A tabby cat who was left almost toothless after spending most of his life on the streets, has been receiving much-needed TLC in charity care, but now needs a cat-focused home of his own.
Eight-year-old Bertie led a very hard life before arriving in the care of Cats Protection Weymouth & District. The medium-haired moggy was a homeless stray for many years and when he entered the volunteer group’s care was underweight and weak with a very matted, dishevelled coat.
He had lost many teeth during his life outdoors and urgent, long overdue dental treatment left him with just a few small teeth at the front of his mouth.
Coordinator Gloria Ashwell explains: “It’s likely Bertie’s teeth had been causing him significant mouth pain for some time, making it hard for him to eat which, in turn, led to his weight loss and weakness. His years as a stray would have been miserable as he not only struggled to find food but then struggled to eat whatever he found. Luckily a kind member of the public found him, gave him shelter and brought him to us.”
As a result of his dental issues Bertie needs a soft diet to enable him to chew as little as possible.
Gloria adds: “Bertie adores attention and is extremely affectionate, however his time fending for himself means he can quickly become overexcited and may suddenly give a ‘gummy nip’. These are not at all painful, but mean that Bertie needs a special home, with an experienced and understanding owner who will recognise the signs of his becoming excited, and will gently withdraw attention. This will allow him to calm down so that he can enjoy affection without it overwhelming him. He is a very sweet cat whose personality has not been dimmed by the struggles he has faced.
“Bertie would make an excellent addition to a relaxed, adult home, ideally where he could spend lots of time with his new family – he adores human company and will happily fall asleep on laps. An avid TV-watching owner would be absolutely perfect for Bertie, who he could snuggle alongside and snooze the hours away enjoying his new-found safety and companionship.”
Bertie is used to being outside, so will need a home with a garden away from busy roads. He would be best-suited to life with no other pets so that he can finally enjoy being the centre of attention without having to compete. It’s likely he would get on with older, calm children (age 15+).
To offer Bertie a home or find out more about Cats Protection Weymouth & District visit www.cats.org.uk/west-dorset
Jake Brewer