Pause Cat Cafe in Bournemouth is now home to a family of four rescue kittens from Waifs and Strays Cat Rescue, Dorset. It’s estimated that the kittens were born in the beginning of July, making them around 3-months old.
"It's lovely that 4 kittens get to stay together, it is always the hardest thing to see litter siblings go their separate ways. I always find it very sad, so I'm going to enjoy watching them develop together long term." Says Hilary Ford, who volunteered for CP for 28 years before starting Waifs and Strays in June 2022.
"We find one of the most difficult parts of what we do is finding the right home for cats that are in our care” Says Matt Goodrum from Poole, who runs the cat rescue alongside Hilary.
Matt continues “I'm very excited to be working more closely with the Pause team in the wonderful environment they have created, where the welfare and safety of the cats is paramount."
Pause is working with their vets, Spring Corner, to ensure optimum health practices and continues to work closely with BCP Council’s Animal Welfare department adhering to guidance for habituating the kittens to noises, objects, and activities in their environment. Pause Cat Cafe has experience in introducing new arrivals to the resident felines, and will follow the advice from animal behaviourists that was successful when introducing the cafe’s existing cats. The integration process is delicate and will take 2-3 months.
Prior to the kitten’s arrival they were given blankets that had been ‘scented’ by Pause’s existing cats, and vice versa. This encourages natural bonding and reduces the risk of aggression. Territory is important to cats, so a new neutral area separate from the cats and customers has been built inside the cafe, that the Pause Charity staff affectionately refer to as the ‘kitten palace’. This will be home to the kittens while they adjust to their new environment and the other cats get used to them being around. Curtains protect the kittens from view of the Pause cats until they are shown through the perspex.
The kitten family will be introduced slowly to the other cats and to customers from November, starting on quieter weekdays. A rota of dedicated trained “kitten carers” will ensure the new family’s safety as they start to meet visitors.
It is a long and careful process, but worth the effort to ensure the happiness of the group long-term. Chloe White, the cafe’s manager says “We know people will be excited to meet them, so we are grateful for your patience while they settle in. During busier periods and weekends the kittens will be relaxing in their private ‘palace’, but you’ll be able to see through the window, and the original feline residents are sure to keep you entertained.”
The four female kittens have been named Ellie, Eddie, Izzy and Lizzy. People wishing to meet the new arrivals can book now at pausecatcafe.com for weekdays in November.