OUR STORY
JANICE’S STORY
Find out how and why Janice Bockling became the Founder of Cats in Need Menorca
It all began with just one cat, a ginger tom called Zacky who came to live with us when his owners went to start a new life in Canada. I had wanted a Labrador, or even 2 but my late husband, Eddy, famously said “Let´s have a cat, they are less trouble” Zak was followed by Oscar, a tabby and white kitten who had a tight chain around his neck which was getting tighter by the day. Then came the first rescue cat, a tabby kitten called Barney who was living alone in the cellar of an abandoned house in Mahon. I saw her sunbathing in the mid afternoon sun when all was quiet. She was followed by a Tortoiseshell with a broken leg who I was feeding in another cellar in Es Castell. She disappeared for a few days and later turned up with a broken jaw, off she went to the Vet, where a very crude solution was given to her jaw, a figure of 8 in wire which she removed within the week – the first cat I fed by syringe.
With these cats came a growing awareness of the plight of the stray cats and kittens of Menorca. There were so many starving cats and kittens with cat flu. I wanted to do something but had no idea of how to go about it until in 1999 I met Jennie Billiemore of twinkletrust.org and Valerie Sinclair of Friends of the Ferals. They were on their second visit to Menorca to do a neutering campaign. They were struggling to find cats as they had no catcher with local knowledge to help them. They neutered the cats at a warehouse we were renting and some in my garden and then I took them round places where I fed strays. When they left they gave me my first trap and a crusher /transfer cage. A few months later they found a team of vets to come and neuter and between us we financed it. Cats in Need Menorca was created in October 1999
In March 2000 we sold our car hire business and so I had more time. I met our local vet and slowly I met other like minded people, some of whom had been quietly working on their own for years looking after the Island´s strays and we joined together to help and most importantly neuter and spay as many cats as possible. Neutered cats have the tip of an ear removed, sometimes quite difficult to see when the ears are back.
No cat is ever put to sleep unless it does not have a chance of quality of life, currently there are 2 amputees and a partial amputee living in the house and garden and many with an eye missing
We are self funding and rely on donations and the sale of greetings cards and gifts in our shop which you can visit if you are in Menorca. All our helpers are volunteers and we provide most of the food for the cats that we feed.
Meet The Team
Every day some 200 cats are fed by our volunteers. Sometimes we have hoppers in private gardens that have to be filled just one day a week – the easiest – many are cats that gather around dustbins or simply in the street under parked cars. they get to know their carers, and the sound of their cars, or a call or rattle of keys – they soon learn. These cats have to be fed daily as there is nowhere to leave food and water. Quite often the cats are not in view but soon come running. There are many empty plots both in the resorts and towns and cats gather there. Our volunteers quite often have problems with the neighbours who object to the cats being fed and we explain to them that the cats are all neutered and that they need cats to keep down the vermin. Some of the Town halls now issue us with permits stating that we can care for the cats.
Neutered cats have the tip of an ear removed to show us that they are neutered and to some extent this helps to protect them from people who would do them harm
We calculate that a cat needs 80 to 100g of dried food per day. You could sponsor a colony if you wish.
Our Cat Colonies
Team News
Facebook Posts
Watching TV last night just turned 11. Heading for bed, but getting off sofa is not easy.
I had 7 cats on me and round me and a patient queue , including Gilly ,waiting, hoping that there would be a space.
I was messaging , too and fro, over big problems yesterday with colonies of cats to try and solve
And then a WhatsApp flashed up from the Es Castell police.
No I thought, not at this time of night.
They call me when there is a problem with a cat in the village.
But once I’ve seen it I can’t ignore it.
a cat at that time of night must be in trouble.
I opened it.
A young cat was in the police station apparently lost.
Could they bring it to me?
But they didn’t have a cage so I went to pick it up.
Soooo adorable , like my Squeakes. Friendly , collar, no chip.
I brought him home.
That’s for tomorrow I thought.
And this morning just after 8 a call from his owner.
Who came to pick him up. So he’s home.
What a lovely cat.
He was just out for an evening stroll. He chose his owner, Lorenzo, after he was left alone when his previous had died.
How can people not like black cats. A real panther with glossy fur who loves a cuddle.
So that’s a brilliant start to the day. Let’s hope the rest is peaceful.
I’m working desperately to make some calendars and to get ready for a street fair in Es Castell this weekend
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When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.
Today we are starting physiotherapy for Minx.
Such a delightful young Tom from Santo Tomas.
He has apparently been involved in a road traffic accident and has suffered trauma to his lower spine.
He has no sensation in some of his toes and struggles a to walk.
He is on constant medication for pain and inflammation but the prognosis is good.
He has had bed rest for about 3 weeks and after a vet visit last night we have decided that to stop atrophy of muscles he needs to start moving.
So he’s loose in a room for much of the day. No machines needed, just yummy food, Dreamies and maybe a feather or two.
And time.
He is adorable
I may let him in to meet Belisa who is currently in my bathroom. Just to see how she reacts.
She also needs to walk more to get the strength back in her back legs.
We’re not sure what happened to her but possibly another RTA.
She prefers lying on her bed with occasional outings for food and a cuddle. When I say bed she has one of the dolls beds from IKEA. My cats really love them.
She has also had blood tests, X-rays and is on daily medication and supplements. She still has a spotting of blood in her urine and for a time was incontinent.
Would you like to sponsor a cat or help with our many expenses?
Details on how to donate are at the top of the Cats in Need Menorca Facebook page
If you are a cat lover you could help by simply sharing this post to your own pages to spread the word.
Hoy empezamos un tipo de rehabilitación para Minx , un gato precioso que tuvo un atropello.
Le cuesta caminar y no tiene sensación en algunos de sus dedos de pie.
Ha estado en una jaula doble durante un par de semanas.
Pero ayer decidimos que ya es tiempo que empiece a moverse más , entonces a base de chuches , plumas y paciencia vamos a empezar.
Es un amor de gato.
También tenemos una hembra de Arenal den Castell que también quizás ha sufrido un atropello
Es de una cierta edad, muy mansa .
Tiene un poco de incontinencia y a veces sangre en la orina se mueve poco y con algo de dificultad.
Voy a ver como se lleven los dos juntos.
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When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.
I look at him , my heart melts and I smile.
Can’t help it.
Bernie The Bolt.
His name ? He has a steel bolt in one leg following a Road Traffic Accident when he was just a baby
Now he’s about 17.
Since then he has lived with me but always wary.
Would very rarely venture into the house
He had a health scare a few months ago and I thought that we might lose him. But he seems to be improving and is slowly getting closer. Literally. For a few weeks now he’s been watching me from under a footstool.
Tonight he joined me on the sofa , albeit at a distance.
But still.
And tonight he let me stroke him without moving off the sofa.
