What we do

What we do at St Albans & District Branch



Cats Protection is the UK's leading cats' welfare charity. St Albans & District Cats Protection officially became a local branch in October 2001. In the last three years alone we homed over 350 cats and kittens.

We cover postcodes AL1 - AL5. If you live outside this area but still want to adopt we would be pleased to help you if the Cats Protection Branch in your area does not have any suitable cats for you.

We have simple and clear objectives to help cats:

  • Fostering and Homing - Caring for and finding good homes for cats in need
  • Reuniting lost cats with their owners - Always a happy outcome!
  • Neutering - Supporting and encouraging the neutering of cats
  • Information and Education - Improving and Education - Improving understanding of cats and their care


Fostering and Homing

Unwanted cats and kittens come into our care for many reasons - people move and leave their cat behind, owners die, cats are found wandering or injured, sometimes they are handed in when people just can't cope with having a pet any more.

And sometimes a cat - often a pregnant female - may simply be unwanted, and has been abandoned to fend for herself (and her kittens).

Cats are given an initial vet check and any necessary treatment. Cats then pass into the care of our fosterers - very dedicated volunteers who look after them in purpose built pens in their gardens or a spare room in their homes.

Cats are microchipped, neutered if this has not already been done, vaccinated against flu and enteritis, treated for fleas, roundworm and tapeworm, and where appropriate, blood tested for FIV and FeLV.

Fosterers are also dedicated to socialising cats that have been traumatised by their experiences. When the fosterers happy that the cat is ready for homing, details are put on the website. 

A HOME CHECK is carried out - just to make sure that the adopter understands the special responsibilities attached to homing a rescue cat - and to help them welcome the cat into the family. Providing this is successful, the cat will be delivered to the new owner by a Cats Protection volunteer. The fosterer is always sad to see the cat go - but there is always another one waiting to move in!!

Finally we look forward to receiving news of the cat in its new home - usually sunbathing in the garden, or asleep on a white duvet!




THIS IS WHAT MAKES IT ALL WORTHWHILE FOR US AT CATS PROTECTION!


Reuniting lost cats with their owners

Every year we help reunite lost cats with their owners across the region. Many members of the public help us with lost and found cats and we are very grateful for their understanding and help. It is always a joyous moment for us when we can trace an owner.

Neutering

As a branch we are committed to helping those on low incomes to neuter their cats. One unneutered female can be responsible for 20,000 descendants in just 5 years. It isn't the right thing to do to let a female have one litter - if everyone did this, the problem of unwanted cats just goes on and on. All you have to do is contact us at neutering@stalbans.cats.org.uk to discuss how we can help you to have your cat neutered at either a reduced cost or free of charge.

Information and Education

We can offer you an array of cat care information via our publications, website and Helpline. We have leaflets ranging for 'Allergies' to 'Welcoming your new cat home' via 'Fleas and Parasites' and 'Moving Home'. These all contain really useful information on cat care, and are available via a call to our Helpline (0345 371 2064), or by visiting one of our events and having a chat.

PLEASE REMEMBER:

We are ENTIRELY a VOLUNTEER organisation. We have no government or lottery funding and none of our local volunteers, committee members, officers or fosters receives a salary from Cats Protection. We rely solely on goodwill and donations from local people who support our cause. We welcome new volunteers, especially those who are interested in:
  • taking on Committee roles within the branch
  • volunteering to help us with fundraising
  • in special circumstances we also need people who could foster a homeless cat in their own home for a short time.
Volunteering at St Albans and District Cats Protection Branch is very worthwhile and rewarding. Please join us!