C'est la vie at Chats du Quercy, Part 2
In "C'est la vie for cats" (Chats due Quercy, Part 1), Lynn Stone, Présidente, Fondatrice de l'Association Chats du Quercy (Cats of Quercy), (a cat rescue and shelter organization in France) wrote about the challenges that stray cats face in France. In this AKI Blog post, Lynn discusses how Chats du Quercy is addressing the challenges.
The mission of Chats du Quercy is to:
Encourage a world where cat’s needs are known, accepted and respected.
The purpose of Chats du Quercy is to find permanent, safe homes for homeless cats and kittens with responsible and caring owners. At the Chats due Quercy centre, each cat receives the best possible care and attention from the day admitted to the moment adopted. We operate a no kill policy and we always operate in the best interests of cats.
Chats du Quercy has a rescue and adoption facility designed with cat health and welfare at the core. In 2019 our dedicated Cat Rescue Centre helped 473 cats and kittens. (3 of the kitties currently at the Chats du Quercy centre are pictured below)
At the Chats du Quercy facility, we provide best quality, short term housing in a safe, disease-free and stimulating environment (2 pictures below). It is well documented that long term enclosure of cats can have far-reaching implications on their health and welfare. Therefore, we provide all cats with regular qualified veterinary treatment, high quality food, and a high standard of care. Regular human contact is given to further reduce the psychological effects of being in an enclosed environment.
Before finding new homes, our cats are assessed daily by our cat behaviourist and receive weekly visits by our vet. They are also:
Sterilised from 2 months of age
Identified by microchip (a legal obligation in France)
Vaccinated
Treated for parasites
Tested FIV/FeLV
It takes a lot more than good intentions to run any animal rescue centre correctly. It needs compassion, commitment, objectivity, experience and skills in:- • Management, • Accounting, • Networking, • Marketing, • Plus the determination and ability to initiate community action.
Our sound belief that Chats du Quercy should be run in a very business-like manner allows us to grow as a charity. Re-homing cats is at the heart of what we do and we are working now to ensure that many more cats in the future are given the chance of that loving home they deserve. Every year demands on Chats du Quercy services increase.
Our future projects include –
1. Improvements to our facilities in Miramont de Quercy, including the building of a dedicated Cat Adoption Centre.
2. Create a retirement home for elderly or disabled cats.
3. Create a network of volunteers who could look after cats in their own homes when the owner is indisposed.
All of our efforts will help us achieve our vision:
Being a national lifeline for abandoned cats
Addressing the reasons why cats are abandoned
Providing education, advice, and encouraging responsible cat ownership.
Inspiring and mobilising society to create a world in which all animals enjoy as a minimum, the five essential freedoms.
We are based in Miramont de Quercy, Tarn et Garonne, and are registered with the DDCSPP (equivalent of a US or UK non-profit charity). Please visit our website to learn more.
Lynn Stone has a proven and very successful track record in cat welfare. Since moving to France in 2001, Lynn and her husband, Ron, have been involved in cat welfare. In 2004 they established a cat adoption centre. These facilities are now the primary base for Chats du Quercy.
Since 2004 Lynn, Ron and more than 50 other dedicated volunteers have re-homed 1000s of cats and kittens, and indirectly helped 1000s of others all over France. The Chats du Quercy team currently help, on average, 400 cats and kittens every year.
In 2011, Lynn became a qualified Cat Behaviourist after studying Applied Pet Ethology, with the aim of helping place the cats at Chats du Quercy in the best home possible for each individual cat, and in April 2020 gained further qualification with merit, in domesticated pet behaviour which brings the title CertCAB Animal Behaviour (Comportement des animaux).