<div>It's been a record year for our little cat shelter – and not in a good way. Between the cost of living crisis, the start of Kitten Season and the proliferation of Pandemic Pets being given up now offices are open again, we're absolutely overwhelmed – and we were pretty swamped before!
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<div>I started Holly's Merry Moggies out of my spare room at the beginning of the covid crisis, and it's quickly grown beyond all expectations. You no doubt know that UK animal shelters are close to breaking point, but because mine is a no-kill shelter specialising in the really difficult cases, things are especially dire.
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<div>Often, we're a cat's last hope. It's no exaggeration to say that many of the beautiful, loving, hilarious cats we've taken in would quite literally not be alive today without us. We would love to say yes to every desperate plea we receive – but the numbers keep increasing, and our bank balance does not.
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<div><strong>What we'll use your donation for</strong>
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<div>For every single cat we agree to take in, we have to find funds for food (both wet and dry, often specialised or vet-prescribed), medication, litter, regular flea and worming treatments, vaccines and boosters, toys, treats, bedding and housing – and that's before the expensive and extensive vet treatment they usually need.
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<div>We recently relocated to a much bigger home (known as 'Moggy Manor' or 'Mogwarts') which means we can help more cats – especially the ones who can't be adopted, who are given a loving home here for the rest of their days. Every cat gets a stocking at Christmas, and new arrivals are read bedtime stories to get them used to our voices. We really do do everything we can to make down-on-their-luck cats feel happy and safe.
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<div>However, our vet bills are terrifying and rapidly increasing, plus we need to do a lot of refurbishments to make the new premises suitable for the homeless cats that arrive constantly.
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<div>Some examples of how we'll use your donation:
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<li><strong>Isolation pens:</strong> At the moment, we can't say yes to cats who have contagious illnesses, because we don't have anywhere to keep them safely away from the others. We urgently need to build some isolation pens so they can recover in peace, and we can sterilise the pen afterwards for the next resident.
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<li><strong>Bertie's operations: </strong>A blind kitten found wandering alone by a river, Bertie badly needs cardiac treatment for his severe heart murmur, plus several operations to close up his empty eye sockets and fix the genetic mutations to his nose that make it hard for him to breathe.
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<li><strong>Help for ferals:</strong> Because they're in a dangerous area, we're the only rescue who agreed to help a large group of feral cats in a neighbouring county. So far, we've been able to help, heal and home over a dozen – including much-needed spay and neuter operations to reduce numbers in the colony – but there are many more waiting to come in, who'll all need medical care and patient socialisation before they can find homes.
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<div>While there are lots of amazing cat shelters in the UK, places at Holly's Merry Moggies are in extremely high demand because we specialise in difficult cases – the elderly, disabled, seriously ill or incontinent, and the wonderful wobbly cats we've become known for (like this video on the BBC, for example). As a result, cats come to us from all across the country, often because they were due to be euthanised despite having an incredible quality of life once they settle here.
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<div>Please help us continue this vital work so that the next time the phone rings with a heartbreaking story, we can step in to provide the love and safety that every cat deserves.
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<div><strong>Just a few of the cats we've helped so far:</strong>
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<div><strong>Stripes McKenzie</strong>, left at the vets by his owner after suffering multiple painful and life-threatening urinary blockages. He was terrified and thus extremely aggressive, and had days to live unless someone agreed to take him. We couriered him all the way up from London, endured the arm-shreddings whenever we fed or medicated him, and were rewarded with a healthy, purry cuddlebug who has a forever home lined up and waiting – when they've finished installing cat shelves for him!
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<div><strong>JoyJoy</strong>, a beautiful older lady who went blind because she wasn't being given essential medication by the owner who then gave her up. Thanks to an extremely kind vet and a lot of luck, we were able to get JoyJoy an operation that not only brought her sight back but also meant we could stop forcing tablets on her that, according to her face, tasted like biting a lemon.
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<div><strong>Watson and Sherlock</strong>, kittens born on New Year's Eve and orphaned less than two weeks later. We took them in, set them up in a heated blanket box and hand-fed them every two hours unti – by some miracle – we found a recently-bereaved mother cat desperate for some babies to call her own. Tabby former stray Princess happily adopted the tiny squeakers, asking no questions about how she'd apparently mothered two Russian Blues, feeding and caring for them until all three were adopted.
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<div><strong>Cici</strong> and her endless kittens. If ever there was a cat equivalent of a clown car, Cici was it. Found up a tree in Mansfield Woodhouse, she'd been living under a shed with her three tiny babies. We agreed to take them all in, not realising chunky Cici was hiding another seven kittens in her belly. After a traumatic birth that almost killed them all (and nearly wiped out our credit card in emergency vet fees), we got Cici and her many babies healthy, happy and homed. Oh, and the clown car is well and truly closed – her spay operation was a relief to Cici as much as us!
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<div>Beautiful Biscuit became homeless when his owner passed away. Here he is before and after treatment for a painful eye condition. He's just celebrated six months in his forever home.
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<div>Tiny Smorky was kicked out by a no-pets landlord, and urgently needed an operation for a large hernia on her tummy. She now lives in a beautiful part of Scotland, queen of her own home.
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<div>Rescued with his siblings from a dangerous situation, Frank was going to be put down because of Wobbly Cat Syndrome. He has a permanent place at Moggy Manor with his wobbly friends.
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<div>Cici almost died in labour with 7 kittens, and would have been raising them on the streets. She and all her babies have found wonderful homes, and she's now been spayed.
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<div>Elderly Sid was found flea-ridden on the streets after being turfed out of his home. He'd been attacked by locals and had less than 24 hours to find a place when the vet nurse called us. We found him a perfect home and are paying for his ongoing treatment.
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<div>Beautiful Bertie needs surgery to help him breathe and close up his empty eye sockets due to a very rare genetic condition.
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<div>One of our most-beloved lifelong residents, Smol Paul was unwanted because of his wobbliness and was being eaten alive by fleas when we took him in. He now spends his days plotting shenanigans and welcoming new wobblers to the fold.
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Stephanie Wilson

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