Care4cats Ibiza

Update on our Re-homed Rescue Cats

2011-08-09T16:56:00.001+02:00

If you regularly receive our newsletter then you will have heard all about little Peggy Sue who was rescued from the streets in San Antonio with a broken leg. Unfortunately she had to have it amputated but we managed to find her a 'forever' home with Jack Yap in Portinatx...so a wonderful end to what could have been an unhappy story.
Jacky keeps us up to date with Peggys progress (which you can follow on our Care4cats facebook page) and we're delighted to say she's doing wonderfully. She's been adopted by one of Jacky's older cats who makes it his job to look after her, plus she now has a young playmate too.
Take look on our Facebook page where you can see a video of her playing and photos of her trying to catch her first lizard!

Our other successful story concerned 'Bertha' a black cat that had been abandoned in San Antonio when her owners had moved out of the house and simply left her behind. Spotted by Debs and Tracey whilst on holiday she then went on the list for re-homing. She was such a lovable cat and living in the centre of San Antonio on the busiest road, we feared for her safety.
She was eventually re-homed by one of our volunteers, who regularly fed her, when she arrived one day to find the house being bulldozed. So Bertha, now called Sweetie, was taken to join the other 5 cats owned by our volunteer.
Interestingly enough, Sweetie always had a breathing problem. Originally we'd thought it was rhinitis and tried to give her a regular dose of anti-biotic. Almost impossible with a street cat. Once she was re-homed she was taken to Toni at Puig d'en Valls for a thorough investigation and it was discovered that she had a de-formed ribcage. Obviously this was from birth, but it meant her ribcage couldn't expand enough to take in the breath needed, hence her breathing difficulties. Oddly for a cat she has adapted to breath through her mouth (cats breath through their nose) so she copes well. She is now truly happy in her new home and feasting on sausages and cheese which are her favourite treats!

Do you remember Gerald? He starred in our last newsletter and was taken off the streets hungry, weak and with terribly matted fur. He was such a gentleman that he couldn’t survive on the streets of San Antonio and was constantly being chased off by the Tom's and not allowed to eat.
Sissy, who has been rescuing kittens on Ibiza for many many years, came to our rescue by taking him in with the aim to build him back up to full health (and fur!) and then re home him to Germany. The good news is that Gerald is now enjoying an idyllic life in the countryside of Bonn.
If you travel to Ibiza from Germany we are always looking for flight partners to take cats and kittens back to Germany were we re home them. It is a wonderful way of giving these cats a chance. If you think you can help then get in touch at care4cats1@aol.com

Preparations for next trapping visit

2011-08-04T12:28:00.000+02:00

Although the October trapping visit is a fair distance away flights are already being booked by our fantastic volunteers. Care4cats just couldn't exist without these animal lovers who give up their holidays and pay their own flights to come here and work all hours in all weathers to trap and neuter the cats we know about.

Our announcement about the visit will hit the press and veterinary clinics in September as we hope to get calls in advance of the trip. There is nothing more frustrating than having to tell someone they've called too late and we can fit no more jobs in. We then carry them forward to February when hopefully we have money to afford a follow up trip.
Many of the volunteers are regulars but only 2 of them are actually from Ibiza. It would be so much easier if we had more local volunteers as the work does often continue throughout the year.
Visiting from South Wales we have Sue and her son Steve. Both work for the Cats Protection there, with Sue having many many years experience. She has been volunteering for Ibiza trips since the beginning 10+ years ago! Now she has roped in Steve along with his work colleague Katie, and Jill...another die hard volunteer who again has many years of working with C4Cs under her belt. Finally Simon comes from London where he works as a full time trapper for Celia Hammond Trust. He's happy to work alone in the more difficult environments and, like the others, he's now been over to Ibiza several times. Together they make up several teams who cover all the jobs along the East coast of the island, and inland.
From the North West will come Tracey, Debs and Sue. They work full time but also run a small charity that rescues all types of animals. Since Debs brought Tracey on holiday 3 years ago and got her involved in trapping here, she's never looked back and is now on a mission, along with Sue, to trap as many cats as can be afforded. They work the West coast and inland, including San Antonio which has a huge amount of stray and feral cats.
In Ibiza we have Kerry, Jaki and Gina who help throughout the year when they can. Kerry and Jaki set up the trapping trips; dealing with callers needing help, organising supplies and acting as liaison whilst also trapping. Gina keep us all on track financially and manages the income we get from the donations made through the charity boxes we have out around the island, plus deals with the vet bills (our biggest expense.)
We'd love more Ibiza volunteers so if you or a friend do have th etime, just get in touch with Angela. If you know anyone who is feeding feral colonies, or needs help in trapping cats for neutering then please email us. We have to work on a first come, first served basis because at the end of the day we always run out of money!

Donations - our lifeblood

2011-07-20T14:05:00.000+02:00

As with all charities, donations are our lifeblood. Without them, and our wonderful volunteers, we simply could not do the work we do on the island of Ibiza.
We're trying to get more and more collection tins out with businesses, but because we're such a small team with work and life commitments, it is slow going. However a wonderful success we've recently had is our 'charity' library that we set up in a very popular business in Sta Eularia.
The White Island Corner Shop is run by Sophia and Rod Ellington. Both are devoted cat lovers and have always supported the charity by hosting a collection tin. Gina, our finance volunteer, asked Sophia last year if she'd consider having a small library of books that people would then pay €1 to buy, or 50 cents to swap. All the money collected would be donated to Care4cats.
Even though they were short of space Rod and Sophia gave us the go ahead and one was set up.
We're very thankful that they did as it's proved to be a resounding success and we're very happy to report that over the last 12mths they have raised over €1097 - what a fantastic result!!!!!
We are so grateful to this lovely couple that we can't thank them enough. That amount of money will help nearly 40 cats have a better life through being neutered.
THANK YOU SOPHIA AND ROD!
If you live in Ibiza you can help support the two libraries we have operating, one is at White Island Corner Shop and the other is at Thomas Greens British Supermarket. Buy any book for 1 euro or swap one of yours for 50 cents. At Thomas Greens you need to choose to support us as your charity as he has 4 different boxes available.
Or perhaps you know or have a business where you think you could raise money for the charity. Just remember, every tin can help Ibiza's cats, so it is well worth it!
Here's a link showing the location of White Island: http://bit.ly/o1QT1h and one to Thomas Greens: http://tgibiza.co.uk/Web/
If you're a book lover then please help us by supporting these two libraries.

The heart-warming story of Peggy-Sue

2011-03-10T19:18:00.000+01:00

In a colony fed by Maria, close by the market in San Antonio, Tracey and Sue spotted a 5 month old kitten with a suspected broken leg. She was a pretty little thing but clearly had a problem walking. She seemed to be holding it up constantly. When she was in the vets Toni could see she'd tried to walk on it but because she was putting pressure on her skin and not her pad it had ulcerated and become infected. He advised it had to be amputated. That gave us a dilemma. Although cats cope perfectly well with only 1 front paw, we could not put this kitten back on the street with 3 legs. The colony lived near a busy road in the middle of the tourist area, she'd not be able to dodge cars or people, plus her recovery time would be long.
What a problem. We were heartbroken. Even trying to get a home for a healthy kitten is bad enough...this little one stood no chance – or so we thought. Step into the breach Jacky Yap who has a holiday home in Portinatx that she shares with some much loved cats. We alerted their carer Jo, who looks after them when Jacky isn't in residence, about this kittens plight. She relayed the story to Jacky and they agreed to take her on. We were overjoyed that she could now have the operation knowing she'd have a life away from the streets. The alternative was too upsetting to contemplate.

Peggy-Sue (Peg Leg), as she's been christened, stayed with Toni until her wound had healed and her stitches removed, then she was taken off to meet Jo who would care for her until she got her confidence back before venturing outside to meet the rest of Jacky's cats.

Thank god for people like Jo and Jacky otherwise little Peggy would have had a very sad end - now she has a chance of a happy life.
Here we've shown a photo of her on the streets in San Antonio...you can see how she was holding her paw up. The 2nd photo is her first day out of the vets and at Jo's.
Check out our Facebook page where you can see a video of her starting to build her confidence and play. She's doing very well and walking without difficulty.

Geralds Story

2011-02-25T17:45:00.000+01:00

In October the trappers were in San Antonio on numerous occasions and kept spotting a long-haired ginger and white cat that looked quite thin. They never managed to pin him down to a colony and because we can't take cats off the streets without authorisation he was left. This trip he was spotted again but was much thinner with matted hair and sad eyes. Maria was consulted (the lady who feeds many colonies in the San Antonio streets) she knew him and agreed he was not part of any colony and was often chased off by the other, more stronger tomcats. He rarely ate as Maria can not leave lots of food on the streets (complaints about it attracting rats from residents are common) so the cats have to eat what she puts down there and then. It was clear this cat had no way of getting regular food and was plainly ill. The girls where able to pick him up and he lay down with his head on Sue's lap, as if saying 'I can't cope anymore'. He was whipped off to the vet for a health check.

Gerald stayed at Toni's (our vets) for nearly 2 weeks, gradually building up his weight. We had him checked for deceases and he was clear. So it was simply a case that this cat had no survival skills for the streets. We were desperate not to put him back. Toni neutered him and took out clumps of his matted hair. We cleaned him up and his eyes started to shine again...he loved to play and even be groomed! However he was an adult cat with long hair...almost impossible to find a home for. Time was running out as he would have to leave Toni's soon. Jaki launched an appeal on Facebook and thankfully Sissi got in touch and said she would take him. Sissi has helped to re-home kittens to Germany for many years yet now is scaling back as she is leaving the island. Thankfully she has taken on Gerald and will nurse him back to full health so she can re-home him. I can't tell you how thankful for her help Jaki, Tracey and Sue are. He is such a sweet-tempered cat and very very gentle. If you know anyone in Ibiza that will give him a chance – do let us know! Poor Gerald. Contact us through email.

Trapping again!

2011-01-28T15:12:00.000+01:00

The care4cats trapping volunteers were out last November when they did a fantastic job. This weekend the first of the 2 teams arrive to do a 'mop up' on the calls we had to do that through one thing and another couldn't be finished. Often it's because kittens are too young to be neutered, or females cats have just given birth...so a few months on the volunteers make a return visit.
In years gone by the charity has been able to advertise its visit and take on new calls from residents needing help. Sadly this time money is so tight that we fear we may not be able to do the cats already on our long list.
The assisted neutering programme we run is helping to alleviete things somewhat. This is where we offer to pass on our discount to people who are out of work of who simply can not afford to neuter cats they have taken in off the street. This is an area that is growing, especially with the economic crisis and thankfully we have great support from a number of vets on the island who are happy to help us in our endeavours. We feel it is better if someone can receive assistance rather than being faced with having to abandon the cat or kittens when they come along and then can't cope. So we hope, in some small way, this is helping to prevent abandoned cats.
So this weekend, arriving to this cold weather we're currently having, is a team from South Wales headed up by Sue who's been a regularly volunteer for many years, Simon who works with the Celia Hammond Trust in London city and of course Kerry who is an island resident. Kerry is also the co-ordinator for the trip and has the unenviable task of trying to get as many of the jobs done in the week as can be afforded.
The West side of the island has a team of two arriving on 7th February. Sue and Tracey from Wigan, who are now regulars, have been hampered somewhat by the lack of flights but will be able to make it for 5 days. They'll be supported by Lara and Jaki (who will also co-ordinate the jobs).
Lets hope the recent rain stays away and that the temperature rises a little!

Happy New Year! And a Happy Story too.

2011-01-14T12:45:00.000+01:00

2011 has arrived and the year has started with a heart-warming story sent to us from our friends Michael and Susan who feed the River Cats in Sta Eularia. Here's Susan's story:
Jack the lad, arrived by the river a few months ago looking so sad. He was very timid of anyone going near him to feed him and we also noticed he'd lost an eye - probably through fighting, as Tom often do. The lovely Maggie and Peter, who visit the cats regularly when they're over here, fell in love with him but all attempts to catch him failed.
So imagine our surprise when yesterday we learned from Elena, the receptionist at a vet clinic in Sta Eularia, that a very kind man had trapped Jack and taken him there for treatment. Elena said if he cannot be found a home then he'll continue to live out the rest of his life at the vets surgery as the resident cat. So lucky Jack Sparrow!
We went to visit him and, expecting to see him in a cage, we were most surprised to see him sat on a pile of clean towels like a king! He gave us a big yawn then a hiss as if to say "I am not going back to that river".
So a happy ending for Jack Sparrow - who actually looks a lot better now than in the photo. He may have only one eye but still seems to be saying "who's looking at you babe"!
We still don't know who the mystery man is that managed to catch him but we'd like to offer our thanks to him all the same.
So a fab ending for Jack. It really is heart warming when we continually hear about people all over the island doing their best to care for cats.
We'd like to wish you all the best for 2011 and thank you for your continued support.
Don't forget donations can be made online at the website...so it's easy peasy. ALL money donated goes towards the welfare of the cats.

Merry Christmas from Care4cats!

2010-12-18T10:42:00.000+01:00

We are all are in the hectic run up to Christmas and at Care4cats the work continues. The trapping trips in November and October went well with over 250 cats trapped and neutered - thanks to the fantastic volunteers. You can read all about our adventures in our Autumn newsletter...if you don't receive a copy then just email Jaki here who will be more than happy to send you a copy and add you to our list.
Don't forget - for only a small amount you can become a member, or treat someone you know to a pressie that gives a cat a chance of a better life.
Yesterday we had a call from Cathy, a lady who feeds a large colony of cats in Port d'es Torrent. A small black and white tom cat had turned up a few weeks ago who had obviously been dumped. He was very nervous and took to sitting away from the rest of the cats. Yesterday Cathy noticed he had a very bad paw. It looked like it had been crushed...poor thing. Whilst she was trying to see what the problem was a young couple strolled past who lived near by. They stopped to chat and the cat was quite happy being stroked by them. Cathy explained about the paw and told them she was going to contact care4cats to see if they could help. The couple offered to take him in for the night whilst she organised things. Of course we told Cathy to take him straight to the vet and the charity would pay. Toni, the vet, is hopeful that he may only have to amputate the toes. Sadly it looks like a car ran over his foot and crushed it. He must be in such pain.
However the good news for this little chap is that the couple have offered to give him a home...so when he recovers from the operation he will be showered with love and comfort! We're thrilled, as he would definitely have had difficulty surviving if his foot couldn't be saved. What a fabulous end to a tragic situation!
And on that happy note we'd like to take the chance to wish you all a Merry Christmas and thank you for your support this year. Don't forget - if you feel like buying an extra present for an unloved cat living on the streets you can do so by donating on our website. £30 will pay for 1 cat to be neutered.
Thank You.
To keep you smiling through the cold weather many of you are experiencing take a look at this very funny cartoon of Simon's Cat! All cat lovers will instantly be able to sympathise with him! Enjoy!
http://www.simonscat.com/santaclaws.html
Have a very happy Christmas and all the best for 2011!

T - for Trapping

2010-11-04T14:58:00.003+01:00

Our team of volunteers who trapped all jobs on the West of the island have been and gone. Tracey and Sue, who volunteered in February, came back to help again (thank you, thank you, thank you!)...they also dragged Nikki along (a veterinary nurse) and Debs who has been helping cats on Ibiza long before Angela started care4cats. To complete the team we had 2 more new volunteers: Sasha and Lorraine who run the Cats Protection in Glasgow. A better group of trappers you couldn't have asked for: organised, passionate and dedicated to catching every last cat!
Phone calls started to be made to schedule the weeks jobs. Some had already been set up for Sunday enabling the new volunteers to work alongside the old hands and get used to the paperwork, traps and locations.
Toni, our vet for the week at Clinica Kans in Puig d'en Vals, helped us get a head start by kindly opening up on Sunday evening to take in the cats trapped that day.

So - the sun was shining, the cats were hungry and the trapping began! 2 of the teams worked together for the first few days doing the larger numbers whilst Sasha and Lorraine did the smaller jobs plus working alongside Vera in Club Cala Vadella who was helping to trap a very large colony there.

Early mornings and late nights were the order of the day for everyone.
All was going according to plan until Sue, Nikki, Tracey and Debs headed off to a call from a lady called Evalina. She'd originally phoned asking for help re-homing as she felt she couldn't cope with the large number of feral cats now in her garden from when she'd started to feed a few ferals alongside her own 3 cats. I explained C4Cs couldn't do that but would neuter them so the group didn't expand. She felt relieved and explained there were about 20-30 cats. Being used to people over-exagerating I conservedly thought it might be about 25. However when I finally walked up the dirt track to her tiny house I was amazed at the numbers of cats that shot out from every concievable bush! A call went out to the other team to come quickly so that all traps and cages available could be used. Evalina had done what had been asked and not fed them, so they were ravenous...and thankfully easier to catch. We think Sue now holds the record for the number of cats caught by a dropper in one go...3!
Most were feral but one little snow white kitten was clearly her favourite, she had been dropped at her front door by the mother cat and so Evalina had hand fed her. She was such a sweetie.
In total the number trapped there was 41 cats. When I rang Toni to let him know we were bringing in a large number of cats I had to repeat the number 3 times! He thought I said 13 not 30! The girls caught the rest the following morning before the others were released - so a job well done. We left Evalina with all the food we had as it was clear she couldn't afford to feed them...though the piece of land she lived on in her small wooden house was idyllic and totally safe for all the cats once released.

In the end there was only 1 female cat not trapped, as she was spotted as the team was driving away, and some kittens that were too young. When the charity visits in February then of course we will make sure they are all trapped and neutered. Then Evalina can relax in the knowledge that no more kittens will be born. I can't tell you the relief she felt knowing that the Care4cats voluteers were there to help her out of the nightmare she'd found herself in.

Anyone who has worked in a trapping team will know it's all about deadlines and logistics; getting appointments made in advance then making sure you have enough cages for the jobs you're doing. Many jobs on the list were small numbers of cats. Trapping 3 jobs of 3/4 each is more time-consuming than one colony of 20. Even on the Saturday, before leaving for their flight, they had 35 cats to release. This just shows the dedication of our volunteer trappers - they work up to the last possible minute. To the amazement of all during the week our fab teams managed to trap over 160 cats from all the jobs phoned in.
Naturally there were one or two cats that failed to be trapped, always frustrating, but they will be the first on the list for the next visit. The positive thing is that several colonies are now completely neutered thanks to the charities volunteers.

Stay tuned for more stories from the trapping expeditions...because as I type the 2nd Team is now out and working all the jobs on the East side of the island. The hard work goes on!

PHOTOS: 1 - trapping volunteers before the work starts! 2 - Nikki with Snowball 3 - cats being released

Time to Trap!

2010-10-13T12:54:00.001+02:00

The annual trapping visit is currently being organised. An announcement has been in the local press now for 2 weeks and we are taking calls from people who need help with neutering feral cats. The first team are due to arrive on Saturday (16th October) with a second team due out on the 30th October. Both teams are here for 1 week and will endeavour to trap and neuter as many cats as can be afforded.
The budget is tight this year but we now ask people to donate a minimum amount and anyone who is going direct to the vet is asked to pay 40 euros. This helps to keep the bill under control.
So...the cages and traps have all been checked, cat food has been bought and the paperwork is about to be organised...then it is full steam ahead!
Of course now that we have our new system in place with the approval form, this means that we can continue year round to help people who can take the cat/s direct to the vet themselves...as long as the budget lasts.
We hope to concentrate on San Antonio this time as there are many cats living there in colonies and kittens just keep being born; many to die, sadly, in awful circumstances.
All the volunteers desperately want to make a difference to the lives of these poor cats and they give up their holidays to do so...and pay for flights. Thankfully we have benefactors on the island who offer accommmodation so that saves money for the important tasks ahead. Every cent goes towards the cats.
Check back with us Mid November when we'll have news and stories on how the volunteers got on.

Ibiza Heros #3

2010-09-17T15:02:00.000+02:00

Two years ago when we went down to the river to feed the cats, we saw two people already feeding them. We got chatting and they told us they were from Glasgow in Scotland. and that Peter works in Oman for 5 weeks then has 5 weeks holiday. For 3 of those weeks they come to Ibiza as they have such a great love of the Island and the cats of Ibiza.
From then on they started to help us feed the river cats and sometimes, even though they're on holiday, they go twice; if one of the cats doesn't turn up for the afternoon feed they go back at night with more food.
We can't believe it is only 2 years since we met as we've become firm friends with them both. They've given so much money to help the charity care4cats, to us to help pay for cat food and to another helper of the charity to treat other cats on the Island.They're now members of the charity so receive the news letter with regular updates of the care4cats work on Ibiza plus we always let them know what is going on with the river cats when they are not here.
They were last here in July when one of the old river cats seemed to be having trouble with his mouth. They were worried as he couldn't eat or drink, so contacted Monika (one of the care4cats team) who got a cat trapper box to trap him so he could be taken to the vet.
Off we all went, Michael, myself and Monika, down to the river. Maggie and Peter were already there and met us with the news that old cat "Tetu" was fine. It turned out he'd been stung in his mouth by a wasp but had managed to cope with it himself (clever cat who needs human help?).
Maggie and Peter will back on Ibiza soon and we always tell the river cats so they can look forward to the lovely kind hearted people who will give them lots of sardines, pichards and tuna...but no haggis they say!!!
Love
Susan and Michael (year round feeders)

Little Lucy!

2010-08-24T17:05:00.003+02:00

Little Lucy is a beautiful cat that Luke (one of our trappers) rescued last November. She was found lying by the side of the road, half dead with all her intestines pushed upwards. We had no idea what had happened to her but she was within hours of dying. During a touch and go operation Toni (the vet) was able to put them back where they should be. She was very young and because we couldn't find a foster home for her we placed her with Wendy who runs the cattery on the island. She grew stronger and fitter enabling us to also have her neutered.
She was due to be re homed to Hamburg where she had a home waiting for her, but during the health check, needed before travelling, the vet discovered a swelling on one side of her stomach. Apparently it was the result of her accident, or deliberate kick, we don’t know and the vet decided that we could not fairly re-home her as it's possible she'd need veterinary treatment later, so Lucy was classed as 'disabled'. This was a great problem – what do we do with her? Re-homing on Ibiza is hard enough...but with a kitten that might need care all its life the problem was naturally greater.

Wendy had grown very fond of her, as she has looked after her since last November, and said that if Care4Cats paid for her bed, board and vet bills she would keep her. So that is what we're doing. She sleeps in a wonderful cattery every night after she's had dinner, but in the daytime she roams around the cattery and woods with 25 other cats that Wendy has rescued over the years. She is completely happy.
We're now looking for some sponsors to 'adopt' her and we hope that we can find maybe 8 people willing to care for her.
Could you pay a small annual amount? With 8 sponsors paying £50 it will add up to her annual fees. She is worth it. Here are some photos of her for you to see for yourselves (she loves to roll about!). When she first arrived after her operation, she was scared of humans and had never been stroked in her life, but Wendy has quietly socialised her and she now sits on Wendy’s lap of her own accord! A real spoiled cat now and happy with her life! Please help her just contact Jaki by email and she can give you more information about what to do. Thank You!

Busy, busy, busy

2010-06-28T10:28:00.000+02:00

The island is now in full swing. All the tourism businesses are open and holidaymakers have arrived. In cat-world it is kitten time.
This is a difficult time for Care4cats because we get many calls asking for help with kittens that have been found half-starved or that have just turned up in gardens...alone and looking for food.
Care4cats isn't a re-homing charity as such, but we do our best and help when we can. Working with people like Sissy and Agnes who have been rescuing cats for years and re-homing them to Germany we can at least manage to help those most in need.
Only last week a call came in from someone who had climbed over a wall of a neighbouring house to rescue a tiny kitten that the children there had been throwing stones at. They were unable to give it a home and thankfully Agnes could take it. So the kitten is now in a safe environment and being cared for until a place can be found on a flight.
Neutering as many feral cats as we can afford is of course the answer to this kitten explosion and that is why we need donations to keep going. That still goes on and calls come in throughout the year for this support.
A month ago Simon from San Juan called us about 6 kittens born to a cat living on a colony on a farm in San Juan. Unfortunately the farmer doesn't care for the cats there already and they often go hungry. Plus none of the females are neutered. Naturally Simon was concerned that these kittens would not survive.
He re-homed 1 kitten and the remainder, with donations, he helped fund to be re-homed in Germany. Monika, who works with Care4cats in many areas, managed to find a flight partner and the kittens are now safely arrived in Germany at the charity we work with there. Once they get used to their new surroundings Michael and Carmen (who run the charity) will set about finding them loving homes. You can see them in the photo waiting for their passports at the vets!
Simon has also made an appointment at the vets to get all the 3 females neutered, with our help, so no more kittens!
So summer is here...and the ever-important work goes on!

Poor Rosie - an appeal

2010-04-23T17:54:00.000+02:00

Poor Rosie hasn't had the best life so far. No doubt abandoned she turned up at an apartment complex hungry and pregnant and desperate for care and attention. Thankfully she found an animal lover who took pity on her and started to feed her regularly and build up her confidence with people again.
Now her 'carer' is heading back to the UK mid May and we're desperate to find little Rosie a home as the residents on the complex have made it plain that they do not want cats around.
If you can't re-home her could you help to foster her short-term? We can get her to Germany to a charity that helps re-home our stray cats but we have to wait for a flight partner to come along. It may be only be a matter of weeks but if we can get her off the complex in Cala de Bou where we fear she'll come to halm and into safe hands we'd all exhale a sigh of relief.
Contact me on 625997009 or by email
Thank you!

Happy Luna!

2010-04-22T17:20:00.001+02:00

Anyone involved in re-homing cat or kittens to Germany will tell you how hard it is to see them go. Even though they're going to the wonderful Carmen and Michael in Hamburg who work hard to find them loving 'forever' homes you still miss them. This was most definitely the case with little 'Luna', as I'd built up such a bond with this lively black kitten whilst fostering her that it was hard to take her to the airport and leave her with Monika who was accompanying her to Hamburg. See the story here.
Michael and Carmen found her a home very quickly...though anyone seeing Luna would have had their heart captured immedietely, such was her personality. One of the reasons why this sweet kitten just couldn't live her life on the street...she needed someone to love.
It was fantastic to get Michaels email a couple of days after she'd gone telling me she'd found a home with a young couple and that the woman had always had black cats from being small...so knew them well. I was thrilled!

When you've fostered you love to find out how the cats or kittens are doing in their new home. Although it doesn't always happen that new owners send photos to Michael when it does it sort of helps complete the circle.
So imagine my surprise and delight when this morning Michael emailed me some photos of Luna happy in her new home!
I was over the moon to see her and especially loved the photo of her in bed with her owner! Isn't that where every cat should be? Snug and cosy warm?
I just had to share them with you - hope you like them as much as I did!

Kittens Looking for a Loving Home

2010-03-28T10:02:00.002+02:00

UPDATE: Wonderful news! We received a phone call from Tricia who wanted to give these 2 lovely kittens a 'forever' home in Ibiza and it must have been fate as she also knew the 'fosterer'! So it was a happy ending all round and they're now settled in to their new home in San Jose and are running around exploring the garden and countryside.
Don't you just love a happy ending?

If you've hit the blog from the Ibiza Sun then you'll know all about our search for a loving home for two adorable kittens.
They were both rescued seperately; the little Black and White one was taken from the streets. He was all alone and in poor condition (but full of health now!). The other, Little Tommy, was rescued from the River in Sta Eularia where he had been dumped with his siblings. One we managed to re-home, the other, sadly, didn't make it and Tommy was taken in to a foster home where he thrived. He was the littlest of the litter and so we were thrilled that he managed to survive against the odds.

Now both are ready for adotption and we dearly want them to go together as they've become firm pals. Even better would be if we could find them a loving home together on the island.

Both are available to view and are living with their foster family in Benimussa. Please email Jaki to find out more or arrange to see them. Click here for email address.

Let's hope they melt someones heart.

Here they are playing with each other in the sun.

The Story of Tina

2010-03-03T14:22:00.000+01:00

We were feeding our colony of cats by the river in Santa Eulalia when peeping from the bushes was a little ginger kitten, so very frightened. The next thing a young couple came to the river looking in the bushes, we wondered what they were doing?
Time went on and the kitten finally came out of the bushes to eat with the other cats. We named her Tina, she was so affectionate, going up to everybody for a cuddle and and a kiss.
We later learned from Erika a lady who feeds many cat in Santa Eulalia that the couple we had seen had left her by the river.

We contacted Angela (care4cats Ibiza) about her, who got in touch with Michael (care4cats) Hamburg, to see if we could re-home the lovely Tina. Michael and his wife Carmen came over to Ibiza for a holiday (well a bus mans holiday really as they were returning with cats). They took one look at Tina and said she must go home with us as she's in danger because she's so affectionate with everyone.
So Tina came to stay with us for three days, before her journey to Hamburg with Michael and Carmen.

In those three days I must say I did grow so very much attached to her, she would sit at the side of me whilst I was working on the computer with her little paw in my hand. But the day came when Tina had to go on her journey to Hamburg. Ana and Adrian (two volunteers with the charity) came to take her. I put her in the basket and her little eyes looked at me as if to say "what did I do wrong?"

But once again, thanks to the charity, it was a very happy ending as Tina was only in Michael and Carmens house for six days before being re-homed once Michael had made a home check with a family who wanted to give her a 'forever' home.
So a happy ending for my Tina who has settled very well into a very nice family home in Hamburg, they love her very much and she is still called "Tina". They told Michael that Tina now greets any visitors to the house as if to say "Are you going to take my lovely family away from me?" Then she hides behind a door until they decide to go home and leave them all in peace - "please"!

I feel so grateful to Michael and Carmen (care4cats hamburg) who do so much to help the cats from Greece and Spain find a happier life and my Tina is living proof of this. I wish there were more people in the world like Michael and Carmen and also Angela Collins (founder of care4cats in ibiza).

Susan Broomstead

February Visit

2010-02-14T14:27:00.003+01:00

We're now in the final stages of the February visit. Only 2 more cats to collect and release on Monday then that's it! Kerry and myself (Jaki) have just finished washing the last cages and stacking them in the 2 storerooms we use and now Kerry is bravely tackling the donation of 'change' weve been given by two young people we helped with feral cats they're feeding (see photo below). It may take some time to count...and she's only got until Tuesday when she returns to the UK!?

So what happened this visit?
We decided to ask people to call us before the volunteers arrived on the island (you can see our happy crew in the photo!) as this meant they weren't having to deal with calls whilst trapping. For 3wks calls had come in and it enabled us to have an idea of numbers before we started.
A meeting was held, as usual, on the Sunday when new paperwork was discussed and explained and the jobs received so far were handed out. We split the island in two as we had done in November when it worked well. Twice as many calls had been received from the San Antonio/San Jose region than the rest of the island so that was designated as an area and the rest of the island as another. We also wanted to concentrate on the many feral colonies in San Antonio Town if we could as that was an area that still needs dealing with.
Overall 91 jobs were called in with more than 200 cats to trap. And the calls are still coming but people are being asked to call back in October.

In the East of the island we had Kelly and Steve (first time volunteers), Sue and Dave (long time volunteers), Lisa and Kerry (1st and 2nd time volunteers) and Simon who traps fulltime in England for the Celia Hammond Trust and came out the last trip. They mixed and matched themselves into teams depending on the jobs visited and had 4 vans at their disposal. This was possible because 2 vans were paid for by Sue and Dave. One was a large van which was perfect for taking large numbers of cages so Dave assisted the team by collecting and delivering cages as required.
On the West of the island we had Tracey and Sue (first time volunteers), and Jill and Kerry (long time volunteer and 1st time volunteer) both teams had vans. We also had Lara, Jaki and Tess who used 2 cars for trapping the first two days but then had to pass on their 6 cages to Tracey and Sue who were dealing with bigger numbers and kept running out.

As usual it was a week of laughs, sadness, frustrations and manic rushing around. We're still waiting to calculate the final numbers of cats trapped and neutered but we did manage to rescue 7 kittens; 3 which have found homes on the island and the others will go to Germany when fly partners can be found. Sadly we also had to deal with 3 incidents of cats being hit by cars. None survived.

This visit we made sure that each person who called us was given a care4cats leaflet in the required language, and many were handed out to passersby. Our consent form was also re-designed to fit more information on and was in both English and Spanish. However the big change was that every job now had a reference number issued. This not only allowed us to know at a glance how many calls we had received but more importantly we were able to track back every cat trapped and neutered. It also stops people walking off the street into vets saying the charity will pay for the neutering of their cat. All vets now know that they must first have an authorisation code on a signed consent form before neutering any cat.

The teams of volunteers met some lovely people over the week, many who are caring for feral colonies as best they can. One German lady, Crystal, feeds over 415 cats around San Jose/San Antonio. Many are neutered but it was great to finally get the chance to put our heads together and identify where cat colonies were in the San Antonio area that still need attention. Unfortuntely the teams ran out of cages throughout the week so weren't able to hit as many spots as we hoped...particularly in San An town.

The lack of cages is quite frustrating for volunteers. We go to colonies that haven't been fed so they can be easily caught. You get most of them but run out of cages so you can't continue. Of course you then can't go back for the others until you pick up cats at the vets and release them thus freeing up cages. However you have to feed the cats because they haven't been fed so can't return the next day. It can become a logistical nightmare!
Having discussed this we now feel the time has come to split the visits in two. 1 set of volunteers could work for one week in the West using all the equipment. Then a second team comes out the following week to work the other side of the island again having access to all the equipment. That way no-one should run out of cages. The other benefit is the vets don't have to work in one concentrated week.
So that is our future plan.
I'll report back in a week or two with the details of the numbers trapped and neutered and photos of the trip! So stay tuned!

The story of Millie

2010-02-14T13:40:00.000+01:00

I was having a chat with Sophia Ellington from "The White Island corner Shop" about cats, our main topic of conversation as Sophia and her husband Rod adore cats, they have seven. We both agreed that boy cats are more affectionate than girl cats. Sophia and Rod have all boys (the boys as they call them).

Well that is the exception of our Millie!!!

We were feeding our colony of cats down by the river in Santa Eulalia December 2008. When along came two young girls holding this most adorable kitten who they told us was named Misha, we continued feeding the cats, the next thing they put her on the wall where we feed the cats and walked off.
As nieve as Mike and I are we thought they would come back for this kitten, but alas no.

We contacted Angela Collins (founder of care4cats Ibiza) about this little girl. She said to take her to the vet for micro chip rabies injection, then take her back home with us to await to fly to Hamburg to Carmen and Michael (care4cats Hamburg) who would find her a good home.

She had the necessary treatment at Elena's the vet in Santa Eulalia, then we brought her back to us. Two days later she was very sick. We telephoned Elena the vet, she told us to bring her immediately to the surgery. She was diagnosed as having panluekimia (which is the same as dog distemper) she was in the vet a week, very little hope of her to survive. Angela paid for the treatment.

When she came back to us she looked a sorry state, a bag of bones. Mike slept with her in the spare bedroom for six weeks to keep her warm (he was fine about that except when she decided to use her litter tray at 4. am then sat on his face!! Pooh!).

We waited once she had recovered for someone to take her to Hamburg, we both looked at this sweet little girl. Well you guessed it she never went to Hamburg here she is with us. Millie is her name or (poppet clogs). The illness has left her with a weakness to her back legs, but otherwise she is very well, Boy can she eat! ( if we go into the kitchen she is there - "did someone mention food?").

She likes raspberries blown on her tummy several times each day and a lot of kisses. We love her to bits.

Susan and Mike Broomhead.

The story of Anastasia

2010-02-05T16:54:00.001+01:00

This lovely lady was left by the river in Sta Eulalia in November 2008.
It was obvious she'd lived in a loving home and we often wonder what happened to her owners, perhaps they died or maybe couldn't afford to look after her anymore. She was so very thin and wouldn't eat her food with the other cats...naturally we worried about her.

In January 2009 I contacted Angela Collins Founder of the Charity Care4cats and explained all about her. Angela told us to she would re-home her in Germany and be fostered by the wonderful Michael and Carmen (care4cats Hamburg) who have helped so many cats from Ibiza and Greece. So we had to take her to have a micro chip inserted along with the rabies injection and also have a pet passport issued for her...from there she came to stay with us until a flight partner could be found to escort her to Hamburg.

As time went on Mike and myself fell in love with her. She is so very quiet and we think she pines for her lost owner but now with us she's so happy.

I must say a BIG thank you to Angela especially, and Sue, David, Jaki, Ana, Adrian and Wendy....so sorry if I've missed anyone out...for working to give the cats a better life on Ibiza.
The photo is of Ana (or the Duchess) who still can't figure out how to use the remote control!! She likes Abba music on so this look says 'please can you sort it out'.
Actually - no joking...she does like Abba, especially Dancing Queen!

Susan and Mike Broomhead

Unusual Cat Stories

2010-02-02T15:41:00.001+01:00

Anyone who knows and loves cats will tell you what remarkable creatures they are. Even though I live with 5 cats and know their capabilities I was still astounded when I read this unusual snippet in an in-flight magazine lately and wanted to share it with you;

On September 6, 1950, a 4 month-old kitten belonging to Josephine Aufdenblatten of Geneva, Switzerland followed a group of climbers to the top of the 14,691 foot Matterhorn in the Alps.

Who could believe that! Just goes to show how determined a kitten can be. So I decide to google some more interesting stories and came up with these:

A cat who gets on and off a bus at the same stops two or three times a week: http://tinyurl.com/5webce

A cat called Oscar (see photo) who predicts death by comforting those about to die in the hospice where he lives: http://tinyurl.com/ypt7uu

and if you'd like to read some more heartwarming stories then grab a cuppa and settle down to read some wonderful ones on this website: http://tinyurl.com/ykyt4ec

Enjoy!

February Visit

2010-01-26T09:55:00.001+01:00

A lot of organisation has been underway for sometime for the February visit to Ibiza. This time the charity has a fab number of volunteers which is fantastic as it means the workload won't be as intense as it usually is.

For this visit we have planned to take the phone calls prior to arrival which should be a help to the trappers and also the callers. Normally the volunteers are trying to take phone calls whilst out trapping and then trying to schedule them in so this way it will enable the team to plan the jobs in advance at the sunday meeting.
Notification has gone in to the local paper and this time we have mentioned that we would like a minimum donation from callers. This is something which was discussed in November because the charity often traps cats for people who can afford to pay something, but pay either nothing or very little and of course that puts pressure on the finances. Every little helps! Particularly as we trap many cats that have no 'feeder'.
This time we want to concentrate on a large number of feral cat colonies that need attention in San Antonio and Lara, a new volunteer who lives in the area, is mapping out the colonies she has found whilst walking around the town. Another hot-bed for cat colonies seems to be Port d'es Torrent as already we have been notified of possible 30+ cats needing neutering; one lot are a colony of 15 living near a house where someone lived (rented) and then moved...but left the cats.
Let's hope the weather improves for the trapping week as so far its been grey, wet and miserable for the past couple of weeks!

How a stray cat can touch your heart...

2010-01-20T16:27:00.003+01:00

It all started one day in March 1997. I walked every day to the Rio for exercise when suddenly around a bench was a slim, beautiful female calico cat who mewed and mewed. It suddenly struck me she was begging for food and I felt awful because I had nothing to give her. So the next afternoon, hoping I would see her again, I took a basket full of food and milk: and there she was, waiting for me. I’m sure she understood me when I promised to be back again the next day. After 3 or 4 days I decided to call her Minette and that's how a wonderful and very long love story started.

As the weeks went by I realized she was growing fatter and fatter; by mid April, there couldn't be any doubt: she was pregnant! Two weeks later, to my dismay, she vanished. I had grown attached to her so every day I returned sure she would reappear. Then in early May there she was; my Darling Minette. She was half dead with hunger and ate so fast the food was gone after only a few minutes. For more than a week things went on like that until I realised she’d had her kittens, but where was she hiding them?

Then one day she came along with a lovely white male cat with large blue eyes. Unfortunately I realized he was deaf and dumb. But this didn't stop him being so sweet to Minette and sticking close to her. I named him Arthur! I tried to follow her to find out where the kittens where being hidden, but she was too clever.

One day, she wasn't there as usual, so I started calling her and after a few minutes she came with a kitten in her mouth. How surprised and emotional I was that she now trusted me enough to introduce one of her babies: a teeny tiny little thing. Minette was so proud and that's how I found she was hiding 4 kittens in the gaps in the stone wall: 3 girls and a boy, the girls like the mother, the boy all grey and striped! Little by little they came out to play at the place! Sadly one of the little females vanished after only a few weeks. The 3 others were happily growing up though, coming every day with Mum and Dad. I baptized them: Joséphine, Pupuce, and Tiger.

When the kittens were 3 months old Minette and Arthur were neutered and ‘mum’ decided the kittens were old enough to fend for themselves. In November, getting worried about them spending winter outside, I was able to find, with the help of a German lady, a home for all the family in Germany. Minette and Arthur were more than happy to travel by air to Hamburg and their new home. The kids were something entirely different!After almost losing 3 fingers from my right hand and the left one savagely scratched I decided they just didn't want to leave me, the island or their home! And so they stayed, managing to survive the first winter and all the subsequent ones.
Pupuce died when she was 7 years old, the poor thing had a brain tumour and it really broke my heart when I had to take her to the vet to put her to sleep. Tiger, the little brother, was adopted by a Swiss couple and now lives with them, so this left only Joséphine...the lovely tri-coloured, green eyed, 13 years old Joséphine.

Michele Dussan

The Story of little Luna

2010-01-16T14:56:00.000+01:00

Luna and her 3 brothers and sisters were born in my cactus patch to a feral cat I had thought was a male. Silly me! 2 were black, one was a white siamese like mum and the 3rd was calico (or tri-colour as they say here)

Only 3 survived because 'mum' insisted on moving them to the garden next door where there was a pond. We tried twice to move them back to our garden but to no avail. The innevitable happened - one of the kittens drowned. That probably saved the others as she moved them to our neighbours house across the road where his children started to feed and play with them.
All was well.
Children being children they got bored and the kittens were abandoned. So in August I had to start feeding kittens that had never been feral and had no idea how to get food.
The siamese kitten was always the bravest...he was first to the food and very easy to love. The calico (who we named tiny tilly after one of our own cats who was also calico) was quite sweet, but very shy. The little black one always nipped me! So with her it was a love/hate relationship!

Eventually they were old enough to have them neutered - phew, no more kittens! Over the weeks I also noticed the little black one was only nipping me because she wanted me to give her a stroke. Once she was being stroked she was in heaven. Even when I fed them she wanted love first and food second. She used to chase me down the street and only stop once I'd picked her up for a cuddle.
I named her Luna Meaning 'moon' in Spanish.

Her brother (siamese) had managed to be taken in by the neighbours across the road. Well he was the prettiest of them all. Little Luna and Tiny Tilly continued to be fed by me and I was desperate to re-home them both in Ibiza as I have too many cats already. Of course I failed.
Then Angela rang me from care4cats to say there was availability on a flight to Germany for the kittens. I couldn't believe it...they could both go together! Unfortunately it turned out only to be one place and I had the decision to make. I choose Luna because I knew she was deperate for love and attention and life on the street wouldn't suit her personality. So that was it. She was off - thanks to care4cats.

I took her to the vets to get her chipped and her passport arranged and then a month later I took her to the airport to meet her flight partner Monika. I was heartbroken at having to take her as I felt so disloyal, especially when she was sat in her basket en-route looking out at me with her paw on my hand. I nearly turned back from the aiport twice.
However I knew I couldn't give her a home and that this was her only chance.

Fast forward 3 days and she arrived in Germany to the wonderful Michael and Carmen who settled her in to their house and quickly found her a 'forever home'! FANTASTIC!
So little Luna now has a life full of love and affection in Hamburg thanks to care4cats and their contacts in Hamburg Michael and Carmen.
Her sister, tiny Tilly is sits in my garden waiting and alone - but thanks to care4cats she is due to go in February.
Don't you just love a happy ending?

Brrrr!

2010-01-07T14:53:00.001+01:00

Here in Ibiza we hear that the snow is thick on the ground in many places in the UK and across northern Europe too!
The winter has definitely arrived here as well and we're suffering with grey damp weather and it hasn't stopped raining or days!
Today it is 9 degrees and it's tippling it down...the mist has come in and the mountains have all but disappeared!
Tonight its set to be a cold one...so we hope where ever you are you're managing to stay warm and cosy!

Just to show that some feral cats do have...

2009-12-29T10:36:00.003+01:00

...the enjoyment of a Christmas dinner! Here are the Sta Eularia posse enjoying a lovely meal of turkey courtesy of their feeders Susan and Michael. They also dined on roast beef too! Sadly though...no sprouts (Susan - how could you not allow them the delight of a crunchy sprout!?!)
Hope you all had as good a Christmas dinner as these lucky cats!

Can we like to take this opportunity to thank everyone that helped our Charity throughout the year and hopefully we'll welcome some new volunteers in 2010. Don't forget there're many ways you can help so do get in touch and if you can make a donation to help keep our neutering programme going we'd be very grateful.
Have a very happy New Year everyone!! See you in 2010!

The Story of Clarence...

2009-12-16T12:29:00.003+01:00

...so called because he is a little cross eyed like the lion!
Clarence has lived in Santa Eulalia for about three years. He's a bit of a tough guy, but a wonderful father to the many kittens he has fathered with the lovely Gemma.
We, as feeders of this colony, were very concerned about his ears. They were black on the tips and obviously cancerous.
When Angela (the founder of care4cats) was in Ibiza in February this year we asked for her help to get the poor boy sorted out.
This was no easy task. Angela met us with a basket to trap him, no luck off he went. The next day Angela brought a cat dropper basket. A success! He was caught.

We didn't think we would ever see him again as his ears were so bad, but we had great news; he survived the ear operation and castration and was on his way back to us when he'd recovered.

The vet had removed the tips of his ears to cut away the cancer and he looked a sorry sight for a few months with the stitches in his ears. Now he now looks so much happier and is fit and well. He has the most beautiful blue eyes. We still can't touch him but he looks at us with such affection.

By the way that is not a tic on his head in the photo it is a piece of meat!!!
With thanks to Angela and all from Care4Cats for giving this little fella a chance to have a better life.

Susan and Michael

November TNR Trip

2009-12-16T12:09:00.004+01:00

November saw us return to continue to Ibiza to continue with our TNR program (trap, neuter, return) on Ibiza. We estimate there are over 1000’s of abandoned or feral cats living in the wild...so we always expect lots of calls and this trip was no exception. Along re-visiting the regular cat colonies to neuter any new cats that have been abandoned we also got over 100 calls from residents desperately needing help to TNR feral cats/kittens that’d turned up on their property. Many are happy to feed these cats but of course don’t want more kittens born. Given that a female cat gives birth twice a year from the age of 6mths to an average litter of 4 it’s paramount that they’re neutered.

This year it was great to welcome new volunteers from Ibiza (Kerry, Jo, Tess, Lara, Jaki and Terry) which was absolutely fab and a help to the UK volunteers who, along with trapping for 10hrs a day, also have to navigate around a strange island! Overall we managed to help 95% of the people who called and neutered over 350 cats - plus rescued 3 tiny kittens that had been dumped by the river in Sta Eularia. So a good job was done by all.

Watch out for Angela's full report - coming soon!

The photo above shows the new team of volunteers trapping cats in a cat colony in the San Jose area that are cared for by Glenys. We trapped and neutered 10 adults and kittens - so hopefully no more unwanted kittens will be born there!

In the Christmas spirit of giving can we ask you to kindly spare a thought for these poor cats on Ibiza who have only the charity there to help them. We currently receive no help from the authorities on the island or any charitable organisations. If you'd like to help you can donate online on the website and all donations are gratefully received. Without them we couldn't continue our work. Thank You so much!

Nearly there!

2009-11-14T14:26:00.005+01:00

Coming towards the end of a very hard week now as the team start to wind up operations on their work trapping and neutering feral cats.

As usual a large amount of calls were received from people who were caring for feral cats and worried about more being born. Added to that are the large number of cat colonies the charity know of around the island and which they try and keep on top of, as sadly, there are often new cats that are dumped.

Amongst incidents already being reported from the team are the rescue of a rabbit (which unfortunately didn't make it due to Myxomatosis) and a small kitten that was lying in a gutter having been hit by a car that thankfully did survive after intensive care by Toni, the vet in Puig d'en Vals.

As usual its been a story of scrapes, climbing hills, scaling walls, trekking through woods and trying to outwit canny cats who just know you're there to trap them! The experienced team of volunteer trappers (Angela, Sue and Jill) were this year joined by Luke (a veterinary nurse) and Simon (who traps cats for the Celia Hammond Trust) who all travelled from the UK. From Ibiza were some new volunteers which was great! The more we have the better! Kerry lives in Es Cana, Jo from Portinatx, Jaki who's been helping since May living in San Jose and then Lara, Terri and Tess who have all recently moved to Ibiza. It's great to have people volunteer who live on the island as it helps the charity to continue the work throughout the year, funds permitting. There's so much to do like getting businesses to host collection boxes, raise the profile of the charity in the press and spread the word about the work we do through leaflets and cards.

If there's anyone out there who feels they'd like to get involved then do get in touch! Call Jaki on 971 801588 or email here.

Angela is back in the UK for a short time before heading over to Greece where she also heads up a cat charity. Once she returns I'll be back to provide more info on the numbers of cats helped during our November visit.

By the way - our photo at the top of the page is of Bertha a loving cat that patiently waits for her owners to return to the house were they left and abandoned her. She's a sweetie and although not a young cat has lots of love to give. If you know anyone who can give her a home do please let us know.

Getting Ready!

2009-11-10T15:30:00.004+01:00

The bi-annual trip to Ibiza by care4cats needs a fair bit of organising and that's been taking up time over the last few weeks.
One of the important things we've managed to do is to produce leaflets printed in 3 languages (English, Spanish and German) so we can inform everyone on the island about the charitys work. Interestingly more and more Spanish residents are finding out about the charity which is good news as often they are feeding colonies of cats that keep on growing yet feel they have no where to turn for help.
care4cats are keen to work with anyone feeding cat colonies as we can be sure they're in a safe environment with regular food and someone looking out for them. Once these colonies are neutered we keep in touch with them so we can stay on top of any new cats that turn up, usually because they've been abandoned. This is a happy solution all round.

Ibiza is an island full of good hearted people who take the time to feed cat colonies out of their own pocket. It's a hard, and expensive job, and often they fall victim to other people who abandon their cats thinking 'ah someone is looking after them...so they're OK'.
One lady in San Antonio, Maria, has been feeding colonies of cats all around the town for 20 yrs or more and has never missed a day. Until a few years ago she had no way of controlling their numbers and has often suffered abuse by residents because they feel she encourages the cats to live in the town. Sadly people are totally ignorant and don't realise that cat colonies start by someone abandoning a domestic cat that is un-neutered.

So...we have lots of new cages to transport cats, plenty of newspapers to keep them comfy whilst in captivity, dried food, tins of meat and of course tuna...always a favourite for trapping difficult cats.

The team of regular volunteers from the UK and Es Cana are, this year, being helped by a small number of new residents which is great. And as they're all from the San Antonio side of the island then it means this area can really be concentrated on.
The announcement of the visit is in the newspaper and calls are coming in thick and fast...as always, it's going to be a busy time!

July Trip to Ibiza

2009-09-04T14:59:00.008+02:00

In the heat of July Tracy, Debs, Angela and Jaki set about trapping and neutering as many cats in San Antonio as could be managed.
This 'extra' visit was all down to Tracy and Debs who had already visited the island in May.

Feeling that there was so much work left to do and fearing for many of the cats, they decided to use up the week they had off work in July to travel to Ibiza and continue to help the cats around San An.

Putting together the information from various sources, including their own from wandering the streets and noting the cats, they reckoned there were a good 8-10 colonies of cats in the town...all of varying sizes.
There were two main areas to concentrate on in the town and both had at least 8 or more cats in number. Some cats spotted in May also still needed to be caught. Some of the females had given birth to many more kittens that were running inbetween cars, others were already pregnant. It was a situation that was quite dire.

The other area was a derelict house were the cats had previously been homed by an old lady who had now died. They were being fed by someone...but had not been neutered. They were living in the garden of the house.

Finally the 'active' list also included cat colonies that Maria fed, a local contact. She had spotted new additions that needed to be trapped and spayed and at least one female had two small kittens one that had a bad infection of the eyes.

Overall it was hard work. Extremely hot weather, crowds of holidaymakers and 4am starts (when it was quieter and cooler) through to 10pm finishes.
However great work was done. All of the female cats caught and neutered were pregnant so more unwanted kittens were prevented from being born.
A number of kittens were rescued...some going to a new foster home; Kevin and his girlfriend had answered an advert in the Ibiza Sun and it was great to know we had somewhere to put 2 very poorly and scared kittens to be cared for before re-homing them.
Also a number of tom cats were spayed - one needed medical attention for a very bad case of mange.

Care4cats also got a call from Charlotte who had phoned on behalf of the lady that owned the stables where she stabled her horse. Maria had a number of cats abandoned on her property that all requiring neutering. Thankfully they were all caught and when they were released Maria donated €150 to the charity! Wonderful!

Charlotte also gave a home to a tiny kitten rescued from the derelict house and you can read about her story in the article below.

So a successful trip...but there's still so much more to do and a huge list of cats to work through. Care4cats are back outon the island in November when they'll pick up where they had to leave off.

None of this would have happened though without the drive and hardwork of Debs and Tracy.

Remember - if you think you could act as a fosterer or want to help the charity in some way then do get in touch!

Fabulous Fundraising!!

2009-09-04T14:52:00.002+02:00

Care4cats are pleased to say that a marvellous €150 raised has been raised by the lovely people at The Old London Tavern in San Antonio bay.

Steve and Dave (with the help of Marlayn too) held a charity night that raised the much needed funds.

With their help it means another 6 cats can be spayed...so more happy street cats and less unwanted kittens.

We can't thank them enough for their efforts!

Well done everyone!

A day in the life of C4C

2009-08-27T10:56:00.004+02:00

Last week C4C had an email from Andrea, a holidaymaker who had been staying at a hotel in San Antonio bay. Andrea was very concerned about a feral mother cat and her kitten who she had seen on a regular basis around the pool area of the Hotel. She explained that they both looked very underweight and the kitten was scratching an awful lot.

So C4C despatched a volunteer to visit the hotel and investigate the situation. Having got permission from the 'cat loving' Hotel Director the hunt was on for the kitten and mother. One concern, however, was that the kitten was still very young and so very dependent on it's mother. The mother was described by the Hotel staff as extremely protective of the kitten and also very wary of humans so she rarely came into the pool area. She tended to sit on the wall or in a tree watching the kitten. This could make trapping her quite difficult.

This was a potential problem; we couldn't take the mother without the kitten and we didn't want her to fret if we took the kitten to the vets without the mother.

In the end the decision was made quickly when we spotted the hungry kitten.
As the mother was not around and the kitten needed to be checked over by a vet it was decided to take it quickly to the vet whilst leaving a trap, under constant observation, in case the mother returned.

Within a couple of hours the kitten had been checked over, de-flea'd, had the usual vitamin injection and antibiotic all C4C rescues have and was able to be released back in the hotel before 'mum' knew he'd gone!

Now - the next problem!
The kitten was underweight and needed feeding on a regular basis. Stuart, who managed the pool bar (where they both hung out during the day), was happy to feed them each day and supply fresh water.
The Hotel Director was more than happy to give permission for this to happen and so a hasty 'cat cafe' was set up and food provided to the Hotel so that both mum and kitten could feed in peace each day.

A return trip to the hotel by C4C confirmed all was well...and although we'd just missed the kitten at the 'cat cafe' the Hotel Director and staff confirmed he was looking much healthier.

C4C will return later in the year to try and catch 'mum' so she can be neutered and returned to the Hotel which is a lovely safe environment for her and kitten to live, as well as being full of caring staff.

Andrea very kindly wrote to the Hotel Director thanking him for his co-operation which is so important to C4C when they are operating on private land. It is also refreshing to find Hotel people who care about feral cats and are happy to have them around.

Thanks Andrea! And thanks also to Toni, the Hotel Director and Stuart!

Little Geisha

2009-08-27T10:20:00.011+02:00

When the C4C team was out trapping in San Antonio in the early hours of a July morning they started at a derelict house that had been identified by Angela (founder of C4C) on her last visit as having a number of adult cats needing to be neutered.

We pulled up outside the house and whilst myself and Tracey unloaded the traps and cages from the car Debs went to investigate where the cats might be.

A few minutes later we looked up and there was Debs walking back to us with a raggedy little kitten which had runny eyes, acute diarrhoea and the sniffles.

This little kitten, who Deb's nicknamed Angel, had struggled forward from under some undergrowth calling out for attention as if her life depended on it...and sadly it probably did.

The photos show the before and after:

the first one shortly after she'd been found when she was on her way to the vets. Look at her sad eyes.

the second is after she'd spent a few weeks being cared for by Charlotte

She was very tame so Debs was able to cuddle her very easily so we wrapped her up in a soft towel.

'Angel' was taken to Toni the vet for a full check up whilst the wheels were put in motion to find a safe place for her to go in the short-term whilst attempts were made to re-home her either on the island or in Germany.

Luckily the kitten wasn't too bad health wise, although like many street kittens she was underweight. Also lucky was the fact that Charlotte had contacted C4C to help catch and neuter some cats living wild at the stables she used for her horse. When Charlotte heard about 'Angel' she kindly agreed to foster her short-term until we could get her to Germany.

Fast forward a few weeks and Charlotte and her husband Danny were so much in love with her that they decided to adopt her! This was fantastic news for all concerned!
If kittens can be re-homed on the island that is by far the best outcome.

So now little Angel has been re-christened Geisha which is a beautiful name for this very loving kitten. Charlotte says Gheisa is full of fun, enjoys being cuddled and loves to distract them when they're trying to work! She is also helping Charlotte's other cat Isis grow in confidence as she has always been quite a shy cat.

Charlotte has sent some lovely photos which we've scattered throughout the story...hope you enjoy them as much as we did. It is so heartwarming to see a previously unloved, unhappy kitten struggling for survival become a much loved part of someone life. This last photo is our favourite! How cute is that?!

Remember always...if you'd like to offer a cat or kitten a home, or be a short-term fosterer than do please get in touch! We'd love to hear from you.

A Very Happy Ending!

2009-08-03T11:25:00.007+02:00

During the week care4cats spent working in San Antonio enevitably there were occasions when kittens were found. Some were motherless and others were in a dangerous situation near major roads and so needed rescuing.

One of the lucky kittens rescued was little 'Toni' a beautiful siamese kitten that had been found by a lady shopkeeper in a compound at the rear of her shop. Toni was motherless, hungry and trapped in the compound, as it was impossible for him to escape to get food as the walls were too high for a kitten to get over.

The lady was feeding him when he was discovered but of course didn't want to continue too long with the responsibility. Also, the shop was closed all day Sunday which was far too long for a kitten of his age to be left without food, water or company.

It was very likely that if he was left in this situation he might not get any food and starve.

Thankfully a home was found with Sabine and Klaus in Cala Llonga and little Toni was rescued from a hard life fraught with difficulties and taken to a home full of warmth and love.

Beforehand he was checked out by our vet Toni in Puig d'en Valls (who he is now named after!) who confirmed he was a boy, about 8 weeks old and a little too thin for his age. We worried a little about his big tummy but all was well after a few days when he settled down into a routine on kitten food.

This little chap is now on the way to full health and is loving his new home! Sabine tells us he is very intelligent, affectionate and enjoys being carried around resting on her shoulder. As he's a siamese he's also enjoying having a chat too!

We've included lots of photos as we think he's such a cute kitten! Enjoy them...especially this one where he's taking a nap!

And remember - get in touch with us if you feel you can give a cat or kitten a home, it really is So rewarding. Contact Jaki via email

URGENT APPEAL!

2009-08-02T12:52:00.007+02:00

Care4cats has come across three abandoned cats that are living in empty houses in San Antonio...obviously left behind when the tenants moved out. Now they wait for their owners to return, which sadly will probably be never.
Two of these cats are so loving that it's a tragedy to see them without a caring owner so we're desperately searching for a home on Ibiza for them. All they want is a lap to sit on and an owner to cuddle up to. Can you help them?

We call two of them Big Bertha and Princess.
Big Bertha is most definately the boss and is always first in line for snuggles and tickles. In fact she'd rather have an ear rub than food!
Princess, a beautiful long haired black and white cats, definitely likes her food, but is always there for hugs too. She was spayed in May when we discovered her and was pregnant - so thankfully we prevented kittens being born.
Bertha is older and we reckon has been spayed. She's most defintely the boss and keeps all the other 'feral' cats that visit her 'patch' in line.

The third cat is a shy and slightly nervous Siamese. He's a boy...and very sad.
He loves tuna (which Bertha has decided she doesn't like) but never pops next door to say hello to the lively twosome. He would need a very patient owner to bring him back to the loving cat he was.

If you feel you can help give one, both or all of these cats a loving home please contact Jaki who would love to introduce you to them. Or leave a note on the blog and she'll get in touch with you.

We've posted a photo here of Bertha looking very enigmatic! I think she's wondering why we're taking her photo and not tickling her ears!

Well Hello Dolly!!!

2009-08-02T11:45:00.007+02:00

BREAKING NEWS:
NOBBY IN NAME AND SEX CHANGE SCANDAL!

You'll remember our story of Nobby - the kitten found in the drain (see it earlier on in the blog) well it looks like there's been a recent shocking development!
Warren, owner of 'nobby', told us:
We took the kitten formerly known as Nobby to the vet again yesterday. The first thing we asked the vet was what sex is it? He declared the kitten is a "Senorita"
This is several weeks after he told Judy that he could tell its "a chico by its face" and pointing at its non existant male genitals after she had told him she thought it was a girl. The kitten is now called Dolly.

And here she is...looking very girly!

Preparation for the visit

2009-08-02T11:31:00.004+02:00

The week has been busy preparing for the visit to the island of Debs and Tracey who are giving up a week of their holidays to trap, neuter and return (TNR) cats in San Antonio town. Angela is also arriving to help for 5 days inbetween fund raising activites she's inolved with in the UK.

Supplies needed to be gathered so off I set to collect at least 10 transportation cages from the store-room at the Zodiac Apartments in Es Cana that Bonnie kindly allows the charity to use. As you may or may not know Ibiza was in the grip of a major heatwave...just the weather for humping heavy cages from storeroom to car! Still I lost plenty of calories..so all was well!

Next it was over to the newspaper pressing factory that allows us to take mis-printed newspapers. These are vital to put inside the cages so that the cats are comfortable and clean during their captivity. They often have to spend 24+ hours in the cage as being feral they can't be handled.

Then covers for the cages had to be sourced and organised. These covers are important as they're used to put over the cages immedietely the cats are caught in the trap. It helps to calm them down - so the cages are always kept in darkness.

Finally it was off to buy some food supplies: dried food for feeding the colonies of cats, tuna for trapping and tins of meat for the tame cats living on the street.

Tracey and Debs arrived Saturday night and we all met up on Sunday afternoon to plan our assent on San Antonio. Just with our rudimentary knowledge we reckon there are at least 10 colonies of stray/feral cats in the town...so a lot of work to do over the coming months.

Ibiza Heroes #1

2009-07-09T15:01:00.006+02:00

Care4cats has come across a number of people on Ibiza who take the considerable time and trouble to feed colonies of stray cats and offer affection to those looking for love. Without these wonderful people it would be difficult for these cats to survive, and, as it's always hard to re-home stray cats, it allows them to have a decent life in the wild.

To start us off through on our recognition of these caring people is this lovely story of how 2 holidaymakers got involved with Ibiza cats.

n.b. we haven't mentioned the location to ensure the cats are safe...but if you'd like to know more please get in touch with Jaki who will explain how you can meet everyone.

Our Furry Friends in Sta Eularia

In November 1997 we were on holiday in Santa Eulalia and came across a beautiful white cat, obviously homeless. So we went back each day to feed him and another little grey cat we came across. I'm sure you'll understand we worried about going home and how the two cats would be.
On our last day it was pouring with rain, but off we went armed with four tins of cat food.
On our arrival there was a lady completely covered in a mackintosh feeding the white cat. I said “Excuse me do you speak English” she replied “yes I do, this white cat I call Arthur is going to a home in Germany along with the other cat” She was paying for both of them to travel over. She told us her name was Michele. We gave her the cat food. It was such a relief to know they were both going to good homes
Twice every year we returned to Santa Eulalia for a holiday and to the 'spot' where we discovered even more cats had been abandoned, including two beautiful tortoiseshell kittens. They were quite happy living by the river getting regular feeds from Michele and another lady who took it in turn each day to make sure they were looked after. Sadly they were also brought more cats, one found in a dustbin, one in the boot of a car...etc
4 yrs ago we moved to Ibiza. By then Michele was leaving Ibiza so we took over feeding the cats. At one point we had 12. Sadly this year 3 of the old ones have died so we're now down to nine, all have been neutered or castrated thanks to Angela from “Care 4 Cats” who also helped Clarence with his cancer of the ears. Angela caught him and the vet who solved the problem, he is now very happy and even though he's lost the tips of his ears he looks adorable. Josephine is our eldest girl at twelve (see photo)
We also have 4 living with us from this spot. We took Lulu, a little black kitten left there, then last year a kitten in a very poor state that we didn't think would survive but he has and is now a big healthy boy, we adore him he's called Ricardo. Later last year somebody left a lovely grey she cat by the river and in December a kitten was left too. Both were so affectionate we could tell they had lived in a home. We told care4cats about them, who said to take them to be micro-chiped and have the rabies injection and they could go to Germany to be re-homed. Unfortunately the kitten was too sick to travel and we feared the other one may be infected so we kept them in our spare room for several weeks waiting to see if anyone could accompany them to Germany. As time went on, we fell in love - so here they stay.
4 days a week we go down to 'our spot' and feed our little family, the other three days another person goes. We live quite a distance from it and it takes a half hour to get there. When we do we shout a cats name and they all come running to us. In the summer we get asked a lot of questions about the cats by holidaymakers who love to watch us feed them.
“Are these cats wild?” They will be if they don’t get something to eat!
“What’s the matter with that cats ears?” Poor Clarence is so proud of his new appearance, he thinks he is so handsome, and so he is.
We never take holidays together, Michael and me. It is impossible as we have our 4 at home to look after and our 'stray' cats, who wait for us at 3’oclock each day - they are very good time keepers!
The last young cat to be left by the river, is about seven months old a little ginger girl. She has been neutered by Care 4 Cats. She is very affection and loves to sit on your knee and be tickled. In August she is going to Germany to be re-homed, she will be accompanied by the daughter of Michael who runs the Care 4 cats in Hamburg. We would love to take her home with us but our four keep us busy.
Some days especially in the full heat of summer we think what a long walk as we get so hot, but when we arrive we know it’s worth it to see them all running up to us. We spend 100 euros each month on food for them. Christmas Day they have turkey and roast beef...and No they don’t wear party hats!
So if you'd like to take a stroll and meet our furry friends get in contact.

care4cats says: There are many loving stray cats just desperate for homes...so if you can re-home one of these loving cats please get in touch or leave a comment with your email address.

A holidaymakers view

2009-07-05T11:07:00.004+02:00

I visited Ibiza in May and thought i would have a nice relaxing break in the sun. Well I was mistaken, I was overwhelmed by the suffering of many, many cats and kittens. I was unable to walk on by, like so many people do. So it started off first with a trip to the local supermarket, purchasing loads of cat food. We would go all around San Antonio feeding the numerous cats. But then came the next dilema, how could we leave the cats/kittens who were in a bad way physically. Numerous had flea allergies - missing fur, bleeding from sores. Others had the tips of their ears missing and were black at points and bleeding - showing the signs of skin cancer. Then there were the tiny kittens living on the streets, some as young as 6 weeks. As if this was not bad enough, they were not healthy bundles, they looked extremely poorly with cat flu - 2 tabbies looked like they were going to loose one or both their eyes. And the others were weak and sneezing. So that was it the holiday was over and the work started. We got some cat baskets and 2 traps, and with the help of Jaki, set about catching some of the cats and kittens.They were taken to the vets and treated and if old enough they were neutered. Some were fostered by people on the island others were returned. But at least they could not have any more babies and continue the cycle of misery.We were so overwhelmed with the misery of the cats that we have arranged to go back out with the charity in July to get more cats neutered, hopefully this will help to reduce the suffering.

note from care4cats: we try to do everything we can to care for the street cats of Ibiza...please help us continue and reach our goal of never having to say no by donating online whatever you can...thank you for your concern.
Also, if you'd like to work with our friendly dedicated team of volunteers - then get in touch. We'd love to welcome new faces!

Kitten rescued from a drain - San Jose. Ibiza

2009-07-01T11:43:00.004+02:00

We received an emergency call from some friends of ours who had discovered a kitten trapped in a drain near the post office in San Jose village. Stephen rushed round with a cat box and towel to house the little chap (who turned out to be a boy) when the kitten was successfully freed.

Thankfully Judy and Warren said they'd keep him and he is now sharing a home with their other rescue cat Sunny Jim who is getting used to having a new playmate.
A very happy ending to a story that could have easily had a sadder outcome.

After much debate about a name that suits him...he's now been christened 'Nobby' after Nobby Stiles!
He's a beautifully marked tabby with blue grey eyes...so he's definitely goning to be a looker!

If you think you can re-home a kitten or cat then do get in touch with Jaki at care4cats as we're always looking for loving homes for loving cats.

Update on June Visit to Ibiza

2009-07-01T11:38:00.002+02:00

Care 4 Cats visit Ibiza twice a year in February and November to humanely control the large numbers of cats on the streets.

In June there was an unscheduled visit by 5 Care 4 Cats team, who, ostensibly on a short holiday, decided they could not ignore a lot of female cats that would shortly be pregnant, so Sue and Dave John, and Deborah and Tracey and Angela, although not all in Ibiza at the same time, decided to do some trapping and neutering with the local Ibiza vets. It was nice to think that another 30 cats were not going to produce offspring as a result.

One sour note was that Angela, going to collect €124 from Penny in Es Cana who had held a sale for us in May, found out that a con woman had already approached Penny saying that she was from Care 4 Cats and had to collect the money raised. Penny gave it to her and that obviously paid for her groceries that week. We suspect this is at least the second time she has done it, and would like to warn people not to give money to a tall, thin, German woman, that rides a bicycle! Please give all monies for Care 4 Cats only to Angela.

To learn more of Care 4 Cats work, they now have a website http://www.care4cats.co.uk/. In about one month’s time there will be a section on it for Donations on line for anyone that would like to contribute to the work. If you’re an animal lover who cares about Ibiza’s cats you can help by becoming a member. Your annual donation will help towards neutering 1 cat – see website for details.

Donations are so important to keep this valuable work going on Ibiza – Can you help?
Do you have a business (bar, hotel, shop) or perhaps a holiday villa you rent out where you could host a care4cats collection tin? It would be a great help in raising money! Please contact Jaki on 625997009
Do you know anyone who travels to Hamburg regularly and could help by taking cats to be re-homed as part of their luggage allowance? No involvement is necessary – care4cats organise it all and the cats are met in Hamburg. If you do please contact Wendy on 971 335226
Can you help as a volunteer on care4cats next trip we need drivers, administrators etc? Or provide old towels or curtains? Just call Jaki on the number above for a chat about how you can help

Next visit is November 9th for 1 week. Calls can be made to me from Sunday 8th in Ibiza on 660 187 591. Please don’t leave a message, as Angela may not have time to call you, so please call again.

Care4cats first post

2009-06-30T13:11:00.001+02:00

This is the new blog of care4cats - a charitable organisation helping our feline friends on the Mediterranean island of Ibiza, Spain.
We hope if you find us you will follow our progress on Ibiza as we try to maintain the numbers of feral cats and if you live on Ibiza we'd love to hear your stories about any cats you may have rescued and re-homed.

So if you find us...please stay with us as this new blog updates you on the valuable work of care4cats.