Are you a cat lover looking to give a cat a new home? Then look no further than the National Animal Welfare Trust here in Watford, says NAWT centre manager Jackie De Friez. “Here we have a wide variety of breeds, colours and characteristics, in fact a cat to suit any requirement from playful kittens to more mature restful individuals, although as cat lovers will already know, all cats, no matter their age, have mad kitten moments!

All our cats are cared for as individuals and all their needs are met with loving care, including plenty of human interaction, so that no matter why they came to us originally, they are ready and able to fit into a new loving home.

Sometimes though, it takes time to find that special forever home. This happened to a wonderful white cat, pictured below, called Podge.

When Podge arrived at the centre she found it very stressful and as a result developed a stomach upset which required a special diet. After a whole year Podge was sadly not yet re-homed so we decided to give her more quality of life by letting her live in the centre but based in our reception area, where she would get lots of attention.

However, she was so affectionate and inspired such love from staff and visitors alike, and her ‘pitiful’ hunger cry so appealing, that she was given far too many dinners! After 6 months she weighed in at 7 kgms and our lovely vet put her on a strict diet. She was moved in to one of our catteries and it took poor Podge 3 months to loose all that weight! By this time she was very settled so we enlarged her living space and gave her plenty of home comforts. Many visitors were attracted to her but felt unable to cope with the diet and care that she needed.

Eventually Podge’s story did have a happy ending. After 3 years she finally found a home with one of NAWT’s volunteer dog walkers, David. They were a match made in heaven and now David and Podge have cosy nights in together, with Podge perched on David’s lap.”

“It is stories like this that make the work we do so rewarding,” smiles Jackie. “It’s also very important to all those unwanted animals that come through our care and who are also hoping to one day go to their own forever home.”

For more information about cats and other animals at the National Animal Welfare Trust in Watford call 020 8950 0177 or visit www.nawt.org.uk