Holly Crawford visits a retirement village for mature felines.
ELDERLY cats who found themselves homeless are “feline” fine and safe now! This is thanks to a bespoke retirement village that provides all they need to live happy lives.
Shropshire Cat Rescue in Shrewsbury is one of the largest regional cat rescue and rehoming centres.
It has cared for more than 8,000 feline friends since opening its doors 21 years ago.
Most of the unwanted or displaced cats and kittens find their forever homes with new families.
But that isn’t always the case, especially when it comes to cats in their twilight years.
When shelter manager Marion Micklewright spotted this trend, she decided to do something.
‘‘The retirement village was created in 2006 on the site of my unused vegetable plot,’’ Marion says.
‘‘We had several elderly cats in our shelter at the time, and no-one seemed to want them as pets.
“It was due to expected vet bills, and the prospect of loss of a loved pet too soon.
“I wanted to create a safe place where those cats could live and spend their senior years.
“They’d have all the love, and veterinary care they would receive if they had been rehomed in the community.’’
Each cat cottage contains a sofa, a heater, raised food bowls for easy feeding, and a cat flap.
Residents can wander around the complex and meet other villagers.
‘‘Some cats keep to the same cottage, but others like to chop and change,’’ Marion explains.
‘‘At the centre of the village is our summer house, the Moggies Mansion. “It includes several climbing frames and a large couch for the cats to relax on.’’
Twenty-six cats are currently putting their paws up in the complex.
All is calm for now.
“We do have some real diva cats from time to time,” Marion adds.
“They can change the chemistry of the village.
“On the whole, they all tend to rub along nicely.”
Divas or not, Marion and her team love the retirees.
According to her, mature cats have interesting personalities.
“They like engaging with their human carers,” Marion says.
“Most cats that come to our village would otherwise have been put to sleep.
“Thanks
