An airline pilot has recalled the ‘unforgettable’ six-hour journey she made to rehome two rescue cats she fell in love with after seeing their adoption appeal on social media.
Belinda Wall, 45, drove 300 miles from her home near Horsham in West Sussex to the RSPCA’s Great Ayton Animal Centre near Middlesbrough to meet Angel and Rosie.
The shy cats, who have a close bond, had come into RSPCA care from a multi-animal household because of concerns for their welfare.
The road trip in July was prompted after Belinda had gone up to the Middlesbrough area to visit her long-time friend Jenny Kirschmann, who she hadn’t seen for ten years. The women, who had worked together when they were in the RAF, did lots of walking and talked about animals and how Belinda was keen to have pets again.
When she returned to West Sussex Jenny, who runs a cake shop in Middlesbrough, tagged Belinda into a Great Ayton Facebook post about Rosie and Angel and she said she knew straight away she had to meet them.
Five months later and the cats are looking forward to their first festive season with Belinda in their new home.
“I saw them and I couldn’t believe it, it just felt so right,” said Belinda. “I was keen to adopt a young bonded pair of cats as they’d keep each other company, and I also love ginger cats as I think they have wonderful personalities – they were both perfect.
“I slept on it and when I woke, I realised I couldn’t let it go. The fact Rosie and Angel were so deserving of a loving home and after such a special and emotional reunion with Jen and the fact she’d seen them and sent me the link. Everything seemed to align and the distance didn’t perturb me – I like a road trip- so I put in an online application form.”
Belinda heard back from the animal centre a couple of days later to say they were interested in meeting her and she drove back up to North Yorkshire – during her next break from short haul flying – on 15 July.
“I turned up at the centre and I’ll never forget it,” she said. “I went into their pen in the cattery and Angel came up to me first to say hello. Rosie was a harder nut to crack but I gave her time and eventually she came over too. That was it for me and I knew there and then they had to come home with me.”
Along with a goodie bag full of cat treats, toys and blankets from Jenny, the cats made the six-hour journey back to Belinda’s house the following day. For the first three days Angel, aged three, and Rosie, aged two, didn’t come out of the spare bedroom, but step-by-step they became braver and Belinda says their progress since has been amazing.
“We’ve built up such a great bond, they are my world,” she said. “They’re loving the autumnal fall and playing in the wind and the leaves. Rosie will come in to see me every morning at about 4am and her little face just melts me. Angel always repositions to a bed on the landing at night, as if keeping watch, and she’s always there when we wake.“Rosie is more timid with other people but she’s always the first to go outside, whereas Angel is more sociable. They’re very different characters but they complement each other perfectly.
“They’ve added so much to my life and I feel blessed to have them, although if they hadn’t crossed Jen’s radar I would never have met them, so she has played a huge part in this story too.
“I’m the sort of person that goes with my gut feeling and I’m so glad I did.
Beverley Dunn, Cattery Supervisor at Great Ayton Animal Centre, said: “Angel and Rosie were very shy cats when they came into our care because of their past experiences. They needed a quiet, patient home with someone who was able to give them time and space.
“We knew when we saw Belinda’s application that she would be able to offer them just the sort of environment they would flourish in.
“It takes time and patience to rehabilitate cats like Rosie and Angel which is why we have launched our Join The Christmas Rescue fund-raising campaign so we can help even more animals like them.
“We firmly believe the right match is out there for every animal in our care – sometimes it’s just a little further away or takes a bit longer to find, and we’re so grateful to Belinda for really going the extra mile for Angel and Rosie.”
The RSPCA has launched its Join The Christmas Rescue campaign to help bring joy and safety to other animals like Angel and Rosie this festive season. Last year, more than 700 incidents were reported to the charity on Christmas Day alone and frontline officers, vet teams and branch staff continue to work every day of the year to rescue and rehabilitate animals in need.
