01/12/2022
Happy 5th anniversary to us! 5 years since we took over Cozy Catz Cattery 🙀
First of all we would just like to say a huge thank you to all of our customers, friends & family. Thank you for the support we have received in the last 5 years. We love you all!
Our Cozy Catz journey has not been the easiest. When we moved in on 1st December 2017 we had absolutely no idea what we were getting ourselves into, as soon as we had arrived it was straight to work with cats in the cattery.
January 2018 the weather welcomed us into it’s arms with the beast from the east. With pipes burst and water everywhere, we were snowed in for 5 days.
We soon learnt that pretty much everything in the cattery needed updating so we spent the next two years renovating. We got new french doors put onto reception and we replaced the entire cattery ceilings and roofs. We knew we wanted to make the cattery itself more of a building instead of the open pens it was when we moved in, so we panelled the front of it ourselves and eventually ordered removable panels from Lindee Luu, the manufacturer who built the cattery.
We also put up a new shed just for the small animals and replaced all of our fences that came down in bad wind.
By 2020 we were shiny and new, which was unfortunate for us as we found ourselves empty during the first covid lockdown.
It gave us more time to be able to do the jobs that needed doing without having any furry guests in. In the cattery we painted every bit of wood and the concrete floors. The reception and utility room also got painted and tiled.
Our own three cats loved having the cattery to themselves, but eventually we reopened and got back to business.
In November 2020 we welcomed Rhubarb to the family, who soon realised cattery life is the best life. Nowadays she’s a hard worker after being promoted to Chief Pest Control, we deeply apologise to those of you who have seen evidence of Rhubarb’s victims around the garden.
Last year we faced the horrible aftermath of Storm Arwen. A tree came down, the isolation pen was moved and broken, but more importantly we were without power for 6 days. We spent our days heating water on a camping stove to fill hot water bottles for the cats. Injecting insulin into a diabetic cat by torchlight. It was extremely difficult but we’re more resilient now.
2022 has been as difficult as any. In july we both caught covid, and unable to stop working we had to manage 22 cats and 8 rabbits & guinea pigs.
A couple of weeks later came the heatwave, panicked we put a large tarpaulin over the cattery and put blankets and rugs everywhere to keep the sun rays out. Again we survived it.
2022 was also the year of saying hello to other pets who came in with cat siblings. Tortoises, a hamster and two Australian tree frogs came for their holiday.
Busy would be an understatement to describe this year. We are really sorry to anyone we have had to turn away, it is one of the worst parts of this job and we hate it.
But the thing we hate most is saying goodbye. Over the years we have received a lot of sad news with furry guests passing away. Lots of love to those of you who have lost someone special x
At the end of October we said goodbye to Marion who ran Howpark Cattery in Grantshouse. She was a lovely woman and great friend to us, supporting us over the years with the cattery and sharing customers when one of us couldn’t fit them in. We miss her lots 💛
Although it has been a tough 5 years, it has been the best. We are still learning every day and finding new ways to improve the cattery. Thank you again to all of our customers, to our regulars and new cat parents. We’ll see some of you next month, but everyone else we hope to see you in 2023!
Lots of love,
Amanda & Meg, Lily, Tom, Sulley and Rhubarb ######
(p.s please enjoy some of our favourite photos we have taken over the years)