Love me, love my cat...
By Jayne Warren - 01/05/2007
Most cat owners learn very quickly that they don't actually own their cat. Their cat owns THEM. But, speaking as a cat owner myself - who cares? I regard it as a great privilege that such a uniquely half wild and half domesticated animal graces my hearth. And shreds my sofas, chairs, clothes and carpets.
Not to mention bringing in scores of half eaten rodents. At least he keeps the spiders and wasps at bay - and, of course, provides hours of entertainment, affection and sheer grace and beauty.
As is obvious, I adore the little chap. But, according to a new survey by the Cats Protection, I am most certainly not alone. Cats remain firmly at the heart of the modern family, with scores of owners investing a great deal of time and effort in their relationship with their cat. It even showed that owning a cat was important enough for many people to consider changing their jobs, their houses - or even their partners.
The survey, which was commissioned as part of the Charity’s 80th Birthday celebrations, attracted over 500 responses and has the backing of Dr Scott Miller, a resident vet on ITV1’s This Morning and former vet on the Paul O’Grady Show, and Joe Inglis, the resident vet on BBC1’s Blue Peter. More than half of respondents (64%) said that they spent over six hours a day with their pet while over two thirds admitted confiding their problems in their cat. Furthermore, a massive 76% said that their cat understood their moods. (Well, they do! It's true).
In terms of the sacrifices cat owners would make to keep their pet, over half said they would give up a holiday, while a third of male owners and almost half of all female owners said they would move house. What’s more, 28% of men and 40% of women said they would even change their partner in order to keep their cat!
Leading health psychologist Dr June McNicholas, who conducted the survey, explained: “Cats love you for what you are, despite any shortcomings you may feel about yourself - that’s why people are so willing to spend time with, and make sacrifices for, their cats. Having a loving family cat is high on many people’s lifestyle choices and, in my opinion, is a choice that will ultimately help their health and happiness.”
Peter Hepburn, Chief Executive of Cats Protection said: “Cats are currently the UK’s most popular pet and the survey findings clearly demonstrate that cats are part of the family. This shows enormous progress since 1927, the year the charity was formed, when the true value of cats was hardly understood. However, the fact remains that we have over 7,000 cats in our care at any time across the UK all looking for new homes so I do hope people will consider adopting a cat.”
Catty volunteers
Cats Protection, originally founded in as the cats Protection League in1927, is entirely staffed by volunteers, and rehomes around 60,000 cats and kittens per year through their national network of 29 Adoption Centres and 261 volunteer-run Branches. Volunteer Marion Phelps joined her local Branch of Cats Protection in 1957 and has been Treasurer for an incredible 50 years.
Things were very different in those days, and the League had very few branches, so Marion’s did sterling work helping cats from many miles away. Especially at no-one at the Branch could afford a car until 1967, so they did their early rehoming work on foot, or using buses and taxis.
Sue Johns, 61, has long been a keen animal lover, and has a very specific role for the charity, looking after and feeding newborn kittens before handing them back to the Centre to be rehomed. She also personally raises £1,000 for the Centre per year - a shining example of how just spending a few hours a week filling a specific role for the charity can make a big difference.
For more information about the work of Cats Protection, please call the charity’s helpline on 08702 099 099 or email helpline@cats.org.uk, or visit the link below.