We picked up these 'sure to be mischievous' two at eight weeks old on 17th May 2008. They were the kittens of a young black cat called Pascal, who we'd been told had come in when her owners found out she was pregnant. They had arrived at Hull Animal Welfare with their two black and extremely cheeky brothers. (Would love to find out what happened to these kitts if you read this and think you own them?).

I had always wanted another dark Tortie cat after having one I was very close to growing up. When we started looking for kittens it wasn't yet the season and I just couldn't wait to find my kitten so I was very stressed trying to locate a Tortie. I saw Pixie on the website with her sis and bro's and was so excited I rang up as soon as they opened. Waiting for the home check seemed like forever and when I turned up to see them I was told two had been reserved and I freaked out while I found out who they were. Luckily it was the black bro's and we passed the home check a week later. We went for one kitten but as two sisters were left and Firefly was so beautiful and soft we took her as well so they could keep each other company.

The first few days at home were wonderful but scary as they just wouldn't let us stroke them and I wondered if they'd not been 'socialised' enough (not knowing were they'd come from) and all kinds of worries that I'd read while researching getting kittens on line. I needn't of worried because a week later Pixie was a little 'love bug' sat on my knee! Firefly took a few weeks though to feel the same and just followed her sister's every exploration. Pixie was first to try everything and we quickly realised she was a biscuits only kind of kit whereas Firefly would eat anything!

We've definitely had to fit our lives around bringing them both up with me dropping hours at work but its so been worth it. Pixie's down to 7.5 lives after first getting her neck caught trying to escape under the gate in the garden and just recently being involved in a heartbreaking incident where at eight months and having recently been spayed and fully vaccinated we let her out for the fourth time in the back ally and she jumped over a six foot fence into a yard full of razor barbed wire. She got her (breakaway) collar trapped in it and in trying to escape, strangled herself as it didn't release! My partner heard her whimpering and called me. He was a total hero and jumped the fence in the rain (no mean feat) and un-snared her limp body. He had to resuscitate her as she'd stopped breathing
and she luckily came round rasping and fighting for breath! We got her to the emergency vets (it was a Sunday) and she had fluid drained off her lung, x rays and medication and a stay in hospital for three days while we worried ourselves silly hoping she'd make it through. Thank god she's made a full recovery with lots of love from us (though not her sis, who on her return, hissed and growled at here for two days, which we figured was partly because she'd enjoyed the extra attention and partly the smell of the vets!)

They're now back chirping and meowing loudly as usual and are desperate to get back outside. We are considering fencing off the garden with Katzsecure or kitty clips. Its sad as we were so looking forward to letting them outside whenever they wanted and now it seems to unsafe. We will make sure though that whatever we decide they will have lots to do and access outside somehow. They are getting so big now and Pixie's doubled her weight since her accident a week ago, the little survivor that she is! I can thoroughly recommend getting kittens/cats from HAWT for their support even now and hope someday we'll move somewhere with a more cat friendly garden.

Best Wishes for all at Hull Animal Welfare and thanks to Leah for returning my call for advice recently.

Stephanie and Iain

Enclosed is a little montage of them as kittens a week after getting them.

Pixie loves climbing into anything e.g. magazine racks, bags etc.

Percy turned up at our centre as an unclaimed stray back in 2005. He was at the kennels a few months when Doreen visited and saw him. She took him home and he is now well settled and contacted us to tell us a bit about his new life with Doreen and his new family:

Hi, I'm Toby (previous name Percy. My new mum Doreen didn't think it was me!). I love life but when I first came to my new home I thought I was a ten foot Rottweiller - I attacked any dog until I realised they were all friendly. I have lots of doggy friends now - Molly, Lady, Chummy and Dusty are just some of them). I tease them with my squeaky toy to chase me.

I love my mum to bits she takes me everywhere, I'm spoilt, she even lets me sleep on her bed. I love the seaside so my mum even bought me a caravan there. We go all the time, I love the long countryside walks and I swim in the river and play football on the beach.

Sometimes when I'm sniffing too long around trees and don't go back when called she threatens to send me back but I know she won't as she loves me to bits.

Sam, our grandson, comes to his daddy's at weekends and he's my best friend - he plays games with me and I get to go to his house for a sleepover (on his bed).

I'm glad she chose me!

Love Toby xxx

Bobby and Timmy came to our centre as 'unwanted'. They stayed rather longer than most as two cats are always harder to home than one on their own.

I think they were despairing of ever being chosen when along someone who had lost their first cat some months earlier.

Re named Bobbin and Tibby they let us know how the are getting on:

Hi cattery staff and everyone.

We would like to send Christmas Greetings to all the people who looked after us in our long stay at South Cave.

Our new owners only came up for one cat but they were so taken with us that they decided to have two of us not just one, twice the pleasure!

We are now very well settled in our new place and our owners look after our every need.

We have let them know that we love to be groomed. We have lots of space to play and explore but we are not very sure about the big world of outside yet. Perhaps, when the weather gets warmer, we may be tempted!

As you can see, we can choose the best seats to curl up on and spend most of our days asleep. We hope you like our photos. We have some toys to play with but we prefer the pens and pencils from the coffee table or the baubles from the tree. We have been careful not to cause any damage!


Thank you for taking care of us and finding our new family - they think we are great,

Bobbin (formerly Bobby) and Tibby (formerly Timmy)

We saw Cookie on the 13th August 2008, we fell head over heels in love with him and brought him home the very next day.

It had taken us eleven months after losing our beloved 13 year old Border Collie, Kira, to finally welcome a new dog into our family.

We were told we were his third re-home since he'd initially arrived at Hull Animal Welfare Trust; the two previous owners had brought him back for various reasons. He is now called Alfie (Alfred when being cheeky!) and is typically a mischievous little boy. He settled into our family immediately, we couldn't imagine life without him.

We still have a few problems, this is due to his inquisitive nature and always wants to explore a little more. For this reason Alfie stays on his lead and is starting training classes this month.

Alfie has a new job within our household, he protects us against the "nasty" pigeons who dare come into our garden to feed. He enjoys his walks, and is looking forward to visiting the seaside soon (we're not sure how he will react to the seagulls!!).

We'd like to thank Hull Animal Welfare Trust for giving us the opportunity to re-home Alfie (Cookie) and for being so friendly and understanding towards us.

Many Thanks Caroline and Family.

Amber came into the centre as Yoko who's elderly owners could no longer care for her. She was very quiet and frightened in kennels and never got out of her bed. She was use to a quiet home and the other dogs were far too noisy - they made her shake.

Enter Colin and Denise who immediately fell in love with her. She was adopted on 25th May 2008 the day after Hull City won promotion at Wembley to the Premier League - hence the new name of Amber. She was given a bath and a lovely big bed and toys. Amber says she has settled really well
and had her first haircut. The weather was hot and I had quite long hair so I feel much better now. You can see from my photo how smart I am. I go in the car everywhere with my new owners and each evening we go for an hour long walk along the Humber front at Paull. I love to play in the garden and I've just been told that I'm going to the Scottish Borders on my holidays and staying in Beatrix Potters brother's cottage.

At the beginning of 2009 Amber sent us an update of her progress and a new photo to go with it:

I thoroughly enjoyed my summer holiday up in the Scottish Borders and have just celebrated Christmas and New Year with lots of cuddles and presents. I am sending a new photograph of me in one of my new outfits - it was hard to choose which one to send as I am sooo photogenic! but in the end it had to be a Hull City tee shirt. I'm lounging on the sofa with my Hull City Teddy and hat. I also got a diamente, a 'VIP' in the shape of a dog bone to hang on my collar and a super red and white fluffy bandana which said 'Yappy Christmas'.

I just love going for walks in my new clothes. Will have to go now it could be tea time.

Lover Amber xxx

Hello there. Happy New Year!

Do you remember a sad dark brown dog who had given up hope (February 2007). Well, I attach a photograph to show just how lovely she has turned out.

She is a wonderful pet. Very affectionate, loving and playful. It took us about a year to get to the "real Bella", but it was worth the effort.

Bella is well known in the village (Leconfield) and has lots of friends to play with.

Bella is also well known in Hawes which is where we all go for walking holidays. She is very tired at the end of a long day's walking, but will never give up as long as we keep going.

Bella is a complete nut case. She does crazy things and makes us laugh all the time. She is going on holiday again in March in the Dales.

Keep up the good work!

Debbie (Leconfield)