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Posted: 15th March 2024

Mental health patients get chance to foster cats
Kate Lines, senior occupational therapist, Sue Arnold and Susan Dicks, volunteers at Northampton Cats Protection, and Josh Ferron, Cats Protection operations manager.
New fostering pen built at hospital in partnership with cat charity.

A new cat fostering pen has been built in the grounds of a mental health hospital, as part of a collaboration with Cats Protection.

As well as providing a place for cats from Cats Protection Northampton Branch to be cared for while they wait to be adopted, the pen will also allow patients at Broomhill Hospital in Spratton, Northamptonshire, to benefit from looking after the animals.

The patients working with the cats are being provided with training and support as part of their occupational therapy. The first cats to stay there, two-year-old Rue and her son Buddy, have already been adopted.

The idea for the fostering pen came after the hospital rehomed a cat called Aurora last year. The patient who cared for Aurora found the experience had a positive impact on her mental health and her confidence increased.

Kate Lines, a senior occupational therapist at the hospital, said: “Cats Protection was open to partnership working, expanding on this initial work with patients as assistant fosterers. Work began to install a Cat Pen to provide a welcoming safe space for cats or kittens while they waited for their new homes.

“The role of supporting a cat in their recovery journey to moving on, mirrors the patient’s own recovery journey.

“This dovetails with our broader use of animal therapy within the setting. And importantly will enable patients who love and miss having animals to be able to interact with them again.”

Josh Ferron, Cats Protection operations manager, added: “This is a unique partnership for Cats Protection, and while getting to this point has involved input from a lot of people, everyone has been so committed to the project. To see it get off the ground is already a rewarding experience for all involved.

“To be part of the rehabilitation journey for patients while also increasing capacity for the branch to bring in and help more cats really is an epic win-win and we look forward to nurturing and building this collaboration.”

Image © Cats Protection



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