The woman who turned her a home into a hospice for terminally ill cats

By Alan Breeze - 06/11/2007

When you enter Shirley Maynard's home you immediately feel a calmness that makes you aware that this is no ordinary house. Just a few steps inside the door you can feel the peace and tranquility - interrupted only by the faint sound of snoring. The reason? Shirley`s home is a hospice for 64 terminally ill cats, many of whom have with FIV - the feline form of HIV.

Few, if any, cat sanctuaries will take on the burden of old, infirm or virus infected cats, as they are unable to meet the need for constant attention. So Shirley has turned her three bedroomed home in Derby into the St. Francis Hospice for sick cats. In every room cats snooze on sofas, windowsills, cushions, chairs - in fact just about anywhere that looks snug and cosy for a catnap. Even a bookshelf has a fully stretched cat on it, enjoying forty winks.

The whole house has been entirely taken over by cats - she and hubby Michael are mere lodgers in their own home. It all started with one elderly cat needing a kind loving home and escalated from there. Shirley's role in life is now a cat hugger, and hardly a minute goes by when she hasn't got a cat on her lap, purring away contentedly. She dismisses the fear humans can catch FIV off cats, and also kicks into touch the notion that cats with the virus die young. One of her cats Ellington has had the disease for many years and he is now 24 - which is very old even for the healthiest of cats.

As Shirley, who is 70, hugged and stroked a cat she said: "I have become a full time cat cuddler, as that`s what most of them want in their last few weeks of their lives. It broke my heart to hear some organisations were putting cats down because they had FIV. We don`t put humans down who have the virus, so why cats? I decided to turn my home over to cats with FIV and now they have taken over my life. My husband and I nurse them to make life as comfortable as possible. Some go on to live well beyond expectations. They want for nothing in their twilight years.

"So long as any troublesome health problems are dealt with immediately, cats with FIV can live a blissful happy life, regardless of the fragile virus. My home is the only one of it`s kind, and no sick or elderly cat is ever turned away. Every room has a cat snoozing in it somewhere, they have taken over the place and I wouldn't have it any other way. My life is richer for it."

Shirley`s hospice home is fast becoming the most talked about in the cat world. Dedicated cat lovers all over the UK are now singing her praises having seen for themselves how her home oozes love and feline affection.

"I don`t like the idea that old and sick cats are at the end of the line and therefore a lost cause," continued Shirley. "Their last few weeks or days should be as blissful and pain free as possible - which is our aim here at St Francis Hospice. No cat is overlooked or meow ignored. When a termally ill cat can`t be re-homed or has the FIV virus, it comes here to see out it`s life in comfort. What ever they want we will provide for them, and nothing is too much trouble.

"Sometimes the numbers go up to as many 80 cats, so finding a comfy chair to sit down on then becomes difficult but it`s their home not mine. I'm merely the cook, cleaner, nurse and chief cuddler! My life has become very fulfilled thanks to the many cats I have nursed until they pass away. I always have a tear in my eye when they go but at least I know they died happy and content.

"I long for the day there`s a FIV cure, as currently no vaccine exists. In the meantime the St Francis Hospice for Sick cats is here to give love to the terminally ill. Turning my home over to cats was like a calling and I wouldn't have it any other way. What on earth would I do all day if I didn't have 60 odd cats to hug?"

The St. Francis Hopspice for Sick Cats welcomes donations for their cats - whether financial or in the form of other, cat-friendly items, such as blankets, food, toys etc. Their address is: St Francis Hospice for Cats, 3 Sapperton Close, Littleover, Derby. Tel: 01332 272139