00:00Some cats enjoy the company of humans. When I come to volunteer at this RSPCA
00:04animal shelter, Jess always appreciates a friendly hello. Every cat in care has
00:09come from a different walk of life, meaning for some, being in a shelter can
00:13be a stressful experience. But taking a stride in the right direction is the
00:18Canterbury and District Animal Rehoming Centre, who have opened an Alternative
00:22Lifestyle Building, the first of its kind across more than 150 branches in the UK.
00:28But what is an alternative cat?
00:30An alternative lifestyle cat is sometimes called a farm cat or a barn cat,
00:35sometimes labelled as a feral cat, a cat that is unsocialised, maybe not so keen
00:42on spending time with humans. The normal kind of cattery is very stressful for
00:47that type of cat. It's a very busy environment, there's lots of people,
00:50there's also lots of other cats.
00:52To celebrate this vital step forward for the RSPCA's animal welfare mission, a
00:56community gathered to enjoy the delightful sights and smells of homemade
01:00cakes, nibbles and of course, a cup of tea. With a cut of the ribbon by the
01:04Mayor of Canterbury, the new cattery is open and can begin to help reduce the
01:08number of stray cats on the street.
01:10Five, four, three, two, one.
01:19As you can see, people are taking a look at the new Alternative Lifestyle
01:22Cattery, which is the first of its kind for RSPCA.
01:24These pods offer a more spacious environment for the cats during their
01:28temporary stay at the centre.
01:30It has the luxury of an outdoor catio on the back of it. So it gives them that
01:35extra space, freedom, that natural enrichment that you would get of sights,
01:39sounds, all of those types of things that they would normally have if they were
01:43in a barn or a farm.
01:45The facility here kind of mirrors more of a natural environment for them, which
01:50makes them more calm, more relaxed, and it's more in tune with what they are
01:55used to. And it's a very unique opportunity to be able to offer that
02:01facility.
02:02The new cattery was built in memory of a dear friend of the centre, an all
02:06involved wish for its success, and hope it inspires other branches to follow in
02:10the footsteps of Canterbury's.
02:11I believe with the amount of effort and support that's been put in from the
02:16team and the research and the build, it will be successful. I think it could be
02:21something that could be replicated in other RSPCA locations, subject to them
02:26having the facilities to support the build.
02:30Before I left, I had to give one of my favourite felines another visit.
02:34Brandon Knapp for KMTV.
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