It's been hard to know where to start in giving an update.... So much has happened since I got back from Australia over 3 months ago. The end of the European summer brings its own set of challenges for animals as the litters of kittens and puppies born as the weather cools and conditions become harder set in and survival rates drop.

There have been the unsurprising but still unexpected departures and new arrivals during this time. Not long after I got home one of lthe early summer's kittens which had seemingly been doing well and settled into life as one of the mob here, died. I found it one morning in the vegetable patch, unmarked and with no clue to what caused its death. The question of poisoning always emerges in these cirucmstances. I had only posted a photo of this one's lovely little face the day before I scooped its lifeless body up out of the garden.

just as quickly as I said goodbye to one, another arrived - a young tabby with a smelly wound; we called her Tabitha. She was grateful for help and responded well to care. It became quickly obvious that she needed veterinary attention. Just as quickly as she came she too was gone, succumbing to a blood infection caused by her wound which we concluded had been due to either being struck by a car or being kicked or otherwise hurt by a human. She spent a day and night in the vet clinic, was given fluids, antibotic treatment and warmth but was too far gone to rally. We were left to be comforted by the knowledge that she died in caring hands with more dignity than a death by the side of the road or in a bin would have offered.

Just a few days later while hanging my washing out I hear my neighbour's son tell his father "I think it thinks I am its mother". Of course my ears prick up and knowing these neighbours would most definitely not care for any homeless creature, I called to them to pass whatever it was over the fence to me, which they did. And so it came to pass that a wee kitten only a few weeks old, which I later called Titch, came to live here at my little cat sanctuary.. Titch became ill overnight on his first night, so he too ended up in the vet clinic and I was warned that he was very young, severly dehydrated, cold and it was quite likely he wouldn't make it either. Much to the surprise of the clinc staff by the next morning after overnight treatment, young Titch had fought his way back to viability and I was told to come and collect him before any of the really scik cats there infected him with something. Titch as a delicate young one has needed a lot of individual care and love as very young kittens that do not have the benefit of being properly mothered have much lower survival rates. So it has come to pass that I am Titch's mother and he is never far from me.

About the same time that Titch arrived another new face appeared that too has ended up being a permanent resident. This cat, a beautiful orange tabby which I have called Gin has clearly come from a domestic situation and has been a pampered pet. He resisted all attempts to get him to move on and he is desperate to get into the house whenever he can; he loves sleeping on the bed. Most likely he has belonged to someone here who has moved on and he has been left behind. I cannot understand how anyone can do this..... The other cats here were not at all sure about Gin and he has had a hard time here initially but he has not caved in and now he too is one of the extended cat community.

After Gin another Tabby kitten which had been getting fed at a house higher up in the village migrated down to our place after the residents at the house moved on after the summer. This one which I call Tab-tab has quickly bonded with both Titch and Gin and is well at home here too. along with 2 of Misty's 4 kittens which I've called Cal and Co as they are calico in colouring.

So the nett position here is one of a permanently expanded bunch which means I am currently feeding around 20 cats twice daily. Needless to say this is a costly endeavour but one to which my commitment is ongoing. I continue to value all the support I get in its many forms; moral support, gifts of cat food and the modest donations of money that come my way. I continue to run a tab at the vet and currently have animals in need of vet care which I am not accessing for them until I can make further payment on the vet bill. Any donation no matter how small makes a different to me and the cats I care for. I have added some new photos on this site that show some of the current crew so check them out :-)