Stratford's Scratching Post is on the move

Little Mia is only three-and-a-half months old but already has a big personality, says Karma. Mia is ready to find her new home after passing her vet health check. As well as being litter trained, Mia is desexed and has had her vaccinations, worm and flea treatments. Call into The Scratching Post to meet Mia and the other kittens currently in need of homes.

The Scratching Post is known for finding kittens new places to live, but this month it's the charitable trust itself which is moving to a new home.

Karma Andrews, a trustee of charitable trust behind The Scratching Post, says the move is necessary as the building they currently use is due to be demolished this year.

The demolition is part of a planned large development by Kowalewski Development Ltd, owned by David and Jason Kowalewski, which will see four buildings demolished this year to make way for a new retail hub on Broadway.

The new location for The Scratching Post isn't too far away, with the move taking them just a few hundred metres further north on Broadway, next to the old ITM building.

Karma says the trust will continue to do the good work they have been doing for over six years, including providing care for, and rehoming, kittens in need as well as assisting pet owners with the community cat desexing scheme they run.

"However, we will cease the sale of donated secondhand goods."

Karma says while selling the donated secondhand items has been a good fundraiser for the trust over the past six years, declining sales over the last two years has led trustees to decide it is no longer a viable part of the operation.

"There will still be a shop in our new location though, as we will continue selling new pet supplies such as toys, food and water bowls, leads and other useful items for pet owners."

The trust will also carry on fundraising through other means with raffles and bake sales as well as other initiatives, says Karma.

With the new home for the charitable group organised, the volunteers are still on the look out for more new homes — one for each of the kittens they have up for adoption currently, as well as the many more they will doubtless have on their books over the next few months.

The Scratching Post will be operating from their new location, 127 Broadway, from January 29.

Meanwhile, their old shop is still open until noon on Friday, January 25, with plenty of bargains to be had in their secondhand goods sale!