The 12 strays of Christmas

Do you have room at the inn for 12 stray animals that are among a record number of rescued cats searching for homes at a Plymouth charity this Christmas?

Woodside Animal Welfare Sanctuary, on the edge of Plympton, is experiencing its busiest winter on record for rescued cats, with more than 100 onsite.

An unusually high number of these animals are strays, including several cats in need of a barn/stable-type home, a Guinea Pig found walking the coast path and a mum and her kittens rescued from farmland.

Woodside manager Lisa Darcy said: “We don’t normally have a waiting list for cats at this time of year. However, we have a long waiting list for cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, dogs and rodents this year and that is becoming a new norm.

“We’ve never known it this bad.”

Among 27 small furries searching for a loving home is Pickles, a sweet Guinea Pig found wandering the South West Coast Path.

Assistant supervisor Claire Newcombe said: “It’s unusual to find a stray Guinea Pig. They don’t normally escape or dig and don’t jump that high. They wouldn’t survive for long in the wild.”

But it’s in the catteries where the charity is feeling unprecedented pressure, with all enclosures full and a growing waiting list of around 70 cats.

While the kennels are always at capacity, the winter is traditionally a quieter time in the catteries. However, that’s not the case this year.

“In the 45 years I’ve been here, I’ve not known it so busy,” said sanctuary senior manager Debbie Haynes. “We have no room. The only thing we can do is put cats on our waiting list.”

Cats not being spayed or neutered and microchipped, financial pressures and an increase in multi-pet households, are all having an impact.

An unusually high number of strays is also putting pressure on the charity, with the most recent arrival being an adorable 10-week-old feral kitten called Bo who, with times, could potentially live in a home with an experienced owner.

A significant proportion of the stray cats need barn/stable-type homes with the freedom to roam, a safe place to sleep and someone around to feed and check on them.

Among them are six-year-old semi-feral cat Spike; tabby cat Star; feral cat Derry; black feral Oliver and tabby Twizzy.

Semi-feral kittens Mocca and Kenco kittens have slowly grown in confidence since arriving in the summer.

While they might never be comfortable getting too close to people, Mocca and Kenco are showing glimmers of being able to bond with humans and could potentially live in a rural/semi-rural home with patient owners or, alternatively, a barn-type home.

Also searching for a barn or smallholding to call her own is new mum Bridget, who was recently rescued by Woodside from farmland in Devon. Using carefully placed enclosures and treats, the team was able to entice Bridget and four of her kittens to safety. But one got away, sheltering in thick brambles and out of the reach of the rescuers who clambered over walls, down ladders and hacked their way through spiky brambles to bring the kitten to safety.

All of the kittens have since been rehomed but Bridget’s search for a barn-type property continues.

However, not all of the sanctuary’s stray cats need a barn. Others are hoping for a more traditional home where they can cosy up indoors.

Two-year-old Arlo would make a lovely companion cat, due to his affectionate nature. He’s searching for a calm home and could potentially live with older children.

Twelve-year-old semi-feral cat Ash would prefer a child-free home but could possibly live with other cats.

Debbie said: “We are looking after so many cats and we worry about the ones we can’t get in.

“It is difficult for us in the winter because you tend to get more staff sickness, it is an increasingly pressurised environment.

“There’s also the financial pressure of food, heating, spaying and neutering, medication, microchipping.”

If you think you could offer a home to any of the stray animals at Woodside, please call the sanctuary on 01752 347503 or email woodsidesanctuary.org.uk. Visit www.woodsidesanctuary.org.uk to find out more.