The History Of Guisborough Cats, Rescue and Rehoming

On our logo are Ginger the cat, Ted the dog, and Dusty.

Ginger was my very first cat as an adult. Born outdoors, he and his brother George were given to us when they were tiny. They were both underweight, covered in fleas, and had bellies full of worms. Despite such a difficult start in life, George and Ginger grew into the most lovable brothers.

It was only after much persuasion from my son that we decided to look for a dog to join our little family and add to our insanity!

Teddy, as he was originally called, came from a woman who wanted to breed from him. After she had no success, she gave up and decided to give him away. Lucky for both him and us, he became part of our happy family.

Ted had never met a cat before, and Ginger and George had never met a dog. Sadly, Ted wasn't in good condition when he arrived and was actually smaller than the cats. Somehow, they seemed to realise that he needed help too, and they accepted him almost immediately.

Tragically, George suddenly became very poorly and passed away at just five years old from a blood clot. We were absolutely devastated. 💔 Ginger was lost, Ted was lost, and we all mourned George—but none more so than Ginger.

We knew Ginger needed another feline companion, so we welcomed Dusty into the family. Dusty was an insane little kitten whose name came from the mark on the end of his tail, which looked as though he'd sat in something dusty. Together, the three of them became an incredible trio.

Ted genuinely believes he's a cat. He is fiercely protective of all our cats, incredibly patient, and seems to understand that when there's a hiss or a growl, he simply needs to wait. He absolutely adores looking after kittens, curling up around them to help keep them warm and grooming them once they're old enough.

Ginger is the ultimate boss. He's completely unbothered by all the other fur babies unless a kitten is really pushing the boundaries. At that point, he'll simply place a paw on them until they calm down. 😂

Sadly, Dusty passed away earlier this year from heart failure. He was an amazing boy—a teacher of behaviour, a master of kleptomania, and he gave the most wonderful hugs and cuddles.

We miss Dusty every single day, but he will always be one third of the trio that started it all.

Names

In Guisborough, we went by many names, including Blind Foster Babies. At the time, we chose this name as we were taking in cats who suffered so severely from Cat Flu, their eyesight was badly affected. We were just fostering at the time, long before the rescue element became a passion.

We chose to rebrand in July 2026. The people of Guisborough, our home town, have been incredible and supportive throughout our time. Providing support from food and blankets, to financial and other support. We wanted to recognise the importance our home town and its people played in the journey, so we rebranded to Guisborough Cats, Rescue and Rehoming. 

There is always one name though, that we will always go by. No matter what a website, facebook page, or anything says. Kate is Guisborough's "Crazy Cat Lady". Anyone needing a rescue, or help with their cat, the local facebook groups buzz with "Is the crazy cat lady on here"? And honestly? its engrained in our DNA and Story.

No matter what name we go by, we are always there for the ones who only meow, when what they mean is "please, help, I just want a hug and a home".

Bottom Line

We are animal lovers who take in cats from the Teesside area and beyond. We receive Cats from places as far away as Dubai and rehome them here, where they will be loved.

We have rescued cats who are strays or just lost, and we are successful in reuniting the Fur baby with their owners and finding them those who need them, forever homes. We need help.

If you have the space in your home for a loving cat, please check out our Cat Bio's.