Cats Protection is a national charity whose vision is a world where every cat is treated with kindness and an understanding of its needs. From humble beginnings in 1927, Cats Protection has grown to become the UK's leading feline welfare charity. We now help more than 193,000 cats and kittens every year through our network of over 250 volunteer-run branches and 29 adoption centres In 2009 the volunteers at Cats Protection Epsom, Ewell & District branch achieved the following: • 168 cats were homed from care • another 106 cats found new homes but didn't need to come into care • veterinary treatment was provided to 108 cats • all of the cats in our care were checked over by a vet As of 31 December, we had 23 cats in care needing homes and another 11 cats on the waiting list to come into care. As you can see, with the help of the volunteer Fosterers, the vets and the people who have given our cats a new home, we have helped a lot of cats. We hope to help even more during 2010.

One of our aims this year is to open people’s eyes to the joys of adopting an older cat. Cats are living longer, but the homeless feline senior citizen is often overlooked. Improvements in cat care have greatly raised the life expectancy and quality of life for cats across the UK, including the older cats being looked after by Epsom, Ewell & District Cats Protection However, the bad news is that owners still appear to choose a cute, fluffy kitten or young cat over an older cat – and this puts a massive strain on us. Whilst ten years ago the household moggie could have been expected to live to around thirteen, today’s life expectancy is much higher, and we have seen many cats surviving to their late-teens and early-20s in remarkably good health. That said, their longer existence places our fosterers under strain because older cats can block up pen spaces for many months, which means we are unable to help other needy cats or kittens until the older ones are found new homes. It is a real shame because older cats have a lot to offer, as they tend to be lap cats and have much more settled natures – no running up the curtains, chewing shoes or drinking out of the toilet for these grown ups!. Though we do our very best to care for older cats, life in a cat pen is no substitute for a permanent home so we would urge people to consider adopting an older cat.

The oldest cat Cats Protection has ever taken in was twenty-three –year-old Thomas – he came into care at the Luton, Dunstable and District Branch. Although Thomas suffered from a little arthritis, he was in very good health generally, and we believe he had a happy ending & found a home.

If you have any queries, require further information on the joys of older cats, or feel you would love to take an older cat home, please contact Rosemary on 01737 350307, or Cats Protection Epsom on 02083 970375; or go to our website www.epsomcatsprotection.org.uk Reg Charity 203644 (England and Wales) and SC037711 (Scotland) HOME WANTED!

George & Bungle Four year old brothers who have been in care for four months. They have taken a long time to settle and are now looking for a quiet home together with an experienced cat owner who will give them the time and patience they will need to trust yet another new owner and adapt to new surroundings. Definitely no young children