Cats in Cumbria had the ‘purrfect’ time after veterinary practices teamed up to donate treats to three animal charities in the region. 

Paragon Veterinary Group and Capontree joined forces to provide a month’s supply of treats to 100 felines at Oak Tree Animal's Charity, Eskdale Cats Protection and Kilngate Animal Sanctuary.

Each cat has been enjoying the salmon paste treat Add One on a daily basis over the past few weeks, and the teams at Capontree and Paragon are delighted to help brighten up the festive season for the charities’ residents. 

Laura Binnie, Veterinary Surgeon at Paragon Veterinary Group, said: “It’s a pleasure to support these three charities with this donation. Treats can play an integral part in forming a bond, particularly for pets in animal shelters that may be more nervous of human interaction. This can be very useful to make activities such as grooming a more positive experience, and of course it is also lovely to see the unique character and personality of each feline start to shine.”

The Add On treats, which have been developed by vets, are low in calories, and have other health benefits. 

Pauline Graham, practice manager and Director at Capontree Vets, added: ‘Many of these cats will also have underlying health problems, making a paste particularly handy for encouraging

intake of medications with reduced handling stress.”

All three charities rely on donations from the public to carry out their vital work within the community.

Gina Antonacci, Small Animal Team Leader at Oak Tree Animal's Charity, said: “We really value donations that mean we can continue to provide a high level of quality care for our cats. 

“It is brilliant to be able to give these treats for a whole month, rather than just on Christmas day. This will enable us to identify individuals that particularly benefit from a little extra treat in their daily routine, and incorporate this into their long-term care wherever possible.’

Members of the public can donate to Oak Tree Animal's Charity by visiting their website www.oaktreeanimals.org.uk, Eskdale Cats Protection at www.cats.org.uk/eskdale or Kilngate Animal Sanctuary via their Facebook page www.facebook.com/Kilngatesanctuary