The Network For Cats In Need
Penny Paws
Hi, I am Rebecca. I think cats are totally underrated and misunderstood! Cats are also suffering a huge but little known crisis here in the UK.
A few years ago, I realised that I could do something to help some of those in need.
So I embarked on a one woman, self funded, (slightly bonkers) mission to save as many as I could.
It quickly became clear, that as one woman my ability to help was limited, but I was not alone. All over the country people are dedicating their time, money and soul in to the same end goal.
By connecting with these individuals and working together as a network, Penny Paws has been able to create second chances for scores of cats, offering them a future that they truly deserve.
Our Mission
- To scoop up the lost, abused and abandoned.
- Teach them to trust and love again – get them healthy and happy.
- Neuter or spay them, so that we can get a grip on the kitten epidemic in this country.
- Then find them the forever home they truly deserve.
Eighty thousand extra kittens were born during lockdown alone. Most of these ended up dumped, left to survive and inevitably breed out of control on our streets.
Others ended up in loving homes, but the education around the importance of spaying is not up to scratch in this country
Cats can get pregnant as young as 4 months old. Multiple fathers can contribute to any one pregnancy. She can and usually does become pregnant again before she has finished nursing her first litter, and until spayed, she will have litter after litter until she dies.
As a result, we have a kitten and cat crisis that is out of control in the United Kingdom. Regardless of this, breeders continue to bring more kittens in to this world for profit.
Rescues are full and waiting lists are long, so I foster the poppets with nowhere else to go – sadly, there are many of them.
I have built a network of wonderful people with whom I communicate and work with. This enables me to find, rescue, foster, rehabilitate, treat, and ultimately rehome as many as I can. It is a full-time job, but I make no financial profit – although it definitely benefits me spiritually.
I believe that every cat deserves to be loved and to feel and be safe. While I cannot help them all, I do whatever I can. For this to work, I use my own finances, every penny of adoption fees and also kind donations to cover my costs of caring for current residents and whoever comes next. This includes providing the necessary food, litter, toys, vet bills for spaying, neutering, MoTs and medication, etc, overwhelmingly high and seemingly never ending. Or to help cover the costs of the people caring for the cats that I do not have the capacity for.
It is so important to me that my fosters find safe, loving, and permanent homes, so I have made it my mission to match our cats with the perfect families. I have a thorough adoption approval process that I go through initially. Every cat that comes my way has been let down in some way by humans or our culture of ignoring the need to spay. So, I need to be sure that I have found them a loving, safe and permanent future, or I am failing them.
We have cats of all ages and backgrounds in our care. From tiny kittens, dumped behind restaurants, to adults that have been abused, to pregnant mums, to bonded pairs that have only ever had each other. Every cat has different needs. We have cats with FIV, cats with extreme trauma, kittens without mums, abused cats missing ears or with cigarette burns, kittens given as gifts and then discarded. You name it, I have seen it. The costs of providing everything they need are sky high.
We never seem to have enough to cover everything, and every penny really matters.
Thank you so much for your support.