Beginning
Rescue & Re-home
I had no idea of founding a Cat Shelter as I had
dogs all my life. I even brought my dog to
Turkey. Ten years ago during the night I found a
stranded kitten, a tiny black and white thing.
He was only 4 days old. I had no idea if he
would live or die because I had no idea what to
do. My experience was only with dogs. So I
called him Hayat which means "life" in Turkish.
I thought if he had a lucky name, it will bring
him luck also and give him a chance in "life".
The real founder of our cat shelter is Hayat,
who is now a six year old bossy, anti-social,
independent, single minded but handsome moggy.
Within 24 hours I was presented with his sister
Princess who only lived 4 years. So with the
plastic bag filled with milk I started feeding
them. They survived and grew into happy healthy
cats. During the winter, when money was scarce,
the cheapest form of food was fish. But being a
"cat person" now and the fish being so cheap, I
used to buy an extra kilo and feed the street
cats on my way home. This put me into contact
with the street situation concerning the cats.
Every now and again while doing my rounds on my
bicycle feeding the cats, I would find a sick
cat and take it home.
Within six months I had 10 cats, non-castrated.
I was lucky there were only three females... And
they only had a few kittens which I found the
homes for. I had made friends with a local
veterinary who made the neutering of the females
for half price. Veterinary fees was my biggest
problem. I sent for books from England, and
started studying about cats. I had so much to
learn. I tried to keep my numbers at ten, mainly
because I lived in rented accommodation. And
living in Turkey, people do not appreciate
animals in houses. But within another year I was
up to 22 cats. And facing eviction.. My
situation was becoming critical. Every year I
had to change my apartments because they would
not let me stay with all the cats. Yet I had no
power to turn my back on other cats who needed
my help. So every six or twelve months I had to
pack up and move, always finding a place by the
skin of my teeth. Just in time to be saved from
being taken to courts and possibly finding
myself homeless.
It was during this time that I heard about
German veterinaries visiting Lidya hotel. This
is the oldest hotel in Marmaris and known for
its cats. There are usually about 30 cats
sharing the hotel with the tourists and they
have a small cat feeding place in Armutalan, a
suburb of Marmaris, for all the cats that were
dumped in the gardens of the Lidya hotel. This
being on average about 10-15 cats a week. The
whole of Marmaris was using the Lidya as a
dumping ground for their unwanted cats. So the
owner created a feeding place on one of his
properties in Armutalan and sent food every day.
Living quite close to the place, I was curious
so I looked and found most of the cats in need
of veterinary care. They had the food but they
didn't have the care. So unknown to the Lidya at
this time, I started taking care of them and
giving simple treatments to the cats that I
could catch. Cleaning the place and giving love
and attention to those cats. The vets apparently
came every spring and autumn to hold a two-week
castration campaign for street cats. This was
the perfect opportunity for me to get my cats
castrated all at the same time.
Meeting the vets
I arrived to Lidya hotel and was introduced to
Karin Potter who was the organizer. She welcomed
me and was more than happy to help with my cats.
For me this was a fantastic opportunity to learn
about cats first hand. In return for operating
my cats, I offered my services for two weeks
going around the streets cat catching. The
veterinaries were wonderful, they never tired of
my continual questions! During my second week, I
spent most of my time in the operating room,
watching, asking questions. And they showed me
how to give injections and let me do all the
post operative injections for over 250 cats. So
I had plenty of practice in those
weeks. Our relationship bonded during the last
second week. When they left, they left me
medicines for most simple ailments. Also
antibiotics, so that I can give my injections
for cat flue, abscesses and wounds. With the
promise of seeing each other again next spring
they left for Germany and I continued my work
with so much more knowledge than 2 weeks ago. It
was a turning point for me.
Karin keeps coming every year because of her
love for Marmaris and the cats. And she realized
that she found somebody in Marmaris that her
veterinaries could teach to do their work for
them together with the Marmaris vets.
LIDYA HOTEL
During the campaigns I made a good contact with
the Lidya owners, mostly the daughter and the
son. In time they learned that I was taking care
of the cats in Armutalan as well as my own 35
cats and 4 dogs. And they started coming to me
with problem of their cats. Occasionally the
daughter would ask me to take a cat with special
needs to my home, our relationship started
growing but as I said before my housing
situation was becoming unbearable. I knew I had
to move again in 4 months and knew I had no
chance in finding another house. I really knew
this was the time I was going to be homeless,
this was 1996. The next four months all my
worries were for the cats and the dogs, what
would happen to them if we became homeless.
These last four months were the worst in my
life. Having so many animals dependent on me, it
was a terrible responsibility. In the last week,
I made my decision, I would take my cats to the
Lidya cat feeding place and I would also stay
there.
I was lucky I had an unused tent from England.
For the next six months I lived in that tent at
the cat place. In a way, it was the best place
we lived: the cats were happier than me because
they were free instead of being shut away in a
house, hidden from neighbours and angry
landlords. I was camping from April until late
November. I could have stayed any time with
friends without the cats. But I could not bear
to leave them for any length of time, I had to
be close by. While I was camping, plans were
going ahead for a new cat shelter, 11 km outside
of Marmaris (Hurray! No neighbours!!) the Lidya
were funding and building this shelter.
They wanted it to be also a shelter for me to
save me from the streets too!!! It was ready in
January 1999, as a New Year present for me and
the cats! Then the biggest shock came, when we
moved the cats. It was the only time possible to
actually count the cats, as they were all
transported in the cat boxes, provided by the
German group. ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY NINE
CATS!!! A few weeks later, twenty odd cats came
from the Lidya, putting on numbers up to two
hundred! It was a very stressful move for myself
and for the cats, but at the same time it was
exciting! This move meant security, safety and a
future for the cats and myself! There was no way
I would have to leave Turkey and leave my cats
behind to the unknown.
The New Cat Shelter
The last four years with the support from the
German veterinaries I have become 75 per cent
independent from veterinary fees. All simple
work I carry out myself. The rest I get free
help from Marmaris veterinaries because I
provide them with all medicines and materials
from Karin. Without the support from Karin and
the German veterinaries, the Lidya hotel and the
Lidya family who knows what would have happened
to the cats of Marmaris... Now we are becoming
famous, tourists have started to visit us, and
of course help with donations which is greatly
needed and appreciated. The Lidya provide fresh
chicken and macaroni every day which is of
course life saving but not the perfect balanced
diet for the cats. All money found is used
mainly for dry cat food with the vitamins and
help to fight against teeth problems found in
cats completely fed on soft food. I have found
the work load overwhelming as I work alone. Over
200 cats, 12 rooms, cleaning, cooking, feeding,
giving treatment, taking care of singular cats
with special needs, continuing with work like
building climbing frames, planting trees, sun
shelters, and many other necessary jobs for the
comfort of the cats. I am hoping to find cat
lovers abroad who would volunteer for a working
holiday and come and be a part of our cat
shelter for a short time.
Being a member of the Cats' Protection League, I
model my work on their principles: to rescue, to
re-house free of charge, to castrate, and to
teach people how to be a better owner.
Millennium Update
January 20, 2000 brought us to the end of our
first year at the Cat Shelter.
The first four months were the worst as all of
the 200 cats were locked inside due to the
perimeter fence being unfinished. The swess
especially for the cats was at times unbearable,
but we survived with a few fights and some hair
loss, mine included!!
However spring came and so did some help. A
dutch friend Jan who lives part of the year in
Marmaris with his wife Mijntja helped with the
fencing and at last the cats were free.
At this time Karin came with her vets from
Germany and the castrations were brought up to
date. Her friends Franz and Ilona helped with
new shelves to the outside of the building (wood
donated by the Forestry Commission) Also another
section of the garden was grassed and some young
trees planted. The trees also dontated by a
German animal friend.
All through the summer occasional tourists found
us and helped with small donations. Hopefully
more and more visitors will learn of our
existence and pay us a welcome visit.
By the time Karin came again in October, things
were slowly starting to take shape. We also had
a nice donation of dry food. So until the end of
February this year the cats had plenty of good
food.
We now have around 240-250 cats so we have
managed to keep the numbers reasonably under
control due to castrations of course but also
due to some cats re-homed and some to Germany
and Holland.
Through the Internet new friends have been found
Margot and Anke from Holland, Irene from Finland
who would like to come as a volunteer. I am
waiting to hear from all animal lovers.
Hopefully with your help the Cat Shelter can be
finished this summer. I have started a new cat
pen outside: it has its roof, new shelves are
needed also it needs to be completely closed
with wood frames and mosquitoe netting. Climbing
frames are needed all around the garden as it
will be a few years before the young trees are
strong enough to take the weight of some of my
"fatties"
As far as the shelter is concerned everything is
promising and positive.
CRISIS AT THE CAT SHELTER IN 2001
FACT 1. The land donated to the Lidya family for
the cats was land in a green belt (area).
FACT 2. Half of the cat house was carelessly
built on the neighbours' land.
FACT 3. The Lidya were approached 1 and a half
year ago and told of this fact.
FACT 4. Nothing was done.
FACT 5. The neighbours took us to court... we
lost!
FACT 6. All through this I was told not to
worry, that the perimeter would be brought in a
little.
FACT 7. A few weeks ago I learned the whole of
the cat house was to be demolished. I was still
told not to worry, that something would be done.
FACT 8. The neighbours came last week and told
me that I had 4 days to move... otherwise...
FACT 9. Due to the economic crisis in Turkey the
Lidya cannot find a second cat shelter. It is
too much for anyone to expect. I am on my own
this time.
It was really a shock to learn that the Cat
Shelter had been built mostly on the neighbour's
land. Not being the supposed owner of this land,
I knew very little until a few months ago and
even then had to leave everything for them to
sort out.
It was sorted out in court unfortunately, the
result being a destruction order against the cat
shelter. Even then I could not find out how much
land we had to give back. It seems that 85 % has
to be returned this means the garden which has
now trees, grass and flowers, the house, which
includes 4 cat rooms, clinic, mother and baby
sick room, my own quarters and outside shelving,
in other words everything, only the dog pound
would remain... everything! The wad rang in my
head for days I really could not function.
Marmaris councils first reply to our request for
help was that the shelter came under the
jurisdiction of Mugla and yet all the cats here
are from the streets of Marmaris.
Reuters TV came to do a news flash, but I
haven't heard if anyone has seen the program in
Europe yet. My last hope was the Internet, and
Bettina in Berlin who used to live here in
Marmaris and help with the cats and dogs.
The response from Germany and the internet has
been fantastic! All of a sudden I wasn't alone
which being totally responsible for so many
animals is one of the worst feelings in the
world. The past weeks I have been crying with
despair, but the past few days, I have been
crying with so much emotion from the warmth and
caring from people all around the world. So
armed with faxes and emails, the Turkish
national newspaper Hurriyet and Karin Potter the
organizers of our German Castration Campaign we
went to see the Mayor of Marmaris. Just two days
before the bulldozers were due to arrive. By the
end of the meeting and a phone call to the
governor of Marmaris (Kaymakam) we had a 3 month
reprieve. The story was repeated in the Hurriyet
over 2 days. It is still only a start, time to
try and find the 30,000 GBP, needed for a new
cats shelter. I am just so glad that we have the
time and its all thanks to you people out there!
The amount includes buying the land, securing
the area and the wooden cat pens (10) the main
house / quarantine and clinic, a dog campground,
with kennels. |