Cat Haven Media

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +1100

It's Australia Day soon and hundreds of thousands of Aussies will be celebrating the day by visiting one of the fireworks shows around Perth.

But what is an amazing spectacle for humans can be a terrifying nightmare for cats and kittens throughout the city.

Cat Haven spokesperson David Settelmaier said that many cats were frightened during the fireworks and needed to be kept inside.

"It's important to keep cats and kittens out of harm's way during the fireworks this Australia Day," he said. "Make sure your cat has a safe place to hide where it will feel safe and protected."

People who were not attending the fireworks could comfort their pet by patting it and talking to it softly, he added.

"It is also useful to put on the radio or the TV to drown out the noise from outside", Mr Settelmaier said.

Cats that are left outside during the fireworks can become disoriented and scared and may not be able to find their way home.

They may also run the risk of being seriously hurt.

If your cat does go missing during the Australia Day fireworks it may end up being brought in to Cat Haven, located at 23 Lemnos Street in Shenton Park.

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +1100

A recent case of animal cruelty has shocked the staff at Cat Haven.

A six-week-old kitten was brought in to the shelter on January 6 after having been rescued by concerned members of the public in the Perth CBD.

Chance, as the little male has since been named, had been brought to the Central Law Courts on Hay Street by a woman attending a hearing.

Witnesses saw the woman swinging the kitten by its tail and legs and burning off its eyebrows with a cigarette.

The kitten was later rescued by a group of girls before being passed on to a woman who brought it in to the Cat Haven.

Cat Haven General Manager Roz Robinson said she was appalled by the way the little kitten had been treated.

"I just can't understand why someone would do this to an innocent young animal," she said.

The matter has since been referred to the RSPCA for possible prosecution.

Ms Robinson said that she was very grateful to the members of the public who intervened and rescued Chance.

"Bad things happen when good people do nothing, so we're very thankful that someone rescued him and brought him in," she said.

Since arriving at the Cat Haven, Chance has become a little celebrity. Staff member Alyson Handfield has been looking after him at her home.

"When he came in he was traumatised and shaking," Ms Handfield said. "But when I took him home he just jumped out of the crate and went crazy. It was amazing."

Chance is recovering quickly from his ordeal and he is now up for adoption at Cat Haven, located at 23 Lemnos Street in Shenton Park.

Ms Handfield will be sad to let little Chance go, but she hopes he will find a loving forever home. "I hope Chance will get all the love and attention he deserves," she said.

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 13:57:00 +1100

Cat flu is hitting Cat Haven hard this season, and the shelter is urging people to take extra precautions with their pets.

Cat Haven spokesperson Jessica Reid said although most cats recover from the virus, cat flu spreads quickly and results in symptoms that can be very uncomfortable for a cat.

"We want to make sure cat owners know what symptoms to look for in their cats and help stop the spread of cat flu," Ms Reid said.

Signs people can look for in their pets include sneezing, coughing, ulcers, discharge from the nose and eyes, lethargy and loss of appetite or difficulty breathing through the nose.

"Cat flu symptoms can take weeks to develop after the cat has contracted the virus," said Ms Reid.

"It's important to take your cat to a vet as soon as you notice the symptoms and keep your pet inside until it has fully recovered to prevent the virus spreading to other cats."

"It's also important to keep your cat's vaccinations up to date which will reduce the severity of the flu if they contract it."

Ms Reid said Cat Haven took strict precautions to ensure any cats at the shelter found to be carrying cat flu were separated from the others to prevent the virus spreading.

"We have a team of vets that routinely health check our animals to ensure if they contract the flu steps are immediately taken to help them recover," Ms Reid said.

Ms Reid said there were a number of cats at the shelter currently recovering from the flu that would soon be in need of loving homes.

To enquire about these cats and kittens visit Cat Haven at 23 Lemnos Street in Shenton Park or phone 9442 3600.

Tue, 14 Dec 2010 13:47:00 +1100

In a bid to raise awareness of pet ownership responsibilities, as well as re-home older cats that normally get overlooked at Christmas time, Cat Haven has launched a Christmas campaign.

Cat Haven spokesperson Jessica Reid said that lack of sterilisation combined with peak breeding season in August, saw thousands of kittens born just before Christmas, and with not enough shelters to look after the overpopulation thousands of them would be put to sleep over the Christmas period.

"Last holiday season two thousand cats and kittens were taken in by Cat Haven in just two months between December and January," Ms Reid said.

And limited capacity to shelter only 120 cats at Cat Haven and nowhere for the surplus to go, Ms Reid said this Christmas would see the euthanasia of hundreds of animals they received that had everything to live for.

"This Christmas we want to send a clear message to the public that pet ownership comes with a range of responsibilities," she said.

"Pet ownership isn't for everyone, you need to make sure that you can afford to keep the pet and sterilise it and that you are prepared for a 20 year commitment.

"There's also the added cost of unanticipated vet bills, food, boarding during vacations, and if you're living in a rental property if you are allowed to keep a cat."

Ms Reid said that leading up to Christmas, Cat Haven was promoting nine older cats to give them an extra chance of finding a loving home.

"At Christmas, it's always the older cats that miss out, because they aren't seen to be as cute as the kittens," she said.

"This year we are profiling nine 'Santas helpers' who we think embody the Christmas spirit.

"The nine cats profiled include Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and Rudolph.

"They are gorgeous animals and all they want this Christmas is someone to love them forever."

To see Santa's helpers visit Cat Haven at 23 Lemnos Street in Shenton Park.

Mon, 27 Sep 2010 20:52:00 +1000

Cat Haven is appealing to the public to help minimise a disastrous Christmas season that sees the dumping and euthanising of thousands of cats and kittens every year.

The first litters of Christmas kittens have already arrived at Cat Haven and the shelter is preparing for another busy and traumatic Christmas, anticipating approximately 2000 cats will be taken in by the shelter in two months between December and January.

Cat Haven spokesperson Jessica Reid said the biggest reason for the influx of kittens at Christmas time was that not enough cats were being sterilised.

"Cats will breed coming into the warmer months and from late September onwards thousands of kittens being born, kittens that will never find homes," Ms Reid said.

"Because there is such a huge overpopulation of cats and kittens at this time of year and not enough shelters and homes to accommodate them, thousands are put to sleep," she said.

"It's a very sad situation and completely distressing for animal welfare groups across the state, but thankfully a situation people can help us change."

Ms Reid said there were four ways people could help save lives starting right now.

1. It's very important you sterilise your cat by five months of age to prevent it having unwanted kittens and adding to the problem of overpopulation.

2. Feeding that friendly stray cat may seem kind, but stray animals will continue to breed adding to the problem, so if you don't want to adopt the friendly moggie that hangs around your house and sterilise it, and it doesn't appear to belong to anyone phone Cat Haven or a reputable shelter to seek further advice.

3. It's important to understand the responsibilities of pet ownership. Cats are a 20 year commitment, they cost around $20 a week to keep, then there's sterilisation, unanticipated vet bills, boarding costs if you go on holidays and land lords permission if you live in a rental property, so there's a lot to consider before you adopt a cat.

4. Become a foster carer at Cat Haven. Foster carers are volunteers that temporarily look after cats and kittens in the comfort of their own homes. They play a crucial role at Christmas time in looking after animals that would normally put to sleep when the haven reaches capacity. There's no cost to foster caring other than your time and people can become a foster carer by phoning 9442 3600 or visit our website at www.cathaven.com.au for more information.

Ms Reid said that last year due to public support the shelter was able to save hundreds of feline lives over the Christmas period and she was confident they could do the same this year.

Tue, 21 Sep 2010 22:04:00 +1000

A campaign that contributed to 700 more cats lives saved last year has won Cat Haven volunteer Jess Reid the title of "Emerging PR Practitioner of the Year" and an award for "Best Low Cost/Pro Bono campaign in WA".

The two awards were presented by the national industry body the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA) to Ms Reid at PRIA‟S WA awards of excellence dinner last Friday.

The campaign has also made PRIA‟s national award finals that will be held in Darwin next month.

Not only did the campaign contribute to 700 more animals lives saved at the shelter than the previous year for the six month period it ran, this figure is also the best rate the shelter has seen in its 40 years of operation for this time frame.

Cat Haven‟s General Manager Roz Robinson said the result was astounding, given that Ms Reid had completed the work as a volunteer outside of a busy full time job in emergency services.

"The campaign wasn‟t just about saving lives, we also had record breaking adoptions, important messages disseminated to the public about the responsibilities of pet ownership with a strategic focus on taking cat welfare issues to a higher level in the state," Ms Robinson said.

Ms Robinson added that Ms Reid had implemented the campaign with less than two years experience in the industry.

"Its overwhelming that a volunteer with absolutely no budget or media team could help us achieve such significant record breaking results in such a short space of time," she said.

Ms Reid who became Cat Havens media and communications coordinator just over one year ago said receiving the awards was a significant personal achievement.

"It‟s fantastic to have had this acknowledgment so early in my career, as well as profile the great work of Cat Haven, a charity that plays a significant and proactive role in rescuing and rehoming thousands of cats in WA every year," she said.

"This achievement would not have been possible without the help of great mentors and colleagues at the Fire and Emergency Services of Western Australia which is my first paid job in this industry," she said.

PRIA (WA) president Tanyia Maxted said the awards were well deserved.

"It‟s high quality initiatives like this that set the benchmark of best practice for other PR practitioners in WA."

Ms Maxted said PRIA was committed to supporting and providing a range of professional development opportunities for young and emerging PR practitioners.

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 22:12:00 +1000

Cat naps are set to be replaced with cat therapy thanks to the visits of half a dozen Cat Haven moggies at Amana Living's James Brown House in Osborne Park.

Felines will soon be regular visitors to the 61 residents at the facility as part of a pet therapy program involving Cat Haven volunteers and occupational therapists from Amana Living.

Cat Haven Spokesperson Jessica Reid said the cats selected to participate in the program enjoy getting out of their kennels and receiving attention from the residents.

"The cats chosen for the visits are easy going and it's great to see the enjoyment and companionship they provide the seniors," Ms Reid said.

"Our animals have a good time at the centre and the residents' smiles show they are getting a lot out of these visits too.

Helen Bagnall, Care Manager at James Brown House, said the benefits of pet therapy are well documented and residents have already expressed their enjoyment from participating in the program.

"Many of our residents have owned cats or other pets in the past and spending time with these animals has a very therapeutic effect on them and leads to trips down memory lane," she said.

"As well as receiving visits from the Cat Haven's residents our residents have begun fundraising for the haven to help them in their rescue and re-homing work, so it's a great initiative for everyone involved."

All cats involved in the therapy program with Amana Living are available for adoption from Cat Haven.

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 12:59:00 +1000

Cat Haven has produced its first ever professional video and is inviting you to view it on their website homepage at www.cathaven.com.au.

Cat Haven Spokesperson Jessica Reid who directed the video said the aim was to showcase the important work the not-for-profit charity undertakes, the services they provide the community, and what people can do to support cat welfare in WA.

"A lot of people aren't aware of Cat Haven's full range of services, so this video will explain it to them, "Ms Reid said.

The video features information on the shelters general operations as well as it's key services including a veterinary clinic, foster care program, ranger service and volunteering opportunities.

The video also raises awareness of cat welfare issues in Western Australia and outlines what people can do to help.

"There are so many ways people can help us support cat welfare in WA whether it be volunteering, foster caring, donating or becoming a member," Ms Reid said.

"And there's also some great footage of some very cute cats and kittens in the video too."

As well as featuring on Cat Haven's website, the video has also been uploaded to YouTube.

Cat Haven was very lucky to have the help of Video Producer Nicholas Hatherly of Media 66, who has over 20 years experience which has included significant roles with three commercial television networks and regional television.

"His experience has led to a first-class production that provides the public with information of Cat Haven's services and the support we provide the community," said Ms Reid.

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 17:56:00 +1000

Homeless cats at Cat Haven in Shenton Park have been benefiting from the volunteer work of six female prisoners from the Boronia Pre-release Centre for Women.

The volunteer work is also important in preparing the prisoners for release by helping them transition back into society.

The minimum-security prisoners were carefully selected to work outside of the prison, and visit Cat Haven every Friday to help with vital maintenance.

Cat Haven spokesperson Jessica Reid said the shelter was grateful for the support of Department of Corrective Services in helping them provide a valuable service to the Perth community.

"We have been really impressed with how hard the prisoners work when they visit us," Ms Reid said.

"We are a not for profit charity that relies heavily on the work of volunteers to support homeless cats and the hard work of these women is really helping us make a difference."

Boronia Pre-Release Centre for Women Community Activities Officer Peter Smith, who accompanies the prisoners on visits, said the program was a great way to rehabilitate and re-socialise prisoners.

"It doesn't faze the women that some of the work can get dirty, they just roll up their sleeves and get stuck into it," Mr Smith said.

The women help out cleaning cages, topping up food, washing food bowls and interacting with the cats.

The bonding has proven cathartic for the women as well as vital in socialising the cats.

"I find it very rewarding as a prison officer to see how much these women get out of helping homeless animals in need. It is beautiful," he said.

Boronia Superintendent Jan Allen said the centre also supported several other not-for-profit community programs with women often continuing to volunteer after they have been released back into the community.

Tue, 06 Jul 2010 17:52:00 +1000

Cat Haven and RSPCA are reminding people to sterilise their cats before cat breeding season hits in August.

RSPCA Spokesperson Tim Mayne said members of the public could make a big difference and minimise the high number of cats coming into shelters at Christmas by sterilising their pets now.

"Unclaimed cats, which people often feed but don't consider their own cat, are also a big problem," Mr Mayne said.

The animal welfare groups are also calling on people who feed them to take responsibility for getting them sterilised.

Cat Haven Spokesperson Jessica Reid said thousands of unwanted kittens were received by cat shelters last Christmas and with not enough homes and nowhere for the surplus to go many of them had to be euthanised.

"If more cats were sterilised before the start of breeding season this awful situation could be prevented," Ms Reid said.

Australian Veterinary Association WA President Garry Edgar endorsed the call.

"Some people need to be more responsible for the cats they are feeding." Dr Edgar said.

"Semi-owned cats that are being fed by irresponsible people are often the source of these unwanted kittens.

"Do not just feed a cat, desex it and let it become a pet for life."