Around 20 years ago,our club,which is a GCCF breed club,decided we would venture into rescue and rehoming our own breed (Persians) on a very small scale,as well as our other Cat Fancy activities. We were fortunate to be given a very generous donation by our Club President and purchased a purpose-built house and run which was erected in the garden of one of our committee members,who does show her cats but doesn’t breed,and she took on the role of Welfare Officer. The new cabin was quickly needed when an elderly Chinchilla Persian arrived.Very quickly,a new home was found for her in Torquay with a lovely older lady who already had a Cream Persian and the adoption was a great success. Shortly afterwards,one of our committee members died very suddenly and unexpectedly.Her cats were rehomed with friends or went back to their original breeders.She had a beautiful,newly erected cattery and her husband offered it to our society to be used for our rescue and rehoming work.Our Welfare Officer’s husband and my partner duly went and dismantled the cattery and transported it to Wiltshire, where it was re-erected and quickly put to use. As a committee,we envisaged rehoming just a few Persians but,of course, some came in with companion cats of another breed or a non-pedigree, but all were welcomed.The reasons for cats arriving are many and various,but are mainly due to people having to give up their cat because of a job move, relationship breakdown,new baby arriving,or just an inability to cope with a behavioural problem,which then has to be resolved by our Welfare Officer.The services of a helpful veterinary practice are essential and we are very fortunate that our local practice is first class in this respect. This summer has proved particularly challenging for our Welfare Officer,with a request to take nine cats belonging to an elderly retired breeder who was terminally ill.This wasn’t straightforward as the cats needed veterinary attention and nine cats at once meant a huge amount of work and expense. Fortunately,our rescue network has grown and a foster carer took four of the cats.There followed “This summer has proved particularly challenging...” Rosemary Fisher entered the cat fancy in 1974 when she purchased her first pedigree cat — a Chinchilla called Brylou Moonstone. She breeds Persians and Exotics, and judges in several sections. She is currently a GCCF Board member and also serves on the genetics committee. Taking care of their breed Rosemary explains how breed clubs will often set up rescue services for their pedigrees. 51 www.yourcat.co.uk diary weeks of veterinary visits and some difficult and distressing decisions for cats too unwell to be helped. Most of the cats have now been found good homes. Then a request came from a rescue in Spain for us to take a Persian cat that was originally in a killing shelter.The Spanish rescue had spent months treating him for a skin and eye problem,eventually rehabilitating him and wanted him to come to the UK and a specialist Persian rescue.Tao duly arrived by courier and has settled in well,being a delightful and friendly boy,now looking for his forever home. Just as things looked to be settling down,a close personal friend of our Welfare Officer suddenly died. She had five cats,all non-pedigree,three of which had been feral farm cats.So,another mercy mission needed to be undertaken,trapping the cats who were bewildered by the sudden change in their routine and loss of their mistress. Fortunately,these cats were taken in by a small local rescue — Cats in Distress,a wonderful rescue,rehabilitation,and rehoming centre in Frome,Somerset,that also helps to find working homes for feral cats. Our rescue is now well known and respected in the Cat Fancy as a specialist Persian rescue.Many of GCCF’s breed clubs take on this role,having the expert knowledge to assess the particular needs of their breed with regard to temperament,health,and maintenance. There are many wonderful large rescue and rehoming charities doing amazing work to protect and rescue cats,but if you would like to adopt a particular breed of cat,please consider contacting one of the GCCF breed clubs.
1,000 cats rescued! One rescue has hit a huge milestone! Above: Lexi went through a long process of rehabilitation. Cheshire Despite all the cats they have helped since they set up, Liz said:“It is so easy to look at the what ifs.You remember the cats who you have not been able to help and that takes its emotional toll,but Linda and I try to focus on the lives we have been able to help. Time and a lot of patience is paramount in rescue.” SAVING LEXI Lexi was a five-month-old feral kitten who was eventually trapped and came to the rescue to be neutered. Despite only being a baby herself, she was found to be in the early stages of pregnancy and the decision was made to neuter her. During the anaesthetic, Lexi’s heart stopped but the veterinary staff at Hanson’s vets brought her back to life. It soon became clear there was a problem with her sight which can happen when a cat crashes during Sonja K Steiner wrote for Cat World magazine for over eight years. She’s worked in veterinary practice and previously volunteered at her local rescue. Her cats Willow and Fifi are the Brand Ambassadors for Natures Menu and Natures Variety cat food. Cheshire Cats Rescue,a not-for-profit registered charity, was set up in January 2020 by experienced cat rescuers Liz Wingert and Linda Ortyl.The original plan was to gently ease into the world of rescue, but the cats had other ideas! As Covid-19 progressed,they received a lot of calls from workers on industrial estates who would usually look after the resident feral cats but with factories shutting,they turned to the rescue for help. The rescue has 20 foster carers who work incredibly hard to integrate the cats into family life and help with their social skills so they can go on to find their perfect home. In October,the rescue reached a milestone — they have successfully rehomed 1,000 cats and kittens,a huge achievement for a small rescue who were only set up less than three years ago! Your Cat January 2023 52 “We at the rescue are not here to judge...”
surgery.While she was not blind, she was found to be visionally impaired.As a feral, Lexi could not be put back as she would not survive.The choice was to either put her to sleep or to spend time with her in the hope she could be socialised. Poor Lexi was frightened of humans. She didn't want to be touched and the fact she was visually impaired only added to her anxiety. Liz started the rehabilitation process and the breakthrough came thanks to a feather duster. She enjoyed being touched with it and as time progressed, she eventually started to be able to stroke her.To introduce her more into family life, Linda took over the second stage of the rehabilitation. It took nearly four months and Lexi went to her new home in the summer. MORE CALLS With many families facing difficult financial decisions, the rescue is experiencing a higher number of requests to take in cats. Liz said:“I see a lot of posts on social media where people ask for advice and yet they are judged.We at the rescue are not here to judge — we realise that people are struggling and are often very proud,and do not want to ask for help,but we will help if we can,with no judgement. Kindness and compassion can go a long way.” A few weeks ago,a lady posted about her cat, Miley,and her skin condition.As with many aspects of social media,people were very quick to judge without knowing the lady’s circumstances, so Liz reached out asking if the owner would like to contact her by private message to see what the rescue could do to help. Liz said:“It emerged that Miley had feline allergic dermatitis (FAD) and while she had been receiving veterinary treatment previously,there was a period of time when the owner could not afford vet fees and before she knew it,Miley’s skin had deteriorated.Her owner became overwhelmed with the situation — there was no malice or neglect involved.We took Miley to our vet’s and treatment began and before long the FAD was under control and she was feeling much better. She now receives regular treatment through our vet but Miley’s owner pays for the treatment. I am so pleased the owner reached out to us and we were able to help.” Above: Lexi is now happy as the rescue didn’t give up on her. For more information,please visit their website www.cheshirecats rescue.co.uk or their social media page ‘Cheshire Cats Rescue.’ 247* .3+4 GET IN TOUCH If you’re involved with rescuing cats then we want to hear from you! Share your stories with us and we will publish them on these pages. Email [email protected] with the subject‘Cat Rescue.’ Q “Kindness and compassion can go a long way. ” 53 www.yourcat.co.uk Sonja All the rescues who have appeared in these pages are all not-for-profit rescues or registered charities run entirely by volunteers. For many, this year has been their most challenging yet. They have seen unprecedented numbers of cats and kittens coming into rescue,putting their already stretched services to breaking point. Sadly,the number of felines who have suffered abuse and neglect is also on the increase.The cost of veterinary fees is also rising.Typically, emergencies tend to happen during out of hours when the fees are much higher,putting more strain on precious finances but, somehow,they do it. I am in awe of their compassion and dedication to helping cats in need,irrespective of the cost involved,and nursing them back to health and finding them their forever homes. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the readers for supporting these rescues. Readers like Margaret Cameron who sent Your Cat Good Causes some beautiful hand knitted blankets. For someone to take the time to do this is just amazing and very humbling.People may think ‘I can only afford to donate a £1’but if a few hundred people did this,it really can make a difference to these small rescues while they try to navigate through some very difficult times. It is supporters like yourselves who can make all the difference so thank you for your continued support. Thank you from Sonja
SHORT STORY And the winner is…” The judge paused,like a reality TV show host,and Amy dreaded his next words.“…Maximus,” the judge beamed,and the crowd cheered and applauded. Amy saw the smug smile on Charles Coleridge’s face as he picked up his prize-winning cat and trophy.It was the third year in a row Maximus,the Persian,had won the title at the town cat show.Amy knew she shouldn’t take it so seriously. Little Sudbury was hardly on the prestigious national circuit. And the cat competition only offered a tiny trophy with a mention in the local Gazette,but Amy was desperate to win. She picked up her tabby,Mr Tibbs. “Why can’t they see how beautiful you are?” she asked,even though the cat didn’t look particularly concerned about not winning.And then the dreadful Charles Coleridge was in front of her with Every cat has its day in this short story by Tony Domaille. that irritating smile. “Bad luck,Amy,”he said.“Maximus victorious again.I imagine you must wonder if it’s worth entering your…er, what’s your moggy called?” “Mr Tibbs,” said Amy. Coleridge shrugged.“We can’t all have a Maximus,can we?”and then he was off to bask in the glory of his win. Amy suspected the judging panel of bias toward the more exotic breeds.Yes,Maximus was a goodlooking cat,but was he better trained,groomed, or turned out than Mr Tibbs? And what about the others? There had been a black cat that stood so still it looked like a shining statue,and a ginger cat that would do tricks on command.What was it that the judges saw in Maximus three years running? It was almost too much and Amy hated that Charles Coleridge was unbearably smug.It would Your Cat January 2023 54 SHORT STORY 9KH SUL]H “
ʼn2U 9LEEV MRLQHG KHU DW KHU KHHOV DV VKH HQWHUHG WKH HQHP\ Ň V WHUULWRU\Ŋ 55 www.yourcat.co.uk Q be bad enough if she only had to see him once a year,but sadly,he lived opposite her on Merrymead Drive.There was no escaping him or his gloating. Amy picked her way through a crowd that had almost immediately lost interest in the cat show and shifted their attention to the prize marrow competition. “Never mind,Mr Tibbs,” she said.“Once the Gazette has been out, we can forget all about this stupid competition…well,at least for another year.” The next day,Amy was sure Charles was deliberately waiting at his window to wave his trophy as she left for work.Then he flung open the window and yelled:“If you’ve got it,flaunt it,don’t you think?” She drove off with his words ringing in her ears and the feeling that his gloating might have stepped up a notch from the last two years.And she was right. When she parked on her drive that evening,there was Charles again at his window, waving to her.But this time it wasn’t a wave of look at me,but one that was calling her over.Amy sighed. She couldn’t just ignore him so she trudged across the road.Mr Tibbs joined her at her heels as she entered the enemy’s territory,and she was glad of the moral support. “I thought you’d like to see,” yelled Charles through his closed lounge window.“I’ve put up a trophy shelf for all the prizes Maximus has won.” Charles beckoned her to the glass.Then he stepped away from the window,crossed his lounge,and climbed a stepladder to place this year’s trophy next to the others on a new high shelf. “To the victor the spoils,Amy,”he called,but then he fell.He didn’t have time to cry out or break his fall. One moment he was at the top of his step ladder and the next he was a crumpled heap on the floor.Amy let out a shriek of alarm. Charles wasn’t moving. She banged on his window. “Charles! Charles,are you OK?”There was no answer. She grabbed her mobile from her pocket and dialled 999,but the call handler wanted to know if Charles was breathing and Amy couldn’t get to him. “Hurry,please,” she said and then,“Not now,Mr Tibbs,”as her cat suddenly jumped up on to the windowsill and then her shoulder.Then,before she knew it,Mr Tibbs jumped from her shoulder and through the little transom that was open above the main closed window. “Mr Tibbs, what are you doing?” she called. She watched in amazement as her cat deftly stood up on his hind legs on the other side of the glass and used his paws to open the main window catch.Amy pulled the window open and then climbed quickly inside. She thanked heaven she’d had first aid training at work. Charles was out for the count,but she moved him into the recovery position and waited for the ambulance to arrive. In a blur,the paramedics were there and racing Charles off to hospital.When it was over,Amy found herself and Mr Tibbs standing in Charles’garden again. “Mrs Coleridge?”A voice broke Amy’s trance and there was a man with a notebook and camera in hand at the gate. “Goodness,no,” she said.“I’m Mr Coleridge’s neighbour.He’s just been taken into hospital.”The man’s notebook was open in a flash.“Really? I’m Jamie Cooper from the Gazette.I came to do a piece on the cat show win,but what’s happened?” OOOOO When Charles Coleridge came out of hospital, Amy was glad he was well,but sure he wouldn’t be happy with what he saw in the Gazette.Instead of a column and photo about Maximus the prize-winning show cat,the paper had run a different story:‘Hero cat saves the day’the headline read,and there was a picture of Amy and Mr Tibbs. There was no doubt about it,the trophy Amy was holding in the photo in the newspaper was easily twice the size of the Little Sudbury Cat Show prize. “Gazette Pet of the Year,” she said proudly,picking up Mr Tibbs and giving him a hug.“I always knew you were a winner.”
PAWTRAITS Your kitties are the stars in our gallery! 1: Tipsy, from Morecambe, Lancashire. 2: Sooty, from Reading, Berkshire. 3: Patch, from Peebles, Scottish Borders. 4: Tracer, from Calne, Wiltshire. 5: Pumpkin, from Bromsgrove, Worcestershire. s 1 2 3 5 00STAR PIC00 Your Cat January 2023 56 4
6: Stan, from Lincoln, Lincolnshire. 7: Charlie, from Reading, Berkshire. 8: Tabby, from Chester, Cheshire. 9: Albert, from Loughton, Essex. Q Tipsy wins an Ancol Premo XL Activity Centre, while the others receive an assortment of cat toys, including a Jittery Mouse, courtesy of Ancol Pet Products. For more information, call 01922 402428. (UK only) SEE YOUR CAT HERE! Email a clear (non-blurry) image of usable size (around 300dpi and 1MB) to [email protected] Please include your full name, address, and phone number,as well as your cat’s name. www.facebook.com/yourcatmagazine @yourcatmagazine [email protected] 7 8 9 6 57 www.yourcat.co.uk
Spot the difference Association words Your Cat January 2023 58 In this puzzle, each clue can be solved by finding the word that can come either before or after both of the words in the clue. Can you spot the five differences between these two pics? ACROSS 1 Broom; with care (7) 5 Flowering; layer (5) 8 Driving; to kill (7) 9 Silent; star (5) 10 Solitary; number (3) 11 Long; dirty (8) 14 Bare; screw (6) 15 Time; zone (6) 18 Organization; bird (8) 20 Holy; pat (3) 23 Eider; North and South (5) 25 We've all come to look for; The Beautiful (7) 26 Tree; synthetic (5) 27 Country; general (7) DOWN 1 Golden; goodbye (5) 2 Physics; family (7) 3 Green; grab (4) 4 Attention; pleasure (6) 5 Dim; total (3) 6 Haired; Claw (5) 7 Virgin; Brian (7) 12 Gordian; slip (4) 13 Cod; doctor (4) 14 Bird; bolt (7) 16 Written; itemized (7) 17 Pension; grand (3,3) 19 Lawn; goldfish (5) 21 Tortilla; keep under (5) 22 Man; foot forward (4) 24 Mortal; city (3) PUZZLES Your Cat s ? ? Maze Kitty needs to make it through the maze,can you find the way?
Sudoku Crossword Clue search Q 59 www.yourcat.co.uk GET IN TOUCH... We’ve refreshed our puzzle pages! There are new games for you to enjoy and we’ve decided to not make them all cat themed. So,the puzzles are now general knowledge but will be just as much fun! Let us know what you think to our new section! The solutions to the 12 clues below are already in the grid, either written upwards or backwards.All you have to do is identify them by ringing them as in a normal Wordsearch. ACROSS 7 Saffron-flavoured dish made of rice with shellfish and chicken (6) 8 Convolution; maelstrom (6) 9 Beautiful but malevolent Persian sprite (4) 10 Person who eats all kinds of food (8) 11 Annoyance or embarrassment (7) 13 Attack: beginning (5) 15 Old World heath vegetation: sweeper (5) 16 Amid; among (7) 18 In a row with the extremity of one object touching that of another (3-2-3) 19 Not to be trusted; smarmy (4) 21 Sang with closed lips (6) 22 Lancashire town named after a pub – itself named after a war hero (6) DOWN 1 Move quietly: leisure (4) 2 Be patient; eventually (3,2,4,4) 3 Viscous animal oil extracted from wool (7) 4 Sir Arthur -----, pioneering archaeologist (5) 5 Aldous Huxley’s vision of a future dystopian society (1932) (5,3,5) 6 Let off; stay of execution (8) 12 Spout; perorate (8) 14 Covers; sheets and blankets (7) 17 Shabby; squalid (5) 20 Vision; appearance (4) CLUES (BACK, NOT IN ANY ORDER) Deliverance Having had something taken away Make a mistake Cereal Billy Joel hit (two words) Carry in the womb CLUES (UP, NOT IN ANY ORDER) Unfeeling Capital of Latvia Waterway Brazen Headland Be anxious Y R E T A T S E G O Z R O S U X U S S R R E O G A S E M E E O B E T O G I L A L K Y L L N O I T A V L A S O U O V R T N A U R S U Q M E N N A M O N A I P O U T N C A S I S S A R R E A R Z U N T E R P A R M O I L N A X O O T F E R E B U K U T
Please support the Lord Whisky Sanctuary Fund Park House Stelling Minnis Nr Canterbury.CT4 6AN Registered Charity 238483 www.lordwhisky.co.uk/donate Please give generously for the care of our cats at the sanctuary No Animal accepted is ever destroyed. W RESCUE CENTRES NORWEGIAN FOREST CAT CLUB www.nfcc.co.uk Hon Sec and Welfare: 07966 138519 Kitten List and Breeders List: 07464 854004 [email protected] THE MAINE COON CAT CLUB GCCF AFFILIATED, ESTABLISHED 1985 For general information about the breed or the club, contact Linda Swinburn on 0161 7662674 or email [email protected] For details of our current breeder members please visit the club’s website at www.maine-coon-cat-club.com _%,," " Norwegian Forest Siamese UKRMCS Founded 2008,Member of the GCCF. For information regarding Authentic RagaMuffins from the only RagaMuffin Breed club in the UK. Phone 01737 485755 www.ukrmcs.co.uk Q OLD-STYLE SIAMESE CLUB Catering for anyone who loves the old style Siamese. Contact Secretary: Jenny Thomas: 01692 405088 Membership Secretary: Frances Benedito: 0208 5407132 Kitten and Stud List: Jenny Thomas 01904 761894 www.oldstylesiamese.co.uk Q Ragamuffin "' $"-- ' British Shorthair See JACOU Burmese Bengal JACOU BURMESE KITTENS All kittens sometimes available and are brought-up indoors in loving family surroundings. Kittens are H.K. negative.Tel June 0161 980 2383 (Cheshire/ Manchester) Email:[email protected] Q Burmese GCCF Registered kittens from show winning lines (Bucks) 01753 675066 www.pennypurr.co.uk Q British Shorthairs AMORAMIST MAINE COONS, Breeding large boned kittens in many colours. Silver tabby,with or without white,other tabbies,plus self’s in most colours also white self’s from ImpUKGrCh. Blue Smoke Champion boy at stud. Brought up with dogs in house and under foot,much loved. Registered, microchipped, insured, fully vaccinated,wormed, flea treated. All enquiries welcome.T: Mareen 01326 240907 (SW Cornwall) E: mareenholdenritchie@yahoo. co.uk www.amoramist.com Q Your Cat Puzzles Maine Coon Answers Maine Coon WRITERS ONLINE Find out more at www.writers-online.co.uk/ writing-courses or call us today on 01778 392492 Work alongside a professional writer to take your short story to the next level Brought to you by the publishers of the UK’s bestselling magazine for writers Short Story Writing writing course 8 assignment course www.writers-online.co.uk/writing-courses Short S ot ry Writ ni g LAST CHANCE ANIMAL RESCUE Kent, Surrey & Sussex Area Permanently looking for loving homes for cats. We operate a non destruct policy. Open to the public every day 10am-3pm except Tuesdays www.lastchanceanimalrescue.co.uk Tel: 01732 865530 / 01797 366620 Sudoku Crossword Spot the difference Association words Clue search Maze Y E T A T S E G R S O G A S E T G L L Y N O I T A V L A S O R N U S M N A M O N A I P O T C S S R R E P R T F E R E B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 H N S A A D L Across: 7 Paella,8 Vortex,9 Peri,10 Omnivore,11 Chagrin, 13 Onset,15 Broom,16 Between,18 End-to-end,19 Oily,21 Hummed,22 Nelson. Down: 1 Ease,2 All in good time,3 Lanolin,4 Evans,5 Brave New World,6 Reprieve,12 Harangue,14 Bedding,17 Seedy, 20 Look. ? S H S H R U B L I E N C M O V I E O N W E E K E N D S T H R E A D T O R R I D U M B R E L L A C O W D O W N S A M E R I C A R E S I N T E T A T E S E L U A A E R U A E L S E T N H P N E E E P O D G B S R L P O E C E E S L D K C I
When a badly injured cat was rushed to the vet’s, the team had to fight to save her life. few days were critical,but each day she went from strength to strength.Dotty attended regular post op checks at the practice but was not best pleased with her‘cone of shame.’As an alternative, she was fitted with a medical pet shirt instead.With some creativity from her owners,modifying it to cover the wound from the missing leg, she was much more comfortable in the outfit and looked very cute! It is very important after surgery to prevent cats from licking any surgical wounds.This minimises the risk of post surgical infection and wound breakdown. Ten days after surgery, she came back to the practice to have her sutures removed.The wound healed well and Dotty was adjusting to life as a three-legged cat! In the future,her owners plan to let her outside again.Hopefully,this time she will avoid getting into too much trouble! We were thrilled that she recovered so well,and it was a day we won’t forget! Column 61 www.yourcat.co.uk VET NURSE DIARY Above: Dotty didn’t like the cone!. Right: Back with the family. )LDU\ RI D FDWPDG YHW QXUVH E arly one Tuesday morning when the Belvoir Vets staff got to the practice,we were greeted by some local builders who were cradling a very poorly female cat in need of attention. When the builders arrived at work that morning, they found a little black and white cat stuck under a large slab of concrete.The poor cat’s leg was trapped under the slab,which was so heavy it required mechanical equipment to lift the slab off.As soon as the slab was lifted,the cat was released and they rushed straight to Belvoir Vets. It was immediately apparent that the cat had an open fracture on her left hind leg and the smell was putrid.The broken bone had perforated through the skin and the surrounding tissue on the leg was necrotic.The best chance of survival was for her leg to be amputated.Having been trapped for some time beneath the concrete, she was extremely dehydrated with a very high temperature.This put her at high risk of sepsis and shock.She was given emergency treatment with antibiotics,pain relief, and intravenous fluid therapy.The cat was wearing a collar but was not microchipped so there was no way to contact her owner.While the vets and nurses administered emergency first aid,our receptionist posted on social media with the hope of finding her family. A few hours later,we received a phone call.The cat’s owners had seen the post online and called us immediately.She had been missing for two days and the family was worried sick! Her name was Dotty. With an owner found,once she was stable enough to undergo the anaesthetic, she was prepared for surgery. Though the leg was removed,Dotty was not out of the woods yet. For the rest of the day, she remained at the practice on fluid therapy and was monitored closely for any deterioration. Recovering well over the day, she went home that evening to recuperate with her family.The next ʼn<H ZHUH WKULOOHG VKH UHFRYHUHG VR ZHOO Ŋ Lucy Briggs is a registered veterinary nurse (RVN) at Belvoir Vets in Grantham, Lincolnshire, a gold standard cat-friendly clinic.
Most of us will have seen the panto,but there is a statue in tribute to one of the most famous felines in folklore. Top: The Whittington Stone.* There are many productions of ‘Dick Whittington and his cat’that you can see this panto season. ).) >4: 034<$ THE WHITTINGTON STONE One of the most popular productions every panto season is undoubtedly ‘Dick Whittington.’ Captured in ballads and prose reaching back to the 15th century,the enduring tale has become part of English folklore and even has slightly different versions. The rags to riches story tells of Dick Whittington,a poor orphan who heads to London to seek his fortune,which he has heard is a city paved with gold.He is met with disappointment to find a lack of opportunities and just dirty streets. Dick ends up working in the kitchen of a wealthy merchant and uses what little money he has to buy a cat. When the wealthy merchant forces Dick to give up his cat,he gets fed up with life in London and goes to flee.However,when he hears the bells they seem to tell him to turn round and prophesise he will go on to become the Mayor of London.He returns and his cat (to not spoil the whole story for those who are lucky enough to be able to hear it for the first time) has changed his life — the poor boy becomes wealthy and does become the Mayor, just as the bells predicted. Fitting for a feline character who is at the heart of one of the legends of English folklore, Dick Whittington and his cat are commemorated in a statue.The Whittington Stone sits on Highgate Hill and atop of the stone is a statue of the cat.The landmark is on the spot Dick is said to have reached when he heard the bells that told him to turn round.The stone itself is much older with the cat being added in 1964,and the whole monument is protected by fencing. Aficionados of the story will know that Richard Whittington was a real merchant and politician of the 15th century who generously donated to many causes and projects that now bear his name. It is believed that the story of ‘Dick Whittington and his cat’ is loosely “The Whittington Stone sits on Highgate Hill...” Your Cat January 2023 62 based on the real life Richard,but there is no evidence that he was a cat lover or that the folklore version is true. While many people will continue to be delighted by stories and performances of ‘Dick Whittington and his cat,’the statue is another small piece of feline history which sits in the capital.The narrative may not reflect modern day cat ownership per se,but the theme of felines being companions who can change our lives very much rings true with cat lovers everywhere.
Topopening| Deepplastictray|Lockingrod |Chunkygrip handle Covers to helpkeepyour catcalm| Availablein 3 sizesand 5 colours Find outmore 01582 655 600 | [email protected] www.mdcexports.co.uk Carriersand Covers Thetopchoiceofvets, welfareand rescue Carrier featured: A236-350
Give your Kings and Queens the royal treatment and follow us Felight is a Registered Trademark of Martin & Martin Holdings @FELIGHTUK PREVENTS ODOURS FOR UP TO 10 DAYS* ANTIBACTERIAL FRESHNESS FAST ACTING ABSORBENCY OUR EXPERT RANGE OF NON-CLUMPING CAT LITTER Behold! *tests show continuous odour control for up to 10 days