35 years of devotion to cats? It’s been worth it
A WOMAN who has been taking in and rehoming stray and vulnerable cats for many years said she did not expect to have her work recognised in the New Year Honours list.
Joyce Harris, 87, has given over her home as Loughborough Cat Sanctuary to look after felines in need for almost 35 years.
She is looking to step back from the work – but still looks after three cats in her house and four feral moggies which live in a shed in her garden.
After receiving a British Empire Medal, Joyce said: “I never expected anything like this at all. It’s been hard work but it’s worth it with all the benefits to the animals.
It’s been 35 years of pleasure.
“We started up just doing spays, then there were some kittens, and we soon had a houseful of kittens, and my husband said ‘We need a shed’.
“I have met some wonderful people.”
Paris Alexander volunteered at the sanctuary as part of her Duke of Edinburgh award, helping with the cleaning and feeding.
She said of Joyce’s work: “She does a lot for society.
“I can remember I found a cat that looked really hungry and desperate, I took the cat to Joyce and within a week the cat had gone to a new owner. “She really does work wonders.” Paris now has a black and white cat, Banjo, which has feline immuno deficiency virus (FIV), meaning he cannot spend much time with other felines.
Paris’s mum also has a cat with FIV, which she took on from the sanctuary.
Joyce has been looking to step down from running the sanctuary for the past few years.
During the pandemic, people have been using the sanctuary’s Facebook page to post pictures of cats that need to be rehomed.
Joyce said this may be a way for the sanctuary to operate in the future.
Anyone interested in running the sanctuary can contact Joyce on 0115 263357.
It’s been hard work but it’s worth it with all the benefits to the animals. It’s been 35 years of pleasure
Joyce Harris