Please can you support our appeal to help fund the Retirement Village, due to the sheer nature of the Retirement Village being for cats in their senior and super senior years they have an increased need for veterinary treatment due to age related illnesses. Our vet and medication bills for the whole shelter in 2021 were £39k, which averages out to £3.25k per month and this is paid for mainly from the proceeds of our shop, donations and fundraising. For 2022 the vet and medication bills are still in the region of £40k. A large proportion of this is due to the Retirement Village so we can ensure that our cats received the medication and treatment they need.

The residents mostly come into us following their owners have gone into care homes, passed away or no longer able to look after them. On arrival they are assessed by the vet to ensure they receive treatment and medication needed. Dentals and Osteoarthritis treatment are the most common expense but vital to ensure that our residents are comfortable and enjoying a god quality of life. The new monthly injection for Osteoarthritis is costly but the benefits for the cats comfort is definitely worth it. Some of you may have heard about the escapee Retirement Villagers that after starting on this medication they began to climb out of the village and become Free Rangers. The new fencing installed earlier this year following the storm damage from last year was no match for the now agile Super Seniors. Highlighting the prevalence of Osteoarthritis in cats is important to us, a study in 2002 reported that 90% of cats over 12 years old had Osteoarthritis. Cats by their nature will hide pain being solitary territorial hunters means showing any weakness would be detrimental to their survival. So, they will still climb that 6-foot fence but the way in which they do it will slightly alter, using lower down steps to get up and then sliding part way down rather than jumping straight from the top. Our escapees have highlighted the huge benefit medication can have in providing them with reduced pain is a shining example of how we can really help our senior and super seniors enjoy life and be more kitten.

The cottages and moggies mansion within the retirement village are heated by electric heaters, they are fully insulated but with the current price rises keeping our cats warm is becoming more costly. Some of the cottage doors need refurbishment and we need a few new cat flaps as the current ones are beginning to break due to becoming brittle with age. We also want to provide our less social residents that would prefer not to be snuggled up in a cottage with any others more choices by having a couple more enclosed outside dens.

We are a 100% volunteer run charity. We receive no public funding and all monies raised come from our Charity Shop at 69, Mardol, Shrewsbury, sponsorship, donations, legacies, online shop and fund-raising events.

Our open day events in 2022 helped raise awareness about us and also give people the opportunity to meet the Free Ranger cats and the Retirement Village Residents along with meeting the other animals including guinea pigs, pygmy goats, shetland ponies, pigs, ducks, chickens and Hector the dog. Our 'Paws for a cuppa', an outdoor cafe with homemade cake and cream teas was a hit with all who came along and our little on-site shop was busy too, although Rudi and the other Free Ranger cats either stole toys or made themselves comfy in the beds on sale.

We understand that these are difficult times at present especially from the financial aspect for everyone but if you are able to donate even a small amount please #helpmakeadifference

We have all the other ongoing bills to pay at the Shelter and a donation would help so much.

Thank you all for your support it is very much appreciated by all the Trustees, volunteers and cats.

Thank you for taking the time to reading this.