Thank you
I SHOULD like to say a big thank you to everyone in the Cat Fancy for all their phone calls and general good wishes during my recent stay in hospital. The cards, flowers, plants and gifts were lovely and very much appreciated, brightening up a difficult time.

Unfortunately, my stay was longer than anticipated (I expected three or four days, but ended up there for two weeks), this meant I had to cancel several more shows. My apologies to exhibitors and many thanks to the Show Managers involved for the understanding and concern.

I am getting on fine now and will hopefully soon be back in the swing of things. I look forward to seeing lots of lovely cats (and people) again at shows shortly.
Pat Perkins

 

Well done ‘Welland’
WELL done “Welland’ - and wow, wasn’t it wet, wet, WET?!!! We wish to say a special thank you to all the team at Welland who came and constructed our beautiful new cattery runs at the bungalow recently (start of May - and also seemingly due to the weather it was also the onset of the annual monsoon season in our area!!)

For, not only did the fellas turn up on time, but braved the worst wet and windy weather we’ve seen so far this summer, for over nine long, and by then dripping wet and limp hours hard work, in order to ensure that our felines would be safe and secure within their play run units after the recent house move here - above and beyond the call of cattery construction duty, and they also did the job well within our budget.

The bettery half was working away for the whole week, so it was me, the moggies and the men from Welland, sharing some smiles, despite being soaking wet and chilled through at the time, scoffing bacon butties and cups of cold tea. We did giggle when one guy almost swallowed a slug which had slithered into his mug, must]ve set it down on the stone wall - whoops!

Anyway, we are completely delighted at what they’ve done for us all, and the cats are having a wonderful time chasing in and out of their long outside runs. Really good design, cos I can’t catch ’em to get ’em all back into the bungalow by nightfall - unless I call “din dins” that is.

Thanks Welland, we appreciate all your work.
The Baileys and the Capricciosa Cat-Clan based at Belper

 

Happy retirement
I WOULD like to wish the International Cat Judge, Mrs Grace Denny, every happiness in her retirement this year.

She has proved a bonus to the cat world over 40 years and has been a real champion for pedigree cats.

I’m sure many of Our Cats readers will join me in thanking her for all her hard work and wish her a happy 90th birthday.
Joyce Mainwaring

 

I too have concerns!
IN reply to two letters in OUR CATS, 3 June 2005 issue.

Firstly, the one from ‘Concerned’ regarding class splits. I totally agree with their letter, especially the last paragraph - “The GCCF exists to protect and promote the welfare of our feline friends, not to be obstructive”.

We need more cats at shows, not less, and this 11(b) in the GCCF agenda making less classes, not more, is crazy.

Secondly, regarding the Imperial Classes. I also agree with what was written and put in Viewpoint. Another point - what happens at a Siamese breed show where Orientals long and short cannot enter. Does that mean there will be no Imperial Classes, or does it mean that there they will be thus making All Breed shows have fewer entries as the cats will go to the Specialist show so that they are not judged against the Orientals?

I also have a gripe, which I personally have put to the GCCF regarding pre-sewn white beds. Surely the idea at a show is for the comfort of our cats, not as I am told the reason why is because it would make it difficult to get the cat out. A nervous cat could be taken out in its bed and then placed on the trolley, and no, it would not escape.

We love our cats and we used to love showing, but what we see happening these days has stopped us hardly showing at all.

So come on GCCF, work for us and our cats, not against us.
Georgie Icke, Marmiejac Siamese

 

National Cruelty-Free Week
SINCE all your readers will be animal lovers, they might be interested to know that the Co-op will be displaying “shelf-talkers”, during National Cruelty-Free Week (4-10 July 2005) to let their customers know that their own-label household and beauty products are approved by the Humane Household Products Standard and the Humane Cosmetics Standard, and running in-store promotions on selected household and health and beauty products.

BUAV’s (the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection) 3rd National Cruelty-Free Week aims to inform consumers that animals are still used for the testing of cosmetics and household products. It provides manufacturers with information on how they can join the Humane Cosmetics and Humane Household Products Standards, and helps consumers avoid products that have been animal tested.

So look out for the BUAV’s rabbit and stars logo to make sure that neither the product you buy, nor their ingredients have been tested on animals.
Adoflo Sansolini, Chief Executive BUAV