Loveable tom Archie proves he's a top cat
A HOMELESS Swansea cat has everything to miaow about after he proved to be the cat's whiskers in a top competition.
Archie, a loveable five-year-old tom cat from Llys Nini Animal Centre, Penllergaer, has been voted the new face of Whiskas cat food.
-
Five-year-old Archie is the new face of Whiskas cat food.
He was put forward by the Llys Nini Animal Centre, for the coveted title which clawed entries from 20,000 cat owners in the UK.
Archie was judged the winner for Wales.
Natalie Davies, a regular volunteer at the centre, saw the competition advertised and said she knew straight away Archie was handsome enough to win.
"He has the voice of a fog horn when he's hungry and loves his food," she said.
"I took some pics of him and sent them off to Whiskas, really hoping he would get lots of votes. I am thrilled for him."
Black and white Archie arrived at the centre as a bedraggled, wounded stray and has been waiting for somebody to adopt him since January.
Llys Nini is hoping the extra publicity will help highlight the scores of cats and kittens which it is desperate to re-home.
Manager Gary Weeks said: "It is very worrying, we have a full cattery, our emergency pens are full and our staff and volunteers are even fostering cats and kittens at home.
"We are finding it difficult to re-home these animals, which means that we can't rescue any more."
Llys Nini Fundraising manager Alison Lenihan added: "We are so excited for Archie, as hopefully all this publicity will result in him finding the home he so desperately needs.
"He is quite a feisty little character and is becoming quite distraught at being in a cat pen for almost a year now. His new owners will be adopting a local celebrity now — and of course they will have a supply of Whiskas for a year as part of the prize!"
To contact the centre, call 01792 229435.
See all the winners here
laura.davies@swwmedia.co.uk
8 Comments
by lindsey, swansea
Saturday, December 05 2009, 8:56PM
“Oh and well done Archie!!”
by Lindsey, swansea
Saturday, December 05 2009, 8:54PM
“I've found the centre to be great. The staff are lovely, and the cats are well socialised by both the staff and volunteers. If it wasn't for this centre I wouldn't have my Bruce cat. He was there for a year and the staff never gave up trying to find him a home. TBH a cat isn't a commodity that you should choose the pet you will have in your care for the rest of their lives based on how much the cat is! You will (hopefully anyway) end up spending thousands on a cat from kitten to adulthood if they live a long life so the £40 difference in the fee is barely anything really.
You have to remember that as a charity they have to find ways to support themselves and the adoption fee is a very small way of doing this. The fee will only cover a small amount of their care when you take into accounts the overheads involved in running a cattery of that size.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to discourage people going to the cats protection, as they are a great charity too. I just think that more thought should go into the procuring a pet than the fee of adopting one.”
by Demi, swansea
Saturday, December 05 2009, 6:03PM
“Firstly the cats protection do sometimes get money from the goverment and the RSPCA gets £0.00. The price is brilliant because you get vaccinations, micro-chipping and neutering in most vets for a spay they charge £50 anyway + the price of everything else this is all included it the price with the RSPCA. The cats protection only have CATS we have a wide range of animals and how can we afford to look after these animals with as little as £25 they wouldnt be able too. DONT SLATE THEM IF YOU DONT KNOW ABOUT THEIR WORK!!!”
by Demi, swansea
Saturday, December 05 2009, 5:58PM
“but it prob cost u the same after u got it neutered.
Maby because the cats protection do somtimes get money from the goverment the RSPCA gets £0.00. The cats peotection only has cats and we have a wide range of animals how can we afford to look after the animals with a price ike that.
The price is brilliant every thing is done you get vacs ,neutering, micro chipping. If you dont know about the RSPCA and its work for all the animals dont slate it”
by Medusa, Swansea
Saturday, December 05 2009, 3:16PM
“xxxx's to Archie; a handsome guy if ever there was one x”
by Paul, West Cross
Friday, December 04 2009, 5:03PM
“I voted for Archie so, I'm pleased that his photogenic qualities have been rewarded.
Well done also to the team at Llys Nini: You do great work.”
by Siani, Swansea
Friday, December 04 2009, 3:34PM
“I'm a volunteer at Llys Nini. It is a VERY FRIENDLY place, with approachable and knowledgeable staff. The adoption fee for a cat may be £65, but cats aged 6 months and older come already neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated. Paying for these procedures to be carried out at a vet's would cost a lot more than £65. Kittens under 6 months are microchipped, vaccinated and a voucher is provided towards the cost of neutering.
People seem to forget that Llys Nini is a charity. We receive NO funding from the main RSPCA. The centre costs at least £1500 a day to run, and is wholly dependent on money raised locally. Animals have to be fed, given worm and flea treatments, and any veterinary treatment they require, during their stay at the centre. Their accommodation must also be made comfortable, with bedding, toys, etc. Some cats can be there for several months, so the adoption fee really only reflects a small percentage of what it costs to care for a cat for weeks or months at a time.
It's hardly surprising the cattery at Llys Nini is so full, when uninformed people such as Yoohoo are spreading false information about the centre. Please be assured there is a warm welcome for all who wish to visit, and offer a loving home to a homeless animal. And it will cost you less in the long run, than it would to buy a pet elsewhere, then pay the full cost of neutering, micro-chipping and vaccinating your new pet.”
by Yoohoo, Swansea
Friday, December 04 2009, 1:43PM
“Could be something to do with the fact that the staff are completely unapproachable, plus the price of a kitten/cat is extortionate!! Swansea Cats Protection were much friendlier and only ask for the minimum of £25 per kitten although you can give more! Bought my kitten from Cats Protection and then had him neutered with free chipping in the vets. Much cheaper!”