The RSPCA has issued a special appeal to find a new home for a nine-year-old cat who has been ‘won round’ by the patience and perseverance of staff at its animal centre in Cheshire.
Tortoiseshell Tilly was frightened and confused when she arrived at the Warrington, Halton & St Helen Branch’s rehoming centre in Slutchers Lane, Warrington, after being signed over into the charity’s care from a multi-animal household in Greater Manchester.
She was struggling with an untreated flea allergy, and was underweight, possibly from having to compete for food in her previous home.
Sadly, despite the progress she’s made since coming into rescue in March, Tilly has had only one rehoming enquiry, and staff think her age might be a factor.
The staff are now hoping that an appeal for a new home for her will prove to be as successful as it was for long-stay German Shepherd Petra, who was inundated with offers of homes from all over the UK – eventually settling with a new family in the south after the RSPCA shared her story back in May.
Animal care manager Katie Buckley said: “Tilly was understandably frightened when she first came to us and hid away for large parts of the day. We gave her all the time, space, and patience she needed, allowing her to settle at her own pace, and this has certainly paid off.
“She’s blossomed into a lovely, affectionate cat who enjoys attention, especially if there’s a lap on offer that she can curl up on and purr to her heart’s content.
“The transformation has been incredible and it goes to show that perseverance and understanding is the key to helping nervous and frightened cats like Tilly learn to love again.
“We’re over the moon at the progress she’s made since she’s been with us, but despite the fact she’s only middle-aged at nine years old, we’ve only had one rehoming enquiry about her.
“We’d love to find Tilly a place she can call her own, with patient and understanding owners who’ll support her on this next stage of her journey. We’d appeal to anyone who would like to welcome her into their family to get in touch.”
Tilly is described as an ‘independent lady’, who likes to do her own thing at times and will wander off to be on her own when she’s had enough. Her ideal home would be with a couple or family who are looking for a more mature four-legged companion, with someone in the household who is around for a good part of the day or who possibly works from home.
She would prefer not to live with a dog and would like a safe garden to be able to explore.
To find out more about Tilly, please visit the Warrington, Halton & St Helen’s Branch’s website.
