Rescue pen pals – CSI:Cleo

** Update – Cleo got rehomed! well done to KCC! **
Sometimes a letter will cross my path, sent in plain brown manilla envelope, hand delivered, and mysteriously shoved under the door in the middle of the night. Inside this envelope was a single sheet of paper, and some photographs, and some contact details.

The mysterious, redacted letter from the envelope. Bits were marked out because secrets, national security, or something

It is a well known fact, (to cats at least), that all cats have a criminal past. This is quite obvious when you think about it. Midnight murders, sneaking, stalking, and the ability to stare for hours at a time, (this is useful for casing out joints). Cleo is no exception.

If Oliver Twist was a cat, and a girl…

Like Tamara, Cleo was found as a young, impressionable, and frightened kitten in the Leeds Road area of Bradford, where she was malnourished, and carried on her a colony of fleas. This was not an infestation, rather she was being charitable, and trying to help these poor, maligned creatures.

An artists impression of the Leeds Road area, Bradford, where Cleo was found

She survived as all street cats do, by dealing catnip on street corners, and pickpocketing passing ‘high-bred’ cats of their ham, treats, and playthings. Luckily, she was not alone. She was accompanied by her brother, Chico, who went along with these criminal activities in order to survive.

Winter was coming…

It took a kind old hooman to take an interest in the shivering siblings, and so, in exchange for turning states evidence against the various gangs, international Catnip smugglers, and nefarious Leeds Road characters, Cloe and Chico entered the Witness Protection Program…

Cleo soon made friends, including this plastic water dispenser

Everyone is nervous entering the Witness Protection Program, and Cleo is no exception. She has been under the protection of the Keighley Cat Care, (who operate under the cover of a cat rescue charity, but are in fact highly trained, armed agents, here to guard those within the WPP, *Taps nose* They also provide a very excellent de-fleaing service).

Chico was moved on relatively swiftly, but Cleo has been there for over a year now, and is still wary of hoomans, as they could all be contract killers, informants for the mob, or blackmailers wanting some of her treats in exchange for silence.

Photographing such a timid creature is difficult…

Cleo has an ability to ‘blur’ when being spotted by photographic equipment, and surveillance cameras

Like any WPP entrant, all they need is a nice, new, comfortable life with new, trustworthy people, and a bit of time to acclimatise to a loving new home. Cleo is great with other cats at Keighley and she will play, run around, and is first to try new toys, but hoomans she still keeps an eye on at all times. She will need a patient new hooman to look after her, who will give her time.

While the other cats hide from the scary cyborg snake, Cleo is too busy keeping an eye on the hooman with a camera to notice it sneaking up behind her

So, adorable little Cleo bides her time, under the protection of her KCC agents. Will it be today? Will it be tomorrow? She has been in their care for over a year, and it would be great if she could move on, and finally reach a home she could call her own, and find a hooman she trusted enough for tickles, head-bonks, and claw kneading!

OK, you are a hooman… You are inherently untrustworthy, but maybe you have ham? Treats? Catnip?

Do you think you can help Cleo, or know someone who can help?

Visit Keighley Cat Care or call Chris Rawnsley on 01274 568380. They are on twitter @KeighleyCatCare, and you can email them at keighleycatcare2@btinternet.com