Two anxious cats found under floorboards of a house are seeking new homes after being nursed back to health by staff at RSPCA Stapeley Grange in Nantwich.
Named after Star Wars characters, Luke (left) and Leia have come on leaps and bounds with foster carers and a stay at the Nantwich cattery on London Road.
They were rescued after being found huddled together under floorboards after their former owner passed away at a property.
The harrowing experience for the two cats, aged around two to three, made them nervous and anxious on arrival at the RSPCA centre.
They were wary of being approached and preferred to stay on the other side of their enclosure when staff were around.
The cattery placed the pair in foster care to get them used to living in a home and help build up trust in people.
Since then they’ve learnt to socialise with their carer and are enjoying playing with their toys and cardboard scratching boxes and scratch posts.
Now they are ready to make their next move to a permanent forever home.
The RSPCA urgently needs more carers to help free up space in its animal centres. New statistics reveal 700 rescued animals are waiting for a space.
RSPCA Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre and Cattery manager Lee Stewart said: “Fostering is a great way to give our cats the chance to settle into a more domestic environment.
“As our staff and volunteers can only spend a limited amount of time with each cat in the confines of their quarters, we thought we could best help Luke and Leia by placing them in foster care.
“They were clearly comfortable with each other’s company, but less so with us, especially when they needed examination or treatment.
“They would sometimes take treats from our hands, but they didn’t know how to interact with people – when they saw a big hand looming towards them they would back away.
“Now they’re both becoming more interactive. Although they are still wary, they have learnt to greet people with nose-pokes and they enjoy having their noses rubbed.
“They are still quite nervous of sudden movement, so we think they’re best suited to a calm household without young children or other animals.
“They will take time to learn to trust people, but they have made tremendous progress since they arrived at Stapeley Grange.”
The RSPCA has launched an urgent new drive to recruit more fosterers – who care for animals temporarily in their own home, while supported by the RSPCA to help ease the pressure.
Anyone interested in becoming a foster carer can find more information on the RSPCA’s online volunteering portal.
The drive for new fosterers is part of the charity’s Adoptober campaign, launched to raise awareness of some of the animals in its care who are desperately in need of a forever home and a chance for a new life.
For further information on the cattery’s other animals go to Stapeley’s rehoming page.
Support the work of your local centre or branch by becoming a volunteer or donating to them directly.
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