Good grief, I’m getting old. At this rate, next year one of the tombola prizes may have to be **me**. 🤣

We finally called it a day at around 4.30–5pm and packed away the prizes that hadn’t been won. Strangely, the car looked every bit as full as it had that morning, even though loads of prizes had gone. 🚗🎁🤔

I can only assume tombola stock reproduces when nobody is looking. Clearly, I now have feral tombola prizes as well as feral cats. 😂😂

I’ll be having a good sort through everything before our next fundraising event on **26th September at SimplyCats Vet Clinic**. 🐾🎟️

I’ll create a Facebook event for that very soon, so please keep an eye out and come along to support us! 👀📅❤️

But now for the bit everyone really wants to know…

🥁🥁🥁 **DRUM ROLL, PLEASE…** 🥁🥁🥁

We raised a fantastic…

🎉🎉 **£247!** 🎉🎉

That is a brilliant amount, and we are absolutely delighted! 🐈‍⬛❤️

I also discovered when we arrived that the lovely Judith had very kindly paid for our tables. I have messaged her privately, but Judith—that was incredibly generous, extremely kind and also very naughty of you to spend your money on us! 😂❤️ Thank you so much.

A huge thank-you must also go to:

🎟️ Everyone who had a go on our tombola
🎁 Everyone who has ever donated prizes for us to use
❤️ Those lovely people who come back to see and support us every single year
😂 The jokers who keep us entertained with their antics and one-liners
🎪 And all the wonderful helpers and committee members at Blanchland & Hunstanworth Show for allowing us to have our tables at the event

Without donated prizes, there would be no tombola—and without all of you playing, there would just be me standing beside a noisy cage full of bingo balls for eight hours, eating my lunch at 9.45am. 🤣🤣

At one point, we genuinely thought we wouldn’t be able to attend this year, so getting a place really did make our day. We absolutely love coming along and are already hoping we’ll be invited back next year. 🤞🐾❤️

Thank you so much to everyone involved for another wonderful day.

And what about the cats we had so cruelly abandoned with only mountains of food, bowls of water and spotless litter trays? 🙀

Well, when we finally arrived home, the starving little souls were clearly **mere moments from death**. 💀🐈‍⬛ Apparently, not one of them had eaten for at least six minutes, and several had already begun preparing formal complaints to the RSPCA. 😾📞

Despite the fact I now required a Zimmer frame to move around the house, there was absolutely no sympathy whatsoever. 👵🏻🦯😂 I was given no choice but to attend to their every need before I was permitted to so much as pop the kettle on and sit down. ☕🫖

Their bowls were refilled, their demands were met and, miraculously, all four million made a full recovery. 🙄🤣

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll just spend the next twelve months recovering…

🎪🐈‍⬛ **ROLL ON AUGUST BANK HOLIDAY 2027, GUYS!** 🐈‍⬛🎪

31/08/2026

We are at Blanchland and Hunstanworth Show today in the marquee. Come say hi if you’re passing.
Always lovely to see people.
Mind if we are busy then you may have to wait if you want to chat.
Fundraising comes first 😬
Always a long day but a nice one and we always meet lovely people.
Remember though mobile phone reception is poor in Blanchland so bring cash.

29/08/2026

📅 **29/08/26 — A rescue update I never wanted to write**

Something happened this week that may well be a first for us. I cannot swear it has never happened before, but I certainly cannot remember another time.

Not once, but **twice**, we were approached about mother cats with kittens who urgently needed rescue spaces. 💔

🐾 One was in the countryside—possibly a feral cat, or perhaps a long-term stray who had given birth outdoors.

🐾 The other involved a lady returning from holiday to discover a mother cat and **five kittens living in her shed**.

Both families urgently need to be caught or trapped and taken into rescue. Kittens left outdoors are often quoted as having only a **25% chance of survival**, while there is almost a **100% chance that each mother will become pregnant again** if she is not neutered.

One of these cases was just three miles away from us—very local indeed.

And yet, despite how desperately they need help, **we could not help them.**

Not *would not*.

**COULD NOT.** 😢

We simply cannot take in any more cats while continuing to care safely and properly for those already here.

This is not something that money alone can solve. Donations cannot make my home any larger, create rooms that do not exist or allow our fosterers to take more cats than they can safely accommodate.

And even if we somehow found room for these cats, where would we draw the line? There would be another urgent case tomorrow—and another the day after that.

We have had more than 100 cats in our care for several years. Why?

Because we take in feral cats who cannot be returned to where they came from. The location may be unsafe, there may be nobody willing to feed or monitor them, or the landowner may simply “want rid” of them.

Some of our long-term cats have chronic health conditions. We manage those conditions, give them the veterinary treatment they need and continue loving and caring for them—but people are generally not interested in adopting cats with health problems.

That is not hearsay. **It is a fact.**

Others are physically healthy but nervous, frightened or poorly socialised. Many are also black or black and white—the cats that so often receive little or no interest. 🖤🤍

We do not deliberately hold on to cats. We would love nothing more than to see them settled in suitable, loving homes. But when no adoption enquiries come, they remain with us year after year—and every permanent resident means one less space for the next desperate cat.

Some larger organisations manage their spaces differently, and the uncomfortable reality is that euthanasia may sometimes be used for cats considered unrehomable or unsuitable for release, removing what the rescue world bluntly calls a “bed blocker.”

That is not a stance we are planning to take—but even if we did, many vets would understandably refuse to euthanise an otherwise healthy animal.

I have tried to explain this problem to veterinary professionals over the years. With no disrespect whatsoever to the people who care for our animals, I am not convinced that everyone fully understands the impossible decisions faced by rescues.

We have sadly lost several cats to illness this year, but even that has not created spare capacity. Other cats have needed to move into the rooms or spaces they left behind.

My view has always been that if a feral cat has absolutely nowhere safe to go and no reliable food, shelter or ongoing support, releasing it—neutered or not—to fend entirely for itself can be crueler than humane euthanasia.

I know many people will find that deeply upsetting or unpalatable. I find it upsetting too. But I have to ask:

**Who will take that cat? Will you?**

A feral cat is essentially a wild animal. It may survive for a while by scavenging, but without proper support it may eventually succumb to parasites, disease, starvation, predators or a road traffic accident. Simply releasing it does not necessarily mean it has been “saved.” 💔

I do not have all the answers.

What I do know is that this country is facing a **massive cat population and rescue crisis**, and it becomes worse every single year. I am not exaggerating. Ask almost any rescue and they will tell you that this year is worse than last year—and sadly, we find ourselves saying the same thing every year.

Some rescues will eventually close because they can no longer cope with the relentless demand. When they do, there will be even fewer places for cats like the two mothers and their kittens reported to us this week.

A petition was launched earlier this month calling for government action. I personally do not believe it goes far enough, but I would still encourage everyone to read and sign it:

✍️ **[https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/777945](https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/777945)**

Being unable to help the two families mentioned at the beginning of this post has left me feeling utterly despairing. I sincerely hope the people who reported them manage to find another rescue with space.

If they cannot, the cycle will continue.

More kittens will be born. Cats and kittens will suffer. Some will die. And rescues will continue receiving desperate pleas for spaces that simply do not exist. 😿

Comments and constructive discussion are welcome. However, unless you work within rescue, I can honestly guarantee that you do not see the full scale of what is happening—or the heartbreaking decisions being made behind closed doors every single day.

28/08/2026

I may have shared this article before but I came across it in my favourites on my browser so have a read of this - very interesting and informative.
Its all a con by the pet food manufacturers I think as they want you to buy their products

Subject: DENTAL CARE FOR CATS An article by Anita Kelsey – cat behaviour expert c(2014) I have been working with a client and her two lovely Maine C***s. On my last visit I gave her a wealth of nutritional advice regarding the natural diet of a cat which is meat. I turned up today to groom… Read...

28/08/2026

At first glance, Thursday and Friday seemed relatively quiet compared with the beginning of this week. Mind you, I am utterly exhausted, so I was very grateful they weren’t quite as manic! 😴

Thursday still began early, as elderly Ginger was taken to Bridge Referrals for a CT scan.

She had undergone an ultrasound last week which revealed several large, worrying masses. Sadly, the CT scan brought even worse news. The masses had spread into her lungs and covered much of her liver and other organs.

Although Ginger still looked relatively well that day, her appetite had severely diminished over the previous couple of weeks. The imaging made it clear that the cancer was aggressive, widespread and progressing rapidly. 💔

After speaking with her foster mum, we made the heartbreaking decision to let Ginger go peacefully while she was still having a relatively good day.

Bringing her home may have given us a little more time with her, but that time would have been short. We would have watched her deteriorate before our eyes and there was every likelihood she would soon have been in pain.

It was an incredibly brave and loving decision by her foster mum. As we always try to do, we put the animal’s needs before our own. We never want any cat to suffer simply because we are not ready to say goodbye.

Letting them go when they still appear reasonably well can be one of the hardest decisions we ever make—but sometimes it is also the greatest final kindness we can give them. I have always vowed that I will never allow my own emotions or need for more time to come before an animal’s welfare.

Sleep peacefully, beautiful girl. You were very much loved. 🧡🌈🐾

**RIP Ginger — 2013–2026**

Elsewhere in the world of elderly cats, old boy Felix needed to see a vet after developing another upper respiratory infection. He now has antibiotics to help him through it. 🤧💊

Old girl Barbara received pain-relief injections for her arthritis and had her blood pressure checked. However, she will need to return next week for blood tests, and we also need to provide a urine sample.

Barbara is showing signs of **polydipsia and polyuria**—in other words, excessive drinking and excessive urination—so this needs to be investigated.

Unfortunately, she is currently peeing all over the house. Nobody wants that, least of all her poor foster dad, so we would very much like to get to the bottom of it! 🙈💦

Today, I have mainly been doing my level best to sort out our microchip registrations. 💻🐾

I am having huge problems with the database company we currently use and have been trying to correct mistakes that have been made. Because of the sheer volume of microchips I register, their system now has me listed as a **breeder** rather than a welfare organisation! 🤦‍♀️

This appears to have happened following changes they made to their system, but the problems have become so bad that I am now considering moving to a different database company going forward.

It is highly annoying and ridiculously time-consuming—time I simply do not have.

Sadly, it is also one of those jobs that nobody else can take off my hands. To access and amend all those records, you must be a registered, named contact for the organisation. Considering the amount of personal information held on microchip databases, that is entirely fair and exactly how it should be—but it does mean this particular headache remains firmly mine. 😩

Despite the sadness of losing Ginger, we do have some lovely things to look forward to this weekend. 🥰

Harper is heading off to her new home on Friday teatime, followed by Ernie and Evie, who will be going to their new home together on Saturday. 🏡🐈🐈‍⬛

We also have two sets of adoption visitors coming on Saturday, and we are hopeful that two more cats may be reserved, ready to begin the next chapter of their lives in their own forever homes. 🤞❤️

So yes, Thursday and Friday were *quieter* than Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday—but “quiet” is clearly a very relative term around here!

Now, onwards to what will hopefully be a very happy adoption weekend. 🐾🏡💕

26/08/2026

🐾 **MANIC RESCUE UPDATE – THREE DAYS, TEN NEUTERS, ONE SPICY KITTEN AND 388.2 MILES!** 🚗💨

📅 **Monday 24 August**

Up at 6.30am and out of the door by 8.30am.

I collected a friend, then picked up four cats from Stanley to take for neutering. At the same time, another volunteer, Jane, collected cats from Wingate, Trimdon Station and Newton Aycliffe.

All seven cats were safely deposited at Darlington Vet Clinic, and the three of us managed to enjoy a few hours of rare respite while we waited for them. ☕️

Unfortunately, the vets then had a ridiculously busy day, with emergencies arriving left, right and centre, which pushed the operations back and meant they were running late.

That is absolutely not a criticism—the staff are brilliant and are often run ragged. There is a reason I occasionally arrive bearing brownies from Terrace Cupcakes; sometimes, a sugar hit is essential! 🍫🧁

Jane eventually took the four Stanley cats home, while Gillian and I headed to Hamsterley Forest to check the traps. I knew nothing had been caught earlier because the staff would have contacted me, but the traps still needed checking and fresh meat putting in.

Then it was back to the vets before taking the Newton Aycliffe, Trimdon Station and Wingate cats home. I also offered to help another two cats at Trimdon Station—one heavily pregnant and the other at very high risk of becoming pregnant.

I finally arrived home at around 8pm, but there was no chance of sitting down for tea. The four-legged residents were waiting to be fed and carrying on as though their throats had been cut. 🙀🍽️

There was no respite at all, and by the time every job was finished, I fell into bed at around 12.30am. It may have been even later—the entire day had become a blur by then. 😴

📅 **Tuesday 25 August**

Up at 6am and out of the house by 8am.

I had arranged to collect those two cats from Trimdon Station and take them to the vets. On the way, I received a call to say a friend had trapped a feral cat and was able to take her straight to the clinic for neutering.

At almost the same time, a message arrived from the staff at Hamsterley Forest: there was a kitten in one of the traps! 🐈‍⬛

I was also transporting two cats for their second vaccinations. It should have been four, but I physically couldn’t fit any more cats into the car, so the other two will now go next Tuesday. 🚗🐾

Cats dropped off at the vets, then off to the forest to collect the kitten—who turned out to be very spicy indeed! 🌶️😾

Once everybody was sorted, the adult feral was dropped off ready to be released the following day, and I finally headed home with my latest extras.

Next, I headed to Esh Winning to collect our foster cat, Barbara. Then, just to make certain no spare space remained in the day, I collected another feral cat from Greenwell Farm and took her to SimplyCats Vet Clinic for her post-dental check-up. 🦷🐾

I feel certain I have forgotten something because, once again, I didn’t get home until around 7.45pm—but my mind is now a completely blank page. 🤯

There was another evening with no time to sit down, but the lovely lady who trapped the feral cat had given me a homemade pie, so my husband and I demolished that for tea. 🥧

Honestly, what I really need is a live-in chef because I never have time to cook. 👩‍🍳

I think I made it to bed by around 11.30pm. Phew—an early finish! 😂

📅 **Wednesday 26 August**

I was a little sluggish today. Apparently, two consecutive days of more than 18 hours each are enough to take their toll on this old wife! 🫠

Nothing had been caught in the traps, but I still had to make the journey to Hamsterley Forest to check one of them. I brought both traps home for a good hosing out because I won’t have time to resume trapping there until next week.

Travelling back and forth is extremely time-consuming—it is a 34-mile round trip from my home every time. ⛽️

There was some lovely news, though: **Ivan went to his new home today!** 🏡❤️🐾

I also managed to collect some free damaged bags of cat litter. The bags are fairly badly torn, so I will salvage what I can, decant it into sturdy sacks and distribute it among the people I know can use it.

There is more available to collect, but unfortunately I simply won’t have time to go back. This week is already completely full. 📆

And the total mileage for the last three days?

🚗 **388.2 miles!** 🚗

Absolutely crazy—but it certainly explains why I seem to spend half my life refilling the fuel tank! ⛽️💸

26/08/2026

Fab news for this brilliant independent vets. A lot of others could learn a thing or two from these guys. Shows you just how successful a well run independent can be. Sensible prices, choice of locations. Just wish they could open a branch near Consett to save my fuel bills 😂

25/08/2026

🌟 LET’S HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS FOR A CHANGE! 🌟

We have a whole batch of gorgeous new faces ready—or very nearly ready—to begin looking for their forever homes.

Another litter of kittens received their second vaccinations this week, and several of our adults will receive theirs in the coming days. So, who do we have waiting in the wings?

🤍 MIKE AND MOLLY
Remember the gorgeous fluffy white adults we took in three weeks ago? They receive their second vaccinations this week and will then be ready for adoption. They are bonded and must find a home together.

🖤 JADE
A stunning all-black adult girl with the sleek, lean appearance of a miniature panther.

🖤 KAY
A beautiful, semi-longhaired black girl—with a daft name, I know!

🐾 DOUFFEY, DUMPLING AND DUSTIN
Three adorable black-and-white kittens who are raring to find their new homes. Douffey and Dumpling are shorthaired, while their brother Dustin is slightly fluffier.

We mustn’t forget the kittens who were already waiting either:

🐾 Evie—a lovely black-and-white girl
🐾 Elizabeth Taylor—a beautiful tortie girl
🐾 Eddie—their black-and-white chatterbox brother

And that is, of course, on top of all the other gorgeous boys and girls we currently have available for adoption.

If you are genuinely considering adopting, please take a look at our adoption information and the cats’ full descriptions before enquiring. The right home is far more important than simply finding the first available home.

Meanwhile, the past two days have been completely manic. I have left the house early in the morning and not returned until almost 12 hours later—two days running!

During those two days, we somehow acquired another two adult cats and a feral kitten.

I may write a proper post about that tomorrow, but tonight I am far too exhausted to type it all—and you would probably be exhausted just reading it! 😂