The number of cats needing homes changes daily. We take in stray and abandoned cats, and keep them with us for a minimum of ten days before rehoming (two weeks for strays). During this time the cats are treated for fleas and worms, are neutered if over six months old and not already neutered, micro chip all our cats and kittens and they are tested for Felv and FIV and vaccinated against cat flu, Chlamydia, enteritis and feline leukaemia. It is the new owner's responsibility to ensure that the cat receives it's booster vaccinations yearly, and that kittens are neutered when they reach six months old. Viewing the cats and kittens we have is strictly by appiontment only.

The essentials you will need when adopting a cat are:

• Litter tray
  
• Food bowl & water bowl
  
• Cat bed
  
• Hard bodied cat carrier (not cardboard)
  
• Scratching post (optional - if you value your furniture)
  
• Cat flap (optional - but does give your cat more freedom)

You can buy all these items and much more at the Southport & District Cats Protection Branch.

Concerns about injuries to cats caused by ill-fitting collars has prompted Cats Protection to remind cat owners about their potential dangers.Staff and volunteers at the charity's Branches and Shelters regularly see cats suffering from appalling injuries to their front paws and underneath their front legs - and even to their lower jaw - as a result of getting trapped by a collar. Worse still, treatment for collar injuries can involve repeated surgery which is very traumatic for a cat.Whilst Cats Protection does not support the tying of fixed devices round a cat's neck, it nevertheless recognises that some cat owners do put collars on their pets. In order to minimise risk of injury, the charity suggests the following:

• Choose a "quick release" collar in preference to other types. However, bear in mind that "quick release" collars do not always live up to their name.
  
• Check cat's collar regularly for fit. Ideally, you should be able to get two fingers underneath the collar.
  
• If the collar is too loose, the cat is in increased danger of getting ensnared on a branch or other object - or even through grooming itself.
  
• If the collar is too tight, the cat may try to get it off and also risks strangulation. Additionally, tight collars can rub away fur from around the neck, causing collar burns and a bald ring.
  
• Cats can grow and put on weight. Collars fitted on kittens can quickly become too tight as the animal grows. Weight gain on an adult cat can also cause a collar to get too tight.
  
• Cats can also damage themselves on collar bells and discs. If a bell is worn for wildlife protection purposes, the tinkle needs to be quite loud to be effective. Trapped claws can be avoided by using a bell which is tapered with a large groove.
  
• A cat can develop an allergic reaction to collar material. Should a cat start to scratch or show any signs of skin irritation after a new collar is fitted, it should be removed immediately. Veterinary treatment may be required.
  
• Remove collar when the cat is indoors to allow fur to grow and skin to air.
  
• Flea collars can vary in their effectiveness to control fleas, depending on the active ingredients used. There are now a variety of flea treatments available including spot on liquids, injections and liquids which can be added to food. Additional flea control treatments should not be given when a flea collar is worn as this can result in illness.

Owners should also re-consider their reasons for fitting their cat with a collar to see if it is really necessary. For example, a trendy collar is a pointless fashion accessory that serves a cat no purpose.

If a cat owner wants to provide their pet with identification, microchipping your cat is the only safe and permanent method of identifying a cat, and this procedure is done to all our cats before they are re-homed. Fears about the cat's visibility particularly around traffic, can be partially allayed by keeping felines in during hours of darkness. If, however, the plan is to protect wildlife, then keeping the cat in at night and in the early morning can help reduce cat predation.

Anyone concerned about cat collar injuries, should consult their local vet.

CATS

When introducing a cat into your home, for the first few days keep you cat confined to one area with doors and windows closed until he/she is settled. Have a litter tray ready in a private corner before you even let he/she out of the carrier. Keep the bed and feeding bowls away from draughts. Close bedroom doors because a timid cat will want to hide; under a bed or behind a kitchen unit are likely hiding places. After a few days they may then be allowed to explore the rest of the house. Cats must be kept in for at least 2 weeks before you begin to introduce them outside.

To introduce your cat to the garden, do not feed them the morning you are going to begin, this is just a safe guard so they will not venture far, becuase they are hungry. Always introduce them through the back door, leave the door open and go into the garden with them. Do not carry the cat outdoors in your arms; try a harness instead. You can prepared the garden with yesterdays soiled litter, scattered around your boarders, so there is some of the cats scent. Continue to do this procedure for about a week, or until you are comfortable that the cat is confident with its surroundings outside.

One of our stipulations is that all cats must be kept in at night. We make this requirement for a very important reason, to try and eleviate the problem of cats been knocked down by speeding traffic, and cats going missing at night.

All our cats and kittens are fed on Franks Pro Gold cat food, and its an excellent food source. Your cat should be fed twice a day, and you must always have water available for your cat. Some cats enjoy milk but some lose the ability to digest it properly after weaning, causing diarrhoea, and so it should be avoided. If you want to give your cat a treat there are plenty of cat milks on the market. Do not clean their bowls out with detergents, cats have a keen sense of smell, and a detergent may well put them off eating out of their bowls.

KITTENS

On arrival, show the kitten its litter tray and bed, and DO NOT leave the kitten on its own. Offer him a little food, kittens should be fed four times a day, and water must always be available. Kittens will not over feed, so if the kitten cries and looks for more, let the kitten have a little more. Do not let the family pull the kitten about, it is a living creature and its just left its mother, brothers and sisters. In the kittens bed leave a cuddly toy for it to snuggle up to at night, and make sure the kitten is always warm. DO NOT try to play with a kitten when asleep.

It is important that your kitten is vaccinated against cat flu, feline enteritis and feline leukaemia. These can be given at 9 and 12 weeks old, and kittens must stay inside until all injections are completed. Kittens must also be kept a close eye on until the are neutered at 6 months old. NEVER leave a dog and a kitten alone together.

INTRODUCING OTHER PETS

If you have another pet, give them time to get used to each other. It may not be love at first sight, but normally pets find their own level. Make the introduction gradual. Let each pet get a view or scent of the other without any actual confrontation; feeding time when thier minds are on food; feed well apart. If in the same room, make sure there are places to hide, so that eye to eye contact is avoided. NEVER lavish too much attention on the newcomer.

MISSING/LOST CATS

Many of us have suffered those days of anxiety and frantic searching when a pet goes missing, and that awful feeling when absolutely no trace of them can be found even weeks later. It is such a relief when they walk back in the door or someone finds them for us. This is why we are asking you for any help with sightings of cats which have appeared in the area which don't appear to belong to anyone. We might just be able to match them up with a distraught owner. BUT if you find a cat, make sure that it is a stray, and unless it is obviously starving (i.e. very skinny), don't feed it the first time you see it. It may have a home to go back to, and you don't want to tempt a scrounging cat away from a perfectly good home. Talk to neighbours, children and local trades people about the cat. Notify us and be ready to give as full a description as possible. Don't forget to ring back if the cat is reunited with its owner.

If your cat goes missing, tell as many people as possible as soon as possible. Talk to local shop keepers, the postman, the milkman, the window cleaner - anyone who talks to a lot of different people. Let the local children know that you are looking for your cat. Offer a small reward. Make up leaflets with your cat's details, and the date that she went missing, and post them through neighbours' letter boxes - ask them to check sheds, garages and other outhouses. Also ask anyone who has had recent building work done to make sure the cat hasn't been trapped under floorboards etc! Put up posters in shops, and advertise in the local papers and on local radio. Radio Lancashire's Action Line is very good for this. Tell US! Ring our branch 01704 823293 - but please don't ring us on the first night that your cat is missing - most cats come back within 24 hours, and nothing will be gained by notifying us immediately - it would be extremely unlikely that anyone would have reported it as found in such a short period of time. Notify all the vets in your town AND in surrounding areas - people in cars who see a wounded cat are more likely to take it to their own vet than to the nearest one. If you find your cat, please remember to let us know, phone us on 01704 823293.