Welcome to CSAF Malta |
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OUR LATEST ENTRIES:
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The old year is coming to a close and a new year lies ahead. Cats are reaching out to fellow felines:
to the homeless stray, sheltering from north-easterly winds, to the hungry, opening rubbish bags, to the sick, frightened and suffering, as well as to the former companion, now adopted into a welcoming family, to the adventurous, homed abroad, and to those Cats who went on, up and beyond the rainbow bridge. A gigantic network held together by feline communication and love is at work. |
Church Cat in her Castle
Heidi had nothing but a plastic jacket in a vigorously defended basket outside one of Malta's main churches. Day and night in all seasons and all weathers were spent in this tiniest of sanctuaries. Her basket was dining room and toilet. Heidi sat out sun and storms on empty bottles and syringes. When she developed a bright red, itching allegy to the plastic she determinedly sat on, one of her feeders took her to the Csaf Sanctuary. After successful vet treatment in a cage, Heidi transferred to a table (with food bowl and personal litter box) which she will not leave. Old fears die hard. However she recently received this very stylish accommodation. And the number of Cats allowed to share Heidi's table are gradually increasing.....
After the storm
We mourn one of our two beautiful carob trees
loCats are very reassured that so many people care. Yes it was terrible. So wet, so very noisy, with the icy hail drumming on the roofs, the wind howling, the water rushing. Plastic sheets sailing through the air, branches cracking. But most of us are meteorologists and had found a safe place long before the storm broke loose. The few not so clever Cats, who thought it might be interesting to be out, our carers had locked in. Only one small tabby risked his life when he tried to cross back from his rather cold and lonely hideout to the crowded enclosures. Having never before walked long distance on icy hail, tabby Mayday lost his footing and stumbled into a shallow drift of slippery and sliding hail. Panicking or shocked he was unable to regain his balance and tired himself out in desperate attempts to get out of the ice and on his feet again. No Cat, no carer anywhere, just the dark, lit up by frightening lightening, followed by thunder and relentless rain. Rapidly turning into a block of ice he could no longer move. All he could do was SCREAM. He could see the lights of the enclosures, surely somebody would hear? He screamed on. Again and again and AGAIN. Screams of a Cat in mortal fear. Tabby Mayday was heard, he was found and he was saved. And we other Cats realized again that if in need, you have to scream.
That's exactly what the Sanctuary did on the following day, after the storm. It was still raining, water was seeping at ground level into the enclosures, We mourn one of our two beautiful carob trees,her leaves and branches blown all over the ground, her crown cut off crown suspended in our fence. While chaos reigned outside. electricity was intermittent inside. Cleaning up in the dark? No hot water bottles to keep caged patients warm? . Cats and carers virtually SCREAMED. And we were heard. All over Malta, all over Europe. From Malta and Gozo, Spain and Italy came wonderful helpers. On Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, mornings, afternoons and evenings. Strong, capable, kind and generous. And they all loved Cats. So for a change we had wonderful times, being cuddled and admired, looked after and loved. And our carers had some sort of break, And fun. And a little bit more time for us. Time to answer phone calls and emails from all our friends in Malta and abroad. We are not alone. We have friends. We thank them all. Those who came, those who enquired, those who donated, those who thought of us. Tabby Mayday would like to thank the driver of the animal ambulance who came for him in the dark to drive him to Ta' Qali through storm and rain.
That's exactly what the Sanctuary did on the following day, after the storm. It was still raining, water was seeping at ground level into the enclosures, We mourn one of our two beautiful carob trees,her leaves and branches blown all over the ground, her crown cut off crown suspended in our fence. While chaos reigned outside. electricity was intermittent inside. Cleaning up in the dark? No hot water bottles to keep caged patients warm? . Cats and carers virtually SCREAMED. And we were heard. All over Malta, all over Europe. From Malta and Gozo, Spain and Italy came wonderful helpers. On Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, mornings, afternoons and evenings. Strong, capable, kind and generous. And they all loved Cats. So for a change we had wonderful times, being cuddled and admired, looked after and loved. And our carers had some sort of break, And fun. And a little bit more time for us. Time to answer phone calls and emails from all our friends in Malta and abroad. We are not alone. We have friends. We thank them all. Those who came, those who enquired, those who donated, those who thought of us. Tabby Mayday would like to thank the driver of the animal ambulance who came for him in the dark to drive him to Ta' Qali through storm and rain.
WANTED!!!!NOW!!!!! Cat whisperer with time and commitment
Doby in dispear
Update 2 March:
Supporting Malta's Cats is a gigantic, ever changing patchwork, a floating, living, team effort. Some of us feed, some medicate, others clean....Some do so much needed maintenance, some collect food, others funds...Some trap, others neuter and recover. Some donate time and petrol and do vet runs for the Cats, some help Cats with publicity on their individual platforms. Some home, some foster, some sponsor, some adopt....And some of us speak up for Cats and connect support, be it virtually or physically. You could be one of those very important voices .
YOU COULD HELP UNWANTED, INNIOCENTLY SUFFERING HOUSE CATS LIKE DOBY!!
YOU CAN
1. speak up for house Cats about to be euthanised, thrown into the street or taken to a Sanctuary.
FOR MOST HOME CATS THE STRESS OF BEING ABANDONED IN A SANCTUARY IS FATAL.
DOBY, LEON or NAJA died to remind us of that fact.
2. actively try to find possible homes to them. Just listen carefully and put in your word for them when you come across a possible saviour, be it in a vet's waiting room or in a supermarket queue. You can save a Cat's life with words, not just with your hands!
February 2019
Cats believe that if we think positive, life will change for the better. The mouse will move out of the hole, the feeder will come round the corner, the scary dog move on. Positive thinking is one of the many things we learn from our Cats. Let's put it to the test:
Can we ALL, putting our minds and memories together , URGENTLY, come up with
A Cat whisperer with time and commitment ?
If we say : "mission impossible", we have already lost. If we really want it, the Cats tell us, it will happen.
Come on! Let's pool our vast range of acquaintances, colleagues, neighbours, friends and family. And if we find the Cat whisperer with time and commitment, tell him/her about the enormous Cat Doby, so scared and defensive. Doby needs a human who can communicate with Cats, loves and unnderstands them and has the time and commitment to heal.
Doby felt attcked and turned agressive. He now defends himself before he gets attcked again.
WE NEED TO BE FAST.
Too many home Cats died because we could not find a home fast enough. Stressed Cats die fast! And Doby is extremely stressed. Stresssed at home. Attacked at home (That*s how he would interpret what happened to him, though there was no bad intent). Transferred to a place full of scary street Cats. Just TRY to imagine the stress he is under....
Doby needs time,space, love, patience, "therapy".
No miracle will happen. But the Cat whisperer with time and commitment would know that anyhow.
Can you help? Start thinking now. And then ACT. What do we have to lose?
Supporting Malta's Cats is a gigantic, ever changing patchwork, a floating, living, team effort. Some of us feed, some medicate, others clean....Some do so much needed maintenance, some collect food, others funds...Some trap, others neuter and recover. Some donate time and petrol and do vet runs for the Cats, some help Cats with publicity on their individual platforms. Some home, some foster, some sponsor, some adopt....And some of us speak up for Cats and connect support, be it virtually or physically. You could be one of those very important voices .
YOU COULD HELP UNWANTED, INNIOCENTLY SUFFERING HOUSE CATS LIKE DOBY!!
YOU CAN
1. speak up for house Cats about to be euthanised, thrown into the street or taken to a Sanctuary.
FOR MOST HOME CATS THE STRESS OF BEING ABANDONED IN A SANCTUARY IS FATAL.
DOBY, LEON or NAJA died to remind us of that fact.
2. actively try to find possible homes to them. Just listen carefully and put in your word for them when you come across a possible saviour, be it in a vet's waiting room or in a supermarket queue. You can save a Cat's life with words, not just with your hands!
February 2019
Cats believe that if we think positive, life will change for the better. The mouse will move out of the hole, the feeder will come round the corner, the scary dog move on. Positive thinking is one of the many things we learn from our Cats. Let's put it to the test:
Can we ALL, putting our minds and memories together , URGENTLY, come up with
A Cat whisperer with time and commitment ?
If we say : "mission impossible", we have already lost. If we really want it, the Cats tell us, it will happen.
Come on! Let's pool our vast range of acquaintances, colleagues, neighbours, friends and family. And if we find the Cat whisperer with time and commitment, tell him/her about the enormous Cat Doby, so scared and defensive. Doby needs a human who can communicate with Cats, loves and unnderstands them and has the time and commitment to heal.
Doby felt attcked and turned agressive. He now defends himself before he gets attcked again.
WE NEED TO BE FAST.
Too many home Cats died because we could not find a home fast enough. Stressed Cats die fast! And Doby is extremely stressed. Stresssed at home. Attacked at home (That*s how he would interpret what happened to him, though there was no bad intent). Transferred to a place full of scary street Cats. Just TRY to imagine the stress he is under....
Doby needs time,space, love, patience, "therapy".
No miracle will happen. But the Cat whisperer with time and commitment would know that anyhow.
Can you help? Start thinking now. And then ACT. What do we have to lose?
A Cats Tale
I am a good Cat. All my life I kept myself attractive and healthy. I cleaned myself religeously, I rested, I ate the food provided, I used my litter, I entertained myself during long lonely hours.
I remained balanced, interesting and reliably friendly. I was loyal company for my owner. As my owner became frail and spent more time in bed, I stayed with her. Resting on her bed, at her feet or snuggling up close. I worked out what she needed and what was most comfortable for her. I purred her to sleep. I was there when she woke annd groped for reassurance. I made sure she felt never alone.
Now she was moved to a home. I am not allowed to join her. Will there be another Cat to look after her? When she calls out my name, who will attend?
I am in a cage! In a refugee camp for stray or ABANDONED Cats! I do not eat! When people call my name, I do not respond. They cannot understand why I cannot live. Cats understand and love Humans, but humans cannot reciprocate.
Carers' comment: We could avoid a lot of heart ache, if we provided for Cats in our care. When we become helpless, who will care for out pets?
I remained balanced, interesting and reliably friendly. I was loyal company for my owner. As my owner became frail and spent more time in bed, I stayed with her. Resting on her bed, at her feet or snuggling up close. I worked out what she needed and what was most comfortable for her. I purred her to sleep. I was there when she woke annd groped for reassurance. I made sure she felt never alone.
Now she was moved to a home. I am not allowed to join her. Will there be another Cat to look after her? When she calls out my name, who will attend?
I am in a cage! In a refugee camp for stray or ABANDONED Cats! I do not eat! When people call my name, I do not respond. They cannot understand why I cannot live. Cats understand and love Humans, but humans cannot reciprocate.
Carers' comment: We could avoid a lot of heart ache, if we provided for Cats in our care. When we become helpless, who will care for out pets?
