Journey Through Animal Rescue - Angels Story

Angel came into ARC due to her owners declining health, this is a story I have heard frequently while working for the animal rescue but unfortunately is a sad reality of a situation that can arise with life taking unexpected turns both for the animals and their previous carers.

While in her previous home Angel developed a rather alarming weight issue, the cause it unknown but it is believed that this not-so-little cat was competing with her feline friend in the same home for food and seemingly stealing both portions (based on the condition her friend came into the charity in and her sheer size). Angel at her heaviest was knocking on the door to 8kg, that is a lot for a cat, especially a cat of her age.

It is vital that cats diets are routinely checked to ensure they are sufficient for the overall health, even if a little purr pal is being stubborn about the volume she is getting. Overfeeding or allowing another cat to consume all foods laid out is an error that can lead to serious health complications for the animals involved and without intervention or surrendering, I would not have fancied Angels chances of having a long healthy remainder of her life.

Her Time at ARC

While at ARC Angel was very well loved, the volunteers at the charity are incredible and some of the kindest well-intentioned people you could hope for when surrendering your animals. The volunteers and staff ensured that Angel was put on a weight-controlled diet of light weight biscuits and observed portion controlled meals in a kennel away from other cats, ensuring any previous defensive or offensive behaviours could be removed from the equation.

Unfortunately, while this was sufficient in seeing her weight begin to decline, getting her moving both internally and externally was a challenge. I remember one volunteer remarking how Angel was essentially hurried around the exercise area in an attempt to simply get her body moving, much to her grumpy dismay. This came in part with her poor bathroom schedule of only having a bowel movement once every 2-4 days, something alarming if the animal is already suffering with other conditions related to her weight and food consumption, well an brief trip to the vets cleared that up as an enema was administered that got the lovely girls bowels moving.

Meeting

I joined ARC earlier in the year, 2024, and had no real intentions of picking up an animal to take home with me when I came aboard the team. I had a guinea pig at the time, and it felt rather cruel to disrupt our old boys lifestyle of having free roam in his old age, it helped his arthritis and also aided in his gut movement, something he suffered with into his final days. Well, a little while after joining, Hero the guinea pig sadly passed away. It was a terrible period for my wife and I, Hero had become THE central point of our lives and without him the home felt emptier.

I held on until I could no longer, the house felt empty, both my wife and I struggling mentally with the loss of our boy Hero, so I sought a tonic to aid in the worst moment of my recent life. Angel warmed up to me rather quickly at the charity, her little meows that sounded more akin to a sore throated frogs croak gave me a smile when I desperately needed it. She bonded with me more so than any other cat we cared for at the charity, I knew that this little, or not-so-little, lady needed help just as much as I did and it felt like she chose me to help her out.

 Coming Home

I pulled the trigger; Angel was approved via the homing comity and before I knew it she was in a carrier sitting on the passenger seat as I flew down the M11 heading home (something she did not enjoy). I picked up Tanya and the two got acquainted on the drive home, the next day they had already become inseparable.

It is coming up to a month now that Angel has been with us, and her routine now consists of waking us up at 6-7 in the
morning by pacing over the bedsheets for her breakfast, spending the afternoons watching the birds and napping in the sunshine on the window ledge, before curling up for a cuddle on the couch to watch a movie or enjoy a peaceful snooze in bed cradled in Tans arms. Her weight has dropped significantly down to 5.9kg at her last weigh in, and the middle-aged chunky kitty is actually looking rather slim for herself, something she clearly needed judging by the enjoyment she seems to get from sprinting around chasing toys or jumping and exploring her basking area by the large sun facing windows.

Experience

Rehoming an animal was not something new to our home, Ghost and Hero, our guinea pigs, both came from a rescue centre and spent 3 good years helping us learn about their needs and showing a love in return that has felt more rewarding than any career or job ever has. But now a new chapter has opened, and Angel is scribbling away the ink of her recovery and journey into place amongst her family in her final forever home (when she isn’t snoring louder than warthog that is).

If you feel like you are capable of taking in an animal from a charity that needs rescuing, assuming of course you have the domestic and financial stability to cope with an animal long term, and also the time to give them, then I would encourage anyone to apply for an animal. Find a charity that is close by, one you are happy to support and give them a phone call. Ask to meet with some animals and find that missing furry (or reptilian) piece of your family.

Because as a great person once wrote; Saving one animal wont change the world, but for that animal the world has changed forever.

 

Disclaimer: My blogs and opinions are my own, they are in way to be considered the opinion or stance of the companies/groups I work for currently. If you are interested in learning more about the charity I work for please search for The Animal Rescue Charity (ARC) in Bishops Stortford.