The Sheffield Cats Shelter

Just a quick email to let you know how Kiki has settled in.  When we came to the cat shelter to adopt kiki we thought we were adopting a quiet, shy, nervous little cat but within an hour of us taking her home she was purring her way around the house and playing.  It's been a few months since she came home with us and is completely settled in. She loves to be outside playing in the garden chasing butterflies and has even made friends with the next door neighbours kittens. Her favorite toy is a little red mouse which she carries in her mouth around the house so she can play with it everywhere she is.  She is totally delightful and we want to thank you for letting us adopt Kiki.  Here are some photos of her being her usual cute self.

Hi there,
 
Just a quick email to let you know that Budge and Bandit are settling into their new home very very well!
 
They're a lovely pair of kittens, very playful and very loving.
 
Budge has however had a name change.
 
We now have Smokey and Bandit!

Now that's what I call relaxed! - Ed

We were delighted to receive this letter from a former SOS cat of ours...

Hi all there at the Shelter, and my feline friends (not). Thanks for looking after me until I was able to find another can opener to see to my every whim and fancy. I have landed on my little paws here, I can tell you. I have a whole house to rush about in and lots of things to knock over. Roy (that’s the new can opener’s name) says that if it had been up to him to give me a name, he would have called me "Bonkers". I don’t know what he means……

When I’m not able to curl up on Roy’s lap, there is the sofa or the bed to stretch out on. He is quite easy going and only remonstrates mildly when I rip up the sofa or try to nick the food off his plate. I find that if you observe the three main rules from the manual "How to get the best out of your Can Opener", namely, curl up on his lap, nudge him from time to time and purr loudly, he is happy.

I also make sure to be fed first thing in the morning by jumping on him the moment he opens his eyes and going into full nudge and purr mode. Naturally, he needs a good swipe and a meaningful nip from time to time to keep him in line.
I went out into the garden for the first time last weekend and am looking forward to spending more time rolling about in the sunshine.

Millie (and Roy)

As I write this email Bella is sat on the desk watching me type!!!

She is an adorable, playful cat who has brought our family great pleasure. Bella is quite inquisitive and enjoys exploring outside, during sunny days she lays amongst the plants; I watched her today playing with a plant that was moving in the wind. She never seems to go for very long and is often seen in the company of next doors cat; initially when they met she made sure he knew who was in charge!!

Bella has a healthy appetite and when we are cleaning her dishes for food she is very vocal. 

We bought her a scratch post and a Willow's Feather Chaser Wand which is a brilliant interactive cat toy, we wave the stick and she jumps into action. At night she finds a comfortable spot and settles in, usually on the bottom of a bed where she sleeps soundly!!!!

Thank you for rescuing Bella and taking care of her until we adopted her.

Jayne, Paul, Harriet and Lewis

Sox was the first cat I met in the shelter and despite hiding in her carrier I just knew she would be the one. After an eventful first night where we managed to lose her several times whilst she hid innocently in the bath, behind music systems and under (yes under) the kitchen units, has settled amazingly. In the first few weeks she seemed permanently hungry and literally seemed to eat us out of house and home. I’ll never forget a phone call I received at work from my Fiance where he had found five meat pouches under the spare bed where she had been opening the kitchen cupboard removing the pouches from the box and biting her way through the foil, eating all the meat and then hiding the evidence! Quite unbelievable, what a clever and naughty cat we have! Having said this, as she gained weight she has really clamed down and even leaves a little in her bowl for ‘snacking’ throughout the day.  

Sox is a very pampered cat who demands attention but gives great entertainment and affection in return. She insists on coming to bed with us and if we dare to shut the bedroom door she will open it anyway after reaching up and leaning on the door until it opens.  Sox has many toys to play with as she is an indoor cat and requires lots of stimulation and activities. So far I think there are about 20 balls hidden around our apartment as she absolutely adores to play ‘fetch’, I swear she thinks she was born a dog! 

If anyone is considering adopting and not sure, please do it. We had originally decided not to have a cat until we moved to a house as we currently have an apartment naively neglecting the need for house cat adopters. Sox has only lived in apartments and has shown no sign of ever wishing to venture out, catching flies when the windows are open seems to satisfy her curiosity. She just loves human attention and cuddles although she does remain a little nervous around visitors which is gradually improving in time. I was very careful not to over bear her during the initial few weeks and allowed her to come to me on her terms and now I cannot go anywhere in the flat without her following me. She is very definitely a mummy’s girl!

Anna

Hello all,
 
You probabaly remember me as the shy timid Arnie who didn't really like  much love and attention. Well on New Years day you let me go home with some people that have turned into my best friends! WHen I saw my new mum to be walk into the shelter I knew I had to make an impression and went straight over to her. Luckily for me even the more confident cats didn't sway her, she had her sights set on me and off I went!!!
 
I didn't trust them for the first month and hid in the attic bedroom all day everyday, but to her credit, my new mummy wouldn't give up and sat and talked to me and fed me out of her hand every evening and wouldn't leave me. One night I thought I would become a bit braver and went downstairs and jumped in my mum and dads bed, I haven't looked back since. I follow tham everywhere. I have my own bed in their room as I refuse to sleep on my own, I like to wake my mummy up every morning at about 5am, I like an hour of cuddles before I getup!!!
 
Well so thats me, King of the house, still timid with strangers but I love my home and my family!! Maybe one day I will let them come back to see you and bring me a friend or two home. However for the time being I have my friends on the street and I like to play with them every night after tea but soon run home to sit on my mum or dads lap for another hour of cuddles!!!
 
Anyway, thankyou for looking after me for as long as you did. My torrid few years of life are now well behind me and I am a changed man with some people that love me and have no intention of leaving me! I am finally safe!
 
Lots of love Arnie

Thought I'd let you know how Rocco is doing - we adopted him from you a few weeks ago.  He settled n really well, although we did have a scare when he escaped on his second day  and spent most of the day exploring ours and the neighbours' gardens!  He came back when he was satisfied that he'd seen everything and is now very much an adventurous cat.  He loves being outside, and has taken to catching moths and bringing them n for us.  We already had a cat, Ruby, and they now tolerate each other enough to sit on the same settee, albeit at opposite ends!

Rocco is a real comedian and keeps us all amused - a recent trick is drinking straight from the tap in the kitchen - ignoring the clean water bowl he has on the floor  As soon the tap is turned on he jumps up for a drink and seems not to mind the water lapping at his paws!

He's lovely - we're really pleased we chose him

Chris and Stuart

I am just writing to thank you all so much for your time and helpful advice during our recent search for our perfect cat - you all clearly knew the residents very well!

We chose Furious, who is now called Fred, and I can't tell you what a wonderful and positive addition he has been to our family.  He settled in within half an hour and had fully taken over by the first evening!  He is loving, patient, very gentle (especially with my daughter Ruby) and has a quirky personality.

He is now enjoying going outside in the garden, climbing trees and sunbathing - what a life!

Olivia

Doesn't look so furious now! - Ed 

Smudge didn't like the hustle and bustle of the shelter and was very stressed, so we were really pleased for him when he went to his new home earlier this month.  Here is how he is geeting on...

Hi everyone.

It's Smudge, contacting you to let you know I love my new home with my new Mum.I get lots of cuddles, and love my fur being brushed. I also have my own bedroom with a big bed; my Mum also seems to think it's hers, but I let her share it with me. Lots of photographs have been taken of me, and I'm also on video.  Thanks for looking after me until someone adopted me.

I've attached a couple of photographs so that you can see me in my new home.