Meet Grantham's cat rescuer Cath who has looked after thousands of homeless moggies

Since setting up Grantham Rescue of Cats and Kittens (ROCK) in 1999, Cath Rowson has affectionately become a household name in Grantham for her dedication and commitment to helping rescue and rehome thousands of cats.

It has been 20 years since the 68-year-old set up the rescue centre with a group of friends to tackle the prevalence of stray and unwanted cats in the area.

Despite some tough years, the organisation has found loving homes for thousands of cats over the years.

Cath has also played a huge role in trying to bring the cat population in the area under control by neutering all those they have re-homed to prevent unwanted cats being born and then abandoned.

But despite her efforts, the rescue centre, which is run from Cath’s own home on Redcross Street, can still sometimes see up to 80 cats needing homes at any one time.

Cath, who was born in Grantham and has three grown up children, now runs ROCK full-time alongside a dedicated team of helpers.

We visited Cath – and 18 cats – at her home this week to find out more about the woman behind the moggies.

How do you manage with everything that must come with running ROCK?

I have four great ladies that help me and others on standby that will get up during the night to feed orphan kitten litters. It’s very much a team effort.

Was it difficult at the very beginning?

We had nothing when we first started but as people got to know and trust us, the donations and money started coming in. We now run stalls, tombolas, raffles to raise funds, which all goes towards the upkeep of the animals, but we are reliant on donations.

It must be challenging at times.

It is but it doesn’t have to be. We try to educate people about the importance of getting their cats neutered to try to stop the population getting out of control.

The internet and social media has also caused massive setbacks for us. Just as I was starting to think that we were getting things under control and seeing a really difference in the local area, I now I feel like it’s gone backwards. The main issue is selling and preloved pet sites on social media sites like Facebook, where just anyone can purchase a cat or kitten. There doesn’t seem to be any guidelines and you can just hand a kitten over on a doorstep. It makes me very cross.

Making sure we have enough money to manage the animals’ needs can also be challenging as the costs do mount up. If I’ve got to neuter several cats in a week, it can cost up to £250 in vets’ bills.

What makes you keep going?

I love it and I do it for the animals.I get phone calls about all sorts of animals including dogs, ferrets and even chickens. Some people are quite upset when they phone so I sometimes become a bit of a counsellor.

I don’t see it as work and I will carry on as long as I can. If we finish I’m not sure who will take it over.

Can anyone provide a home for one of your cats?

Not just anyone. I ask a lot of questions – I would have made a good police officer with all the questions I ask. I do my best to match cats up but I do sometimes have to turn people away but I’m pleased to say that 95 per cent of cats do end up in very loving homes.

Is it ever hard to part with any?

I have kept a few over the years, especially if they’ve already had a traumatic life or got a problem. But you can’t get emotionally attached as you would never let any go.

What’s next for ROCK’s future?

We don’t look too far ahead. We take one week at a time. We are dealing with live animals so it’s every day as it comes.

Information: visit www.granthamrock.co.uk or call Cath on 01476 571636.