http://www.yourcat.co.uk 51people but is good with animals. Madge
loves him but hates everyone else.”
Tracy: “Their love, compassion, empathy,
company, and the fact they choose to be
with me.”
Lara: “It’s so relaxing to have my animals
around me all the time. My cats look at
me with understanding and make me
feel better.”Q. Are there any downsides?
Rachel: “The extra time spent feeding
them and cleaning out their litter trays.”
Erica: “I always struggled remembering
which cats I’d treated for fleas,
then discovered the Pets at Home
scheme, which is by direct debit.
They automatically send you the
flea treatment every month — it’s
cheaper too.”
Tracy: “I can’t be away for more than
a couple of days; it’s not fair asking
someone else to care for that many for
too long!”Lara:“We have 16 litter trays, which
means a massive amount of time
spent cleaning.”Q. What do your friends, family,
and neighbours think about you
having so many cats?
Rachel: “Some friends call me ‘the crazy
cat lady’!”
Erica: “They think we’re mad and keep
asking: ‘You’re not going to get any
more, are you?’”
Tracy: “They think I’m crackers
— I’m known as ‘the mad cat lady’!”
Lara: “They think we’re nuts! Oneneighbour was dubious when we started
building our cattery, but has since
admitted there’s less smell and noise
than expected.”Q. Do you have any tips for
anyone who might be thinking
of adding to their feline family?
Rachel: “Don’t rush initial introductions,
and provide lots of mental and physical
stimulation. I think building a bond with
regular human company is important.”
Erica: “Have one adult at a time if you
can — it’s much harder work integrating
two, unless they are kittens. Always
negotiate with your vet and insurance
company — I get a discount with mine.”
Tracy: “Make sure, unless it’s a kitten, any
newcomer is used to other cats. Avoid
getting a solitary cat who’s only lived
on their own. Also, try to accommodate
what each cat wants — the more you
force a cat to do something, the less
likely it is to work!”
Lara: “Within large groups of cats,
there tend to be natural pairings and
groupings — encourage these by
synchronising mealtimes or allowing
certain groupings into specific areas.” —people but is good with animals Madge”It’s so relaxing to have my
animals around me all the
time. My cats look at me
with understanding and
make me feel better.”
Lara’s son
helps to integrate
new kittens.Madge is a great
help with Erica’s
autistic son.Tracy and Star.48-52 YC Multi Cat CS CC(SW).indd 51 29/09/2017 09:46