When and where was Scratching Post Cat Rescue founded and why?

Susan Delaney founded SP in 2004 to help the vast numbers of unwanted, stray and mistreated cats.

How many cats do you take in on an annual basis and how much money do you need to raise each year?

We rehome 350 to 400 cats each year. Our shelter requires around £175k per year to keep running.

What's been one of the biggest challenges facing you?

We are continuously trying to educate the general public to neuter their pets. There is an awful overpopulation of cats in the UK and not enough homes for them all, this really doesn’t seem to be sinking in, and each year there are hundreds of kittens being born with no place for them to go.

Why did you decide to get involved in National Pet Month?

NPM is a great way to gain a wider audience to help with our fundraising and it’s great to get involved with other charities and companies.

What fundraising events have you organised during National Pet Month and how much did you raise for the charity?

On April 17, 2015, to co-incide with National Pet Month, one of our cattery assistants and one of our long term volunteers decided they would like to take on the task of sleeping with the cats overnight – by arranging a Sponsored Sleepover.

Liz chose to sleep with the feral cats in their very own unit and Sophie opted to spend the night with some of our older residents, in our main unit, showing that cats make great companions, especially for the elderly that have time to spend with them and offer a warm lap!

The ladies managed to raise a huge £745. The event was advertised through our Facebook page, our members’ newsletter, and via Liz and Sophie’s friends and families.

The secret night life of a shelter cat was somewhat uneventful, although the ferals seemed to be the more active during the night than our domestic moggies!

How has the money raised been used to benefit Scratching Post Cat Rescue?

This has been put towards our Vet Room Appeal, which we hope to open very soon, saving money and being less stressful for many of the cats not having to go off-site to be seen by a vet.

Why do you think it's important for us to celebrate a National Pet Month in the UK each year?

It is a great way to reach more people, and as we all love our pets it’s a lovely national event.

What would you say to pet lovers who are unsure whether to get involved with National Pet Month?

I would recommend getting involved any way they can, even if it’s by visiting a local shelter to see what actually goes on. Some pet lovers really aren’t aware of how many pets are stuck in shelters.

You can follow Scratching Post on Facebook at www.fb.com/thescratchingpostcatrescue or at www.scratchingpost.co.uk