PussyCat Lodge was established 20 years ago. Over the last 10 years it has been a focal point for the group of volunteers who continue to rescue and care for cats in the Dagenham, Redbridge and Havering areas in Essex. PussyCat Lodge is Jennie's home where several outdoor pens (along with space in almost every room in the house for kitten pens) cater for the many needy cats passing through its doors. Outside is a specially built feral house for the semi-wild cats who can't quite face coming indoors. While the management of feral cats is not the main priority, the plight of the ferals at Dagenham Docks some years ago could not be ignored and a feeding, trapping and neutering project was undertaken to try and help them. See Feral Cats for further details.
At PussyCat Lodge we never put any healthy cat to sleep including feral cats. We will drive far and wide to deliver feral cats to good homes in reputable stables and, if a cat cannot be homed due to long term illness, disability, unsociability or advancing age, they become a sponsored cat and are left to live out their final years with one of our fosterers, usually at PussyCat Lodge. See Sponsor Cats for details of how you can help.
Over the years there have been many special cats who have come into our care and shown bravery despite having been badly injured. Although not every story has a happy ending these cats are an inspiration and are all remembered with love and affection - see In Loving Memory for stories of some of these cats. They remind us of why we are involved in cat rescue. We at PussyCat Lodge believe all cats need our help, not just healthy, pretty, friendly, homeable cats.
Jennie has at least 20 years of experience in trapping, rescuing, nursing and rehoming, and has a good rapport with the public. You can read more about her in How It Began. She has a loyal band of helpers to help care for the cats, clean out the pens and litter trays, transport them to the vets when necessary and, very importantly, to give the cats some much needed love and attention - but we still need more help! Most of all we need fund-raisers. Our wish list can be found in Can You Help?.
We are always looking for volunteers to spend just a couple of hours a week helping in any of the above areas. Please contact us if you are able to help. We also need fosterers to help out during "busy periods".
When things just get too much Jennie reminds herself of a Christmas when a little feral cat from a pen roof, too frightened to venture into the house previously, was waiting for her on Christmas morning under the tree playing with a fir cone, a sight as welcome as any Christmas present. It's moments like that that make it all worthwhile.
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To follow our progress on the history page, just click on the image. |
