Cat lovers with gardens are being urged to re-home pairs of cats facing eviction from their territory that has been earmarked for redevelopment,writes Issy Clarke…
The colony of 15 cats live on a triangle of waste ground in New Cross Gate, bordered by Besson Street, New Cross Road and Briant Street, but they will be displaced as the land, which has been empty for ten years, is being developed into housing.
The cats are inbetweener cats, meaning they are neither feral or domestic. Campaigners fear that once the land is cleared they could disperse into the surrounding roads, putting them at risk of being run over.
Cats Protection, the national cat welfare charity, is calling on people with large gardens or businesses with outdoor spaces where the cats can live safely in pairs.
The new owners will need to provide daily food and water for the cats, while Cats Protection will supply a temporary relocation pen and a more permanent shelter if required.
Inbetweener cats thrive in outdoor environments with access to shelter and regular feeding. Many are even comfortable living alongside people and will form a bond of trust with their feeders but will shy away from being touched.
Elle Hatam, Cats Protection Regional Behaviour Officer, said: “This type of cat would thrive in a setting such as a spacious garden, where they have access to food and shelter, with the choice and space to interact with their owners if they wish. These cats are not the usual lap cats but, on their own terms, they can make great companions.”
Those interested in caring for these inbetweener cats should visit https://www.cats.org.uk/blackheath or email [email protected].
