A young female cat, later named Electra, was found tied to a post near a van outside the Harrow Cats Protection Centre. She had been hiding in the van’s bumper for over 10 hours before being discovered by staff. After an hour of careful effort, the team was able to coax her out.
It was later revealed that Electra was pregnant with kittens, and the Centre urgently needed a volunteer fosterer to care for her, as they do not have maternity facilities on site. Fortunately, a fosterer was found, and Electra was placed into a safe environment to receive the care she needed. Once her kittens were weaned, Electra was microchipped, neutered, and vaccinated.
This case comes as part of a growing trend in cat abandonment across the UK. Cats Protection has revealed a 34% rise in abandonment cases this year, with an urgent winter appeal being launched to help cover the rising costs of care. According to the charity, cats now spend an average of 39 days in care before finding their forever homes, highlighting the increasing strain on resources.
Anjelica McLeod, Harrow Cats Protection Centre Manager, said: “My initial thoughts before I looked under the van were the worst: I thought she may not have been alive. At the time, I didn’t know how long she had been tied up and under the van for, or what condition she would be in. I just knew I needed to act right there and then.”
The charity has issued a plea for public support through their Winter Appeal, as rising abandonment numbers have driven costs to over £50,000 for basic veterinary care for abandoned cats in the first half of 2024 alone. A donation of just £5 can feed a cat in the charity’s care for 25 days.
Anjelica added: “We may never know why Electra was abandoned, or the full circumstances of the owner. It’s sad to know that someone had felt that leaving her tied to that post in the early hours of the morning, in the hope that someone would find her, was their only option. While we can’t take all cats in that show up at our door, we will always try and help in any way that we can.”
The charity continues its efforts to find homes for abandoned cats like Electra, while also working to prevent future cases by offering advice and support to cat owners in need. Donations to the Winter Appeal can make a significant impact on helping vulnerable cats this season.
For more information or to donate, visit the Cats Protection website.
Chris Mitchell is the founder and editor of Harrow Online, Harrow’s leading local news platform.
He launched Harrow Online in 2010 as a Facebook page sharing local news and information. Since then, it has grown into a trusted source for breaking news, crime, council decisions, planning, transport, business and community stories across the borough.
Harrow Online reaches hundreds of thousands of readers each month and has a social media audience of more than 200,000 followers.
For news tips, press releases or enquiries, contact Chris at info@harrowonline.org.
