This is my article published in the Reader newspaper last Friday. It tells you a little more about our work here re-homing stray cats and kittens in Germany.
Last Saturday was a 6am start for myself, Pam and Mary. We had cats to drive to the transport to Germany, which goes from the dog protectora, and 2 of them were wild enough to take some time getting into their cat boxes. Of course having given ourselves 1 hour, it took 10 mins, but it was better to be sure as a transport missed could be a foster home in Germany or even an adoptant lost. We also took 2 beautiful tame kittens, who travelled snuggled up together, and big Chivers our character cat (pictured), whom Pam had fed on the rocks for some 3 years before AlStrays got started, to find him a new life.
Loading our cats onto a van full of some 50+ dogs is always quite emotional, particularly as we are often taking them from foster homes here, where they are happy and settled, even though we know that we cannot keep them all. It is therefore always great to hear that they have arrived safe and well after the 24 hour drive, and even better to get the first messages and photos from their new homes.
Getting them on their way is also for me a relief, as it is the culmination of weeks of organising, vet visits, food and box ordering, de-fleeing, de-worming, emails, photo taking, and of course loving foster care. Once they head to Germany AlStrays work is done and we have succeeded. It is time to handover to the great girls in Germany, who will continue the work needed to find them all adoptants, and to wait for the good news and happy photos to arrive.
Character Cat Chivers