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Cats Paw-ing In This Kitten Season

School holidays with two young boys has meant a lot of loud rough and tumble, but having a cat around the home has brought out the boys’ nurturing side and delivers calm and quiet moments.

It’s one of the benefits Lucy Paton has found after the family adopted two kittens from Sydney Dogs and Cats Home.

Mrs Paton has also discovered that it’s not just the boys who benefit from spending time with the kittens. “As a mother of two and running my own business, I’m always on the go,” she said, “but the cats make me stop and take time out.”

While the holiday period winds down and kids go back to school for the new year, “kitten season”, which occurs during the warmer months, continues for Sydney Dogs and Cats Home (SDCH) with an ongoing influx of cats and kittens arriving at their doors.

Mrs Paton, her husband and their two boys, Ty (8) and Sonny (6) welcomed their two tabbies, Charlie and Chilli, into their home just as kitten season began. After a tradition of asking for a new cuddly toy each birthday, 6 year old Sonny decided he wanted something real to cuddle, so the family started researching pet options.

They decided cats would suit their lifestyle and their unit home, and after seeing a story about the rescue of an abandoned kitten, the Paton family decided adopting a rescue kitten was exactly what they were after.

Sydney Dogs and Cats Home is expecting to take in over 850 cats and kittens in during the season and have so far adopted and fostered out close to 120 felines, with another 20 lost cats being reunited with their owners.

As not everyone is able to help out by adopting or fostering a cat, SDCH launched LoveCats, an initiative in which anyone can get involved to help out the Home during kitten season.

Since December, SDCH has been asking supporters to send in origami mice which will be given to the cats and kittens as toys during their stay. Toys are essential enrichment to help maintain an animal’s mental and physical wellbeing.

The Home does not place time limits on any animal awaiting adoption, so the time a cat will stay at the shelter can vary, which is why SDCH do all they can to ensure all their animals remain comfortable and are given the best possible care while they wait for a loving family like the Patons.

Help the cats of SDCH by adopting or fostering this kitten season or head to our LoveCats page to make an origami mouse for a kitten in need of playtime!

Meet The Team And Their Fur-ever Friends: Siobhan, Moose & Scout

You hear plenty about the animals here at SDCH, but while they get all the limelight, there’s an amazing crew of staff and volunteers working tirelessly behind the scenes to keep the place running.

Of course, with over 3300 animals coming through our doors every year, there’s a high chance of a team member falling head over heels for one of them.

We thought we’d start introducing you to the people of SDCH who decided to bring their work home with them…for good!

Siobhan Jones has been working on reception at SDCH for 10 months and has adopted two pets from our Home. Not long before starting work at SDCH, Siobhan was fostering Moose the cat. She was, what we call a “foster fail”, with Siobhan signing adoption papers to make Moose a permanent member of the household. A few months later, Scout the puppy also joined the family.

Tell us about what you love about working for SDCH.

I really enjoy being a part of the whole process an animal goes through. I was previously working more on the veterinary side of things and at first, making the transition was hard. But getting to see the animals’ transition – coming in scared, some unwanted or with health issues, to then going home as well adjusted, social and healthy animals, definitely makes my job one of a kind!

Tell us about who you adopted from SDCH.

Scout is a 9 month old Kelpie X and Moose is a Domestic Short-haired and is just over a year old. I’ve had Moose since she was a teeny tiny kitten and Scout is our most recent addition and we’ve had her for just over 6 months.

What made you decide to adopt them?

Moose is a foster fail! Her love of food and biting people’s ankles really captured my heart. I originally brought her back to the shelter to be adopted and the next day, I desperately messaged my colleague to let me adopt her!
Scout was a post-holiday baby. I was not looking to adopt another animal, but I returned to the shelter for my first shift back, saw her in the little kennel and fell in love instantly. I had to go through the whole process like everyone else and wait to hear back about my application. Luckily, we were the right family! 

What are Moose and Scout like at home?

My two fur babies are the very best of friends. They play with each other and Scout cleans Moose (hates every minute). Moose has major cat-titude. She knows what she wants and when she wants it, but also has a very affectionate and loving side. She stands on the furniture and reaches her front legs up to be picked up and cuddled!
Scout is most definitely the biggest character in the household and follows you everywhere, licking your feet and staring at you with her big brown eyes.

 What is their favourite toy or activity?

Moose doesn’t have a favourite toy but has a favourite past time of chasing flies. Scout is a lover of anything stuffed! Teddy bears, pillows, lounge cushions and carpet, all the cheap stuff.

What kind of impact have they made on your life?

Gosh where to start! When you get your first pet, you don’t think you could possibly love anything more, and then we got another and your life is never boring again. Our pets have definitely made us a more active and outdoorsy couple, always trying to ensure they get enough attention and exercise!

What would you say to someone considering bringing a pet in to their life and why do you think adopting is the way to go?

Be prepared to fall hard and fast in love. I couldn’t imagine starting my day without cuddles and kisses from my girls and knowing that I gave a home to animal that would have otherwise been left on the street or unloved. It makes the teething, toilet training, socialising and worrying all worth it, 100 times over.

Senior Pet Project

Big, small, young or old – at Sydney Dogs and Cats Home, we do not discriminate, which is why we are introducing our Senior Pet Project to shed light on the benefits of owning a senior companion.

Before the surgery….

Current resident, Zeek is a Rottweiler X who we estimate to be about 14 years old. He came in as a stray from the Fairfield Council area and arrived with a large lump on his chest and feeling a bit sorry for himself. The lump was removed by our Shelter Vet, Christine Cole, and ever since the surgery, Zeek’s personality has been shining through and we’ve discovered he’s a dog who acts much younger than his years.

His story doesn’t end there though, as he is now available for adoption and looking for a loving home where he can spend his golden years.

Zeek is one of many senior animals coming through our doors and while they are just as deserving of a forever family, they can often be overlooked for a younger pet.

Recovered and ready to find a forever home.

There can be the misconception that older animals are no longer interested in playing and only sit and lie around, however we have found that so many of them, while they do enjoy their relaxation time, will still have plenty of energy and enthusiasm for walks and playtime – they often don’t know their own age!

Adopting an older companion can also be beneficial in that their new owners won’t necessarily need to go through the training which is required when adopting a puppy, as many are already toilet trained with basic training skills.

Like Zeek, a number of these senior animals arrive requiring veterinary assistance. As Sydney’s only charity pound, we rely on donations to help us provide the medical attention they require, so that we can give them that second chance at life, even if it is just for a few more precious years.

Please help us give the best possible care for these beautiful old souls by making a donation today.

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