The association Les Puces based in Poullaouen organized a new adoption day, Sunday 28 July. Five kittens finally found a home. But this event highlights a bigger problem: the abandonment of cats in Carhaix and its surroundings.
A nuanced reality
“At Carhaix, among our partner vets, quite a few cats are left on their doorsteps in boxes,” notes Alexandra Maldwyn-Davies, founder and president of the organisation. At Poullaouen, the phenomenon is different. “Here, several people report that a cat has had kittens in their garden or garage. They’re not really abandonments, but rather unwanted cats.”
True forgiveness is rare, according to her. “It happens, but it’s usually people who find kittens and don’t know what to do with them. It is not the owners who abandon their animals, but people who try to do their best by handing them over to us, she says. The latter explains that “the adult cats that arrive at the association are not feral cats, but often sociable cats that have probably had an owner at some point”. “When people die, their children, who are not from here, don’t know what to do with the animals and entrust them to us.”
Health challenges
This year, the association has been confronted with numerous cases of sick cats. “We’ve had many cats with diseases such as FIV, a type of feline AIDS, or FELV, feline leukaemia,” says Alexandra Maldwyn-Davies. These conditions complicate adoption. “As soon as we talk about AIDS, people are afraid.” “At the association, there are eleven cats affected by FIV. They live normally and it is completely manageable, but we cannot place them,” she continues, assuring that “these diseases are not easily transmitted: there must be fights or sexual relations, but from the fact that they are castrated, these fall risks.” The association therefore goes to great lengths to inform and raise public awareness of these pathologies in order to allay fears.
Consciousness at the heart of action
In order to deal with this situation, the association Les Puces sets various initiatives in motion. “We organized two events with the Poullaouen school to explain to the children the role our structure plays and the importance of sterilization,” says Alexandra, emphasizing the importance of raising awareness from a very young age. The team also uses social networks to disseminate information and draw attention to cats available for adoption and solidarity shops. In addition to these measures, efforts are being made to sterilize cat colonies in rural areas. “We have a budget for this,” explains the chairman of the association. According to her, abandonment in central Brittany is often due to financial difficulties. “People who don’t always have the means don’t sterilize their animals, which leads to unwanted litters,” she says. We help on a case-by-case basis with sterilization costs and also intervene with injured cats living on the streets. »
Practical
The association Les Puces in Poullaouen encourages foster families to offer a temporary home to cats and kittens waiting for adoption. If you are interested, do not hesitate to contact the association for more information. Contact: 06 14 51 47 39.
