02/06/2026
This is the post we really didn’t want to have to bring you, but it’s time to be honest. It is with great sadness to share the news that after 18 wonderful years, Feline Network Cat Rescue will be closing its doors.
You will probably know that Debbie, the founder, CEO and heart of our charity, passed away in November last year after a short illness. Debbie dedicated her life to the charity and whilst she had, and still has, a wonderful team of volunteers, she was incredibly independent and didn’t have a ‘number two’. She also didn’t expect to leave us so soon at the age of 60.
Running a small independent charity is not a hobby, it’s not a nine to five job and it’s certainly not part-time. It’s a full time, unpaid and lifelong commitment which bears financial and legal responsibilities. We simply don’t have that person that can step into her shoes to run a successful, compliant and safe charity.
We know some may wonder whether we could employ someone. Unfortunately, this isn’t a viable option for us. The cost of a full-time manager would leave the charity without the funds needed for its work, and it would also carry significant risk for a small organisation like ours should that person decide to leave.
Many people see our charity shop, but not always the rescue work behind the scenes. The shop has always been our main source of income and is run by a truly fantastic Supervisor and a dedicated team of volunteers. However, without the ability to continue the rescue side of the charity, the shop is no longer able to fulfil its purpose. We have also faced uncertainty with our lease, which expired on 1st January. Debbie had been in the process of negotiating a new 6-year agreement before she became ill. Our landlord, Stephen, has been incredibly kind and patient while we considered our options, for which we are very grateful.
We can assure you that this is not a decision that has been taken lightly, but if something can’t be done to its best ability and to the standard it deserves, then it wouldn’t be responsible to continue. While this is not what Debbie would have wanted, she was always guided by what was best for the cats and we believe she would understand. Anyone who has any involvement in running a charity or animal rescue will also know where we are coming from.
We do still have cats in our care, and we know you will have questions. We will share more information soon, including next steps, timescales for the shop closure, and details regarding donations and closing down sales.
For now, all we can say is thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your support over the past 18 years. We are deeply sorry, but as always, the cats must come first 😿
