Every few weeks we look for interesting stories from cats and their owners. We spoke to Shyla this time. She lives in Sydney, Australia, with her cat named Boots. She works in a registered Australian animal charity, Animal Rescue Sydney - Rescue Cat Crew, which takes care of homeless and helpless animals. The cats in the center come from abusive families or were stray cats that never had a home.
No kill rescue
"We are proud to be a no-kill rescue, the cats here are given as much time as they want until they find another home. Our mission is to rescue, rehabilitate, reunite and/or relocate the animals in our rescue," explains Shyla.
The Rescue Cat Crew team consists of volunteers, who are extremely passionate and only want the best for animals. They all put a lot of time and energy into the shelter. "We really believe that all animals deserve a second, third, ... chance. We do everything we can to let every animal blossom and give it a new home. It doesn't matter how long that takes with us!"
TLC
Shyla's passion for animals is not without reason. She grew up with different animals as a child, as her family consists of many animal lovers. In 2014 she rescued her first cat. “Since then, we've been saving more and more cats, and soon we were caring for at least 4 cats or kittens at a time,” says Shyla.
"Cats are the best company and love so much! It's like they are my family. Even when they are eventually adopted, I feel like a little piece of my heart goes with them. They will always be part of our big cat family."
Saving a cat and giving them a new home is immensely rewarding. Especially if you've seen the cats grow up.
"All our cats have unique personalities and special habits. Some come to us scared and aggressive, others are so excited and happy to finally be rescued. But after some TLC (tender loving care) even the scared ones are reassured, enjoy themselves and can enjoy a hug.
Puss in Boots
In addition to the cats in the rescue, Shyla also takes care of her own cat, Boots. "We chose his name because he reminds me of Puss in Boots, as he is also very adventurous and has a playful personality," says Shyla. "When I first brought Boots home he immediately started playing and running around like crazy, he was really cute. We cuddled in bed all night."
Boots even has his own role in the shelter, taking care of the new foster cats and kittens that come in. “We call him the foster father because he has taken on the role of the father in our shelter,” Shyla says.
Curious about what Boots and the other cats are up to? You can follow their adventures on their TikTok or Instagram account!
https://www.tiktok.com/@rescuecatcrew
https://www.instagram.com/rescuecatcrew_/
The more, the better
Because she takes care of a lot of cats, Shyla also thought it necessary to buy some nice scratching posts. The cats can burn off all their energy at the Big Cat Tower, the Corner Cat XXL and the Cosy Lounge.
"We actually want to buy two more, we have our eyes on the Royal Suite and the Cat Trone XXL as well," Shyla tells us. "I researched many other scratching posts before buying this one. I especially wanted a scratching post that is durable, sturdy, easy to maintain and can be used by cats and kittens, so I decided to get one from you! Our cats and kittens use him every day and have their own favourite places to nap and play."
