Fosters/Welfare meeting today - Vicky Halls guest speaker

[Dawn F]

yes she did say she couldn't believe how many cats she had had in her previous life!

[Gillian Harvey]

she appeared very anti multi cat households

Yes, considering she used to have a multi cat household herself. Mind you I do like listening to her talks, she is very entertaining.

[Dawn F]

she did a q and a at our vets (selling her last book) and she appeared very anti multi cat households (but I notice the blue cross is taking that stance as well now) is was also very rude about bengals!

[Ann Clarke (Tabby cat)]

She gave the same talk at the North and Midlands CP conference on Saturday. She was actually quite good because she was very clear about the distinctions between people who had a lot of cats but they were well looked after, all needs taken care of etc and those people who are animal hoarders which is more of a mental health issue and the animals aren't being looked after. The hoarders are the ones where you will find maybe dead animals, lack of cleanliness (no details but you know what I mean) and the animals may be in ill health, emaciated etc.
She said in those cases it is often that the person is completely oblivious to the situation because they have lots of problems themselves which they need help with.
I still don't agree with her attitude to indoor cats though as she is really against it and seems to think they are being deprived in some way.
 

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

I agree about some of her advice Liz and never had much time for her books tbh but expect there is a load of generalization and on a one to one situation she is very good.

One of the probs about general behavioral advise from anyone is that when trying to reach a large audience they have to be very very general and yoiur situation is absolutely unique.

I took advice on a one to one basis from another behaviourist for Sasa but couldnt cope with the stress it was causing Misa and me and it was agreed we would stop, Sasa still will come and take treats out of my hand sometimes as long as I dont try and touch her.........well that was before the last vet visit lol

That was the point we had got to and this week a breakthrough of soughts in that Sasa has been on my bed for the last 3 afternoons although if I try to go in she will get off quickly and run,

[Liz]

She would freak at the number of Clan Cats - we have relatively few issues and the ferals love all the cats and dogs and are now warming to us humans

Sad to say that a lot of her advice would not work for us over the last 10 years we have found that the cats know best and have so much space in fact very few folks have seen all ours at once as they have their own times for visiting rooms and some are night owls and others have decided where their space is and some never leave one side of the house - we can split our house in to 2 thanks to our family room door

Ours also inside and out visit the vet and I can trap most of my outside ferals just takes a lot of planning and a wonderful vets who fit us in cause they know how diffiicult trapping can be

[Mark]

I remember once our branch asked if she would appear at the annual open day (she lives locally), but were told there was £100 fee. It was decided that even though it isn't a huge amount for a PA, it couldn't be justified coming out of branch funds.

PS - call me a cynic but was the diet part done by Hill's or RC? 

[Angiew]

any notes?

[ChrisB]

Our CP branch, together with some others locally, had a fosters/welfare meeting today and it was really enjoyable.   In the morning we had presentations on feeding, special diets, obesity and diabetic cats and in the afternoon Vicky Halls spoke re  'Ten is never enough - understanding the causes and consequences of animal hoarding'.   Really interesting day.