In a post by Celia Hammond Animal Trust of Lewisham, London, 49 cats have been rescued from a man’s home and available for adoption. Health services contacted the rescue because the elderly cat owner required an operation however refused treatment until his beloved felines were safe.
The rescue received information the owner had ‘more than five cats’ Two rescue team members, Kelley and James, arrived on the scene to discover the situation was far more complex.
Cat rescue
The ‘more than five cats’ turned out to be 49 cats and kittens in total. Upon arrival, the conditions were extremely poor and filthy.
The home contained overflowing dirty litter pans, destroyed furniture, a leaky roof, and unsanitary conditions. To add, most of the cats were unneutered and breeding uncontrolled.
A few cats lived in the loft area above and were very anxious. Despite the owner’s efforts to keep the cats well fed, caring for all 49 cats proved overwhelming.
He attempted to find homes for the kittens; however, he could not keep up with the pace at which the adult cats were breeding. With the situation out of his control, Celia Hammond Animal Trust stepped in to help.
Helping hand
The veterinarians have since neutered the cats, most of which reside at the Lewisham center. So far, five adult cats and eleven kittens have found new homes. One litter of young kittens is in foster care.
As for the elderly owner, he is now in the hospital and will stay with a relative for his future recovery. In the future, he may get reconnected with a few of his cats.
However, this is pending clean-up of his residence and his ability to care for his cats independently.
Taking in so many cats by the rescue during the busiest time of year in the summer put a tremendous strain on providing accommodations for these cats.
Rehoming the remaining cats won’t be without challenges. Some of the adult cats have not been socialized.
And as a result, they remain very nervous around people. The ideal forever home for these cats would allow for some flexibility and slow adjustment to being indoors.
Potential adopters that can provide a home with a garden, open space, or cat flap would be ideal for helping these cats settle into their new home life.
Ready to adopt
If you live in the southeast London area and are looking to adopt, send your inquiry via email to the Celia Hammond Animal Rescue or visit their website.
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