A kind-hearted mum who set out to rescue a "couple of cats" during lockdown has now converted her home into a rescue centre after she was inundated with moggies in need of a home. Tina Lewis, 54, runs Filey Cat Rescue in North Yorkshire with her 68-year-old husband Mark and 23-year-old daughter Kate.
They started off with a small group of feral farm cats who were suffering with respiratory problems. Once word spread locally that the family were taking in strays, more arrived and they now look after 126 cats, with 28 living in the house as they have medical conditions, and the rest in insulated pens in the garden. "We didn’t think we would end up with so many,” says Tina. "We always thought we would start with a couple, and when we became a charity, I thought we might have eight or nine at a time but it went absolutely mad and the phone never stopped ringing.”
The couple have even had to give up their bedroom and sleep in the dining room which also doubles up as an office.
"Before my husband married me, he never had any animals at all. He loves them, but it has been quite a big shock for him. He wasn’t very happy about losing his bedroom, and we had to sleep on camp beds for five months - although it did actually help his back, so one good thing came out of it.
"Obviously, it is a complete full-time job for me and a change of everything for everyone who lives here – it’s all just about the cats. We get them from all over, abandoned cats, strays, and cats whose owners have passed away. It’s hard to say no.
"My favourite is Simba, he was knocked down, and had broken a leg. I syringe-fed him and the love I have for him is immense. I would do anything for any of them, but he has a special place in my heart.”
Tina’s day starts at 6.30am and she is usually on the go until 2am. "I can’t tell you the last time I went to bed before midnight. It's a big job, and I must clean 75 litter trays a day. When I am not here, I am out checking on cats or doing home visits. But the cats always come first. That’s our life.”
Twice a day the indoor cats are taken for a walk around the cat-proofed garden. "They line up ready by the door, they really look forward to their walk,” says Tina. Meanwhile the outdoor cats also get to roam in timed slots.
The couple sold their shop in Filey to pay to build the outdoor pens, and Tina even had to sell her car and her wedding ring so she can afford to care for them. She says: "I had a really nice Audi but that’s gone, which doesn’t bother me.”
Tina has no plans to move the rescue centre from her home, and adds: 'We’ve got about an acre of land, and it’s perfect for them, it’s just beautiful.”
WAGONY AUNT
Dogs Trust expert Dr Rachel Casey answers your canine conundrums.
We want to take our puppy out for her first walk this weekend, how can we get her prepared?
Taking your pup for her first walk is an exciting time, but potentially a worrying experience for her – so make sure you have prepared well.
Preparation starts at home. Teach her to walk next to you by first rewarding her for standing with you, then walking next to you.
Once she has learnt to stay close to you as you walk, add in a cue, like ‘heel’ or ‘with me’. Then only reward her if she walks with you after the cue.
You can also introduce your pup to their harness in the home: do this carefully, rewarding her for being calm and relaxed, and build up the time slowly.
Once she is walking calmly with her harness on you can introduce a lead: gradually get her used to clipping it on and off and then practise walking with the lead attached in the house and garden.
Once your pup’s had her vaccinations, you can start heading out for walkies.
Start somewhere quiet with few distractions so you don’t overwhelm her: give her time to get used to the new sights and smells outside.
Over time her confidence will build, and you can start to take her further.
For more information and expert advice, visit dogstrust.org.uk. Do you have a question for Rachel? Email petclub@mirror.co.uk.
CATS CORNER
A two-year-old tabby had a lucky escape after going missing in a recycling centre for three weeks.
Opie jumped into a neighbour’s van before jumping out at Shepperton Community Recycling Centre, four miles from his home in Weybridge, Surrey.
Owner Gemma Hutchinson-James spent days frantically searching for Opie at the site after he was spotted hiding out there, near dangerous machinery.
When her efforts and a poster campaign failed to bring him home, a local group, Surrey Missing Pet Support, organised wildlife cameras and bait inside the centre, and Opie was found.
A relieved and delighted Gemma said it was a miracle the much-loved family pet was still alive.
PET PIC
Newly-crowned Queen of the Jungle Jill Scott became one of the world’s best footballers with her energetic displays in midfield for Manchester City and England.
However her pet pooch Winnie clearly doesn’t share her dynamic get-up-and-go attitude. Jill, 35, who lives with fiancée Shelly Unitt in Manchester, posted this picture on Instagram, saying: “the only dog to react like this when you say “walkies”.
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