From Rescue to Royalty: Cat ‘Diva’ Finds Purr-fect Home Helping Children Heal
By Animals Correspondent
A black-and-white cat named Joy is living up to her name after being adopted into a different kind of forever home.
After arriving at Cats Protection Northern Ireland Cat Centre last November, four-year-old Joy soon landed on all four paws when staff at local children's residential home, Tearmann Cottage, began searching for a pet to help young residents build positive human-animal relationships as part of their care plans.
Centre Manager, Andrew Doherty, said:
“Joy is such a laid back, easy going, friendly cat that we knew she would be the perfect fit for this unique environment. Her previous owner was sadly fleeing a domestic violence situation, but despite all she has been through, Joy loves human attention and was the ideal choice.
“After meeting her the decision was unanimous from the Tearmann care staff, and neither they nor Joy have looked back since.”
Tearmann Cottage is a specialised home in the greater Belfast area that cares for children aged 6-13, who have experienced complex developmental trauma.
Since moving in, Joy has been affectionately renamed Diva by the children living there and has settled wonderfully into her new home, offering comfort, companionship, and a calming presence for the children.
Residential Care Worker, Emily Andrews, said:
“Diva has settled into Tearmann Cottage very well and seems to be content. She loves our vast outdoor areas and has familiarised herself with the surrounding areas and other animals in the home.
“Diva is extremely vocal about her opinions (mostly about snacks and cuddles) and has claimed the comfiest spots in the house as her own. She favours the pouffe in the living room and the carpet at the top of the stairs.
“Diva is the perfect fit for our therapeutic children's residential home, bringing lots of calming energy. She’s an absolute natural with everyone here and steals the hearts of all who walk through our doors.”
Andrew added:
“No pun intended, but cats can bring so much joy into people’s lives, and we
don’t necessarily look for traditional homes for our cats. Tearmann Cottage is just one example of how cats can thrive in unique settings, and we are keen to hear from all kinds of homes.
“We also often need outdoor homes and are always on the lookout for farms or businesses with smallholdings. We’d encourage anyone who thinks they might have a suitable but unique home to have a chat with us. So many cats come into our care, all with different personalities and needs. We’d love your help to find the perfect match for every single one of them.”
Visit www.cats.org.uk/northernireland to meet cats hoping to find their perfect home or call 02890 480 202.
