Animal Welfare Officers at The Mayhew Animal Home were first alerted to Roundy when they received a call about a feral cat that had given birth to a kitten in a shed in Roundwood Park.
As the mother was feral, and therefore cannot be taken in and rehomed, the charity left them there making sure that they had a regular feeder and proper shelter.
The cut-off point to domesticate feral kittens is eight weeks, so The Mayhew knew they needed to return to collect Roundy before he reached this age in order for him to be able to be domesticated and find a home.
If a kitten is any older than eight weeks then it can be unfair to domesticate them as the process would be very difficult and slow, and they will probably be anxious around humans all their life.
A feral kitten is born into the wild with no human contact and will usually always have a fear of humans. Domesticating a feral kitten can be a long and difficult process, which needs to be done by an experienced person as it requires a lot of patience and preservation.
The charity could not take Roundy before he was old enough to be domesticated, as it was important that he received the proper nutrients from his mum’s milk, which is essential for health and growth. Also at such a young age, kittens need help from their mum to urinate, defecate and also learn how to act like a cat.
Unfortunately though, when Roundy was old enough to be taken into their care, The Mayhew were completely full to the brim with cats. They had no space to put him in their Cattery, so the only option would be to find him a Foster Carer.
As he had been raised so far by a feral cat, Roundy was scared of humans at the time and was hissing and spitting, and his Foster Carer would have to be prepared to put the hours in.
Thankfully at the last minute, the perfect foster home was found for Roundy, and The Mayhew also returned to neuter his feral mother.
After just a few days of TLC from his Foster Carer, Roundy started to relax and was happily receiving cuddles.
Once Roundy was old enough and had been neutered, he found a home in no time and has since settled in wonderfully. He is now living by the seaside with his new bunny friend and a Morkie called Tilly, and has even been given a new name, Jasper. Black, and black and white cats, are generally not the most popular, so it’s fantastic how quickly Roundy found a home.
This happy ending would have been unlikely without the support from his foster carer. The Mayhew’s Cat Welfare Coordinator, Georgina Disney, said, “We were so thankful that Roundy’s Foster Carer stepped in during this crucial time. With her help, Roundy is able to grow up into a happy, adult cat and has now found a loving forever home.”
“Our Foster Carers are so important to the running of our Home, and so far this year they have helped a whopping 159 cats.”
Fostering helps the charity save more animals’ lives by freeing up space. If you’re interested in becoming a foster carer please visit The Mayhew Animal Home’s website to find out how to apply, or you can call them on 020 8962 8000.
2 Comments
How heart warming. Thanks so much for sharing this. I rescued Milly from the street she’s devoted to me and has given me endless joy. I’m always happy to hear a story like this!
Thanks Jacquie, pleased you enjoyed reading Roundy’s story. That’s great you have a rescue cat who brings you so much happiness 🙂