Autumn 2026 ISSN 1834-870X This issue: • Stress-free nails • Scratching Post • Cat Protection Diary • In Memoriam cataffairs
Cats are the best company when the world outside doesn’t make sense. We can meditate on their beauty, practise yoga with them, curl up with them and enjoy the benefit of their purrs. Keeping company with a cat can improve physical and mental health by decreasing stress. That’s one of the ‘fun cat facts’ we’ve listed on our website – thank you to the 2UE radio listener who suggested we publish the snippets they heard on our radio spots. Of course, all the other things we promote, like Adopt-a-Stray and the Good Neighbour Project, were already on our website but we agree, it’s nice to enjoy some fun facts. Did you know that cats climb down trees backwards due to the way their claws curve? And that most cats can jump more than seven times their own height, and every cat has a unique nose print, just like a human fingerprint! Speaking of unique, on behalf of everyone, I would like to thank the one and only Nita Harvey for her 30 years of service to Cat Protection. A Life Member since 1984, Nita became a volunteer in 1996 and joined the Board in 1998, serving in several positions including director, treasurer and president. Nita’s contribution to Cat Protection has been phenomenal. She has been a staunch advocate for feline welfare and an incredible mentor to volunteers and staff. Recently Nita made the decision to retire to Queensland to be close to her family. As well as her work for Cat Protection, we will miss Nita’s humour, her wisdom, and her friendship. We are privileged that she shared with us her great knowledge of Cat Protection’s history, as well as her organisational skills. Thank you, Nita. We wish you a happy retirement and we hope you have more time for reading now … and please keep giving us your book recommendations! We welcome Life Member, adopter and lawyer Romola Wearin to the Board, and I take this opportunity to acknowledge all my fellow directors, as well as all our other volunteers for their commitment to our charitable mission. It is with much sadness that I share the news that former Cat Protection member and volunteer, Audrey Tonkin, passed away in February. Audrey volunteered for Cat Protection for more than a decade from early 2000. I’m sure many of you will remember her fondly, as we do. Rest in Peace, Audrey. Thank you for your care for cats. Petra Dobrijevic President 3 Graphics and Printing: KL Graphics 0408 679 045 ©The Cat Protection Society of NSW Limited Cat Affairs is intended to provide general information only and should not be taken as constituting professional advice. Views expressed in this journal are not necessarily those of the CPS and mention of a person, product or business does not mean endorsement by CPS. Rehoming Organisation Number: R251000224 Cat Affairs is your magazine, so tell us what you think. Feel free to send us an email kristina@catprotection.org.au or post us a letter with your feedback. We welcome contributions from readers, but we reserve the right to edit, abridge, alter or reject any material. Cat Protection does not pay for contributions. Not a member of Cat Protection? For just $35 a year you can receive your own copy of Cat Affairs four times a year and help give cats a voice. Membership forms available from our website www.catprotection.org.au or by phoning our office on 02 9519 7201. Care for cats! Registered Office & Postal Address: 103 Enmore Road NEWTOWN 2042 General Inquiries: Tel: 9519 7201 Fax: 9557 8052 Adoptions: Tel: 9557 4818 Email: info@catprotection.org.au Web: www.catprotection.org.au ABN: 81 610 951 615 ACN: 631 197 629 President: Ms Petra Dobrijevic Vice President: Ms Vanessa Williams Directors: Ms Emily Falkingham Ms Felicity Walton Ms Natalie Meadows Dr Penelope Hansen Ms Romola Wearin Cover photograph: Fozzie by Abbie Stone President’s Report
4 www.catprotection.org.au Anne Quain, Chantelle McGowan, Anneshelly Chen and Laura Bennington If you live with a cat, no doubt you’ve noticed that he or she has sharp, curved, tapered nails. In the wild – and sometimes in domestic settings – cats use their claws for climbing, gripping, hunting, marking their territory and defending themselves. But as those of us who live with cats know, claws can grow very long and very sharp and sometimes need trimming. This article is based on research conducted by our team (veterinarians Anne Quain and Chantelle McGowan, with veterinary nurse Laura Bennington and veterinary student Anneshelly Chen). Anecdotally and through our own experiences working in veterinary teams, we know that nail trimming can be stressful for cats. As scientists with a passion for cats, we decided to dig deeper. But first, it is helpful to understand why we trim cats' nails. Not just a mani-pedi: why do (some) cats' nails need to be clipped? In the wild, cats wear down their nails to some extent through climbing and scratching surfaces like trees. Domestic cats typically have fewer opportunities to do this. They also live much longer than cats in the wild. Nails tend to become overgrown with age. Overgrown nails can cause discomfort to cats, especially if they become ingrown. We commonly see painfully ingrown nails in older cats, particularly those with arthritis. Overgrown nails can lead to misadventure (getting caught in things like carpet, blankets or even on scratching posts). Overgrown and ingrown nails also make it harder for cats to walk. There are also human safety issues to consider. Sharp nails can be a risk to cat carers who have fragile skin, those taking blood thinning medications, or those undergoing immunosuppressive treatment who might be more vulnerable to infection. Cats who are prone to scratch, or those who struggle to retract their claws, are more likely to scratch people. Not all cats need their nails clipped. Animals with mobility issues, including cats with three legs, or those with outdoor access need their claws to help them climb or grip. Cats with short nails, or those who have little nail beyond the quick, should not have their nails clipped until they grow longer. The quick is usually visible within the nail and it contains nerves and blood vessels, so cutting the quick is painful and traumatic and leads to bleeding. What we found We surveyed veterinary team members, particularly veterinary nurses, who perform nail clips on cats and dogs in Australia. Their concerns were that almost 60% of cats exhibited signs of fear, anxiety and stress when having their nails clipped[1]. This could manifest in defensive behaviours. In fact, almost 80% of veterinary nurses had been injured while performing nail clipping on cats and dogs. What that tells us is that there is a huge need to minimise stress associated with nail clipping (and veterinary visits in general). One strategy suggested by veterinary nurses is to help support cat caregivers to learn how to maintain their cat’s nails at home. Tips for home nail care Scratching is a natural, normal behaviour in cats. They use both vertical and horizontal surfaces to scratch. Cats have scent glands in their paws, so scratching is a means of scent (olfactory) and visual communication – even if we cannot understand it. Provision of multiple scratching surfaces is recommended. Scratching can help wear down the nails. We highly recommend scratching posts, scratching boards, sisal rope and corrugated cardboard to give cats something to dig their claws into. For many cats, provision of scratching surfaces is helpful, but doesn’t address their long nails. Many will accept nail trimming at home if they are given time to get used to the process. For cats to accept nail trimming, they need to be in a positive mental state. They should only be approached when calm and relaxed, with minimal restraint. We recommend desensitising cats to nail clipping using a “touch gradient”. This involves minimal exposure to touching cats with nail clipping equipment, which is increased as cats become more comfortable and relaxed. Touch gradient begins with your hands (no clippers) starting in a minimally invasive location on the body e.g. between the shoulder blades and then gradually moving your hand in a light, sweeping motion towards their paws. It’s important to let your cat pull away if they wish. This tells you that you might have gone too quickly or too far for their comfort. Consent is everything when attempting to successfully desensitise a cat to anything. It’s amazing what they say yes to when they know they can say ‘no’ and be heard! Only after your cat is allowing you to touch their Stress-free nails
5 paws and extend their claws out, do you introduce the nail clippers in a similar way to your hands; use a touch gradient to get them used to the clippers in their proximity, gradually sweeping them down to the paws. Then gently clip just one nail and see how your cat goes. You might need to clip one nail at a time to start, until your cat gets used to the sensation. Counter conditioning involves pairing a potentially aversive experience, like nail clipping, with a highervalue positive experience, such as a food reward (we find creamy treats like Churus are highly-valued by many cats). Combining desensitisation and counter conditioning has been shown to be the most effective and efficient way to have a cat accept having their nails trimmed. It can be helpful to trim nails frequently but small amounts at a time (‘shave’ down the nails instead of taking off chunks). This is less painful and helps you avoid cutting the sensitive quick inside the nail. You can trim a few nails at a time and let your cat have a break. It is important to use sharp, appropriate clippers designed for cats as blunt clippers crush the nail before cutting it. Both human and dog nail clippers are generally unsuitable for use in cats due to differences in size, shape and thickness of the nails. Reducing stress at the vet If you do need to take your cat to the vet or groomer to have their nails clipped, there are many steps you can take to minimise stress. You can condition your cat to accept the carrier by allowing them to get used to it before they need it. Ensuring the carrier is clean, comfortable and inviting, and present at times when the cat is not transported in it, will help. Feeding your cat high-value rewards like Churus in the carrier can also stimulate a positive association. Similarly, any time your cat needs to visit the vet, ensuring they are calm by minimising travel time can help. Avoid high-traffic times and allow plenty of time to find a park so you aren’t flustered, as your cat will pick up on your stress. Ensuring cats are kept well away from other animals in the waiting room is important. Your veterinary team may be able to place you and your cat in a quiet space or room for this purpose. Certified Cat Friendly Clinics and those where staff have undergone training in Low Stress Handling or Fear Free techniques have team members who are trained in keeping feline patients comfortable. Offering high-value rewards before, during and after nail clipping at the vet can help. Prior to leaving home, use of calming pheromones or supplements (such as Feliway and alpha-casozepine (Zylkene or AC Powder)) can assist in comfort levels. Consider all your cat’s senses before, during and after the vet, and try to soften their experience as much as possible. For example, playing cat calming music, and covering cat carriers with a towel that smells like home can help. Nail clipping shouldn’t be rushed, and not all nails may be able to be trimmed during the one visit without causing distress. Cats may need time to settle into the clinic environment, and multiple staff may be required to hold, distract and administer treats. For animals who show signs of fear, anxiety or stress at the vet, your veterinarian may be able to prescribe “pre-visit pharmaceuticals” or medications that can reduce anxiety. Highly fearful cats may require sedation or even anaesthesia. Our research found that where pre-visit pharmaceuticals or sedation were used, they were effective in reducing fear, anxiety and stress. If your cat has sedation or anaesthesia for any reason (for example, if they are anaesthetised for a dental procedure), it is always good to ask the veterinary team if they can clip your cat’s nails during this time. Nail clipping is a procedure that has the potential to increase cat comfort, but requires time, skill and deliberate strategies to minimise stress in cats. References 1. Chen, A.; Hall, E.; Bennington, L.N.; McGowan, C.; Quain, A. “One of the Hardest Things I Have to Do in the Clinic”: A Survey of Veterinary Team Members’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Nail Clipping. Veterinary Sciences 2026, 13, 115. The full research article is open access, so if you’d like to read it visit https://www.mdpi.com/ 2306-7381/13/2/115 or scan the QR code About the authors Anne Quain is a Senior Lecturer in the Sydney School of Veterinary Science and a practising veterinarian; Chantelle McGowan is a veterinary pet counsellor, veterinarian and founder of The Calm Pet Vet; Anneshelly Chen is a final year DVM student in the Sydney School of Veterinary Science; and Laura Bennington is an Emergency and Critical Care Veterinary Technician and lecturer at Melbourne Polytechnic.
6 www.catprotection.org.au CAT PROTECTION DIARY Animal Rights Forum We had a terrific weekend (21-22 February) at the Animal Rights Forum in Sydney, listening to and learning from others working in animal protection and advocacy. It was informative, heartwarming, and inspiring being among such passionate people who dedicate themselves to giving animals a voice, whether it’s through their workplace, charity or volunteering, or standing up for animals in Parliament. We heard from Animal Justice Party MLC Emma Hurst, who acknowledged the benefits of voluntary cat containment but noted that mandatory cat containment laws would do more damage than good, and that cats are being used as scapegoats for the consequences of human actions. A strong theme over the weekend was the urgent need to recognise the interconnectedness of human, animal and environmental health and wellbeing, and that to promote One Welfare, we need to strengthen collaboration between environmental, human public health, and animal advocates. There were many interesting discussions, like the “Greyhounds Unleashed” panel. Amy MacMahon, President of the Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds, spoke about her own greyhound Buddy and how she became inspired to become a political changemaker on behalf of these beloved dogs. We also learned about the incredible work of Beagle Freedom Australia who, you might be surprised to learn, also care for cats. Their work is to rehabilitate and rehome ex-research, ex-testing or ex-teaching laboratory animals. Based in Victoria, they specialise in beagles because beagles are the breed of choice in laboratory settings. For more information visit www.beaglefreedomaustralia.org We were delighted to meet the many attendees who told us about their beautiful cats, many of them Cat Protection alumni! Thank you to everyone who supported our stall and who came to have a chat about cat welfare issues. Are you a cat owner who has taken your cat to the vet in the last 12 months? If so, we invite you to participate in a 10-15-minute online survey via the link or QR code below: https://redcap.sydney.edu.au/surveys/?s=CK9HF9P YTLPXTMR4 This survey is open to cat owners aged 18 or older who have taken their cat/s to the vet in the past 12 months. The ethical aspects of this study have been approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) of The University of Sydney [ethics reference: 2025/HE001249] Should you wish to contact us about this study, please email Dr Anne Quain: anne.quain [@] sydney.edu.au
7 SCRATCHING POST Hi team Here’s Winsome attempting to be winsome but settling for demented furniture fighter! Thanks for everything Shelley Winsome Dear Cat Protection Four years ago today, I adopted my cat Simmons from you and she has been the best part of my life since. From being an adopter to now a staff member, I can truly say how amazing this organisation is and how lucky all the animals in your care are and have been. A massive thank you to all my coworkers and the volunteers who keep CPS going ♥☺ Lots of love Michaela & Simmons Hi Takoyaki (formerly Kit) has settled in wonderfully. It didn’t take her long to feel confident exploring every room in the house. Over the past few weeks, she’s given us plenty of cuddles and entertainment, and she’s been so patient with us as first-time cat owners. She’s still learning to trust that there will always be enough food and that human food isn’t for her, but we’ve made great progress in this area. We’ve set reminders for her next vaccinations and flea and worm treatments to make sure everything stays on track. Thank you again for helping us find our newest family member! Best regards Brigitte Simmons Takoyaki
8 www.catprotection.org.au Dear Cat Protection Team Thank you so much for your lovely email! I know it's been a year but feels like she’s always been part of our family. She has settled in beautifully and is such a gentle, caring little soul. We recently welcomed a newborn into our home, and Tiffany has been so sweet and calm around the baby. She seems to sense when to be playful and when to be quiet, and it’s been heart-warming to watch her gently curl up nearby, keeping us company during those long nights. She has truly become part of the family, and we feel so lucky to have her. Thank you again for bringing her into our lives. She is our little princess. Kind regards Shammi Fun cat fact: Cats offer emotional support and can sense when their calm presence is needed. Hi Miss Molly has settled in and made the apartment her own. Most of the time you’ll find her flat on her back, chilling like she hasn’t a care in the world. She’s taken over as my alarm clock, keeps a close eye on the tennis matches next door, and soaks up every patch of sun she can find. Safe to say she’s living her best life. Thanks so much Katie SCRATCHING POST Hello We've kept his name as Everett because he seems to know it, and we call him Evvy most of the time (like at the shelter). Everett's settling in well, he was very reserved his first day and hid under a bed in his acclimatisation room but warmed up to us and started exploring the house pretty quickly. His hobbies here include gazing out of our windows at birds and the cafe downstairs, climbing the bookshelf (which we've called Mt Heverett), napping, playing with his enrichment toys, and hanging out with us. Cheers Zara, Kade & Evvy Everett Tiffany Molly
9 Hi When Lulu arrived at our house, it took her no time to adapt. She purred nonstop for two hours, and pretty much rested on my lap after that. Nowadays, sometimes she cuddles me in the morning while I'm trying to wake up. Today, nearly 18 months after we got her, and being the size of a little panther, she did exactly the same after I arrived home and sat on my desk. Sometimes she still behaves like a kitty, but she is not a little kitty anymore. Despite not being a breed cat, she has always acted like one, always demanding the best for her. Nowadays, she is the only one who receives medical care at home, as she doesn't like going to the vet, and has more toys than we ever did. She spends a lot of time in my office while I'm working, where she has two beds on my desk, one bed under my desk, and a little house next to my desk. Just looking at her sleeping while I'm working makes me forget about all the challenges I have. I guess I needed to become a dad to feel complete. She always showers us with affection and brings us peace when we are stressed. She is the joy of our lives. Our house feels full since she arrived. Kind regards GK SCRATCHING POST Hi Cat Protection When Penny went for her booster vaccination, she was very happy to go in her carrier and cared more about the snack given by the vet than the needle! Penny has been very good, playful, cute and demure, and we love her very much. Thank you Ting-Yi Lulu Penny
10 www.catprotection.org.au Hey lovelies We celebrated Panda's birthday yesterday. He has settled in so well from day one and we are so lucky to have him as part of our family. Thank you for all your help, it’s been extremely easy and helpful throughout this whole process. Victoria Hello It’s Alvin’s one year adoption day!! Darcy is still in denial that he has a little brother though ☺ Here he is having a celebratory snuggle in bed this morning, then enjoying his favourite thing, yoghurt! He really is always such a happy, friendly boy. Looking back at his adoption notice on the CPS website, it said “This cheerful guy will be your little ray of sunshine, brightening every day with his loving purrsonality. Alex (Alvin) is an all-round awesome kitty”. So true to whoever assessed his personality and wrote this ♥ Sarah Lisa and Clare raised stray baby Alvin and were delighted to see grown-up Alvin in the previous issue of Cat Affairs SCRATCHING POST Alvin Panda Hi there Olive, a quietly confident kitty, has been an incredible addition to our family. You can be sure that she is receiving a lot of love, attention and being spoilt every day. Aaron Olive
11 Hello My partner and I adopted a beautiful black male kitten from the Cat Protection Society in October. We are very excited to give you a great update on how his transition has been! We have named him Chopper. The first two days he was hesitant but would always purr very loudly when getting pats. Once we brought him into the entire unit he absolutely flourished. He is the biggest sook ever! Loves a pat but also loves to play by himself. Chopper will come when you call him, and is mine and my partner’s shadow everywhere we go. We absolutely adore him and he has brought so much joy into our lives already! Thank you so much for giving us our boy! Bonnie & Mitchell Dear Vlad and the Cat Protection Team I hope you’re all well. I wanted to write my heartfelt gratitude to all of you for your support throughout the adoption of my adorable and beloved kitten Magnus. He has melted my heart and after only the first night under the bed, he came out the very next morning and has been such an affectionate, loving, sweet and playful little kitten. He has been using his litter tray very well and he has a wonderful appetite and loves the Hill’s Science dry food and wet food. I have stocked up on the kitten food supplies. Thank you also for the excellent advice about introducing Ingrid, my five-year-old female, to little Magnus including the scent exchange. Tonight we had a bit of a breakthrough with Ingrid tolerating Magnus for a little while in the lounge room before any hissing started. Otherwise, he has been in the bedroom, and she has glimpsed him briefly but will hiss and then runs away and hides. Ingrid briefly tolerating Magnus this evening gave me so much encouragement and I showered her with compliments and gave her lots of cuddles and a Churu treat … and then brought Magnus a Churu too of course!! I have been sleeping on the lounge outside with Ingrid and regularly visiting Magnus for playtime, feeding, cleaning and cuddles which he loves. It was a really tough year losing my dear tomcat Odin (RIP 14/02/2008 - 03/06/2025) who I adopted from The Cat Protection Society in August 2008. He was such a good boy and Ingrid’s companion and best friend. Having dear little Magnus has brought new life into our home and I feel very blessed that he is such a sweet and loving little boy. Thank you again so much. God bless you all Anna SCRATCHING POST Magnus Chopper
12 www.catprotection.org.au Hi Cat Protection team We celebrated Tofu and Corey’s 1st year adoptiversary and their 1st birthday with our family. Gosh, they’ve grown up so quickly … about four times in size but ten times in cattitude in comparison to day one ☺ We love them dearly. It’s like having babies at home again, where they are the centre of all attention and trouble and joys☺ Tofu is quirky and a bit shy. She doesn’t like being picked up but if she’s super sleepy, she lets you pat, belly rub, chin, ear … everywhere rub freely and purr. She always sits near my bed and waits patiently for me to wake up every morning and quietly follows me everywhere. She has meerkat spirit as you can see in the photos. And she has a special interest in attacking flowers ☺ Corey has an affectionate meow. He runs downstairs to greet us every time we come home, lying down and wiggling until he gets picked up and carried upstairs. He isn’t a tiny bit shy at all; he’s acted like he owns the place since day one. When we have guests, Tofu will hide away the first moment she knows there’s a stranger, but Corey will be around greeting them, assessing them and even letting them hold him. Thanks so much for bringing Corey and Tofu to our lives. The TC family (everyone in our family has a name starting with either T or C) Hello Our little Macadamia (we tend to call her Mia these days) has been a wonderful addition to our family. The first month or two was a big adjustment period for our other cat, Maple (from CPS too!) but now they are sisters! They bicker but they always make up haha. Mia is a feisty personality; she is a chatty catty with a huge appetite despite her small size. She brings us endless love and entertainment, and we are so happy we found her. Warm regards Kate Amy sent us this lovely picture of Zac, our Summer 2025 cover cat. All of us at Cat Protection think Zac is a very handsome meowdel! SCRATCHING POST Tofu & Corey Macadamia Zac
13 Hi Cat Protection Team Bassey has been spoilt for choice with toys, though at the moment her favourite seems to be random paper bags from Coles/Woolies that she likes to jump in and out of. My brothers have been trying to teach her simple tricks, and are currently trying to teach her to sit on their shoulders. We've had to tell my mother off a few times to not overfeed the poor thing – she gives in too easily to Bassey's meowing and will still give her many treats throughout the day. I've also accidentally turned her into an iPad kid after showing her videos of birds and squirrels to distract her while I eat, so now when I put my iPad down around her, she'll paw at/sit on it, so I try not to bring it around her too much. She's also grown a lot since we adopted her, my partner mentions it each time he sees her! Speaking of, my partner has been over a lot and spends loads of time with Bassey, and we've managed to keep his allergies in check. He's only had to take antihistamines once – which we're taking as a good sign! Best Aisyah Hi Cat Protection Society team We wanted to give you an update on gorgeous Larry, who we adopted on 30 September 2025. He’s doing really well – he’s relaxed, active and friendly, and loves a good play with his toys and zooming about the place. He’s well on his way to becoming a happy lap cat and loves a long pat and strokes on his tummy. We love having Larry in our lives and he is the perfect fit for our family. Thanks for all the great work you’re doing! All the best Elisia, Hallie & Davi ♥ SCRATCHING POST Bassey Larry
14 www.catprotection.org.au SCRATCHING POST Adoption Centre & postal address 103 Enmore Road Newtown NSW 2042 Retail store for all your cat care essentials plus gifts for cat lovers. Open 7-days a week, 10am to 4pm Adoptions by appointment only – please call 9557 4818 or visit https://catprotection.org.au/what-you-need-to-know-before-adopting/ Rehoming Organisation Number R251000224 Welfare and Education Centre 214 Marrickville Road Marrickville NSW 2204 For general inquiries and information regarding feline health and wellbeing; desexing and vaccination referrals; surrender bookings; membership; donations; and bequests Retail store for all your cat care essentials plus gifts for cat lovers. Open Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm, and Saturdays from 10am to 2pm Phone 9519 7201 or email info@catprotection.org.au Information on volunteering https://catprotection.org.au/volunteering/ Information on foster caring https://catprotection.org.au/foster-caring/ Information in community languages https://catprotection.org.au/community-languages/ Online shop https://catprotection.org.au/shop/ Goodwill Wine – where 50% of the profit from your purchase will support Cat Protection https://goodwillwine.com.au/pages/cat-protection-society-of-nsw For people who work with cats https://catcare.org.au/ Hi there We can't believe that it has been a whole year since gorgeous Daphne Delphinium joined the family. From day one she has been demanding cuddles and managed to make the whole household revolve around her. Daphne loves exploring in her backyard and watching the street from the front windows. She is a very chatty girl and always has something to say. Daphne takes her role as work supervisor very seriously and feels a 'paws-on’ approach is often needed. She is a complete treasure! Philippa Hello Era is a gentle and polite senior lady who is doing very well in our household. She loves her food; breakfast is expected promptly at 4.30am, dinner at 4.30pm and she hangs around in case there will be snacks while the kitchen is still open (and even after the kitchen is closed!) She sleeps a lot but also likes to chase the shoelace and take over my lap in the evening. Nick Era Daphne
15 Our darling Tinkerbell came into our lives back in 2010 after we sought another feline companion. Our previous dear 20-year-old Bobby had passed away 6 months earlier. We were “just looking” when we arrived at CPS in Enmore to view some potential cats. We weren’t sure if we wanted a kitten or a mature cat. One of the staff mentioned an older cat, 5 years of age, deaf and with recent surgery to remove the tips of her ears due to skin cancer. That’s when we met Tinkerbell; a cautious, pretty, snow-white cat who had been at CPS for months after her owner passed away. She looked like she needed a family as much as we wanted a sweet kitty back in our lives. We were told “she’s a bit bite-y” and jumpy because other cats sneaked up on her without her always knowing it. We brought her to our home and settled her in with treats, a comfy bed and toys. She gradually explored every nook to the point that she disappeared for a number of hours! Being deaf, she couldn’t respond to our calls. Panic was averted when we eventually found her sleeping soundly, curled up under the stairs among boxes and bags. We learnt to tap our wooden floors, metal balustrade and open cans of tuna to get her attention after that! She did everything on her own terms. At 5am there was the incredible howling that echoed from floor to ceiling as she summoned us for her breakfast! Our neighbour even commented on the incredible volume! Of course, she is a deaf girl and had no limit to her voice. She would watch us from the stairs as we worked or sit with us on the lounge, occasionally reaching out with a foot to touch us. Her favourite place was on the table in the sunroom where she could watch us on the deck during BBQs and late dinners or gardening, and she would enjoy admiring the butterflies, birds and cats from next door. She remained an indoor cat who had plenty of supervised time outside to chew grass and gather cobwebs in secret places in the garden. As she grew older; 10, then 15 and to 20!!! she remained our constant little welcoming home committee, alarm clock, and bug catcher. She went from a tubby girl to a very skinny older puss. She developed hyperthyroidism that was greatly helped with medication. She was a good girl who patiently sat staring into our eyes while we medicated her. She trusted us as the inside of our home was her whole world. She sat and observed us, but became so much more affectionate, crawling up onto our laps for cuddles and patty-pats. In her last few months, she bravely faced some vet visits but always seemed to bounce back. She was looking tired, but we were hopeful she would be with us to celebrate her 21st birthday in April 2026. However, on her own terms she slipped quietly away from us overnight on 12 February. Dear old girl, you are 20 years, 10 months, 1 week and 3 days of age … forever. We miss her terribly and are thankful that the quirky, loveable Tinkerbell chose us as family. Peter and Morgan IN MEMORIAM Tinkerbell
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