Clubwise - June 22, 2002

Every week, we bring you the latest on the UAE's clubs, associations and groups. We choose one each time and profile it, highlighting its purpose and activities. We also bring you bits of news from other such groups. So that you know what is happening when, where and why
This week: Feline Friends

Feline Friends is a non-profit making organisation that helps cats in the UAE. Their aim is to provide care and relief to sick and injured stray cats and kittens and to rescue abandoned tame cats and kittens and foster them until good, permanent homes can be found. They also promote the control of the cat population in the Emirates by a programme of spaying and neutering besides providing guidance and support to cat owners. They also encourage responsible cat care and ownership.

Feline Friends are almost always in need of volunteers to do whatever they can to help by offering a cat or kitten a temporary home for a few days or weeks. Without foster homes, they cannot help cats who need care. They also accept donations from people to help pay for veterinary treatment or spare a few hours to help in fund-raising events involving craft, drawing, driving, sewing, typing, help in running a stall or hosting of a coffee morning.

Feline Friends does not have an office and all their volunteers work from home. They have a 24-hour answering service in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Dubai. Volunteers use their own phones to receive and answer the messages. They don't have a cattery; all the cats that are available for adoption are cared for by volunteers in their own homes.

They expect cat lovers and volunteers to help by fostering a cat. They ask the volunteers a few questions and expect them to abide by some simple rules. The foster cat remains the responsibility of Feline Friends and may be permanently homed at any time.

This group helps needy cats when possible. However, they have a limited number of volunteers and a limited amount of money to work with. Feline Friends do ask if animal lovers can afford to make a donation that covers the veterinary costs for their cats. Before any cat is put up for adoption it has to undergo a health check and if it is old enough it has to be sterilised. The donation received not only helps Feline Friends meet expenses for a cat, but also ensures that they have enough money to help other abandoned cats as well.

Some of the forthcoming events being organised by Feline Friends are: The Abu Dhabi Open Day to be held at the American Veterinary Clinic on Thursday, September 26. Guests can come and see some of their cats looking for homes, if they are interested in fostering. There will be great merchandise on sale too. There is an entrance fee of Dh5 and all proceeds go towards helping the cats of the UAE. There will be a vet available to help address queries.

Feline Friends Abu Dhabi will be having a stall at the St Andrews fayre, being held on October 31 at St Andrews Centre. There will be great gifts for cats, greeting cards and wrapping paper, advent calenders, pens, wheel-covers and much more.

Feline Friends desperately need new foster homes especially during summer when people proceed on vacation. At this time of year there are far more cats and kittens looking for good homes than spaces to keep them in. Animal lovers can save a life by fostering a cat for short or long term.