Cat's Protection had a say in our regulations because they were on the CFSG advisory board that helped DEFRA screw up our regulations - and now this charity outfit are now screwing up their own regulations and pissing off their volunteers.
We recently learned from someone connected with Cat's Protection that on top of the ludicrous hoops they make people jump through to adopt, the ongoing problems with management and the increases in pointless paperwork is preventing their volunteers from spending that time with the cats - and they seem to have forgotten that without volunteers, their lucrative grift would end.
Then another thing came to our attention.
We saw a 10 point plan circulated about saving money written by Cat's Protection in Derby who thought they could help with the cost of living crisis by attacking our sector as "expensive" despite the fact that anyone using a cattery is probably spending £1000's on a holiday ...
- HOLIDAY SAVINGS Keeping your cat at home is the safest and least unsettling option when you go on holiday as they’re less likely to be stressed and will be more content in their own environment. Rather than paying for an expensive cattery, consider getting a cat sitter – either a friend, neighbour or family member who can visit at least twice a day and make sure your cat is well fed and safe.
And just a brief education about reality for the bonehead who wrote the holiday savings paragraph:
- The only time a friend, neighbour or family member would be a better idea than a cattery is for 2-3 days, for a longer period all benefits are lost.
- The security, mental stimulation and company that a cattery provides is so absolutely superior and so cheap that there's no comparison between the care provided by a cat-sitter and the 24 hour care provided by a professionaly run cattery.
- How does a few minutes that a cat-sitter can provide twice a day compensate for them being left on their own for the other 23 hours a day?
- How many people can you think of who would want to make themselves availible twice a day for a fortnight in Summer to clean a litter tray and feed someone else's cat for less money than the cost of a cattery?
- It's true that some cats are not suitable for cattery life, but why would someone who is spending £1000's on a foreign holiday need to save a few pennies by leaving their cat alone, distressed and possibly depressed at home?
- Falling out with your friends, neighbours or family because the cat freaked out on seeing a stranger in their territory, or they left windows open and the cat escaped, we've lost count of the number of people who come to us after something goes wrong.
- We often respond to emergency situations because we know our cats, can see behavioural changes, recognise when they're ill and can see what's being eaten and know how to interpret what's being left in their toilet.